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| The following news was excerpted from Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter: TOO LITTLE ATTENTION PAID TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Americans are becoming too complacent about high blood pressure, backsliding on gains made over the last 25 years. Specifically, fewer Americans with high blood pressure are aware that they have it, fewer are being treated, and fewer still - about one fourth of the 50 million people with the condition - are at the point where it is under control. Consider that high blood pressure, or hypertension, can lead to stroke, and can increase the risk of coronary disease and kidney damage. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has highlighted the disturbing loss of ground in a new set of physician guidelines. They are intended not just for treating hypertension but also for preventing it. (High blood pressure is defined as anything at or above 140/90 millimeteres of mercury; the optimal level is below 120/80. Like the previous set of guidelines, issued in 1993, the new ones recommend losing excess weight, exercising for at least 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week, and limiting consumptions of alcohol. They also suggest that most people get more potassium - from fresh fruits and vegetables such as bananas, broccoli, melon, orange juice, potatoes, and squash - and less fat and saturated fat overall. Consuming 8 to 10 servings per day of fruits and vegetables is recommended; both are rich sources of magnesium, which helps keep blood pressure in check. Limiting sodium intake to no more than 2.4 grams (1 teaspoon salt) is advised as is consuming adequate calcium - about 1,300 mg per day, approximately the amount found in four servings of low-fat dairy foods, such as skim milk, or yogurt, or cheese. One serving is equal to eight ounces of milk or yogurt or about one ounce of cheese. REDUCING BREAST CANCER RISK Women who live in sunny places such as Atlanta or San Antonio are 30 to 40 percent less likely to get breast cancer than those who hail from northern cities like Boston or Seattle. There's a similar difference in breast cancer risk between women who catch frequent rays during work or play and those who tend to stay indoors. Researchers suspect the protection from breast cancer among women who get more sun is linked to their synthesizing more vitamin D from exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation. * They found that it wasn't only D from the sun that helped. Vitamin D from foods also appeared protective. Women who got 200 or more International Units of D in their diets had about a 30 percent reduced risk of breast cancer compared to women who got less than 50 units. Foods with vitamin D include milk and fortified breakfast cereals, fatty fish, egg yolks, and liver. COLOR YOURSELF HEALTHY Health-savvy consumers know that the deep orange hue of a carrot signals that it's rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant thought to be linked to cancer prevention. Dark green vegetables like spinach are also high in beta-carotene - you just don't see the orange color because it's masked by the green pigment chlorophyll. What about finding other carotenoids by their color? After all, beta-carotene is only one of several members of this family of plant chemicals (there are more than 500) that appear important for good health. Take a look at the color chart below to see which foods are high in 4 carotenoids that scientists are now linking to disease prevention.
The following nutrition news was excerpted from Nutrition Action Healthletter (April 1998, volume 25, Number 3): CORONARY KING After two years in the kitchen, the geniuses at Burger King have come up with a new kind of french fries. And your local hospital ought to name its cardiac care unit in their honor. Thanks to the salty coating that allows more oil to be absorbed, a king size order of BK's new fries packs 590 calories and 30 grams of fat - 12 of them saturated. McDonald's super size fries have 26 grams - 4 1/2 of them saturated. And both are fried in trans-laden shortening, which boosts the sat fat numbers... and the fries threat to your heart. Worse yet, BK's fries- its most popular item- have a whopping 1,110 milligrams of sodium (McDonald's has 350 mg.) How nice of Burger King to pack the sat fat equivalent of a Whopper into a side dish. In summary, once again eating in accordance with the Food Guide Pyramid - consuming plenty of whole grains, enriched breads and cereals (6- 11 servings/ day), colorful vegetables (3-5 servings/day) fruits (2-4 servings/ day) and low-fat dairy (especially vitamin D fortified milk) (2-3 servings/day) while avoiding high-fat dairy products and meats as well as fats,oils, and sweets seems to be the best way to avoid a number of health-related problems - including hypertension and related health conditions (stroke, heart disease, kidney disease) macular degeneration, and a range of cancers. cancer. *****Paula Harrison is a registered dietician practicing in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Paula is a graduate of New York University with a M.S. in Nutrition. If you have any questions you might want to ask her, you may E-mail her at: gpgodart-smile@worldnet.att.net | ||||||||||||||||
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