Coffee vs. Diabetes

This has been widely reported in the past few days. This particular quote is from Forbes:

"Drinking lots of coffee cut women's risk of developing diabetes in an 11-year study, researchers report. But it was the antioxidants, not caffeine, in the brew that probably did the trick.

In fact, diabetes risk was reduced most in participants who preferred decaffeinated coffee, the researchers said.

"In our study, for whatever reason, it doesn't look like caffeine has anything to do with it," said lead researcher Mark A. Pereira, an associate professor of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

His team published its findings Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine."

Second Hand Smoke

Gee who would have guessed???

From AP:

"The debate is over. The science is clear: Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard," said U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona.

From Reuters:

"Second-hand smoke kills people and the only way to control it is to ban all smoking in workplaces, the U.S. government's top doctor said on Tuesday"

Oh and of course the tobacco industry somehow continues to deny.

From the Reuters article:

"Reynolds American Inc.'s R.J. Reynolds Tobacco unit said in a statement on its Web site: "It seems unlikely that second-hand smoke presents any significant harm to otherwise healthy nonsmoking adults; and, given the extensive smoking bans and restrictions that have already been enacted, nonsmokers can easily avoid exposure to second-hand smoke."

Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA unit said people could choose whether to be around smokers."

Huh? And yet parents smoke in cars with children (who may be especially pone to problems from second hand smoke), in homes, and around pets. :(

Oh and a side note to the good people at Reynolds, read this one. I understand personal freedom and even the questions that many of your people bring up, but the preponderance of evindecne is now against you and it is time to admit it; everyone should know the truth of the consequences of your product.

Did you know?

A little tidbit I stumbled upon when reading on the history of Jelly from Jelly.org.

"A grape jam patent was first issued to Paul Welch in 1917 for the puréeing of grapes. He called the product “Grapelade.” The entire production was purchased by the U.S. Army and shipped to France for consumption by the troops during World War I. When the troops returned to the States after the war, they demanded more of this “Grapelade,” and it was produced in quantity."

Want one more? Ok, well this is interesting as I am quite the outlier:

"The average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by high school graduation."

I bet you that I average 10 peanut butter sandwiches PER WEEK. So 1500 seems very low to me. Of course, throw in zero steaks, zero turkey sandwiches, zero subs, etc and I guess that explains the difference. (It's Peanut Butter-Jelly Time!)

There is quite a bit more on Jelly, Jams, and Preserves to know---including the differences between jellies, james, butters etc.


Check it out at Jelly.org

WebMD's top ten Worse Trans-Fat foods

The top "ten" worse foods with respect to Transfat by Web MD. AND they sort of cheat by giving top ten categories, but that is a good thing since we get more info. The . AND they sort of cheat by giving top ten categories, but that is a good thing since we get more info.

For instance from the article:

"Following are the top 10 categories of foods that made the "most unwanted list." Some formerly bad characters have cleaned up their act. Values listed for trans fats are per serving.

1. Spreads. Margarine continues to be a major culprit. Stick margarine is worse than soft margarine.

• Blue Bonnet stick margarine -- 1.5 grams
• Fleischmann's stick margarine -- 2 grams
• Land O'Lakes stick margarine --2.5 grams
• Smart Balance tub margarine -- 0
• Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter -- 0

Tip: Dip bread in flavored olive oil instead of slathering it with butter."

Very interesting and HIGHLY recommended.

My advice? If it says hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, put it back. If eating out, assume there is transfat and order a salad.

Diabetes on the increase

I doubt this one (which is being widely reported) suprised anyone.

From ABC:

"The occurrence of new cases of type-II diabetes has doubled over the past three decades, a report in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation says.

"Most, but not all, of the increase in diabetes occurred in people who were obese - those with a body mass index of 30 or more." lead author Dr Caroline S Fox said. "

and later:

"They suggest that "changes in dietary and physical activity patterns that are independent of changes in body weight may also contribute to the present findings".

For example, the team says another study shows "consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is an independent risk factor for diabetes, even after adjustment for weight gain"."

Second Hand Smoke still bad

A second look shows Second hand smoke is still really bad.

From CNN:

" A new international study of more than 20,000 children confirms that exposure to cigarette smoke before and after birth impairs their lung function and that parental smoking remains a serious public health issue.

The effects of smoking during pregnancy last up to age 12, while exposure to cigarette smoking after birth further worsens lung function, Dr. Manfred A. Neuberger of the Medical University in Vienna, Austria, one of the study's authors, told Reuters."

I can not stress enough, PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE!

Heart Association on Trans-Fat

simple rule: avoid transfat!

From USA TODAY:

"The American Heart Association has become the first big health group to urge a specific limit on trans fats in the diet — less than 1% of total calories — in new guidelines released Monday.

