If a simple and inexpensive way to make you live longer existed, would you use it?
What’s that? Easy question, you say? Well, let’s tackle an even easier one first and see if your answer is still the same. Here’s the easier question: What if there was a way for you to eliminate the #1 cause of preventable death in the United States and save money at the same time? Would you do that? Of course you would… who wouldn’t? Evidently, a whole heck of a lot of people would NOT!
Here’s the scoop: Harvard researchers just published the results of a study, “The
Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors.” They listed the top causes of preventable death and how many people they estimate die each year from each risk factor.
The number one is tobacco smoking, killing 436,000-500,000 each year. Simply not smoking would eliminate the leading cause of preventable death from your life – AND save you quite a bit of money. Yet millions still smoke.
The study also found an Omega-3 deficiency causes between 72,000-96,000 deaths every year. This is very similar to the deaths caused by high trans fat intake (between 63,000-97,000). One researcher mentioned it is hard to nail down a more exact number of deaths because, “chronic diseases and associated deaths are multi-factorial. As far as diet goes, is it the lack of fruits and veggies or the excess animal and processed foods that is the culprit? It’s hard to say.” It was also noted that more research is needed to fully understand why Omega- 3 is so effective in establishing a dietary reference intake (DRI). Researchers added that until requirements are established, “Americans are likely to continue to fall short of their Omego-3 intake.” At least, according to this study, sounds like both increasing Omega-3 and decreasing trans fat intake may be a good idea.
So what were some of the other results of the study? Here they are…
1. Smoking Tobacco: 436,000 to 500,000 deaths
2. High blood Pressure: 372,000 to 414,000 deaths
3. Obesity: 188,000 to 237,000 deaths
4. Physical Inactivity: 164,000 to 222,000 deaths
5. High Blood Glucose: 163,000 to 217,000 deaths
6. High LDL Cholesterol: 94,000 to 124,000 deaths
7. High Salt Intake: 97,000 to 107,000 deaths
Other risk factors included: alcohol use, low polyunsaturated fatty acids, and low intake of fruits and vegetables.
So, what are you probably eating that could be contributing to the SECOND cause of preventable death which is high blood pressure? According to that study, high blood pressure kills between 372,000-414,000 every year. And listen to this… On September 23, 2009, according to Reuters, a recently released study found a diet high in a form of sugar found in sweetened soft drinks and junk food raises blood pressure among men. Reuters reports, the study “provided the first evidence that fructose helps raise blood pressure.” The study “suggested that people who consume sweetened soft drinks at night could gain weight faster than those who don’t.” From Reuters: “These results suggest that excessive fructose intake may have a role in the worldwide epidemic of obesity and diabetes,” said Dr. Richard Johnson of the University of Colorado-Denver, who studied the link between blood pressure and men.
Fructose is about 50% of the make-up of table sugar and the high fructose corn syrup popular in many foods. The American Heart Association currently says women should eat no more than 100 calories of added processed sugar per day, or six teaspoons (25 grams), while most men should keep it to just 150 calories or nine teaspoons (37.5 grams). On average, Americans consume 22 teaspoons (90 grams) or 355 calories of added sugar each day. Maybe it’s time Americans started seriously cutting back just a little… don’t you think?
Posts Tagged ‘nutrition’
Harvard University Researchers: Deficiency Of This Nutrient Is Responsible For 72,000-96,000 Preventable Deaths Per Year
Wednesday, January 20th, 201010 Websites To Help You Lose Weight, Be Healthier And Feel Wonderful In 2010
Saturday, December 26th, 20091. Workoutz.com
Tons of great free workout videos – with new videos and advice added all the time.
2. Fitnessonline.com
Free topics include: Lose weight, build muscle, eat healthy, pregnancy fitness, fitness calculators and free newsletters.
3. Wellness.com
General Wellness, Wellness for Women, Wellness for Men, Family & Parenting, Exercise & Fitness, Diet & Nutrition, Relationships & Sex, Environmental Wellness, Personal Development, Pet Wellness
4. Mercola.com
One of the most visited natural health sites on the internet.
5. Fitnessmagazine.com
Healthy recipes, weight loss, health, beauty.
6. Crossfit.com
Effective and fun training for beginners up to professional athletes.
7. Bodyrock.tv
Videos for women interested in having a serious beach body by summer!
8. Menshealth.com
Provides information and tips on fitness, health, career, relationships, nutrition, recipes, weight-loss and muscle building.
9. Nutritiondata.com
Tons of free nutrition tools and information.
10. Videofiness.com
Fitness video reviews, forums to discuss and meet like-minded people, video exchange.
Prescription Medication And Grapefruit - A Potentially Deadly Combination
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009Here’s why: In this story, a retiree spends his summers up north and winters in the south. What natives call a “snowbird.” Two months after arriving in sunny Florida, this retiree was dead. The cause? Doctors believe it was a deadly interaction between the 2-3 glasses of fresh grapefruit juice he drank everyday and his medication. Drinking grapefruit juice can be deadly for people who take certain medications, according to a recent paper. In this particular case, the fatal interaction is believed to be between the grapefruit and Lipitor.
