Healthy News for Healthy Nation

The Guys

One in five women have a history of painful urinary tract infections. “I had three in one year,” says Patty Buxton*, a Colorado middle-school teacher. Reading that cranberry juice may help prevent these infections, Buxton went on a regimen a year ago, and since then she’s been infection-free. She thinks cranberry juice did the trick.

Cranberry juice isn’t the only food that offers protection from specific illnesses. Here’s a list of disease-fighting foods for men and women.

Foods for Men

1. Tomato Sauce. Men who eat a lot of tomatoes, tomato sauce, or pizza smothered with the stuff may be giving themselves a hedge against prostate cancer. So say researchers at Harvard, who studied the eating habits of more than 47,000 male health professionals. They found that men who ate tomato sauce two to four times per week had a 35 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer than men who ate none. A carotenoid called lycopene, which tomatoes contain in abundance, appeared to be responsible. But scientists were puzzled: tomato juice didn’t seem to have a protective effect. Other research showed why. For best absorption, lycopene should be cooked with some kind of fat. So pizza may be just what the doctor ordered.

2. Oysters. Myth has it that oysters are the food of love. Science may agree. Just two to three oysters deliver a full day’s supply of zinc, a mineral critical for normal functioning of the male reproductive system. Scientists are divided over reports that sperm counts have declined over the last 50 years and that environmental factors are to blame. Nutritional deficiencies do seem to be the cause of certain cases of low testosterone. Getting adequate zinc is sometimes the answer (11 mg per day is recommended for men; more than 40 mg can pose risks). In one trial, 22 men with low testosterone levels and sperm counts were given zinc every day for 45 to 50 days. Testosterone levels and sperm counts rose.

3. Broccoli. A recent Harvard study finds that cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, may protect against bladder cancer. It’s one of the most common cancers in this country, and affects two to three times as many men as women. Scientists analyzed the diets of nearly 50,000 men and discovered that those who ate five servings or more per week of cruciferous veggies were half as likely to develop bladder cancer over a ten-year period as men who rarely ate them. And broccoli and cabbage were singled out as the most protective foods.

4. Peanut Butter. If you want a healthy heart, spread your morning toast with peanut butter. Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women, but men fall victim at an earlier age. Researchers from Pennsylvania State University compared the cholesterol-lowering effect of the American Heart Association’s Step II Diet with a higher-fat diet based on peanuts. The AHA plan included more carbohydrates. The peanut regimen was 36 percent fat. After 24 days both diets lowered “bad” LDL cholesterol. But the peanut plan also caused a drop in blood fats called triglycerides and did not decrease HDL, the “good” cholesterol. The AHA diet raised levels of triglycerides and lowered levels of HDL.

“Peanut butter is a little higher in fat,” says Penny Kris-Etherton, Ph.D., the lead author of the Penn State study. “But it’s the type that’s good for you — monounsaturated fat.” Researchers have predicted that the peanut diet could reduce heart-disease risk even more than could the AHA diet. Just don’t go nutty plastering on the tasty spread, since it is high in calories.

5. Watermelon. Until the age of 55, more men suffer from high blood pressure than do women. Research suggests that foods rich in potassium can reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. The evidence is so convincing that the Food and Drug Administration recently allowed food labels to bear a health claim about the connection between potassium-rich foods and blood pressure. “There isn’t a dietary requirement for potassium,” says Kathleen Cappellano, nutrition-information manager at Tufts University in Boston. “But a good goal is about 2000 milligrams or more a day.” Watermelon, a rich source of this mineral, has more potassium — 664 mg — in one large slice than the amount found in a banana or a cup of orange juice. So cut yourself another slice and enjoy the taste of summer.

The Girls

Foods for Women

1. Papaya. This tropical fruit packs about twice the vitamin C of an orange. Add it to your arsenal against gallbladder disease, which afflicts twice as many women as men.

After analyzing the blood of over 13,000 people, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found that women who had lower levels of vitamin C were more likely to have gallbladder illnesses. One medium papaya (about ten ounces), with its 188 mg of vitamin C and a mere 119 calories, is a refreshing source of the vitamin. The once exotic fruit now can be found in most supermarkets.

