Kiddie Cholesterol: Would You Put Your Child on a Statin Drug?

By Theresa Tamkins

My daughter, Veronica, is 6. She loves to dance, is a budding gymnast, and hates that she’s the tiniest girl in her class. She also has high cholesterol. A recent test found that her total cholesterol rivals that of a 50-year-old man’s—206 mg/dl.

Apparently, she’s not alone. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is so concerned about high cholesterol in kids that they issued new guidelines on Monday—the first in more than a decade on kids and cholesterol. The guidelines are in the July issue of the journal Pediatrics. Read More

Caffeine May Block High Cholesterol Linked to Alzheimer's

(HealthDay News) -- A little caffeine every day could offer some protection from Alzheimer's disease for people with high cholesterol.

Rabbits given the daily caffeine equivalent of one cup of coffee and fed a cholesterol-rich diet for 12 weeks suffered relatively little damage in their blood-brain barrier (BBB), which protects the central nervous system from the rest of the body's circulation, new research found.

The findings were published in the open-access publication Journal of Neuroinflammation.

Previous studies have shown that high levels of cholesterol break down the BBB, exposing the central nervous system to damage from blood-borne contamination. BBB leakage occurs in a variety of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

"High levels of cholesterol are a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, perhaps by compromising the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier. For the first time, we have shown that chronic ingestion of caffeine protects the BBB from cholesterol-induced leakage," Jonathan Geiger, of the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said in a prepared statement.

Caffeine appears to offer protection by helping proteins maintain the tight binding of the cells in the BBB, so they stop unwanted molecules from entering the central nervous system.

The findings also confirm previous studies showing that caffeine protects against memory loss in aging and in Alzheimer's disease.

"Caffeine is a safe and readily available drug, and its ability to stabilize the blood-brain barrier means it could have an important part to play in therapies against neurological disorders," Geiger said.

More information
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about Alzheimer's medications.

Most With High Blood Pressure Don't Follow Recommended Diet

(HealthDay News) -- Few people with high blood pressure follow recommended dietary guidelines that help control the disease, a new study says.

In fact, people with hypertension actually appear to be eating worse than before the government-approved guidelines were introduced, according to the report published in the Feb.
11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study said young people, blacks and the obese fared the worst in their dietary habits.

A diet high in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products has been shown to help significantly lower blood pressure, according to background information in the article. This Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) method, first published in 1997, complements other lifestyle changes, such as reducing sodium and losing weight, and can also help lower cholesterol levels, previous studies have shown.

The DASH diet is recommended by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection and Treatment of High Blood Pressure for all patients with hypertension.

The study analyzed dietary, health and personal data of adults collected in surveys done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1988 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2004.

Using the DASH guidelines, researchers identified goals for eight target nutrients and calculated scores ranging from zero to nine for individuals with and without hypertension from the surveys; those who scored a 4.5 or higher were considered to be following the diet.

Dr. Philip B. Mellen, of the Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, Miss., and his colleagues found that among individuals surveyed from 1999 to 2004, 28 percent had been diagnosed with hypertension. These individuals had an average DASH score of 2.92 (compared with 3.12 among those without high blood pressure), and only 19.4 percent followed the diet. Compared with those surveyed in 1988 to 1994, 7.3 percent fewer individuals with hypertension followed the DASH diet, reflecting fewer patients who consumed target levels of total fat, fiber and magnesium.

The findings suggest that the diet of Americans with hypertension has not been greatly influenced by the recommendations emerging from the DASH trial and instead reflect secular trends in the dietary patterns of the overall population, the authors wrote. Moreover, the DASH score was lower in subgroups likely to receive the greatest benefit from the DASH diet -- blacks and obese individuals.

More information
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about high blood pressure and how to control it.

Smallest Air Pollution Particles Hurt Heart Most

(HealthDay News) -- The tiniest bits of air pollution from your vehicle's exhaust may be the most dangerous to your heart's health, suggests a new U.S. study.

Particles that are about one-thousandth the size of a human hair, cause plaque build-up in the arteries, according to a University of California, Los Angeles-led study. This condition, called atherosclerosis, can lead to heart attack and stroke.

These particles also contribute to hardening of the arteries by shutting down the protective qualities of so-called "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, according to the study, which appears in the Jan. 17 online edition of Circulation Research.

Over five weeks, researchers exposed mice with high cholesterol to larger fine pollution particles (2.5 micrometers in size) or ultrafine particles (less than 0.18 micrometers), then compared them to mice exposed to filtered air. The mice exposed to ultrafine particles had 25 percent more arterial plaque development than the mice exposed to fine particles and 55 percent more than mice that breathed filtered air.

"This suggests that ultrafine particles are the most toxic air pollutants in promoting events leading to cardiovascular disease," study author Dr. Jesus Araujo, an assistant professor of medicine and director of environmental cardiology at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates fine pollution particles, it doesn't monitor ultrafine -- or nano-sized -- particles, according to background information in a news release about the study.

