April 13, 2008
Don't forget your... Magnesium.
Magnesium may not get the spotlight like calcium, but this essential mineral is being recognized for many health benefits.
A recent analysis showed that for every 100 milligram increase in magnesium intake, type 2 diabetes risk decreases by 15 percent. The daily amount of magnesium needed is 320 milligrams for women and 420 milligrams for men, but in the United States, our intake is lower than the recommended amount.
In addition to diabetes-risk reduction, magnesium is also crucial to controlling blood pressure, maintaining strong bones, keeping a healthy heart, and may even help preserve hearing in people exposed to loud noises. Magnesium may be lost from the body if you take some types of diuretic drugs to lower blood pressure or take birth control pills or estrogen.
Foods that provide over 100 milligrams of magnesium per serving include:
• Trail mix
• Halibut
• Cooked spinach
• Roasted pumpkin seeds
• Black beans
• High fiber bran cereals, like All Bran
• Brazil nuts
• Lima beans
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May 31, 2006
Diet Quackery
Zetacap is the latest craze on the Internet touting itself as the world's first and only "gastric bypass pill." The plan promises to transform your body in 90 days.
The company claims the pill contains a super thick, non-digestible fiber with a secret ingredient that when combined with water forms a filling gel, like a balloon in the stomach, and within minutes the user feels like they've just eaten a big meal.
The idea may seem outrageous but the company says 200,000 users have collectively lost more than a million pounds. Zetacap's web site claims it works for 90 percent of its users.
Dietary experts say buyer beware. "I don't know that anybody can ever be transformed in any way, and that's also after gastric surgery. You still have to do the hard work -- eating smaller portions, eating a healthy diet," says Cathy Nonas, American Dietetic Association.
Zetacap has not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
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September 02, 2005
Vitamin C: How much is enough?
Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system, keeps your gums healthy, protects you from bruising and helps your body absorb iron from plant sources of food. Vitamin C is also one of the antioxidants which helps protect your body from harmful substances called free radicals. If you don’t get enough, your wounds may not heal properly and ultimately scurvy can develop if a severe deficiency exists. This can cause your teeth to fall out, excessive bleeding and swollen gums. Scurvy is rather rare in the United States due to the mass variety of vitamin C-rich foods. If you take too much vitamin C, your body simply excretes it because it is water-soluble. Very large doses can cause kidney stones and diarrhea. As far as preventing or curing the common cold, there is no scientific evidence that taking large doses of vitamin C on a regular basis boosts your immune system. An adequate intake of vitamin C does play a role in fighting infection. It may have a mild anti-histamine effect making colds shorter in duration and symptoms more mild. Recommended intakes include 75 mg for women and 90 mg for men. Smokers need 125 mg each day to help counteract the damage from carbon monoxide. Fruits like oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, kiwis, strawberries and melons are good sources of vitamin C. Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, bell peppers and potatoes are also great ways to get vitamin C. Looks like another reason to eat your fruits and vegetables.
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August 01, 2005
Micronutrient Monday: B12
Vitamin B12 works closely with folate to make red blood cells. If you are deficient in B12, you can develop a type of anemia called pernicious anemia. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, weakness and tingling sensation because red blood cells can not carry adequate oxygen to our cells. Intrinsic factor is needed to absorb B12. Some people may not make this body chemical due to genetic reasons or some stomach surgeries inhibit intrinsic factor synthesis. Injections of B12 can treat this problem. Because B12 is naturally found in animal products, strict vegetarians are at risk for being B12 deficient. Some fortified foods contain B12 as well. Because B12 is a water-soluble vitamin, if excess amounts are consumed, they are excreted in the urine. Consuming large amounts of B12 to boost energy levels has never been backed up by science. This is often referred to as having expensive urine. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 2.4 micrograms.
Food - mcg
salmon, cooked 3oz - 2.6
beef tenderloin, broiled 3oz - 2.2
yogurt, 1 cup - 1.4
shrimp, cooked 3 oz - 1.3
milk, 1 cup - 0.5
chicken, roasted 3 oz - 0.3
egg, large 1 - 0.1
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July 11, 2005
Vegetarians, older folk advised to get enough B12
Vitamin B12 deficiency is more common than doctors once thought, and experts advise that those most at risk -- vegetarians and older adults -- be sure to take supplemental forms of the vitamin.
Vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining healthy nerve cells and red blood cells; a deficiency in the vitamin can cause symptoms ranging from the subtle, including fatigue and mild dizziness, to the more severe, including nerve damage, anemia and dementia.
At one time, doctors thought that the only manifestation of B12 deficiency was an uncommon condition called pernicious anemia, explained Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. People with pernicious anemia lack a stomach protein called intrinsic factor, which allows the intestines to absorb vitamin B12.
