Apple a day 'keeps strokes away'

It is a well known saying that 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'. But now nutritionists say there is some truth in the assertion - and believe that eating just one apple or pear daily could half the risk of having a stroke. Both are examples of white-fleshed fruit, which is important because that means they contain large amounts of a plant compound called quercetin. This biochemical has been shown to reduce inflammation, which is relevant because inflammation is linked to hardening of the arteries: cardiovascular disease. Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands who studied 20,000 adults, found those who ate more white-fleshed fruit and vegetables were less likely to suffer a stroke over 10 years. They calculated that stroke risk decreased by nine per cent for every 25g (just under one ounce) of apple or pear eaten each day

Apple a day does keep the doctor away

An apple a day really can keep the doctor away, a study suggests. It found that women on an 'apple diet' saw their cholesterol drop by almost a quarter in six months, while they also lost weight. Dr Bahram Arjmandi, of the department of nutrition, food and exercise sciences at Florida University, described the results as "incredible." In the study, 80 women aged 45 to 65 were asked to eat 75 grams of dried prunes a day for a year, and the other 80 were asked to eat the same amount of dried apple, in addition to their normal diets. Blood samples were taken at the start of the study and at three, six and 12 months. Dr Arjmandi said that "incredible changes in the apple-eating women happened by 6 months- they experienced a 23 per cent decrease in LDL cholesterol, which is known as the 'bad cholesterol'." They also had lower levels of bio-markers linked to heart disease, such as C-reactive protein. They also shed on average 3.3lbs (1.5kg). Dr Arjamandi, who presented the research at the Experimental Biology conference in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, concluded that there was some truth in the old adage "An apple a day keeps the doctor away". Apples have long been known to be a good source of fibre, but the study, funded by the US Department of Agriculture, added to evidence that they had additional health benefits which made them a "miracle fruit". Dr Arjamandi said: "Everyone can benefit from consuming apples." Previous studies have shown that apple pectin and compounds called polyphenols - also present in substances including blueberries, tea and dark chocolate - stimulate the breakdown of fats in the blood and reduce inflammation of vessel walls, which both reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

Many stick with fast food after heart attack (USA)

"You might think that people who've had a heart attack might cut back on fast food, which usually has unhealthy amounts of fat and salt. And in fact, some heart attack patients who are frequent fast food eaters do cut back, researchers found in a new study. But 6 months later, more than half of them can still be found at their favorite fast food places at least once a week. The researchers who published these findings in the American Journal of Cardiology say the reduction in visits to fast food restaurants is not enough and patients need better dietary education. "We can do better," Dr. John Spertus, a professor at the University of Missouri Kansas City and one of the authors of the study, told Reuters Health. Spertus and his colleagues studied nearly 2,500 heart attack patients across the U.S. who filled out surveys while they were still in the hospital. Overall, 884 patients, or roughly one of every three, reported eating fast food frequently in the month before their heart attack. "Frequently" meant once a week or more. When the researchers checked back 6 months later, 503 were still eating fast food every week"

USDA and HHS announce new dietary guidelines to help Americans make healthier food choices and confront obesity epidemic

"Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius have announced the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government's evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity. Because more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, the 7th edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity"

A big breakfast doesn't reduce calorie intake

"It's a myth that eating a large breakfast means consuming fewer calories during the day, according to researchers in Germany. The study, published in Nutrition Journal, showed that people still eat the same amount at lunch and dinner. The scientists suggest reducing breakfast calories could help people lose weight. The British Dietetic Association said eating breakfast was important for a balanced diet. Starting the day with a hearty breakfast has often been linked with weight loss"

Older people who eat healthy diets 'lead longer lives'

"Older people who follow healthy diets may live longer, a study suggests. Research in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found those who ate a low-fat diet that contained lots of fruit and vegetables lowered their risk of dying over 10 years. The study compared the diets of 2,500 US adults aged 70 to 79. Those who ate a high fat diet rich in ice cream, cheese, and whole milk, had the highest risk of death. The study showed that 12 extra people in every hundred survived over the ten years, if they ate healthily. Participants were split into six different groups, according to how often they ate certain foods. The groups were: healthy foods; high-fat diary products; meat, fried foods and alcohol; breakfast cereal; refined grains and sweets and desserts. Those who had a "healthy foods" diet ate more low-fat dairy products, fruit, whole grains, poultry, fish, and vegetables" - BBC