"We hope our findings offer insight into the impact of nano-sized air pollutant particles and help explore ways for stricter air quality regulatory guidelines," principal investigator Dr. Andre Nel, UCLA's chief of nanomedicine, said in a prepared statement.

More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about the possible health effects of air pollution.

Moderate Exercise Cuts Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

(HealthDay News) -- A brisk 30-minute walk most days of the week is enough to undo metabolic syndrome, a health condition that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and stroke, a new study suggests.

"What we found was a modest amount of moderate intensity exercise was very effective in improving metabolic syndrome risk," said study author Johanna L. Johnson, a clinical researcher at Duke University Medical Center's department of medicine.

At the start of the study, 41 percent of the 171 participants had metabolic syndrome; at the end, just 27 percent did. The study was published in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.

About one-quarter of all U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors that can eventually set you up for more serious health problems. While some experts debate the validity of considering metabolic syndrome a disease unto itself, the risk factors are potentially dangerous. They include a large waist circumference; high blood pressure; high levels of triglycerides; low levels of good (HDL) cholesterol; and high blood sugar. If you have three or more of the five risk factors, you have metabolic syndrome.

Johnson and her colleagues looked at the effects of different amounts and intensities of exercise.
The researchers assigned the 171 men and women to one of four groups. One was a control group, whose members continued to be sedentary. The other three groups included:

• A low amount/moderate intensity group. They did brisk walking three to five days a week, aiming for about 11 miles, and typically putting in about three hours a week.


• A low amount/vigorous intensity group. They did the same 11 or so miles but at a jogging pace, so they ended up getting about two hours of exercise a week.


• A high amount/vigorous intensity group. They jogged at a vigorous pace about 17 miles a week, putting in about three hours.

What was a bit surprising, Johnson said, was the benefits conferred to each group.
"What we found was that modest amounts of moderate intensity exercise [the low/moderate group] were very effective in improving metabolic syndrome," she said. Those who exercised the most, jogging 17 miles a week, gained a bit more benefit in terms of lowered metabolic syndrome scores, she said.

Those in the low amount/vigorous intensity group didn't improve their scores as much as those who did less-intense exercise for a longer period of time, the low amount/moderate intensity group.

Moderate intensity activity every day, or almost every day, may be better for metabolic syndrome risk reduction than more vigorous activity a few days a week, the researchers suggested.

All three groups of exercisers did have a reduction in their waistline circumference. Waist circumferences above 34.6 inches in women and 40.2 in men are a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, the researchers said.

The high amount/vigorous intensity group had the best reduction in body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height). It went from an average of 29.2 to 28.4. A BMI of 30 and higher is termed obese.

So, the bottom line for middle-age, sedentary, overweight people? "If you tell them to go out for a brisk walk 30 minutes on most days of the week, they are highly likely to improve health and metabolic syndrome risk," Johnson said.

The new research confirms advice on exercise from the American College of Sports Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she added.

"It confirms that exercise is beneficial," said Kerry Stewart, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who also has done research on the topic.

"It confirms the benefit of exercise for reducing metabolic syndrome and all the risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome," he said. The surprise, he agreed, was that moderate activity may be enough.

More information
To learn more about metabolic syndrome, visit the American Heart Association.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Health Reviewed

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Charles Vega, MD

The latest American Heart Association guidelines caution people not to start drinking alcohol if they do not already drink alcohol, according to a review of the advantages and disadvantages of alcohol intake on cardiovascular health published in the August 23 Online First issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"Accumulating scientific evidence indicates that light to moderate drinking done on a daily basis may significantly reduce the risks of coronary heart disease (CHD) and all-cause mortality," write James H. O'Keefe, MD, FACC, and colleagues from the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. "In contrast, excessive alcohol intake and binge drinking are toxic to both the heart and overall health and are the third leading cause of premature death among Americans.

The purpose of the present review is to:
1) outline the specific benefits and risks of alcohol, and the threshold of intake at which drinking becomes a health danger rather than an advantage;
2) detail the mechanisms whereby alcohol confers cardioprotection; and
3) discuss the ideal quantities, drinking patterns, and beverages, and which individuals are most likely to benefit."

Research to date has shown J-shaped relationships between alcohol consumption and several adverse health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, CHD, diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, and Raynaud's phenomenon.

Some cardioprotective benefits have been demonstrated for light to moderate alcohol consumption (up to 1 drink daily for women and 1 or 2 drinks daily for men). Most studies have shown that light to moderate drinking is associated with risk reductions for CHD of approximately 30% to 35%.

Alcohol consumed in moderation seems to have an antiatherosclerotic effect, with decreased incidence of peripheral arterial disease and decreased atherosclerotic burden shown by coronary angiography, computerized tomography-detected coronary calcium, and carotid ultrasound.
Like exercise, alcohol consumption seems to be most cardioprotective when done daily and in moderation. However, increasingly excessive consumption is associated with proportional worsening of outcomes.

Because of the beneficial effects on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, insulin action, and inflammation, light to moderate alcohol intake may be particularly helpful for patients with abnormal glucose metabolism and/or insulin resistance. Light to moderate alcohol intake may be associated with reductions in the prevalence and incidence of diabetes, and a large meta-analysis with 12-year follow-up showed a 30% reduction in new diabetes in those who consumed 1 to 2 drinks daily.

