In this issue:

Sleep Well, Stay Young Healthy Eating Tips Olive Oil May be Protective Against Colon Cancer Vitamin C Helps Prevent Diabetes Tamoxifen and Endometrial Cancer Pasta with Broccoli, Garlic and Olive Oil

Looking for medical advice? Call our free Nutrition and Allergy HOTLINE, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings between 5 and 6 pm to speak with one of our board-certified physicians at (856) 424-0707. To navigate drmagaziner.com use the apple links at the bottom of the page.

Sleep Well, Stay Young Here's another reason to get your 40 winks.  Researchers have found that poor sleep may lead to a decrease in a key hormone associated with physical changes in aging.  In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers looked at sleep studies done between 1985 and 1999 on 149 men aged 16 to 83.  The researchers found that although the men's total amount of sleep stayed about the same as they entered middle age, the amount of deep sleep they got decreased significantly. While the quality of the men's sleep was declining, their bodies were secreting considerably less human growth hormone.  Growth hormone deficiency has been linked to obesity and loss of muscle tone. So, the flab that some people start to develop as they get older may be linked to their changing sleep patterns.  To obtain optimal health and growth hormone output, it is recommended that you get 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Healthy Eating Tips Are you trying to lose weight? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. Americans eat 148 more calories a day now than they did 20 years ago, contributing to this nation's obesity problem. Cutting down on portion size is an easy and effective way to reduce excess calorie intake. Learn what a proper portion size is by spending one day measuring certain foods. Fill a measuring cup with cereal and remember how much room it takes up in your breakfast bowl. A cup of pasta the size of your fist could save 300 calories over a 3-cup plate. If you're used to eating 3 cups, eat a little less each day to inch down to proper serving sizes.  Make sure two-thirds of your plate is filled with colorful fruits, phytonutrient-rich vegetables, whole grains and beans and no more than one third devoted to meat, poultry or fish. If you're visiting an expensive restaurant, rather than  finishing the main course, why not just ask for a doggie bag. And try to reduce your appetite by sneaking in extra servings of fruits and veggies.  Buy prewashed, precut carrots and other vegetables at the grocery store salad bar, throw them in a stir fry or bring them to work as snacks. Slice a banana onto cereal. Ask for extra tomatoes and greens on a deli sandwich. Instead of a cookie, keep a bowl of berries on hand.

Olive Oil May be Protective Against Colon Cancer Most of us are familiar with olive oil, as a more healthy alternative to corn oil and hydrogenated oils.  Researchers have recently found another encouraging reason why this key ingredient in the Mediterranean diet is beneficial.  While diets high in meat were correlated with a greater risk of colon cancer, olive oil was felt to be protective against this deadly disease even when fruit and vegetable consumption was low.  Olive oil may protect the bowel by reducing the amount of a bile acid called deoxycyclic acid. Deoxycyclic acid interferes with an enzyme known as diamine oxidase, which regulates cell growth in the bowel.  Abnormal cell growth is the first step needed to form a cancer.  Even though olive oil may protect against bowel cancer, it is still important to get at least 5 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables each day.

DISCLAIMER: The items in this newsletter are intended for informational purposes only.  Nothing in this newsletter is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis and advice.