Also for the first time, the organization's dietary guidelines include lifestyle recommendations, including an emphasis on getting exercise and not smoking.

A panel of specialists in nutrition and heart disease reviewed more than 90 studies to update the dietary advice the association released in 2000. The guidelines are for healthy Americans ages 2 and older."

From CNN:

"The American Heart Association has become the first big health group to urge a specific limit on trans fats in the diet -- less than 1 percent of total calories -- in new guidelines released Monday."

more evidence veggies are good for you!

BBC NEWS | Health | Veg 'prevents artery hardening':

"US researchers found 38% less build up of fatty deposits in the arteries of mice who were fed a mixture of vegetables, including carrots and peas.

Evidence on the effects of diet on atherosclerosis in humans is not clear but eating fruit and vegetables is known to protect against heart disease.

The study in the Journal of Nutrition said the average person only eats three portions of fruit and veg a day."

Are you getting enough Vitamin D?

From Sportgeezer:

"Long known for its ability to preserve bone strength, vitamin D is now credited with powers that seem almost magical. The Los Angeles Times reports that a growing number of serious scientists speculate that the compound may ease aches and pains, slow some cancers and prevent diseases as varied as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia"

And where can you get this "wonder drug"? Well from among other sources, the sun which is why some suspect those in N. Latitudes have a higher likelihood of MS.

Coffee and alcohol

Does coffee reduces liver problems brought on by alcohol? Perhaps.

From NY TIMES:

"In a population of more than 125,000 members of a prepaid health care plan, scientists found 199 with diagnoses of liver cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse. The subjects were examined beginning in 1978, and they were followed for an average of more than 14 years. Their coffee drinking and other dietary and health habits were established using interviews and questionnaires.

Compared with people who never drank coffee, those who drank one cup a day or less were about 30 percent less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis. The more coffee they drank, the lower the risk."

Somewhat surprisingly, the researchers found no evidence that tea drinking offered any protection.

Green tea vs heart disease and cancer

While not as convincing to me as a lab test, it is at least suggestive that we should be drinking more green tea!

From CNN:

"Writing in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Yale University researchers detail the body of evidence linking green tea to better heart health and a lower risk of cancer.

No one is suggesting that smokers ignore the danger of the habit and simply drink green tea. But research indicates that the tea's high concentration of antioxidants called catechins may offer a range of health benefits, according to Dr. Bauer E. Sumpio and his colleagues"

Asian paradox:

"And it's possible that this habit helps explain the so-called "Asian paradox," according to Sumpio and his colleagues.

This paradox becomes clear when looking at global health statistics, the researchers note. For example, for every 100,000 U.S. men, 348 will die of coronary heart disease each year. The figure for Japanese men is 186, despite the nation's higher rate of smoking."

Like I said, I am not convinced, but it is consistent and possible and probably A PART of the explanation.

Folic Acid May Prevent Cancer of Larynx

While early, this is good news. I would still stress the MAY

Forbes reports:

"While folic acid is more commonly known as the nutrient that can help prevent birth defects, new research suggests that folic acid supplements may also help prevent cancer of the larynx.

In a study of people with precancerous lesions called leukoplakia, Italian researchers found the lesions disappeared in 28 percent of participants, and 44 percent experienced at least a partial shrinking of their lesions. All of the study participants took 5 milligrams of folic acid three times a day for six months."

Coffee: does it open your mind?

Does coffee open up your mind?

“The coffee you drink as a pick-me-up in the morning could also make you more open to persuasion, researchers say. Evidence from a new study suggests that this happens because caffeine revs up the brain, not because it generally boosts mood.”

Interesting, especially since I HATE the taste of coffee, now Chai Tea on the other hand. LOL.

Thanks to the Unknown Professor for pointing this one out.

Is Tuna Safe?

From NPR

"A new study from Consumer Reports recommends that pregnant women refrain from eating any canned tuna of any type. Previously, it was believed that light tuna had lower mercury content."

Stay Tuned!

High fat diet does not increase risk of skin cancer

Yahoo News

"According to their study in the journal BMC Cancer, high levels of dietary fat do not increase --and may decrease -- the risk of skin cancer.

"While our study is intriguing, and is in agreement with some other very large studies, we could not suggest that the public's health would be enhanced by consuming more fat," Dr. Robert H. Granger from the Menzies Research Institute, Hobart, told Reuters Health.

"Even if every study consistently showed that higher levels of fat intake were protective of skin cancer, there are enough negative health outcomes associated with high fat intake which far offset any supposed advantages,""

Too strict or too lax = too fat

From CNN:

"Strict mothers were nearly five times more likely to raise tubby first-graders than mothers who treated their children with flexibility and respect while also setting clear rules.

But while the children of flexible rule-setting moms avoided obesity, the children of neglectful mothers and permissive mothers were twice as likely to get fat."