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ENJOYING A HEART-HEALTHY DIET: PRODUCTS WORTH PURSUING

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:19:23 +0000

Since writing The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure, companies regularly try to get me interested in their products so I can tell my readers about them in my Diet-Heart Newsletter (see page 330). Very few get mentioned, and seldom do I get excited about an entire product line. Happy to report, I am quite taken with the products of The NANCI Corporation of Tulsa, OK.

The star of their formulations is a special 100 per cent soluble fibre. Unlike other fibres, this one mixes completely with water. As a result, it does not form a sludgy drink as is the case with psyllium-containing products such as Metamucil. A single-serving packet of their Fruity Fibre provides two grams of soluble fibre. It tastes like a refreshing beverage, much like Kool-Aid or Tang, not at all like something you’d consume just because it’s “good for you”.

This soluble fibre is also incorporated into the entire line of NANCI products. I’m particularly fond of a weight-loss preparation they call Lose-It. This is a meal-replacement shake, but totally superior to other products such as SlimFast which may contain up to 30 per cent sugar. Instead, Lose-It can be mixed with fruit juice rather than just milk or water, and has just 210 kilojoules per serving. My favourite is to mix it with a variety of fruit juices, especially cranberry. I use it as a convenient meal replacement when I’m on the run, a nice way to lose a kilo or two when I’ve indulged a bit too much in some of those new non-fat desserts which still have plenty of kilojoules, and as an additional source of soluble fibre.

Coming to Australia soon are two absolutely delicious cookies: oatmeal raisin and chocolate chip. Each 55 gram cookie provides 4.2 grams of soluble fibre and 1 gram of insoluble. And only 2.5 grams of fat! My son Ross went absolutely bonkers when he tasted them, and now eats them almost every day as his afterschool snack.

There’s even a nutritious snack bar which packs a full six grams of fibre. It comes in caramel and peanut butter.

The NANCI products are formulated by the biochemist who developed what ulimately was marketed as the Science Diet for pets, which is now considered to be the gold standard for dogs and cats.

Those who have used the products routinely report wonderful results in terms of cholesterol lowering, weight control and diabetes management. And preliminary research findings bear out the literally thousands of personal testimonials the company has received.

The question posed to researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio was just how much effect NANCI’s Lose-It could have on cholesterol levels. Two groups received two shakes daily. One had a total of 14 grams of the soluble fibre and the other got 7 grams daily. Both used the shakes as meal replacements. Neither group made any other changes in diet or exercise.

After six weeks, the group drinking two shakes containing 7 grams of fibre experienced a reduction in total cholesterol of 6.2 pet cent; their LDLs fell by 8.15 per cent. Those drinking two shakes daily with a total of 14 grams of fibre had a 9.68 per cent drop in total cholesterol and a 12.17 per cent fall in LDLs.

I always travel with a supply of the products both in my suitcase and my briefcase. The shakes are wonderful when I’m on the tun. And the cookies make great snacks on ait planes and in the hotel room in the evenings.

I’m absolutely sold on both the NANCI company and its products. For information regarding NANCI cookies contact: The NANCI Company, PO Box 1210, Chatswood, NSW 2057. Telephone (02) 413 4523.

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Cardio & Blood/ Cholesterol

ENJOYING A HEART-HEALTHY DIET: THE ROLE OF SOLUBLE FIBRES

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 13:18:48 +0000

Thus far we’ve concentrated on the kinds of foods we have to cut back on in terms of fats and cholesterol. But there’s a whole category of foods that can actually lower our cholesterol levels while we enjoy them. They’re the foods rich in soluble fibre.

It all started with a cereal that back in 1984 was virtually unknown. The only place I could find oat bran was in health food stores. It was worth looking for, since I’d read in some obscure medical journals that oat bran could lower cholesterol levels over and above the amount cut down by just eliminating fat.

Here’s the way it works. Oat bran, and some other foods as well, are rich in soluble fibre. That distinguishes oat bran from wheat fibre, which contains primarily insoluble fibre. Both are a healthful part of the diet, but only oat bran can get the cholesterol out of the body. .

Since the fibre is soluble, it forms a gel with water as it passes through the digestive tract. There it binds on to the bile acids that are used in the digestive process. Those bile acids are made from cholesterol, and when they are shunted out of the body in the stool, along with the fibre, the body must make more. It does so by drawing cholesterol out of the blood. Little by little, cholesterol levels fall.