The cardiovascular benefits associated with alcohol consumption protection are thought to be mediated by improvements in insulin sensitivity and HDL cholesterol. The major protective component seems to be the ethanol itself, and not the other ingredients found in different types of alcoholic beverages.

In a meta-analysis incorporating data from more than 1 million participants, consumption of 1 drink daily by women and 1 or 2 drinks daily by men was associated with an 18% reduction in total mortality, but daily intakes of more than 2 drinks in women and 3 drinks in men were associated with dose-dependent increased mortality.

Although low-dose, daily alcohol consumption has been linked to better health than less frequent use, binge drinking increases cardiovascular events and mortality, even in otherwise light drinkers.

"Alcohol should not be universally prescribed for health enhancement to nondrinking individuals owing to the lack of randomized outcome data and the potential for problem drinking," the study authors note. "Alcohol (ethanol) consumption is analogous to the proverbial double-edged sword, and perhaps no other factor in cardiovascular (CV) health is capable of cutting so deeply in either direction depending on how it is used."

Guidelines from the United Kingdom suggest that middle-aged or elderly men and postmenopausal women who drink seldom or never might consider the possibility that light drinking would benefit their health. On occasion, the reviewers have made a similar recommendation to patients who do not smoke and who have no personal or family history of substance abuse and no history of depression or bipolar disorder. However, they argue that light to moderate drinking should not be universally recommended to the general public or even to patients with cardiovascular disease.

As an analogy, they point out that observational data and findings from randomized trials using surrogate endpoints suggested that hormone replacement therapy for women and antioxidant vitamins improved cardiovascular outcomes, whereas later randomized trials with larger samples led to the opposite conclusions. They note that no randomized trials of alcohol for improving clinical outcomes have yet been performed. In observational studies, residual unmeasured confounding factors could be contributing to apparent benefits that seem to be associated with light to moderate drinking.

The investigators further note that heavy drinking has caused significant individual and societal problems and morbidity. In the past 15 years, the rates of alcohol abuse and binge drinking have been increasing, according to the findings of some studies. Alcohol abuse causes 100,000 deaths each year in the United States, and it has been deemed the third largest preventable cause of death.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with increased risks for all-cause mortality, motor vehicle crashes, stroke, cardiomyopathy, cardiac dysrhythmia, sudden cardiac arrest, suicide, cancer (particularly of the breast and gastrointestinal tract), cirrhosis, fetal alcohol syndrome and sleep apnea.

"Sobering statistics warn that moderate daily drinking is a slippery slope that many individuals cannot safely navigate," the study authors conclude. "The latest American Heart Association guidelines caution people not to start drinking if they do not already drink alcohol, because it is not possible to predict in which people alcohol abuse will become a problem. Until we have more randomized outcome data, and tools for predicting susceptibility to problem drinking, it would seem prudent to encourage physicians and patients to focus on more innocuous interventions to prevent CHD."

J Am Coll Cardiol. Published online August 23, 2007.
2007;50:1009-1014.

Diet Still Important to Patients on Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs

(HealthDay News) -- Patients taking cholesterol-busting statins usually eat healthy, too, a new study finds.

The finding contrasts with what many doctors believe: that patients view drugs such as Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor as a license to eat whatever they like because they think the medication is enough to protect them from heart disease.

"We went into this study thinking that these medications are so good, and changing your diet is so hard, that we expected people to relax their dietary efforts, increasing their fat intake," said lead researcher Dr. Devin Mann, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

But that wasn't as big a problem as many people assumed, Mann said. "In reality, we often have expectations of what behavior will be. But you actually have to look and check, because behavior is tricky -- it's hard to predict," he said.

In the study, which is published in the August issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mann's team collected data on 71 patients taking statins to prevent heart disease. The researchers interviewed them when they started on the drug, and again three and six months later.

The researchers found there was no significant change in how much saturated fat the patients included in their diets.

"As doctors, we have assumptions of what behaviors will be like, but we often don't get what the opinions of the patients really are," Mann said. "It was surprising how many people, even if they thought diet wasn't going to be effective, still wanted to do it," he said.

Given these findings, Mann believes doctors should continue to pursue lifestyle changes with their patients. "We shouldn't give up on lifestyle just because we are starting drug therapy -- these things should really work together," he said.

Patients already understand this, Mann said. Doctors should encourage patients to make lifestyle changes and not think it's a waste of time, he noted.

Mann also believes that patients need to tell their doctors what they think about the medications and lifestyle changes that are being recommended.

"Patients and doctors should work from common ground to make decisions, because if you make decisions without information, you make poorly informed decisions," Mann said.

One expert was encouraged by the findings.

"Achieving and maintaining healthy lipid levels is essential for prevention of cardiovascular events and premature death," said Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Many patients require both dietary modification and lipid-lowering medications to get to recommended lipid levels."

Unfortunately, study after study shows that many adults in the United States are not being adequately treated for their cholesterol levels and thus having cardiovascular events that could have been prevented, Fonarow noted.

