Next comes some finishing comments on the article on whole grains that was introduced in last month's Newsletter.
The current pathetic nutritional condition of most processed grains is essentially the result of refinements in the milling process that ultimately stopped grain spoilage during storage. Improvements in the design of milling machinery, over time, has eliminated the spoilage which resulted from the oils in grain. It seems that I once read that insects can't even live on the refined grain that is, today, stored for eventual human consumption. Advances in technology have been good for producers, but not so much for consumers.
Here is a short primer on grain. Edible varieties include wheat, barley, corn, millet, oats, rice, rye, sorghum, and triticale [Never heard of it.]. Also, buckwheat, wild rice, amaranth, quinoa, and flaxseed are often called grain, but technically they aren't. But their uses put them in the same category (they are cooked in a similar manner and have similar nutrition properties).
The structure of all grains is similar - there is an outer bran layer which contains most of the fiber. Then comes the germ layer which contains most of the nutrients. Then comes the endosperm, a starchy cone of the grain. Modern milling leaves only the endosperm. The aforementioned oils are in the germ, which used to be retained during the milling process.
To reap the benefits of grain, use the less-processed varieties like 100% grain breads or cereals, and brown rice. Some examples are:
Let's talk about everyone's favorite exercise: the one-legged squat. It was first introduced to me on a TV fitness program. It was done on a bench; that is, with your back toward a bench, bend one knee and rest the top of your foot on the bench. Your other foot is flat on the floor and far enough away from the bench so that when you "squat" (thigh roughly parallel with the floor), your knee does not project beyond your toes. As you might imagine, this requires a serious balancing job.
I have a variation that doesn't depend so much on balance, and really isolates one working leg. On a Smith Machine, place one foot slightly forward - enough so that when you squat, you can lower to where your thigh becomes roughly parallel with the floor, and with your knee not projected beyond your toes. Your other leg is held up (front or back) so your foot remains in midair until it is time to move to the other leg.
In the absence of a Smith Machine, use whatever is handy (a pole, furniture, gym equipment, etc.) to hold onto for balance. To increase intensity, go lower or add weight.
Obvious advantages over the foot-on-a-bench version are as previously mentioned: 1) greater stability, and 2) true one-legged isolation - the back leg in the other version is still able to provide some assistance with the leg extension phase of a squat.
Here is a new (at least to me) triceps exercise. It requires no equipment, so it can be done at home, on a business trip, or wherever. On your side, with your lower arm, grasp your upper side just under your armpit. With your upper arm across your chest, and with your hand on the floor, extend your elbow (i.e., straighten your arm). You are doing a one-arm pushup with your body sideways, and with only your trunk raised off the floor.
From a publication called HEALTHNEWS comes this information on echinacea (ek-i-NAY-sha), a currently hot herbal remedy for the common cold (typically taken in capsule or tincture (dissolved in alcohol) form). Some people claim that it can lessen the symptoms of, or avoid altogether, a cold or flu. Just take some of this stuff when you first feel symptoms, and you can knock it out, or at least mitigate its impact.
Test tube research seems to show that echinacea extract stimulates the immune cells to fight bacteria and viruses.
A German study in 1992 indicated that those who took echinacea recovered about two days earlier from cold and flu-like symptoms than those who did not take the herb (a placebo instead).
A few other studies have indicated that echinacea may help in the treatment of psoriasis, yeast infections, and infections of the urinary tract. Other German research has suggested that, in ointment form, it may help skin conditions like wounds, burns, eczema, and herpes simplex.
As for echinacea's safety, there have been no large, long-term studies; but German research, to date, has shown no side affects when taken orally or as an ointment. However, there are some cautions. It shouldn't be taken if you are pregnant, or have TB, or autoimmune diseases like lupus or M.S. Also, injecting it may cause metabolic disturbances in diabetics. It may also have ill-effects for those with AIDS. In addition, it is recommended that no one take it for more than 10 consecutive days - not because of any dangerous conditions, but only that it seems to lose effectiveness in that length of time.