Eating vegetables, fruits as children linked to healthier arteries as adults

"Children who consistently eat lots of fruits and vegetables lower their risk of having stiff arteries in young adulthood, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Arterial stiffness is associated with atherosclerosis, which underlies heart disease. When arteries are stiff, the heart works harder to pump blood. Researchers compared childhood and adulthood lifestyle factors - including consumption levels of vegetables, fruit, butter and alcohol, as well as smoking and physical activity status - with pulse wave velocity in young adulthood. Pulse wave velocity assesses arterial stiffness. 'When the heart beats, the blood's ejection causes a pulse wave, which travels along the wall of the arterial tree,' said Mika Kähönen, M.D., Ph.D., senior study author and professor and chief physician for the Department of Clinical Physiology at Tampere University Hospital in Tampere, Finland. 'The velocity of this pulse wave is dependent on the stiffness of the arterial wall; the stiffer the wall, the higher velocity. It is well known that the arterial stiffening process has a major role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. 'To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study looking at the associations between childhood lifestyle risk factors and pulse wave velocity in young adulthood.' The researchers examined lifestyle factors and measured arterial pulse wave velocity of 1,622 participants in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, which followed children ages 3 to 18 for 27 years"

Skipping breakfast might put your heart at risk - Australian study

"A new Australian study found that people who skipped breakfast had a greater risk of heart diseases. The study noticed that those skipping breakfast at an early age often did have larger waist circumferences and had higher levels of cholesterol and insulin in their blood. Overall, they had less healthy lifestyles and may have detrimental effects on cardio-metabolic health. Researchers at University of Tasmania and other places in Australia assessed the cardiovascular and metabolic risks. Breakfast habits of the adults, followed up from childhood, were assessed at the same time as their cardiovascular risk; however researchers say the link between the two is still uncertain. Therefore, it is still a bit unclear whether people who skip breakfast as a child are in fact at greater risk of heart-related illness. The team followed a sample of Australian children aged 9 to 15 years old in 1985, and revisited them between 2004 and 2006, when they were aged up to 36 years old"

Most Americans still not eating enough fruits, veggies

"In 2000, the U.S. government set modest goals for the amount of fruit and vegetables people should eat, but a decade later the majority of Americans are not even close to reaching those thresholds, health officials said Thursday. In fact, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009, 67.5 percent of adults ate fruit less than two times daily and 73.7 percent ate vegetables less than three times per day. The goals of Healthy People 2010 were for 75 percent of people to eat at least two servings of fruit and 50 percent to eat at least three servings of vegetables every day" - The report is published in the September 10 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

Weight loss improves cardiac structure, function

"Obese patients showed structural improvements in the heart and vasculature and in left ventricular function within three months of starting an effective weight-loss program, researchers said. Among those who lost nearly 10% of body weight in six months on average, their left ventricular mass and carotid intima-media thickness both declined significantly, reported Lisa de las Fuentes, MD, of Washington University in St. Louis, and colleagues. She described the results from the 60-patient prospective study at a press briefing here and in the Dec. 15/22 focus issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic function also improved significantly with the weight loss, de las Fuentes said" - medpage today

How greens may protect the heart (UK)

"Researchers have discovered a possible reason why green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are good for the heart. Their work suggests a chemical found in the vegetables can boost a natural defence mechanism to protect arteries from disease. The Imperial College London team hope their work could lead to new dietary treatments to prevent heart problems. Details appear in Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology" - BBC

Water Way To Go: Grandad Sheds 10 Stone (UK)

A grandfather who was told he had to diet or die by doctors has lost more than 10 stone in six months - by drinking water. Idris Lewis, 69, was told in January that if he did not lose 11 stone by the end of July, he could not have an operation on his heart and could die within a year. Mr Lewis, a retired civil servant from Nailsea, near Bristol, suffers from a chronic lung condition and a scan 18 months ago revealed he also has an abnormal heart valve. His doctor gave him a stark choice, he either lost the weight so he could have an operation to widen the valve, or he had a year to live. Mr Lewis cannot eat anything - his strict diet consists of mineral water and a vitamin supplement powder.

Cheese and pickle sandwich and a heart attack anyone? (UK)

"You've shunned a lunchtime pasty and chips and feel virtuous tucking into a lean and healthy sandwich. Looks can be deceptive, however. Some pre-packaged sandwiches are laced with the same levels of salt as in 11 bags of crisps, according to a new study - and a cheese sandwich sold by Asda was found to have more saturated fat than a Big Mac. Customers are being warned by Which?, the consumer organisation, to be more vigilant in their choice and to be wary of higher prices, which are no guarantee of quality. Sandwiches are the nation's favourite lunchtime snack, with two billion bought each year in a market worth £5.3 billion. But at Subway a six-inch Meatball Marinara contained the equivalent of 11 small bags of Walkers crisps and more than three quarters of the recommended daily limit for adults" - Times Online

Atkins Diet tougher on heart after weight loss

"In the "maintenance" phase that occurs after initial weight loss, the popular Ornish and South Beach diets seem to be easier on the heart than the high-fat, low-carbohydrate Atkins regimen, a new study finds. Unlike numerous studies that have evaluated diets to see which might be better at achieving weight loss, this study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, looked at what happens to cholesterol levels and other cardiac risk factors when dieters reach their goal weight and remain on the diet." - HealthScout