But it has become clear in recent years that B12 deficiency is a much more widespread problem, Komaroff noted in an interview with Reuters Health.
Unlike most vitamins, B12 occurs naturally only in animal products, including meat, poultry, fish and -- in lesser amounts -- eggs and dairy. Because of this, vegetarians and especially vegans -- who avoid all animal products, including dairy -- may have low stores of the vitamin.
The same is true of adults older than 50, as many have a thinning in the stomach lining that prevents the proper release of digestive acids. Stomach acids, Komaroff explained, are essential for "shaking loose" vitamin B12 from its food source, allowing it to be absorbed.
Research indicates that one-fifth of Americans older than 60 have low levels of B12 in their blood, according to the August issue of the Harvard Health Letter, which Komaroff edits.
It's important, Komaroff said, for vegetarians and older adults to get vitamin B12 through supplements, including multivitamins and fortified cereals. The crystalline form of B12 in pills and cereals is actually better absorbed than that found in animal products, and its absorption is not hindered by the lack of stomach acids in some older adults.
Vegetarian and vegan women who breastfeed should be especially careful to get enough vitamin B12, according to Komaroff. Deficiency in an infant can cause irreversible damage to the nervous system and serious developmental problems.
In general, women who breastfeed are advised to get 2.8 micrograms (g) of B12 per day, slightly more than the 2.4 g recommended for all adults.
Vitamins, particularly those formulated for vegetarians, often contain many times the recommended daily amount of B12. Though it's dangerous to take certain vitamins in such high doses, Komaroff noted, there is no evidence that excess B12 carries health risks.
SOURCE: Harvard Health Letter, August 2005.
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April 27, 2005
Iron-Deficiency Anemia Is Preventable
Iron deficiency anemia may be a common problem for young women, but that doesn’t make it ok. It can be prevented with a few changes in your food choices.
Iron deficiency results in the body having too few red blood cells or the cells aren’t able to carry adequate amounts of oxygen from the lungs to all of the body’s cells. This lack of oxygen results in cells that can’t produce enough energy, leading to overall fatigue.
Young women often suffer from iron deficiency anemia due to heavy menstrual flow, failure to consume enough iron-rich foods or elimination of high-iron foods entirely.
You can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia by including iron-rich foods in your eating plan. Iron from most animal sources usually is better absorbed than iron from plant sources.
Iron-rich foods include red meats like beef, pork, lamb and veal as well as chicken and fish. Good plant sources of iron include soy nuts, wheat bran, spinach, red beans and enriched cereals, rice and other grain foods.
For more help on how to include iron in your eating plan, contact a dietetics professional.
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April 15, 2005
What you need to know about dietary supplements
Dietary supplements are growing in popularity and number, but how do you know if you need them or which ones do what? Remember, unlike drugs, supplements are not regulated by the FDA which means companies can put whatever they want in the pill and claim whatever they want about its action. Manufacturers and distributors are not required to record or inform the FDA of any reports of illness or injury associated with the dietary supplement. Some supplements are safe but ineffective. Some are unsafe but effective. Study results are mixed and human studies and long-term studies are lacking. The amount of the compound listed on the label is not always correct. Some may even contain banned substances.
Before you decide to add supplements to your routine, get the facts on what is known about them. Ask your physician or a dietetics professional the following questions about any supplements you are thinking about taking:
· What are the claims and are they valid?
· Where did the product information come from?
· Is the supplement safe and can it cause harm at any level?
· How does the supplement really work in the body?
· Does the supplement actually contain the amounts of ingredients it claims to?
· What is the scientific evidence behind the product?
· How much is recommended and how often should it be taken?
Always keep in mind that good nutrition depends on overall healthful eating and physical activity, not on the use of dietary supplements.
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March 02, 2005
Healthy Eating & Supplements
Do you eat a variety of foods? If so, you probably get the vitamins and minerals you need. However, some people who consume a variety of foods may find they still need multivitamin supplements.
For some healthy people, under some circumstances, multivitamins do offer benefits. For example:
Women with heavy menstrual bleeding may need an iron supplement.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding need more of some nutrients, especially iron, folate and calcium.
Menopausal women might benefit from calcium supplements.
Some vegetarians may need extra calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins B-12 and D.
During childbearing years, women need a folic acid supplement if they are not getting enough folate from foods. Folic acid decreases risk of certain birth defects.
If you have any questions about your own nutrient requirements or whether you need a supplement, contact a dietetics professional.
Content provided by the American Dietetic Association. For more nutrition tips, visit www.eatright.org.
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February 28, 2005
Potassium Pointers
New guidelines issued by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science encourage adults to consume of at least 4,700 milligrams of potassium every day. That’s almost double what most of us actually consume.