2. Flaxseed. Bakers use this nutty-flavored seed mainly to add flavor and fiber. But scientists see the tiny reddish-brown seed, rich in estrogenlike compounds called lignans, as a potential weapon against breast cancer. An exciting report at last year’s San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium showed that adding flaxseed to the diet of women with breast cancer effectively slowed tumor growth. You can flavor your muffins with flaxseed, but the easiest way to get the beneficial lignans is to sprinkle a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed on your morning cereal. Look for the seeds in health food stores or in supermarkets on the flour aisle. They’re easy to grind in a blender or coffee grinder. But get seeds — there are no lignans in the oil.

3. Tofu. Foods high in soy protein can lower cholesterol and may minimize menopausal hot flashes and strengthen bone. Isoflavones, plant chemicals in soybeans that have a structure similar to estrogen, may be the reason. Though animal studies form the bulk of the evidence, a human study found that 90 mg of isoflavones was beneficial to bone (specifically the spine). And two other studies suggest that 50 to 76 mg of isoflavones a day may offer some relief from hot flashes. A half-cup of tofu contains about 25 to 35 mg of isoflavones.

4. Buffalo Meat. Due largely to menstruation, women tend to be anemic more than men. And low iron levels in blood can cause severe fatigue. To get a good dose of iron, try bison. Bison, or buffalo, meat is lean and has what diet-conscious women want — lots of iron and less fat than most cuts of beef. “The iron content is about 3 milligrams in a 3 1/2-ounce uncooked portion,” says Marty Marchello, Ph.D., at North Dakota State University. “That portion contains less than 3 grams of fat.” Buffalo meat can help boost energy and lower weight. And you don’t have to have a home on the range to get some bison anymore. You can pick it up at many supermarkets across the United States, or through mail order or on the Internet.

5. Collard Greens. This humble vegetable may help fight osteoporosis, which afflicts many women late in life. In addition to getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, some studies suggest that vitamin K may have a bone-protective effect as well. Based on data from one of the largest studies of women, the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers discovered that women who ate enough vitamin K-rich foods (at least 109 micrograms of the vitamin daily) were 30 percent less likely to suffer a hip fracture during ten years of follow-up than women who ate less. Researchers point out that dark-green leafy vegetables — Brussels sprouts, spinach, broccoli — are all good sources of the vitamin. But collard greens, with about 375 micrograms per half-cup, are among the best.

There you have it: five great foods for women and for men that can keep both of you well fed and healthy too.

*Name changed to protect privacy.

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Navigating the Aisles

The typical American consumer hits the grocery store at least twice a week. Why, then, does it feel like we never have anything to eat at home? Follow the advice below to make sure you not only have a well-stocked pantry for healthful eating, but are buying the right products at the right time in the right way.

You’ll notice, by the way, that many of the tips below have you looking at a food product’s nutrition label and ingredients list for information. If you haven’t become expert at this, time to study up. Go straight to the source — the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — via the Internet at www.fda.gov, put “nutrition facts” into the search line, then click on “go” for a full menu of food-labeling information.

1. Rule number one: Buy fresh food! There is no simpler, no easier, no plainer measure of the healthiness of your food than whether it comes in boxes and cans or is fresh from the farm or the fields. If more than half your groceries are prepared foods, then you need to evolve your cooking and eating habits back to the healthy side by picking up more fresh vegetables, fruits, seafood, juices, and dairy.

2. Shop the perimeter of the store. That’s where all the fresh foods are. The less you find yourself in the central aisles of the grocery store, the healthier your shopping trip will be. Make it a habit — work the perimeter of the store for the bulk of your groceries, then dip into the aisles for staples that you know you need.

3. Think of the departments (dairy, produce, meat, and so on) as separate stores within the supermarket. You wouldn’t shop at every store at a mall the same way, would you? You know better than to idly browse through a jewelry store, don’t you? So apply the same approach to the grocery store. Target the sections that are safe to browse through — the produce section, primarily — and steer clear of the dangerous sections (the candy, ice cream, and potato chip aisles).

4. Shop with a list. Organize your shopping list based on the tip above — that is, by the sections of the store. This will have you out of the supermarket at the speed of light. If you’re a woman, consider getting your husband or son to do the food shopping, says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University’s Sargent College. The latest survey from the Food Marketing Institute shows that compared to women, men are more likely to buy only what’s on the grocery list. But shopping with a list has benefits beyond speed and spending. By lashing yourself to the discipline of a well-planned shopping list, you can resist the seductive call of aisle upon aisle of junk food, thereby saving your home, your family, and yourself from an overload of empty calories.