After all that, U.S. doctors are very skeptical about any benefits to taking echinacea. They seem to think that any reported benefits are a result of the "placebo effect." They seem to think that there is not enough research, and not enough knowledge of possible side effects to endorse its use. They also cite the commonly used argument that herbs are not under FDA regulation, and therefore the active ingredients are of an unknown quantity per container, and could contain impurities.
Here is something that your mother might have told you - NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST. If you didn't learn that when you were growing up; it isn't too late to start - NOW. OK, ok. So what's best to eat? I'm glad you asked. New research shows that the old-fashioned cold cereal breakfast may be your best option - cereal with fruit and low-fat milk.
In a Michigan State University study of over 11,000 men and women, those who had a cereal-fruit-low-fat breakfast got more nutrients over the course of a day than those who chose a different breakfast. For women, their calcium intake was 20 times more than the non-cereal eaters. Significant for those concerned about osteoporosis. They also got more folic acid (especially for those who ate fortified cereal), which decreases the risk of neurological birth defects in developing fetuses.
Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina claims that skipping breakfast normally means that you won't get enough fruit, fiber, or calcium for the day. [Not to mention the energy lag that can result from extending your overnight fast.]
Studies show that children who eat breakfast are more mentally acute - they're better at problem-solving.
And other studies have shown that people who routinely skip breakfast eat more food during the day, and usually more junk food. [Could excessive bodyfat be just around the corner?]
Even less healthy cereals are better than many other breakfast choices. For example, a blueberry muffin provides a fraction of the vitamins, half the fiber, and six times the fat in a bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats. A bagel isn't much better, except that it is less fat. [But, note that there are relatively lean muffins, and others that drip fat, no matter what their type is.]
Even if the cereal you eat is sweetened, it is usually low in fat. And if you add a banana, you get more fiber, about a fifth of the potassium, vitamin B-6, and vitamin C that you need all day. If you typically run out of the house in the morning without breakfast, or just a bagel, or, God forbid, a donut; reassess your breakfast habits.
The disgusting cigar habit was previously mentioned in this Newsletter, and more relevant information has been passed along through an unlikely source - Ann Landers. She cites the American Lung Association: Cancer death rates for cigar smokers are 34 percent higher than for non-smokers. Carbon monoxide emissions from one cigar are 30 times higher than for one cigarette. Cigar smoking can lead to cancer of the larynx, mouth, esophagus, and lungs. Cigar smokers are three to five times more likely to die of lung cancer than non-smokers. Nicotine does not have to be inhaled to damage the heart and blood vessels - it is absorbed into the blood-stream through the mouth. Ninety-nine percent of cigar smokers have atypical cells in their larynxes - the first step toward malignancy. And, if that isn't enough: secondhand cigar smoke is more poisonous than secondhand cigarette smoke. The smoke from one cigar equals the smoke from three cigarettes. [The high level of carbon monoxide doesn't help.]
And, in case you think that just sucking on an unlit cigar is safe; it isn't. Maybe if you don't remove the wrapper? But then you've still got germs from whomever has handled it.
And maybe worst of all: they stink.
Arthritis cure? Maybe, but mainstream medicine in the U.S. says it is too early to tell.
A doctor by the name of Jason Theodoskis from the Arizona College of Medicine, has a best-selling book out called The Arthritis Cure, which describes a program of treatment for osteoarthritis that he claims cures the disease.
His "cure" centers around two supplements: glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. These two supplements work to rebuild damaged tissues; thereby putting a stop to the disease.
For those of you who may not be familiar with osteoarthritis, it is characterized by a wearing away of cartilage at joints, resulting in bone-on-bone wear, which causes pain and restricts joint movement. Up to now, the only medical treatment of this condition has been drugs to kill the pain and reduce inflammation. If the glucosamine/chondroitin supplements really work, the treatment would be revolutionary.