Potassium is a mineral that helps muscles contract, maintains fluid balance, sends nerve impulses and releases energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates. The highest amounts of potassium are found in fruits and vegetables, and it’s also found in beans, fish and some dairy foods.
Reach your recommended daily intake of potassium by adding these foods to your daily menu:
Vegetables
Food mg
Potato – medium, baked 844
Lentils – 1 cup, boiled 731
Sweet potato – medium, baked 397
Okra – ½ cup, boiled 255
Carrot – medium, raw 233
Broccoli – ½ cup, boiled 228
Spinach – ½ cup, raw 152
Tomato – raw 135
Bell pepper – ½ cup 90
Fruit
Food mg
Raisin –2/3 cup 751
Date – 10 dried 541
Cantaloupe – 1 cup 494
Banana – medium 450
Apricot – 3 medium 314
Kiwi – medium 252
Strawberries - 1 cup 247
Orange – medium 250
Watermelon – 1 cup 186
Other
Food mg
Snapper- 3 0z, cooked 444
Yogurt, 1 cup, lowfat 411
1% low fat milk – 1 cup 381
Haddock – 3 oz cooked 340
Pistachios – 1 oz, dry roasted 275
Turkey – 3 oz, roasted 255
Almonds – 1 oz, dry roasted 218
Chicken – 3 oz, roasted 212
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February 04, 2005
To E or not to E.
(Source: Berkeley Wellness Leter. www.berkeleywellness.com)
Vitamin E was discovered at UC Berkeley more than 80 years ago and has been a star among nutrients for two decades now. In 1994, reacting to promising research, the Wellness Letter began recommending vitamin E supplements as a possible way to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other disorders. Many people, especially when following a low-fat diet, don’t get much vitamin E from food. We saw no evidence of harm, and the theory that antioxidants such as vitamin E could prevent or delay chronic diseases was plausible and exciting. In 2001, however, after reviewing subsequent clinical trials that had yielded disappointing or conflicting results, we softened our endorsement of E supplements and halved our recommendation to 200-400 IU a day. Then in 2003, after still more disappointing studies were published, we backed off even more. Now we are withdrawing our recommendation altogether.
This change, however, is not based on the much-publicized meta-analysis published last November, which concluded that high doses of vitamin E (more than 400 IU a day) taken long term may slightly increase the overall risk of dying—by about 4%. Lower doses (200 IU or less) did not increase the risk of dying—and may even have had a small protective effect, though the researchers raised doubts about this. That analysis, done at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, did not involve any new research. Instead, it combined and re-analyzed data from 19 clinical trials on vitamin E supplements from the last decade. Its results made headlines and caused shock waves, especially among the 13% of Americans who take this vitamin to protect their health, many of whom tossed their bottles of E.
No proof of harm
The Hopkins meta-analysis has not convinced us that vitamin E is dangerous. If you’ve been taking E pills, don’t fear that you’ve harmed yourself on the basis of this paper. Many researchers have raised questions about the way the analysis was done. Much of the press coverage overstated the results.
Moreover, there has been no solid evidence of harm from vitamin E. Of the 19 studies in the analysis, only one found a statistically significant risk. Three other recent meta-analyses on E found no increased risk. And after evaluating hundreds of studies, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, which devises the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) and safe upper limits for nutrients, concluded that the upper limit for vitamin E is 1,000 milligrams (about 1,500 IU) a day. It set the RDA, however, at just 15 milligrams (about 23 IU) a day.
But no benefits either
What is clear from the four meta-analyses and Institute of Medicine report mentioned above is that there’s little or no clinical research showing that vitamin E supplements are beneficial. Nearly all the clinical trials on E from the past few years have yielded negative, inconclusive, or neutral results. “Any time it takes so many studies to find a benefit, you have to be skeptical,� says Dr. John Swartzberg, the head of our Editorial Board.
Other important studies on E are still underway, and some of them probably will find benefits. Indeed, in September we reported on a study that found that vitamins C and E, taken together, seem to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s. Nevertheless, we can no longer recommend vitamin E pills—or any other antioxidant supplements. There are simply too many unanswered questions: Is one form of vitamin E supplement preferable? What dose is best? Should E be taken with other antioxidants? Do you have to start taking it when you’re still healthy? Is it possible that only the vitamin E in food is beneficial?
The best way to get E: Do eat foods rich in vitamin E—nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, whole grains, and leafy greens. The first three are high in “good� fats, but also calories, so don’t go overboard. There is promising research showing that the E in foods is healthful. And these foods contain other important nutrients as well. We do advise most people to take a basic multivitamin, which typically contains a little more than the RDA for vitamin E.
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