5. Food-shop with a full stomach. We’re sure you’ve heard this one before, but it’s worth repeating. Walking through the grocery store with your tummy growling can make you vulnerable to buying anything that isn’t moving, says Blake. If you can’t arrange to shop shortly after a meal, be sure to eat an apple and drink a large glass of water before heading into the store.

Fruits and Veggies

6. Buy a few days before ripe. There’s no point in trying to buy fresh vegetables and fruits for your family if the bananas turn brown and the peaches mushy two days after you get them home. Buy fruit that’s still a day or two behind ripeness. It will still be hard to the touch; bananas will be green. Feel carefully for bruises on apples, check expiration dates on bagged produce, and stay away from potatoes or onions that have started to sprout. If the produce on the shelves looks a bit beyond its peak, don’t walk away; ask to speak to the produce manager. Chances are, there’s a fresh shipment in the back just waiting to be put out on store shelves. For a real taste treat, if you’re going to eat them within the next couple of days, pick up a bunch of vine-ripened tomatoes. There’s just no comparison.

7. Buy in season. Sure, it’s tempting to buy strawberries in December, and once in a while that’s fine. But fresh fruit and vegetables are best when purchased in season, meaning they’ve come from relatively close to home. They often cost less, are tastier, and have less risk of pathogens such as E. coli.

8. Buy organic whenever possible. Sure, it costs a few dollars more. But a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that organically grown fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally produced foods. However, if organic is too pricey for you, don’t worry; organic or not, fruits and veggies are key to a healthy larder.

9. Buy frozen. Frozen fruits and vegetables are often flash frozen at the source, locking in nutrients in a way fresh or canned can’t compete with. Stock your freezer with bags of frozen vegetables and fruits. You can toss the veggies into soups and stews, microwave them for a side dish with dinners, or thaw them at room temperature and dip them into low-fat salad dressing for snacks. Use the fruits for desserts, smoothies, and as ice cream and yogurt toppings.

10. Stock up on canned tomato products. Here’s one major exception to the “fresher is better” rule. Studies find that tomato sauces and crushed and stewed tomatoes have higher amounts of the antioxidant lycopene than fresh, because they’re concentrated. Canned tomatoes are a godsend when it comes to quick dinners in the kitchen. Warm up a can with some crushed garlic for a chunky pasta sauce; pour a can over chicken breasts and simmer in the crock pot; add to stews and sauces for flavor and extra nutrients.

11. Stock up on canned beans. Although they may have a bit more sodium than we like, that’s easy enough to get rid of with a good rinse in the sink. Beans can be mixed with brown rice, added to soups and stews, pureed with onions and garlic into hummus for dipping, or served over pasta for a traditional pasta e fagioli. In fact, all the hype about pasta raising blood sugar really comes down to this: What are you putting on your pasta? The soluble fiber in beans lowers blood sugar and insulin, making the combination of pasta and beans a healthful — as well as delicious — dish.

Important Ingredients

12. Spend some time in the condiment aisle. With the following basic ingredients you have the underpinnings for wonderful sauces, low-fat marinades, and low-salt flavorings. These delightful flavorings enable you to stay away from the less-healthy condiment items, such as mayonnaise, butter, stick margarine, creamy salad dressings, and so on: flavored ketchups and barbecue sauces (look for sugar-free varieties), horseradish, mustards, flavored vinegars, extra-virgin olive oil, jarred bruschetta and pesto sauces (luscious spooned atop salmon and baked), capers, jarred olives, sun-dried tomatoes, jarred spaghetti sauce, anchovies, roasted red peppers, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, hot pepper sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, walnut oil, teriyaki sauce, jarred salsas, and various kinds of marmalades.

13. Try some of the new whole grain alternatives. Today you can find wonderful whole grain pastas and couscous, instant brown rice that cooks up in 10 minutes instead of the old 50, even whole grain crackers. Hodgson Mills makes a delicious whole wheat pasta with flaxseeds. It really tastes great, and you can scarcely do any better when it comes to nutrition. While you’re at it, pick up a bag of whole wheat flour to replace the white stuff in your canister.

14. Choose prepared foods with short ingredient lists. We don’t expect you to cut out prepared foods entirely. Just remember: The shorter the ingredient list, the healthier the food usually is. Of course, if the ingredients are sugar and butter, put the item back on the shelf.

15. Reject foods and drinks made with corn syrup. Corn syrup is a calorie-dense, nutritionally empty sweetener perhaps even worse than refined sugar. A shocking number of foods and drinks are thick with it, including such apparently healthy foods as fruit juices, premade spaghetti sauces, and even bread. Some experts argue that corn syrup is one of the main causes of America’s obesity problem. If a food has corn syrup in its first four ingredients, then it lacks the wholesomeness and healthiness you want.