The victim had high cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease. For this, doctors put him on Lipitor and he began a diet and exercise program. Two weeks after going to Florida for the winter, he went to the emergency room complaining of muscle pains, fatigue and fever. That’s where he went into kidney failure and died.
Although experts know the problem exists, most laymen and health care professionals are still in the dark about the deadly risks, even though the FDA requires all prospective new drugs to be tested for interactions with grapefruit juice, and a warning about grapefruit juice is included in the “food-drug interactions” that come with dozens of medications.
Since grapefruit juice is metabolized by the same enzyme in the liver that breaks down many drugs… it is one of the foods most likely to cause problems with drugs. When the system is overloaded, scientists said the grapefruit juice can “swamp” the system, keeping the liver from doing its complete job and blocking it from breaking down drugs and other substances.
The most severe effects, scientists say, are likely with some statins. While the liver devotes its resources to grapefruit juice, the medication can build up to dangerous levels, causing a breakdown of the body’s muscles and even kidney failure.
So, the first tip of the month is: If you are taking ANY prescription medication (especially statin drugs), ask your doctor about the possible interactions with grapefruit juice. You should also read the warnings that come with your medication. I know there may be a lot of fine print, but it could be life or death.
Which leads us to the second tip of the month: Why do you think there is so much fine print in the first place? Because all drugs have toxic side effects. That is not to say they don’t save lives and are not needed in certain situations. Clearly they do and are. But, the goal of REAL health should be to have your body function properly without drugs… or… at least… with as little drugs as humanly possible.
How? Through proper diet, exercise, stress management and Chiropractic care.
I recently read a quote from a famous NFL coach, Jimmy Johnson. He said something like this: There are more things that can go bad with a passing play, than a running play. That’s why, when in doubt, if at all possible, run the ball.
I have the same philosophy with health. If at all possible, do it naturally.
Does This “Stinking Rose” Possess The Secret To Health?
Monday, June 1st, 2009 You may or may not know this, but in some circles, garlic is known as the “stinking rose.” Why? Because, garlic is one of nature’s most impressive foods!
Its medicinal properties have been valued for centuries. There are reports of Greek and Roman soldiers eating garlic before going into battle. Legend has it that Egyptians ate garlic to increase their strength and stamina while building the pyramids. (If that legend only revealed how they actually built the pyramids – now that would be something!)
Anyway, the point is – garlic has been eaten for a long time with the belief it enhanced health. That’s the “rose” part of the name. And if you have ever been around garlic, you know where the “stinking” part came from.
But, as it turns out, what makes garlic stink might be responsible for its wonderful health benefits. Here is why…
According to a January 31, 2009 article in Science Daily, “Researchers have widely believed that the organic compound, allicin – which gives garlic its aroma and flavour – acts as the world’s most powerful antioxidant.”
In this study, the authors believe they know why. They found allicin decomposes rapidly and produces an acid: sulfenic acid. This acid reacts with free radicals in your body. In other words, it becomes a very powerful antioxidant.
And check this out: According to the researchers, “The reaction between the sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time it takes for the two molecules to come into contact. No one has ever seen compounds, natural or synthetic, react this quickly as antioxidants.”
Garlic’s Triple Power
Garlic is quite incredible because it helps you in three ways: antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola’s health blog, “Studies have even found it is effective at killing antibiotic-resistance bacteria, including MRSA, and for reducing fungal infections, such as yeast infections, and fighting viruses and parasites.
“But that’s only the beginning. Garlic is great for your heart, as it helps to induce the relaxation and enlargement of blood vessels, which improves blood flow throughout the body. This can help to prevent a potentially deadly form of high blood pressure, as well as heart attack and stroke.” It is also believed that garlic helps prevent heart disease by inhibiting the formation of plaque on arteries.
Can Garlic Prevent Cancer?
Maybe so. At least, that’s what a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (November
2006; 84(5): 1027-1032) suggests. The researchers used data from a network of Italian and Swiss case-controlled studies. Comparing patients to controls, they found those with the highest intake of onions and garlic had the most protection from an assortment of cancers including:
Esophageal cancer • Colon cancer • Breast cancer • Ovarian cancer • Prostate cancer
What About Garlic And Weight Loss?
Can garlic help you lose weight too? The American Journal of Hypertension, reported on a study in which 2 groups of rats were purposely fed a diet to make them fat and hypertensive. Then one group of rats was given allicin. The group that received allicin not only stopped gaining weight!
What’s more, a third group was fed allicin from the start and gained very little weight over the course of the experiment.
What’s Better: Supplements Or Raw Garlic?
In many cases, eating the whole food is better than supplementation. Garlic is no different. The beneficial reaction in garlic starts taking place a few minutes after it is cut into or smashed open. But, the strength will quickly diminish and be gone in about an hour. So it is best to chop or press garlic, wait a few minutes, and then eat it. This may not be the best tasting approach, but it is probably the most effective. If you start to stink like ripe garlic cloves – simply cut back on the amount you eat. You should be able to find an amount your body can tolerate, without smelling.