Researchers find gene that turns carbs into fat

"U.S. researchers have found a gene responsible for turning a plate of pasta into fat, offering new clues about how the body metabolizes carbohydrates and how they contribute to obesity. The gene, called DNA-PK, appears to regulate the process in the liver that turns carbohydrates into fat, the University of California, Berkeley team reported on Thursday in the journal Cell." - Reuters

Eggs...the rest of the story

Recent headlines claim that there is no need to limit egg consumption saying that eggs have little effect on cholesterol levels. While it is true that it is more important to pay attention to the saturated fat and trans fat in foods, it is wise to limit the amount of cholesterol we eat. Eating too much cholesterol can increase the cholesterol in your blood! The current recommendations from the Dietitians of Canada state:

* If you do not have heart disease, eat less than 300mg of dietary cholesterol per day.
* If you have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease, aim for less than 200mg of dietary cholesterol per day.

Here are some examples of the cholesterol content of foods:

1 large egg - 216 mg cholesterol
15 medium shrimp - 148 mg cholesterol
2 1/2 oz cooked beef liver - 286 mg cholesterol
2 1/2 oz cooked beef - 58-60 mg cholesterol
2 1/2 oz cooked chicken - 63-71 mg cholesterol
1 1/2 oz cheese - 38-58 mg cholesterol

Eggs can a healthy part of healthy diet...in moderation!

Submitted by Rochelle Anthony, Dietitian for the Cardiac Rehab Program, who can be reached at 306-655-2140

Recession thwarts healthy efforts (UK)

"A quarter of people are putting healthier eating on the back burner in the wake of the financial crisis, a report by a consumer watchdog reveals. Which? found 24% of UK adults feel healthier eating is now less important, with 56% saying price has overtaken as a priority when choosing food. And the poll of 2,102 showed 76% think the government needs to take action to make choosing healthier options easier. Meanwhile other work shows more plan to quit smoking during the credit crunch. The charity No Smoking Day day found more than one in three of the nine million smokers in the UK are thinking about or planning to cut down or quit as a direct result of the economic downturn. After health, the most commonly-mentioned reason for wanting to give up smoking is financial, followed by family pressure and the effect on children." - BBC

50 of the best lunchtime sandwiches (UK)

From The Telegraph, UK: "Ever since it was invented in 1762, the sandwich has been greasing the wheels of the British economy. Even in these lean times, a filling spread between two slices of bread has come into its own. Last year, hungry office workers consumed more than 2.8billion pre-packed sandwiches. Our appetite for new flavoured fillings even prompted Marks and Spencer to announce earlier this month a retro addition to its range of 35 varieties: the jam sandwich (strawberry on white, cut on the diagonal), for a recession-busting 79p. While lunching al desko is beneficial for the economy – sandwich chains on the whole are faring well, even if nothing else on the high street is – how healthy are the sandwiches that we're eating? 'Traffic light' labelling, which shows levels of salt, sugar, fat and calories, offers some nutritional guidance to the hungry worker. But few of us have the time, let alone the inclination, to read the food label when we need to get back to the office. So we asked a handful of nutritionists to assess 50 of the most popular pre-packed sandwiches on sale in sandwich chains and supermarkets. Needless to say, M&S's jam sandwich failed to earn five stars for nutritional value – but is your lunchtime favourite doing you good?

Children eat their veggies when parents do

Parents can increase the amount of fruits and vegetables that their children eat simply by eating more plant foods themselves, according to a study conducted by researchers from the St. Louis University School of Public Health and published in the journal Preventive Medicine. "When parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children," lead researcher Dr. Debra Haire-Joshu said. "When parents eat and give their children high fat snacks or soft drinks, children learn these eating patterns instead." - Natural News

Maine, USA, to consider putting calories on chain restaurant menus and menu boards

Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree introduced a bill on February 24, 2009 to require menu labeling at chain restaurants. Below is a statement by CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan.:

"I hope this year Maine will join New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, OR, and the state of California in passing menu labeling for chain restaurants. If McDonald's, Subway, and Applebee's can provide New Yorkers with nutrition information, shouldn't they do the same for Mainers? People should be provided the nutritional price for what they're ordering as well as the financial price. Otherwise how can they know that a bagel with cream cheese has more calories than two jelly donuts at Dunkin’ Donuts? Menu labeling is a popular, low-cost way to help make a dent in the obesity epidemic and save valuable health dollars in these tough economic times. It now seems hard to believe that not long ago Nutrition Facts labels weren't required on food packages in the grocery store. Similarly, a few years from now, it will be hard to imagine that standardized nutrition information was absent from chain restaurant menus." - CSPI Newsroom