"While many patients do not adhere to their medical regimen, missing doses or stopping altogether, little was known about whether starting lipid-lowering medications would adversely influence adherence to dietary recommendations," Fonarow said. "The results of this study -- showing no significant change in reported dietary habits after initiation of statin treatment -- should be reassuring to physicians and other health-care providers."

More information
For more information on healthy living, visit the American Heart Association.

Food Nutrition Labels a Puzzle? Here's Help

(HealthDay News) -- If you think you're the only one who gets confused trying to read nutrition labels on food, relax. You've got plenty of company.

In a study of educated adults -- 75 percent had at least a high school education -- most had trouble understanding everyday food nutrition labels.

Dietitians aren't surprised, since they constantly have to explain food labeling to clients.

"The biggest problem is (figuring) serving size," said Dr. Russell Rothman, an assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the Center for Health Services Research at Vanderbilt University, who led the study about nutrition labels.

His team surveyed 200 primary-care patients from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and asked them to finish a 24-item measure of food label comprehension.

They answered, on average, just 69 percent of the questions correctly.

Besides confusing serving sizes, people were most often mixed up about extraneous material on the label, Rothman found. They often calculated the data incorrectly -- for instance, only 37 percent could figure the number of carbohydrates consumed from a 20-ounce bottle of soda that contained 2.5 servings.

"A soda bottle is typically 20 ounces," Rothman said, "and it will say, 'servings per container is 2.5.' People will not realize that. They think 20 ounces is a serving." If the label says 200 calories per serving, many will mistakenly think that means the whole bottle. However, after doing the math, the entire bottle would actually provide 500 calories, he said.

"When you are looking at food labels, take your time and be careful," Rothman advised. "They are confusing and have a lot of complex information in them. Pay particular attention to serving size and how to apply that to how much you are actually eating."

The study was published recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Another expert, Susan Moores, a nutrition consultant in Minneapolis and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, agreed that serving size is where many people get tripped up on reading labels.

She said the first few ingredients listed on a label can also give clues to a product's goodness. "You want to recognize what they are," Moores said. "If you don't, that's a red flag. It means the food is probably not so nutritious." One exception, she said, might be the label on fortified cereals, where many non-recognizable names could be vitamins and other nutritious ingredients, she said.

Instead of trying to decipher the entire label, consumers can learn a few tricks, Moores and Rothman suggested.

For instance, follow the "5 and 20" rule. "If a label says it contributes 5 percent or less (of the daily value of a particular) nutrient, that is good on some ingredients, such as sodium and cholesterol, fat and sugar," Moores said. But, she added, it's not ideal for nutrients you want to increase.

If a label says it provides 20 percent of the daily value of a nutrient, likewise, that's good for nutrients you want to boost -- such as vitamins, fiber, calcium or iron -- but not for those you want to curtail.

You can look on the packaging itself for specific phrases, such as "low in fat," Rothman suggested. "These labels are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration," he said, so consumers have some assurances that the foods are as advertised.

That's not foolproof, however. "Some foods low in calories may not be better (than other foods) in other nutritional ingredients. They may have too much salt or fat," Rothman said.

If you still have trouble with label reading, Rothman offered up two more ways to be sure you focus on nutritious foods. First, you can follow an eating plan, such as Weight Watchers, he said, which advises you to eat five servings or more of fruits and vegetables, two to three servings of low-fat or non-fat dairy products daily, and to limit your calories.

"If you still find it very hard, when you meet with your physician or a registered dietitian, ask for help from them," he said. "Ask them to suggest something else practical you can do."

More information
There's more on nutrition labeling at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The pH Miracle

Forget cholesterol counts. Forget calories and fat grams. Forget blood pressure, blood sugar, hormone levels, or any of the other markers of health you're used to at the doctor's office.

It turns out that the single measurement most important to your health is the pH of your blood and tissues - how acidic or alkaline it is. Different areas of the body have different ideal pH levels, but blood pH is the most telling of all. Just as your body temperature is rigidly regulated, the blood must be kept in a very narrow pH range - mildly basic or alkaline.

The body will go to great lengths to preserve that, including wreaking havoc on other tissues or systems.

The pH level of our internal fluids affects every cell in our bodies. The entire metabolic process depends on an alkaline environment. Chronic over acidity corrodes body tissue, and if left unchecked will interrupt all cellular activities and functions, from the beating of your heart to the neutral firing of your brain. In other words, overacidity interferes with life itself.

It is at the root of all sickness and disease.

If that's not enough to get you interested in balacing your body pH naturally, nondestructively, keep this mind: Overacidity is also what's keeping you FAT!

The goal then - and what this program allows you to do - is to create the proper alkaline balance within your body. The way to do that is by eating the proper balance of alkaline and acid foods.

That means 80 percent of your diet must be alkalizing foods, like green vegetables. (That percentage will go down somewhat once you've successfully rebalanced yourself.)

