Summer health briefs
Thrill of the grill
For healthy backyard barbecuing, turn down the heat, urges the Harvard Health Letter. Grilling meat at high temperatures can produce heterocyclic amines, which have been linked to cancer. In addition, smoke from burning coals and dripping fats also contains cancer-causing agents. The longer the meat is exposed to high temperature and heavy smoke, the more concentration of heterocyclic amines. While marinating meat has been suggested as a solution, Harvard’s experts doubt it is all that helpful. Instead, they suggest:
- Cook smaller pieces of meat – they cook more quickly and at lower temperatures
- Choose lean cuts – less fat reduces flames that cause smoke
- Precook in the microwave – research shows a minute or two can reduce heterocyclic amines by 90%
- Flip frequently – to prevent either side from absorbing or losing too much heat
Psoriasis sufferers celebrate summer
Southwest Georgia’s scorching heat and high humidity is good medicine for people with psoriasis, a noncontagious condition that frequently causes inflamed skin that itches, crusts and bleeds. Around 90 percent of psoriasis sufferers will experience an improvement during the summer, when the moist air means old, dry skin cells are less likely to pile up into uncomfortable lumps of plaque, says Dr. Bruce Strober, director of the Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Center at NYU Medical Center. In addition, since ultraviolet light is a recommended treatment for psoriasis, the natural UVA rays of summer sunlight can be therapeutic, he said. Thirty minutes a day of natural sunlight is sufficient, he said, warning that overdoing can not only worsen existing psoriasis plaques but can also trigger the development of new ones. Worse, sunburn can cause psoriasis in previously normal skin. To avoid problems, apply liberal amounts of sunscreen or sunblock, the experts urge.
Benefits of yoga untangled
The controlled breathing, mediation and postures of yoga appear to increase levels of a neurotransmitter with beneficial effects on depression and anxiety, a Boston University School of Medicine study shows. A team led by Dr. Chris Streeter, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the school, published findings in the May issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine that brain scans of yoga practitioners showed a healthy boost in gamma-aminobutyric (GABBA) immediately after a one-hour yoga session. She said the style or school of yoga practiced didn’t seem to matter. Streeter added that more studies are needed, but that initial results indicate yoga produces changes that are “similar to those that we see with pharmacologic treatments.”
Send jet lag packing
While jet lag, also known as time zone change syndrome, isn’t life-threatening, it steals precious vacation time, disrupts global business and sabotages international diplomacy, reports the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms can include disturbed sleep – such as insomnia, early waking or excessive sleepiness; irritability; difficultly concentrating; headaches; muscle soreness; and stomach problems such as constipation or diarrhea. Most people feel the effects after crossing at least three time zones, experts say. Others may be uncomfortable after shorter flights and still others experience conditions similar to jet lag when the time changes in the spring or fall. Following a few basic rules can help travelers sidestep the malady.
- If possible, arrive a few days early to give your body a chance to adjust
- Get plenty of rest before your trip
- Drink plenty of water before, during and after your flight to counter the dehydrating effects of cabin air
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine, both of which can dehydrate you further
- Try to sleep on the plane if it is nighttime at your destination
- Use light to reset your internal clock
- Consider melatonin supplements
Dine out without dishing up calories
According to Sheila Weiss, R.D., the National Restaurant Association's nutritionist, it isn’t hard to watch calories when eating out. Among her tips: Order salad dressings and other sauces on the side, so you’ll have control over how much or how little you add; share appetizers and desserts with companions; and drink water, diet soda, or unsweetened tea or coffee instead of regular soda or alcoholic beverages. More weight-wise suggestions include sticking with tomato-based sauces for pasta rather than those made with cream and ordering grilled fish or vegetables without butter or oil, or prepared "light," with little oil or butter. When you’re full, she adds, stop eating. “Take half of your meal home. The second half can serve as a second meal! Two meals for the price of one: What a deal!”
Midafternoon sluggishness? Don’t blame blood sugar
Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a researcher in women’s health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says low serotonin – the brain chemical that makes you feel focused, attentive and energetic – is the likely culprit behind the fatigue that often strikes around 4 p.m. “There’s no evidence to support the idea that midafternoon tiredness is caused by hypoglycemia, or that healthy people feel normal fluctuations in blood sugar,” adds Dr. Phillip Cryer, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Some experts are countering conventional wisdom by recommending snacks that are almost pure carbohydrate to start a chain of events that will boost serotonin levels. “It’s not that you’ll feel extremely energetic,” Wurtman concedes. “You won’t get that no matter what you eat. But you’ll lose that desperate feeling of tiredness.”
Another headache for migraine sufferers
A new study of 620 migraine sufferers from the Netherlands reveals that those who experience a visual disturbance called an aura before the onset of the headache are significantly more likely to have risk factors for coronary heart disease. “Compared to people without headaches, those with migraine attacks have a 43 percent greater chance of having elevated total cholesterol levels and 76 percent greater likelihood of having high blood pressure,” says Dr. Simeon Margolis. The findings suggest people with migraines should attempt to identify and correct any controllable risk factors for coronary heart disease they might have, he said.
Hepatitis C a hidden menace
The most common chronic bloodborne virus in the United States, hepatitis C, can remain undetected for decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 4 million Americans carry the virus and each year 25,000 more join their ranks. Yet as many as 70 percent of those infected do not know it. The few signs of early onset resemble flu – fatigue, sore muscles, nausea, headache, loss of appetite – and more obvious symptoms such as yellowness of eyes, skin and mucous membranes quickly disappear. As a result, many of those infected don’t seek medical intervention, setting the stage for cirrhosis, edema, muscle wasting and death. Tests can reveal the presence of the virus, however, and drug treatments are often successful in flushing the infection from the body. A word of caution: Ribavirin, a drug commonly used to treat hepatitis C, is known to cause birth defects; so pregnant women should not take it.
Waist versus weight
Experts warn that the risks for cardiovascular disease and diabetes have more to do with the expansiveness of your waistline than the number of pounds you tip the scale. Research shows those with an enlarged waist circumference – 40 inches or more in men, 35 inches or more in women – also have high blood levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the kind that forms plaque on artery walls, causing atherosclerosis. Further, other known cardiovascular risk factors associated with obesity (high blood pressure, elevated triglyceride levels, high blood glucose and low HDL cholesterol) are also more closely linked to intra-abdominal fat than body weight. The good news: abdominal fat is the first to go during weight loss.