Literally dozens of well-structured research studies have now been done across the country and around the world demonstrating this wonderful property of oat bran and other soluble fibre-rich foods. The results vary, with cholesterol reductions reported anywhere from 3 per cent to 19 per cent beyond that achieved by dietary restriction alone.

Yes, there has been some negative publicity along these lines. One study denied this effect. That study has since been criticised by outstanding researchers at a number of major research institutions. The nay-sayers fed oat bran or wheat cereal to 20 individuals, 16 of whom were women, most of whom were dietarians already eating a healthful diet, and all of whom had perfectly normal cholesterol levels to begin with. The average cholesterol level was 4.8, the average HDL cholesterol in the study group was 1.5. Those people didn’t need any help at all. It was like giving aspirin to people who didn’t have a headache, and then saying it didn’t work.

The final proof of oat bran’s efficacy was published in the 10 April

1991 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers compared oat bran, oatmeal and farina in varying serving sizes in 156 adults with elevated cholesterol levels. Farina had no influence at all. A daily serving of 60 grams of oat bran brought levels of LDL cholesterol down about 16 per cent, and was significantly more effective than the same amount of oatmeal. That’s because the oat bran contains far more of .the cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre than oatmeal. It’s unfortunate that the mass media did not give this carefully controlled research the same exposure given to the negative story a year earlier. But for those of us with a real interest in our cholesterol counts, the research confirmed what we’ve believed all along.

No, it won’t do much good to eat potato chips with a bit of oat bran sprinkled over them. You need a reasonable amount of the cereal to see an effect. That comes out to 60 grams of oat bran daily, either as hot cereal or muffins. You can also buy ready-to-eat cold cereals that work just as well, gram for gram.

But oat bran is just the beginning. You can also get soluble fibre from dried beans and peas. A cup will provide the soluble fibre found in a half cup of oat bran. So each time you enjoy a bowl of split pea soup, or a garbanzo bean dip, or a side dish of black-eyed peas, you’ll be working at lowering your cholesterol.

For more variety, try some rice bran. It’s been shown to have the same cholesterol-lowering properties as oat bran. Try it in some baked goods. Or sprinkle some over frozen yoghurt or one of the new nonfat ice-creams. Two to three tablespoons of rice bran provide the soluble fibre for the day.

But what if you’re tired of oat bran for breakfast, and you’d like a nice omelette made with an egg substitute and an English muffin with jam? There are two concentrated sources of soluble fibre that you can use to supplement such a meal.

Most laxative products are made with psyllium, a seed that’s practically pure soluble fibre. Three teaspoons mixed with water supply all the soluble fibre you’d find in three oat bran muffins, a full day’s requirement.

An alternative to psyllium is guar gum. You may have seen this on various food labels; it’s used as a thickening agent in yoghurt and puddings, for example. Like psyllium, guar gum is a very concentrated source of soluble fibre. Again, three teaspoons mixed with water, milk or fruit juice will do the trick. Researchers at Stanford University have reported marvellous results with this amount of guar gum.

Here are two ways to incorporate it into your diet. Mix a 170 ml glass of orange juice, a teaspoon of honey, and a teaspoon of guar gum in your blender. The result is an Orange Guarius. It’s delicious. Or try mixing 170 ml of skim milk with one teaspoon of guar gum, a ripe banana and a teaspoon of cocoa powder. You’ll have a wonderful, thick chocolate milkshake.

Soluble fibre continues to play an important role in my own program of cholesterol control. I’ve been using it in all its forms for the past several years, and my cholesterol level remains in the perfectly safe range. I think it should be a part of your program as well.

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Cardio & Blood/ Cholesterol

COMMON INFECTIONS OF CHILDHOOD: COLDS (UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS)

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:09:24 +0000

Upper respiratory tract infections are the commonest cause of illness in children as well as in adults. A number of terms are used (sometimes inaccurately) to describe these ailments. They include ‘colds’, ‘flu’, ‘tonsillitis’, or ‘pharyngitis’. The average preschool child has at least six colds a year. Sometimes, especially in winter, it seems that the child is unwell for weeks at a time, barely getting over one cold before becoming sick again. Young children are particularly susceptible because they have not had a chance to build up immunity to the many viruses that are responsible for colds. As the child grows older, the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections decreases because he gradually builds up his immunity.

Cause

Most colds are caused by a virus. In fact there are over two hundred types of virus that can cause the common cold. This is the reason it is not possible to be immunised against a cold.

Colds are more common in the winter months. Cold weather by itself does not increase the chance of getting a cold, but people are in closer contact with each other because they stay indoors and are more likely to infect each other. The viruses which cause colds are spread by sneezing, coughing and hand contact.