16. Look for fiber. You want at least 1 to 2 grams of fiber for every 100 calories you consume.

17. If partially hydrogenated oil, or trans fats are listed on the label, step away from the box and nobody will get hurt.

18. Pick up a jar of dried shiitake mushrooms. They may look weird, but toss them in some hot water for half an hour and you have a meaty, healthy addition to soups, stews, and sauces, not to mention a unique filling for tarts and omelets. Plus, they keep forever.

Healthy Alternatives

19. Whenever you find yourself reaching for a package of ground meat, switch over to the poultry section instead and pick up ground turkey, ground chicken, or soy crumbles. Works just as well as ground beef for meatballs, meat loaf, or chili. This little substitution can cut more than 30 percent of the calories and at least half of the fat and saturated fat in a three-ounce serving, says Blake. When it’s smothered in a zesty tomato sauce or flavored with seasonings, you’ll never be able to tell the difference. If you’re feeling a little gun-shy about abandoning the beef, use half turkey and half lean beef, or half soy crumbles and half beef.

20. Choose strong cheeses. Instead of American, cheddar, or Swiss, pick up feta, fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a soft goat cheese. These strongly flavored cheeses will satisfy your yen for cheese without damaging your waistline, says Blake.

21. Buy macadamia nut oil. It has more good-for-you monounsaturated fats than any other oil in the world and a higher smoke point than olive oil, so there’s no trans fatty acid formation when you cook. It makes any dish you make heart-healthier, says Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of The Hamptons Diet.

22. Confirm that a wheat bread is whole wheat. Some of the folks selling bread are trying to pull the wool (or is it wheat chaff?) over your eyes. Sure, a wheat bread is made from wheat. But if the first ingredient is refined wheat flour, then it’s made from the same wheat as white bread — which means, stripped of fiber and nutrients, and in some cases, dyed brown for a fake healthy appearance. What you’re really looking for are the words “whole wheat.” That’s the stuff with minimum refining and maximum beneficial nutrients.

23. Buy plain yogurt and flavor it at home. Pre-flavored yogurts have oodles of sugars that destroy any healthy benefits they once had. If you add a teaspoon of all-fruit jam at home, it’ll still taste yummy, you’ll consume far fewer useless calories, and you’ll save lots of money.

24. Buy healthy add-ins for plain cereals. These include raisins, fresh berries, dried berries, almond slivers, pumpkin seeds, sesame sticks, and bananas. The best breakfast-cereal strategy is to buy unsweetened cereals and then add in your favorite flavors. That helps you bypass all the empty sugary calories — and lets you enjoy the cereal more. For ease, keep a wide-mouth, well-sealed jar on your counter with shelf-stable ingredients for quick mix-ins. Keep a scoop and ziplock bags handy, and you’ve got a handy, nutritious meal or snack for home or on the go.

25. Read juice labels carefully. Orange juice, although quite healthy, often has 20 grams of sugar in the average 8-ounce glass. Instead, try guava juice. It has three times more vitamin C, and is loaded with potassium (a great blood pressure regulator) and beta-carotene.

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Dangerous Activity

Exercising or working outdoors on a sunny summer day is great for your health, but it can also be dangerous if you’re not careful. Heat-related illness can be fast-acting and deadly.

Learn about the following problems and what you can do to prevent them:

Dehydration
You can become dehydrated when your body loses too much water through diarrhea, vomiting, or sweating. When you’re not drinking enough fluids, your body’s cells absorb fluid from the blood and other body tissues. Your muscles begin to get tired and you may have cramps or feel faint. By the time you are severely dehydrated, there’s no longer enough fluid in the body to get blood to the organs, so you may start to go into shock.

Early signs of dehydration include increased thirst; dry mouth; reduced urine output, with dark yellow urine. Symptoms of moderate dehydration include extreme thirst; dry appearance inside the mouth; decreased urination, or half the normal number of urinations in 24 hours (usually 3 or fewer urinations); lightheadedness that is relieved by lying down.

Severe dehydration is life-threatening. Symptoms that require emergency care include altered behavior, such as severe anxiety, confusion, or not being able to stay awake; faintness that is not relieved by lying down, or lightheadedness that continues after standing for 2 minutes; weak, rapid pulse; cold, clammy skin or hot, dry skin; loss of consciousness.

Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion occurs when you cannot sweat enough to cool your body. It generally develops when you are working or exercising in hot weather. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include fatigue; weakness; headache; dizziness, or nausea; and skin that is cool, moist, pale, or flushed. Mild cases of heat exhaustion can be treated at home with plenty of rest, water and a cool environment. More severely exhausted patients may need IV fluids, especially if vomiting keeps them from drinking enough.

Heatstroke

Heat exhaustion can sometimes lead to heatstroke, which requires emergency treatment. Heatstroke occurs when the body fails to regulate its own temperature and body temperature continues to rise, often to 105°F (40.56°C) or higher. A person with heatstroke may stop sweating. Other symptoms of heatstroke include confusion or unconsciousness, and skin that is red, hot and dry, even under the armpits.

Classic heatstroke can develop without exertion when you are exposed to a hot environment and your body cannot cool itself effectively. This type of heatstroke may develop over several days. Babies and older adults are most at risk.

Exertional heatstroke may develop when you are working or exercising in an extremely hot environment. A person suffering from exertional heatstroke may sweat profusely, but the body still produces more heat than it can lose. This causes the body’s temperature to rise to high levels. Both types of heatstroke lead to severe dehydration and can cause body organs to stop functioning, so if you notice any symptoms, you should seek emergency medical treatment immediately.

Preventing Heat-Related Illnesses
Common sense is the key to avoiding heat-related illnesses. Just follow these simple precautions:

Stay hydrated. The easiest way to avoid heat disorders is to keep your body well hydrated. This means drinking plenty of water before, during and after exercise or exposure to heat and humidity. If you’re sweating heavily, you can drink a sports drink (like Gatorade) to replace lost salt (sodium) and other minerals (electrolytes).

Check your ventilation. Sitting in a shaded, open area will help your body cool through sweating. If you’re indoors, you should open windows, use a fan or turn on the air conditioning during excessively hot days.

Choose clothing carefully. Light-colored, loose-fitting clothing will help your body breathe and cool itself down naturally. Tight clothing restricts that process and dark colors absorb the sun’s light and heat.

Limit yourself. Don’t overdo your activity on hot days. Heatstroke can develop in less than an hour. If you feel yourself getting warm or lightheaded, it’s best to take a time-out and rest in the shade.

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Vitals: Andrew Staton, 34, Rehoboth Beach, DE

Occupation: Real-estate agent

Weight before: 317

Height: 5′9″

Time required to reach goal: 5 years

Weight after: 173

Lesson learned: Diet isn’t a short-term regimen, it’s a lifestyle.

Inspired tip: Win your personal battles, and your professional ones become easier.

 The Gain

Staton never knew what it was like to be athletic. “I was a fat kid, a fat teenager, and a fat adult,” he says. He passed the 300-pound mark after college, as his career took off and his activity level  plummeted. That’s when Staton realized his weight was holding him down professionally, too.

The Change

Staton remembers the day he took control of his weight: April 1, 2000. “I just woke up and thought, I’m going to get  ahold of my life,” he says. Staton halved his calorie intake, hit the elliptical trainer for an hour a day, 6 days a week, and watched the first 60 pounds melt away. He soon moved his workouts from the gym to the road, and just 7 months later, ran his first 10-K. In October 2001, Staton completed the Marine Corps Marathon. “When people notice your weight loss, it gives you a high that drives you forward,” he says.

The Lifestyle

Staton’s road to weight loss didn’t end with the marathon. “You have to do absolutely everything you did to lose the weight to keep it off,” Staton says. That means keeping portions small–a slice of whole-wheat toast with peanut butter for breakfast, a low-calorie lunch, and a dinner of lean meat, a side, and salad. It’s all quickly burned off in exercise: Staton typically logs 9 hours of cardio and an hour of weight training a week.

The Reward

Staton found his trim physique conveyed dedication and perseverance, and his real-estate business boomed. At the same time, his athletic goals continued to shoot upward. Last summer, Staton competed in his first Ironman triathlon. This June, he plans to repeat the feat in Switzerland. “This one is all about speed,” Staton says. “I’m hoping to finish in under 13 hours.”

Andy’s Tips

Use common sense. Fast food and candy will make you fat. It’s not rocket science.

 Rotate your training intensity. Give yourself 1 recovery week a month.

 Set a near-impossible goal. Nothing motivates you like facing a 140.6-mile race.

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