In addition, high quality food supplements will help you achieve and maintain pH balance.
"The pH Miracle" Dr. Robert O. Young and Shelley Redford Young, Warner Books; (May 2002)

Starting January 4th an interactive teleseminar called "pH Miracle Secrets."

ph Miracle Center

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Regular Exercise Helps Obese Teens' Hearts

(HealthDay News) -- Obese teens who start a regular exercise program can reverse or reduce early signs of heart disease, new research shows.

The finding suggests that continued exercise could decrease their risk of developing hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and strokes, said Dr. Andreas Alexander Meyer, of the University of Rostock in Germany.

"Obese young adults who were already obese in childhood have a high risk of developing serious cardiovascular events," Meyer said. "First events can occur between the age of 20 and 30 years."

Meyer's team studied 67 obese German teens with early signs of hardening of the arteries: decreased flexibility of their arteries and increased thickness in the linings of the carotid arteries of the neck.

"It was in the range we usually see in adults between the ages of 30 and 40," Meyer said. "This is clear evidence of vascular changes in obese children."

During the study, the researchers randomly assigned the teens, who averaged 15 years of age, to either a six-month exercise program or no change in their usual routine.

The exercise regimen included 60 minutes of swimming and water aerobics on Mondays, 90 minutes of team sports on Wednesdays and 60 minutes of walking on Fridays.

In the exercise group, the researchers saw an almost complete restoration of the arteries' flexibility, which resulted in improved blood flow. They also observed a significant reduction in the thickness of the linings of the youths' carotid arteries.

Because exercise also led to improvements in body-mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and cholesterol and triglyceride levels, the researchers concluded that it could significantly reduce the teens' risk of developing heart disease. "Even children who did not lose weight showed improvements in vascular status and obesity-related risk factors," Meyer said.

The study results are published in the Nov. 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Meyer cautioned that these benefits would quickly vanish if the teens did not maintain their healthy new lifestyle and strive to become even more physically active. "Generally, in children, we recommend moderate exercise of 45-90 minutes per day to keep cardiovascular risk low," he said.

Parental support is essential, Meyer said, but it can be difficult to convince parents -- who may themselves be obese and sedentary -- that their children's lives depend on eating right and exercising regularly.

"Most obese children don't get sufficient support in their efforts to reduce weight," Meyer said. "We have intensive talks with the parents about their children's medical and vascular status. We try to make clear that the whole family needs to change its risky behavior."

In recent years, childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, affecting an estimated 22 million children under age 5. In the United States, one-third of children are either obese or at risk of becoming obese, according to a 2006 federal report, Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?.

Between 2002 and 2004, the obesity rate for American children and teens increased from 16 percent to 17.1 percent and is expected to reach 20 percent by 2010, according to the report.

"All children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week," said Karen A. Donato, coordinator of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Obesity Education Initiative. She was not part of the study.

"According to the U.S. dietary guidelines for Americans, regular physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes," Donato said.

"The National Institutes of Health has begun a national education program entitled We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition) to provide parents and primary caregivers of children with important information and tips on ways to increase physical activity in children and youth, as well as to decrease screen time, and eat a nutritious diet."

More information
For more on childhood obesity, head to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Minorities Less Likely to Receive Care at High-Volume Hospitals

(HealthDay News) -- Race matters, at least when it comes to medical care received in big hospitals and Medicare managed-care plans.

Two studies in the Oct. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association found that racial minorities generally received lower quality care than whites or had less access to better care.

According to the first paper, black, Asian and Hispanic patients, as well as uninsured patients, were less likely to undergo complex surgery at high-volume hospitals that specialize in that type of surgery. These hospitals are thought to produce better results because they perform so many of the procedures.

To see who was actually using high-volume hospitals, the authors looked at the characteristics of 719,608 patients who underwent 10 inpatient procedures in California from 2000 to 2004.

The procedures were: elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair; coronary artery bypass grafting; carotid endarterectomy; esophageal cancer resection; hip fracture repair; lung cancer resection; cardiac valve replacement; coronary angioplasty; pancreatic cancer resection; and total knee replacement.

Overall, nonwhites, Medicaid recipients and uninsured patients were less likely to receive care at high-volume hospitals and more likely to go to low-volume hospitals.

Blacks were "significantly" -- 28 percent to 60 percent -- less likely than whites to receive surgical care at high-volume hospitals for six of the 10 operations. Asians were 9 percent to 40 percent less likely to receive care at high-volume hospitals for five of the procedures, while Hispanics were 12 percent to 54 percent less likely to receive care at high-volume hospitals for nine of the procedures.

Medicaid patients were 34 percent to 78 percent less likely than Medicare patients to receive their surgical care at high-volume hospitals for seven of the operations, while uninsured patients were 19 percent to 80 percent less likely to be treated at high volume hospitals for nine of the surgeries.

Right now, the goal is to send all patients in need of a specific type of procedure to hospitals that routinely perform such procedures and have the best results. But this might not be feasible or equitable. Rather than try to refer nonwhites and Medicaid recipients to high-volume hospitals, "the question becomes how to improve the quality of low-volume hospitals, raise the tide and lift all the boats," said Dr. Clifford Ko, senior author of the study and professor of surgery and director of the center for surgical outcomes and quality at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"There is no single, perfect way to improve quality and, even though we've put a lot of stock into volume, it is not perfect," Ko continued. "We need to find additional ways that hospitals can improve quality."