Clinical features

These are well known to all parents and are essentially the same as in adults. There will be various combinations of a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache, red eyes, swelling of lymph glands, and occasionally fever. Often there will be a loss of appetite, and sometimes nausea and some vomiting. Children may be miserable or irritable.

The actual symptoms will vary from child to child, and from illness to illness. Usually the symptoms will last anywhere from a few days to a week or more, and the child recovers fully without any problems.

Very occasionally there are complications such as ear infection, laryngitis, croup, or a lower respiratory tract infection such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia. These are relatively uncommon illnesses compared to the uncomplicated cold, which is widespread.

Investigations

Very occasionally the doctor will order a blood test, throat swab or, rarely, a chest X-ray, but for the majority of children with upper respiratory tract infections no investigations are necessary.

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PREGNANCY/EVERYDAY LIFE: BLOOD TESTS AND ULTRASOUND SCAN

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:26:25 +0000

Blood tests

Some abnormalities can be detected through specific blood tests. This involves taking blood from a vein in the mother’s arm. Blood tests are done routinely and regularly throughout pregnancy. Tests are done to check for rubella, anaemia, and bleeding tendencies. At around 16-18 weeks a test is done to check the level of alphafetoprotein in the mother’s blood, which can help to determine whether the foetus has any serious neurological defects such as spina bifida. The timing of this test is crucial and if dates are inaccurate, the results may be interpreted incorrectly. If the test result is abnormal, and you are sure of your dates, it will probably be repeated, and an amniocentesis will be recommended so that a more certain diagnosis can be made.

Ultrasound scan

An ultrasound scan is routinely performed at around 20-22 weeks to check the progress of the pregnancy, especially the size and maturity of the foetus. It also shows whether there is more than one foetus present. It is your baby’s ‘first photo’ and can be quite an exciting event for the parents. Occasionally the sex of the baby can be detected if the genitalia are clearly seen. You may both decide that you do not wish to know the sex of your baby until it is born. If so, make sure you let the doctor who is performing the ultrasound know, so he can respect your wishes. The test converts sound waves into images on a television screen and is not dangerous. Interpreting ultrasound images requires a lot of experience. Make sure with your GP that the doctor performing the ultrasound is an expert in the field.

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YOUR MARITAL HEALTH/SEX AND PROBLEMS OF DAILY LIVING: BELIEVE IT OR NOT

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:56:23 +0000

Our daily living style makes little room for beliefs, and clinging to morals that many view as old-fashioned has become difficult. The fear of AIDS has resulted in some people attempting to modify their sexual behavior to prevent illness or death. While behavioral change is necessary during the crisis of AIDS, we should also be busy asking ourselves about the meaning of sexual intimacy. We should be busy not only trying to prevent the spread of a deadly disease, but busy spreading a value system that teaches the emotional and physical immunity provided by mutually pleasing, exclusive sexual intimacy. If we fail to learn from AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, another disease will simply replace AIDS after it is conquered medically.

The couples were asked early in the program to make at least one time a week “worship time.” It didn’t matter what they did during that time, but they were asked to go somewhere and worship living, love, and life together. One wife reported, “You know what we did? We did every church and temple we could find. We took the kids every Saturday or Sunday morning and went to any place of worship. Just sitting there together was relaxing. It was really the only time other than watching television, or going to funerals, or weddings that we have ever sat together quietly, respectfully, spiritually and just were together.”

Sex and Problems of Daily Living: Why Nobody Has a Sex Life 271 Super marital sex is the most highly advanced, exclusive, high-level form of human relationship possible. It requires attention to all of the dirty dozen. It requires an effort, commitment, and willingness to change first and think about it later. Unlike the first three perspectives of sexuality, the fourth perspective upon which super marital sex is based emphasized a totality of life involvement, a cleaning up of the dirty dozen.

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SURGERY AIMED AT PREVENTING OR RELIEVING SYMPTOMS – CONCLUSION

admin — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:02:43 +0000

If your situation is life threatening your decision is more difficult. As well as questions like those above you would also need to ask yourself and your doctor: What do I stand to gain and to lose by going through a major operation which is likely to result in me living a bit longer? What could that extra time be like? How much of it is likely to be spent in hospital? What new problems could the cancer cause in that time? What might I die of later if I don’t die of bowel obstruction now? Can my present unpleasant symptoms be controlled by some other means if I decide to let nature take its course?