If any of you are tempted to forego all the waiting for testing time to verify the effectiveness of these supplements, and go ahead and try them; I wouldn't recommend it Because the U.S. government has chosen not to regulate supplements, there is no way to be sure about what you are buying. There is no recommended dose, no check for contaminants, maybe incorrect labeling, and other potential problems. On the other hand, a government stamp of approval isn't always a guarantee .
Back to reality -
Regardless of the cause of joint cartilage damage, once it occurs; the best that can be done is to strengthen the muscles around the afflicted joint(s) to improve joint stability and shock absorption.
As for the cure, it is believed that glucosamine (a compound manufactured in the body) does help to maintain and repair cartilage, and it may inhibit some enzyme activity that helps to break down cartilage. Chondroitin, according to Dr Theodosakis, also helps prevent certain enzymes from breaking down cartilage. He claims that, in fact, these two substances (glucosamine and chondroitin) have a symbiotic relationship.
Most scientific research on this subject to date, has concentrated on glucosamines; and suggests some promising results. Quite a bit of anecdotal evidence supports its benefits, but that type of "evidence" is notoriously unreliable. And the fact that the two substances - glucosamine and chondroitin - have not been studied together is significant. Most physicians, at this point, would not recommend use of either compound. Not in the absence of well-controlled, long-term studies that support their safety and effectiveness.
Current recommendations, given that there is no cure; are only suggestions for lessening pain and loss of function, and include:
The essence of this information comes from the April 1997, Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter.
Feed a cold, starve a fever? Or is it the other way around? Neither. Current thought is that, when you have a cold or flu, you should eat when you feel like it. But do drink plenty of fluids (8-10 glasses a day), and eat lots of fruits and vegetables for vitamin C and other nutrients - antioxidants and phytochemicals and "stuff."
Did you know that there are over 200 cold viruses? No wonder there is no cure for the common cold. There are fewer flu viruses; also with no cure. What is especially unique about them is their frequent mutations resulting in the yearly need to come up with a new vaccine. A pleasant benefit for those who like to get shots, and have to get one each year to keep up with the latest mutant flu strain.
Interestingly, British researchers have found that cold viruses, everpresent in human nasal passages, are activated at temperatures under 98.6 degrees F. The implication that "cold" causes colds, long refuted by U.S. physicians, may be correct after all.
We are actually more vulnerable to colds when our immune systems are at a "low" due to fighting another illness, or when under conditions of abnormal stress or fatigue. To avoid a cold, it is recommended that we avoid alcohol, which dilates small blood vessels, making your nose and sinuses feel stuffy; and it reacts adversely with a number of medications; and generally reduces the effectiveness of your immune system.
Is there any nutritional help if I get a cold? Maybe. There is one study that suggests that zinc (good sources are wheat germ, dried peas and beans, seafood, meat, and many multi-mineral supplements) may lessen the duration of a cold. But that is very speculative at this time. Maybe it helps only if you are deficient in zinc. Or maybe it doesn't really help at all.
Megadoses of vitamin C have often been touted as a cold stopper, but years of research has not supported this claim. But, it has a slight antihistamine effect, so taking some orange juice or a normal vitamin C supplement might at least make you feel better.
An Israeli study has suggested that elderberry products (sold as Sambucol, in health food stores) might help fight colds.
And finally, two last possibilities: 1) chicken soup - it contains something (?) that relieves congestion by thinning out mucous; and 2) spicy foods like hot peppers or chilies, or even garlic and other spices - they reduce nasal/sinus congestion.
_____________________________________
For questions or comments call MAF at (408) 739-0501,
send snail mail to: 965 Ponderosa Ave., # 25, Sunnyvale, CA, 94086,
or click here to send an email to the author, Mike Fenner
To see the MAF FITNESS NEWSLETTER archives, goto http://www.hinc.com/maf/