The second study found that black enrollees in Medicare managed-care plans do less well when it comes to managing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, compared to white patients. The study authors looked at 431,573 individual-level observations in 151 Medicare health plans from 2002 to 2004. They were interested in gauging how well the plans performed on key clinical measures -- controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.

"If people have those measures under control, they're less likely to have heart attacks, strokes and are less likely to die prematurely," said study lead author Dr. Amal N. Trivedi, assistant professor of community health at Brown Medical School in Providence, R.I. "These are very important clinical outcomes." Trivedi started the research while at Harvard Medical School.
"There were large racial disparities in performance in the system as a whole with an absolute gap of 7 percent for blood pressure control all the way up to 14 percent for controlling cholesterol after a heart attack," Trivedi said.

The real question was whether there was any connection between these disparities and the overall quality of the plans. The answer was no, Trivedi said.

"There was basically no connection between the overall quality of the plan and how big its racial disparity, so this isn't an issue that affects just a few low-performing plans," Trivedi said. "We found that it's basically universal among Medicare managed care."

The bottom line is that managed-care plans need to start collecting this information, Trivedi said.

Stephen Thomas is director of the Center for Minority Health at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. He said, "These articles tell us more of the same. The fundamental question is what are we going to do? What we need now is third generation health disparity research that is focused on solutions. Institutions need to be accountable to implementing solutions."

More information
The Kaiser Family Foundation has more on race, ethnicity and health care.

Clinical Trials Update: July 21, 2006

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of Thomson CenterWatch:
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML)

A clinical trial is seeking subjects with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in either first complete remission with poor prognostic features or second complete remission to participate in a clinical study to test an experimental drug.

Those who qualify for this study should be at least 18-years-old who have not received a marrow, blood, cord blood transplant, or solid organ transplant and who are not taking corticosteroids at doses equivalent to or greater than 10 mg/day of prednisone.
The research site is in New York City.

More information
Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat660.html.
-----
Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction) or Obesity
People with a serious heart condition are asked to participate in this research study.
Successful candidates should be at least 55-years-old, male and have a waistline of over 40 inches or female and have a waistline of over 35 inches, and have had at least one significant heart condition including -- but not limited to -- heart attack, chest pain, peripheral artery disease (PAD), type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol.
You may not participate in this study if you have had weight loss surgery (stomach stapling, etc.) within the past 6 months or participated in a research trial involving the study drug rimonabant.
The research site is in the Bronx, New York.
More information
Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat463.html or http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat107.html.
-----
Osteoarthritis
If you have osteoarthritis (OA) pain of the knee or hip, you may be eligible for a research study of an investigational pain medication.
Volunteers between the ages of 21 and 80 who are currently taking pain medication for osteoarthritis may be eligible for this study. Qualified participants may receive investigational study medication, study-related physical exams and lab tests, and compensation for time and travel.
Research sites are located throughout the United States.
More information
Please see http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat109.html.
-----
Copyright 2006 Thomson CenterWatch. All rights reserved.

Weight Loss Plan Kit $172.80 [ learn more ] Includes: Oxy-Powder, Slimirex (180 Count), Weight Loss Secrets Revealed, Ten Super Secrets for Weight Loss

If Your Blood Pressure is Even a Little High

If you're one of the many Americans who falls between normal blood pressure and hypertension, you probably have a condition known as prehypertension.

According to the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, high blood pressure can increase your risks of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, kidney disease and blindness.

So taking control of your blood pressure before you develop hypertension is crucial. In some people, like diabetics or those with kidney trouble, even prehypertension is often treated with medication.

Getting regular exercise and changing your diet to include lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help lower your blood pressure without medication. You should also avoid foods that are high in fat, cholesterol and salt.

-- Diana Kohnle

Last updated: July 2006
Copyright © 2005 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.

Weight Loss Ebook - Secrets Revealed - Revised Edition $19.95 [ learn more ] This is not only a weight loss program, it is also a plan for "TOTAL HEALTH". If you want a quick fix (taking metabolism boosters, etc.), only to gain more weight when you stop, do not even consider this program. Our program is designed to change the way you think and live your life. Change is only a decision away. You can do this! If you are motivated, and truly care about taking care of your body, and you are willing to make changes in your life, then this program is for you! - E-Book Version.(WL)

Everyday Tips for Living With Hypertension

10 Delicious Ways to Lower High Blood Pressure

The DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has been shown to prevent and reduce high blood pressure. It's rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products; moderate in total fat; and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It's even more effective if you also reduce your salt and sodium intake. If losing weight is a concern in addition to lowering your blood pressure, you can benefit from DASH — especially if you stick to low-fat foods.

Be spicy instead of salty. In cooking and at the table, flavor foods with herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar, or salt-free seasoning blends.
Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned, smoked, or processed types.
Eat moderate portions, and when snacking, eat fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or bread sticks.

Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings that are high in sodium.
Start your day with breakfast cereals that are lower in salt and sodium.
Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt; cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned with "no-salt-added" vegetables.
Drink water or club soda instead of soft drinks high in sugar.
When eating out, move the saltshaker away — limit condiments, such as catsup, pickles, and sauces with high salt-containing ingredients.
Cut back on processed and fast foods that are high in salt and sodium.

Source: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The NHLBI does not recommend or endorse any company advertised on this site.

Conquering Heart Disease Using Natural Methods $19.95 [ learn more ] Poor health and degenerative disease are caused by poor choices and the environment you expose yourself to. Good health is attainable, disease is curable and preventable, when we empower ourselves with the correct information and proper knowledge. We then begin making the choices that support our health. You must educate yourself first before starting any health program. This builds self-confidence and belief in what you are doing. This is your body we are talking about. Most people spend hundreds of dollars every month on new shoes, clothes, food, etc. How much do you spend on keeping yourself healthy? Without health, your body will start to deteriorate and age. Look and feel better than ever, just take the time to learn about yourself and read the information below. - E-Book Version.(HD)

I am taking raw garlic with my evening meal.

I am taking raw garlic with my evening meal. It seems garlic can lower blood pressure by 5 to 10%. As mentioned in my previous post, garlic can lower cholesterol 15% which is a plus factor (Using food to control cholesterol). Garlic can also thin blood.A previous post also mentioned kefir, which I take occasionally. Another weapon in the arsenal against high blood.

And cut or reduce smoking, which is not a problem as I don't smoke.And my report card - the last test I had done showed that my diastolic blood pressure was reduced from 90 to 85, which is a good sign. I will have to take the test again soon.



Blood pressure: 120 over 80
Blood sugar: 4.6 mmol/L
Looks like it is working.
Natural Treatments for High Blood Pressure

Cinnamon for Cholesterol, Blood Sugar Control?

Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: I have been reading that several studies have shown that a daily dose of cinnamon may delay the onset of type II diabetes and help regulate blood sugar levels of existing type II diabetics. I've also heard that taking a half-teaspoon of cinnamon a day can help to lower cholesterol. -- Besty B.

A: Some recent research does suggest that cinnamon may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar and may also help lower cholesterol, but the study in question was small and its findings need to be confirmed before we can start recommending cinnamon to patients.

The news about cinnamon's effect on blood sugar and cholesterol came from a small study in Pakistan. Results were published in the December 2003 issue of Diabetes Care. The study ran for only 40 days and included 60 patients with type 2 diabetes. It showed that one, three or six grams of cinnamon daily, divided into two doses (that amounts to between a quarter of a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon a day), lowered fasting glucose by 18 to 29 percent, triglycerides by 23 to 30 percent, LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27 percent, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent.

Cinnamon's effect on blood sugar is believed to be due to a proanthocyanidin, an active ingredient that increases sensitivity of receptors to insulin.

A word of caution: cinnamon in large doses may be toxic, so don't assume that if the relatively small amounts used in the study help, larger amounts will work better. There's also the possibility that adding cinnamon to your diet will change the dose of medication you need, so you should monitor your blood sugar carefully.

As for cholesterol control, the effects seen in the Pakistani study don't equal those of better-studied statin drugs. So if your cholesterol is high and you're taking a statin, don't assume that you can substitute cinnamon. The results of the Pakistani study are very interesting, but we need to know more. In the meantime, there's no harm in sprinkling cinnamon on your oatmeal or using it in cooking.
Andrew Weil, MD

New Cholesterol Guidelines?

New Cholesterol Guidelines?

Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: I understand that there has been a change in what's considered normal cholesterol. Can you explain the difference and the reason for the change? -- Richard

A: Government health officials have recommended that target levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol should be reduced by 30 points for people considered at moderate to high risk for heart disease. Up to now, an LDL of 130 was considered acceptable for those with a high risk of heart disease.

According to the new recommendations, LDL levels for people at high risk should be below 100. You're considered at high risk if you already have heart disease, diabetes, non-coronary atherosclerosis, or some other condition that increases your risk of a heart attack to 20 percent or more over the next 10 years.

The same reduction was recommended for those considered at "moderately high" risk of heart disease -- anyone with such risk factors such as advancing age, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and other lifestyle-related risks such as obesity, physical inactivity, or metabolic syndrome (elevated triglycerides and low HDL).

If you fall into this category, you have a 10 to 20 percent chance of suffering a heart attack within 10 years. If you have no risk factors for heart disease, you're unaffected by the new recommendations.

Under the new guidelines, millions of Americans whose LDL levels range from 100 to 129 will be treated with cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs with the goal of reducing LDL levels by 30 to 40 percent, no matter what they are at the outset.

The changes were set in motion after results from five recent clinical trials indicated that the old cholesterol goals weren't low enough and that heart attack prevention is more effective when LDL levels are pushed well below 100.