It takes a very courageous person to refuse a temporarily life saving treatment of any sort. This is definitely not ‘taking the easy way out’ or ‘giving up’. Even though it might be best for everybody, including you, such a refusal is never easy. I hope that whenever the time is right for you, you will be realistic, brave and tough enough to say ‘No’.

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HYPERTENSION – SELF-MONITORING

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:19:35 +0000

Some doctors ask their patients, under treatment for hypertension, to buy and use such machines for self-monitoring, so the doctor can have a more accurate assessment of the daily fluctuations of the levels.

It is my belief that monitoring one’s own blood pressure without instruction and interpretation may cause anxiety and serve no useful purpose.

High blood pressure causes no symptoms and therefore is usually detected only at routine checking. Symptoms, when they do develop, are most often late and due to damage to various organs.

Headaches may be common in well-established and severe hypertension, but the symptom is so common it may be unrelated to the level of pressure.

Persistent high blood pressure places a strain on the left ventricle of the heart. This is the chamber which pumps blood through the aorta to all the body. Persistent strain causes this side of the heart to enlarge.

This pattern of left ventricular strain or hypertrophy (enlargement) may show on the electrocardiogram, or ECG.

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ALLERGIES TO FOOD – CAUSES

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 07:34:53 +0000

Allergic conditions are a little like rheumatic disorders — they’re common in our community but tend to be forgotten when there’s money for research.

Figures show that between 10 and 20 per cent of the population suffer from one or more allergies and over 80 per cent of families have a sufferer.

It’s not only pollens and dust which may offend — but food. Allergy to food may cause a variety of symptoms, including hives or urticaria, asthma, rhinitis or nasal problems, eczema, gastro-intestinal troubles and even migraine.

Allergy to foodstuffs has been incriminated in hyperactivity in children and may be a factor in Meniere’s syndrome (which causes giddiness) and in the bowel disorder of ulcerative colitis.

Animal foods such as cow’s milk and hen’s eggs are the most common but shell fish, some vegetables and fruit are also recognised as potent allergens.

A great deal of attention has been focused on cow’s milk because of its widespread use in infant feeding. The gut of infants appears to be able to absorb the proteins of this food without digesting them so they enter the bloodstream and can provoke the onset of allergy.

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ENDOMETRIOSIS: THE NORMAL MENSTRUAL CYCLE

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:46:37 +0000

During the second half of the menstrual cycle—the two weeks that begin with ovulation and end with menstruation—the endometrium, or lining of the uterus, prepares for conception. Activated by the ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone, the lining becomes swollen with blood and glandular tissue. Estrogen, the first female hormone, essentially primes the body for ovulation and fertilization. Progesterone changes the uterine lining, preparing it for the eventuality of nourishing a fertilized egg by turning the lining soft and spongy and increasing it to about ten times its normal thickness.

The cycle begins this way: immediately after menstruation, the hormone FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is released from the pituitary gland and stimulates the ovaries to produce estrogen. On approximately the fourteenth day of the cycle, when the estrogen level is sufficiently high, a second hormone—LH, or luteinizing hormone—is released from the pituitary and triggers ovulation, that is, the release of the egg from the ovary. This egg is one of about four hundred eggs, from a reserve of almost half a million eggs, that will ripen during a woman’s lifetime.

If the egg is not fertilized by sperm, resulting in pregnancy, the endometrium follows another course. First, the female sex hormones drop and a third hormone, prostaglandin, is released. Then the enriched endometrial tissue breaks down. The menstrual cycle starts as the uterus begins its rhythmic contractions. The unused endometrial tissue detaches from the womb and is normally flushed out of the body in the form of menstrual blood.

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PSYCHE AND THE SKIN TREATMENT: RELAXATION EXERCISES

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 14:16:12 +0000

These exercises are very beneficial in promoting a general feeling of well-being and relaxation. In fact, they combine a mixture of hypnotic induction and yoga with reassuring suggestions about inner calmness. These exercises can be learnt under the auspices of the Council of Adult Education, at the Cairnmillar Institue, and elsewhere.

A useful adjunct to this type of treatment is the series of tape-recordings put out by the Australian College of Recorded Education in Sydney. One of their medi-talk series is called, for example, ‘How to relax’.

Hospitalization. Occasionally, a patient requires hospitalization for the treatment of a severe skin disorder. Not infrequently, children with bad eczema require five to ten days in hospital to bring their condition under control and help their mothers learn to manage.

Many other skin disorders subside dramatically following hospitalization. This no doubt is due to a change in environment and the escape from the daily stresses and strains, as well as to the psychological effect of the patient turning himself over to physicians and nurses, who then fulfil the role of parent substitutes.

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