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All the latest research and recommendations on how to enjoy a longer, healthier and more productive and energetic life.
In this issue:
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Looking
for medical advice?
Call our free Nutrition and Allergy HOTLINE, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings between 5:00 & 6:00 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. |
 Men with Type II diabetes who are active and physically fit have a lower overall risk of dying than diabetic men with a sedentary lifestyle. Moderate exercise, such as walking 30 minutes a day several days of the week, would "probably be sufficient to develop or maintain the fitness level that was associated with lower mortality rates in our study," noted the report in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Type II diabetes is the most common form of the illness, and usually develops in adulthood after the age of 40. Obesity can increase the risk of developing it. Maintaining your body weight is therefore of the utmost importance in preventing the onset of this condition. Men classified in a low-fitness group were about twice as likely to die from any cause during the study as those in the moderate and high-fitness groups. Besides their greater risk of succumbing to diabetes, these less healthy subjects were twice as likely to die from heart disease, 2.4 times as likely to die from cancer, 3.3 times as likely to die from injuries, and nearly five times as likely to die from digestive disease. |
While medical science has found cures for many chronic diseases, common viral infections have stumped medical science until now. Lozenges or oral sprays containing the antioxidant compound glutathione might help prevent influenza. They could help keep you from being infected during exposure to someone with a cold or flu, such as a child with a runny nose and cough. Glutathione, found naturally in many foods such as green leafy vegetables, is an antioxidant. It is composed of three amino acids: glycine, L-glutamine and cysteine. While investigating glutathione's anti-cancer properties, researchers discovered that the compound effectively inhibits the activity of enzymes that help the flu virus colonize cells lining the mouth and throat, one of the first steps in becoming infected with the virus. At the Magaziner Center for Wellness and Anti-Aging Medicine, Doctors
Magaziner and Greenberg have successfully used intravenous glutathione
and other antioxidants for cold and flu treatment. They have found
this treatment effective in reducing both the symptoms and duration of
many viral illnesses. It may reduce symptoms of Parkinson's Disease as
well.
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 Although more people in the U.S. are eating the recommended five servings
per day of fruits and vegetables, research shows that most people are choosing
foods
This may result in a deficiency in these essential nutrients, according to nutrition researcher Christopher A. Taylor, of Arizona State University who presented his findings at the Experimental Biology 2000 Conference. Federal nutrition guidelines have for years stressed the importance of consuming fruits and vegetables, and it is recommended that people consume at least five servings per day of these foods. However, it is estimated that only 15-20% of the population meets these goals. Taylor and his colleagues examined 1994-1996 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals" and found that the top six fruits and vegetables consumed by Americans are, in order: Iceberg lettuce, tomato products, French fries, bananas, orange juice, and onions (even though French fries made the list, we hardly consider it a healthy vegetable). |
| One nutrient which such items notably lack, however,
is folate -- an especially important one for women of childbearing age,
since folate deficiency has been linked to an increased risk of certain
birth defects. The best plant sources for folate are dark green leafy vegetables
such as Brussels sprouts, as well as broccoli, and cauliflower. And while
citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C, Taylor suggests it is best
to get the vitamin from the whole fruit, not just fruit juices. As for
lettuce, although it may fall into the “vegetable” category, it contains
mostly water and vitamin K but not much else of real nutritional value.
And even though French fries do have "negligible" amounts of vitamin C,
they are often loaded with fat, which increases the risk of heart disease
and other illnesses.
It is therefore advisable to fill your plate with lots of colorful varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables to insure a minimum intake of folic acid and vitamin C. This is especially important for women who are pregnant or are planning to become so. A minimum of 800 micrograms of folic acid is the amount recommended to prevent spina bifida, neural tube defects, cleft palate, cleft lip and anencephaly in their offspring. |
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Women who eat a wide variety of healthy foods may significantly lower their risk of dying from such afflictions as cancer, heart disease and stroke, researchers have suggested in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers found that a diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat meat and dairy products reduced a woman's chances of dying -- up to 30 percent for women who ate the healthiest diets compared with those having the least healthy eating habits. Most previous studies have looked at the health effects of specific nutrients, foods or dietary habits -- eating low-fat foods, for example -- but not at overall eating patterns, said Dr. Arthur Schatzkin, chief of the National Cancer Institute's nutritional epidemiology branch and one of the study's authors. In this one, subjects who ate the highest amount of recommended foods were 30 percent less likely to die than those who ate the lowest. The study did not prove that a healthy diet alone accounted for all of the results, since individuals who maintain one are also more likely to do other health-enhancing things such as exercising and avoiding smoking. But it did emphasize the importance of eating a variety of healthy foods while avoiding refined grains, white flour, simple sugars, hydrogenated oils and fried and processed foods to increase your chances of surviving in the best shape possible. |
of Heart Disease Impotence, or erectile dysfunction, may indicate that a man is at increased risk for heart disease, U.S. researchers report. Arterial disease is a common cause of impotence, and when impotence is due to arterial problems, physicians should also screen patients for coronary artery disease, a researcher said at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association. Erectile dysfunction may be the first clinical sign of blood-vessel disease, which can lead to strokes, angina and heart attacks. The study involved 57 men with erectile dysfunction who had no previous history of blood-vessel disease or risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol. Some 60 percent of the men were found to have elevated cholesterol levels and 91 percent of the men showed signs of arterial insufficiency in Doppler ultrasound tests. Of the 40 percent who showed normal cholesterol levels, the tests showed that 88 percent had signs of arterial disease. |
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.
Magaziner Center
for Wellness & Anti-Aging Medicine
1907 Greentree
Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08003
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FAX: 856-424-2599
www.drmagaziner.com
Copyright © 2000, by Dr. Allan Magaziner, D.O.