In fact, evidence suggests that high-risk patients do best when their LDL is below 70, a level that may be hard to reach even with high doses of statins. The new recommendations were published in the July 13, 2004, issue of Circulation and were endorsed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology.

Andrew Weil, MD

Is Chocolate a Health Food?

Is Chocolate a Health Food?
Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: What do you think of the recent news that chocolate is good for the heart? -- Charlie R. A: The latest news about chocolate -- that it makes blood vessels more flexible -- adds to accumulating evidence that chocolate offers a number of health benefits and may be good for the heart. Earlier findings had shown that chocolate contains polyphenols, the same kinds of antioxidants found in red wine and green tea; stearic acid, a type of fat that doesn't raise cholesterol levels; and flavonoids, which reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and reducing the danger of coronary artery blockages.
In the most recent study, researchers at Athens Medical School in Greece recruited 17 healthy young volunteers who agreed to eat a 3.5-ounce bar of dark chocolate and then undergo ultrasound tests to see how the chocolate affected the functioning of endothelial cells in blood-vessel walls. Normally, these cells control the stiffness of blood vessels by secreting substances that regulate flexibility.
The researchers found that on the days the volunteers ate dark chocolate (as opposed to those who ate fake chocolate), endothelial function was improved for about three hours. These are interesting findings, but we don't yet know what they mean in terms of preventing cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, or deaths. This study doesn't tell us whether eating dark chocolate on a regular basis would reduce the risk of heart disease.
We do know, however, that eating too much chocolate can lead to weight gain, which might cancel out any beneficial effects that chocolate confers. So the good news about chocolate isn't a license to overindulge. I enjoy high-quality dark chocolate from France, Belgium and Venezuela. It is so richly delicious that a single piece is a satisfying snack or after-dinner treat. Limit yourself to an ounce several times a week. If you can't find good imported chocolate, look for a domestic brand that contains at least 70 percent cocoa.
Andrew Weil, MD

Are Anti-Inflammatory Herbs Safe for the Heart?

Are Anti-Inflammatory Herbs Safe for the Heart?
Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: I have been using Zyflamend for joint pain for a couple of years because it contains naturally occurring ingredients, albeit in higher concentrations than can be found in their original sources. My question concerns the advisability of COX-2 inhibition in general (in light of the heart problems linked to Vioxx). Is there a risk in continuing to take Zyflamend? -- Anonymous

A: Since the arthritis drug Vioxx was found to endanger the heart and was removed from the market in the fall of 2004, I've often been asked whether Zyflamend, a natural anti-inflammatory product I frequently recommend for joint pain and stiffness, presents a similar threat. Zyflamend, from New Chapter Inc., contains ginger, turmeric, green tea and other herbs that moderate the inflammation associated with arthritis.

One of its components, by the way, is resveratrol, a component of red wine believed responsible for its heart protective effects.

It is true that Zyflamend has some of the same effects as Vioxx in that it inhibits an enzyme (called COX-2) responsible for the joint inflammation that causes arthritis pain. Vioxx and similar prescription drugs described as "selective" COX-2 inhibitors were formulated to target the COX-2 enzyme alone. I believe the herbs in Zyflamend deliver a balanced and proportionally safe effect on related enzymes that were unaffected by pharmaceutical COX-2 inhibitors. Vioxx may have led to an imbalance in enzymes that might have contributed to adverse effects among users.

Zyflamend also contains two other components that may protect rather than endanger the heart. One, holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), contains compounds that have antioxidant effects and may combat high cholesterol and plaque formation. A University of Chicago study concluded that another Zyflamend component, the Chinese herb Scutellaria baicalensis, may also have heart-protective effects.

All told, I see no reason for concern that taking Zyflamend would expose you to the same risks as Vioxx and other pharmaceutical COX-2 inhibitors. The herbs it contains have been used safely for thousands of years by many millions of people. Zyflamend is a supercritical extract of botanicals - meaning the extracts were made with liquid carbon dioxide rather than a solvent such as hexane.

Despite the use of a better, safer solvent, keep in mind that extracts of plants are still not as safe as the plants themselves. Use caution whenever you take any herbal product, especially a concentrated one. As with any product, report any unusual symptoms to your health professional and get checked after a month or two of use to make sure you are getting the desired effect.

Andrew Weil, MD

Exercise Can Increase Your HDL

Certain obese men can increase their levels of "good" cholesterol through regular extended endurance exercise, a new study has found.
The study results are encouraging because men of normal weight and low triglyceride levels (a type of fat associated with heart disease) and low levels of "good" (HDL) cholesterol may find it difficult to increase their levels of HDL cholesterol. Low HDL levels can increase the chances of heart disease.
Investigators studied 200 men who exercised for 50 minutes a day, approximately three times per week. The men were divided into four groups based on triglyceride and HDL levels.
All four groups experienced small reductions in body fat during the training period, with the greatest losses seen in men with high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol.
Men whose only abnormality was a low HDL level showed no improvement in their HDL levels, the researchers report. However, men with high triglycerides and low HDL showed modest (about 5%) improvements in their HDL levels.
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology July 2001;21:1226-1232, 1097-1098