KNIGHT WATCH

IS THIS HEALTHY FOOD FOR THOUGHT?

Specific foods lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 345 people with an average LDL cholesterol of 170 were divided into 2 groups. The control group continued a heart-healthy diet. The intervention group incorporated 4 kinds of food into a heart-healthy diet: nuts, soy products, foods rich in viscous fiber (such as oatmeal, barley, eggplant, okra) and plant-sterol-enriched margarine. After 24 weeks the control group’s LDL cholesterol dropped an average of 3%. The intervention group’s dropped an average of 13.5%. Although 85% of cholesterol is genetic, 15% can be influenced by diet. Being “influential” is healthy.

Salt and inactivity are not only bad for your heart, they are bad for your brain. A study published in the journal Neurology of Aging measured the salt intake and activity levels of 1,262 healthy people ages 67-84 over a 3-year period. Those with the highest levels of sodium (over 3,090 milligrams daily) and the lowest levels of exercise had poorer cognitive performance than those with low sodium intake (not exceeding 2,263 milligrams daily) and active lifestyles. Considering in 2011 there are 4-5 million Americans with dementia, if you’re going to salt away, “salt away” this information.

Music may prevent hearing loss. As we age, we lose tiny hair cells that enable sound to reach our brain. We lose inner ear neurons and chemicals, reducing our capacity to hear. However, musicians have trained ears. A study published in PLoS ONE found middle-aged musicians were 40% better at tuning out background noise and hearing sentences. They were also better at remembering sentences, making it easier to follow conversations. If you play a musical instrument, keep playing. If you used to play an instrument, start again. If you’ve never played an instrument, this information could “fall on deaf ears”.

Weather can affect our moods. A study published in the journal Emotion surveyed approximately 500 adolescents and their mothers. Researchers identified 3 types of weather reactivity and found evidence weather reactivity runs in families. “Summer Lovers” (17% of the adolescents) were happier, less fearful and less angry on days with more sunshine and higher temperatures than on days with more hours of precipitation. For “Summer Haters” (27%) the opposite was true. “Rain Haters” (9%) felt angrier and less happy on days with more precipitation. The other 47% of the adolescents were not affected by weather. They were “weatherproof”.

 

WANT THE GOOD NEWS OR THE BAD NEWS FIRST?

There’s good news for middle children. Although they were previously thought to feel neglected and resentful, the book “The Secret Power of Middle Children” says birth order affects them in much more positive ways. Supposedly, middles are both outgoing and flexible. They are motivated more by fairness than money when making life decisions and have a deep sense of family, friends and loyalty. Middles are also meant to be risk-takers and trailblazers. In spite of all that, middle children are said to suffer from low self-esteem. Do Bill Gates and Madonna really suffer from low self-esteem?

There’s bad news for many cell phone users – they are addicted to their phones. According to a 2011 national survey of 514 cell phone users, 70% (almost equally split between men and women) would give up alcohol for a week instead of give up their phone. Thirty-three percent (overwhelmingly women) would give up sex for a week. Twenty-two percent would give up their toothbrush and 20% would give up their computer. Almost 50% said they slept with their cell phone next to them - which might explain why 33% of the respondents were willing to give up sex.

There’s good news and bad news for people driving on public roadways. The good news is 66% of drivers in a 2011 Allstate survey said they were very good drivers. The bad news is 40% of them had driven more than 20 mph over speed limits, 45% had driven while very tired, 15% had driven while intoxicated and 34% had sent text messages or e-mails while driving. Of the more than 50% of drivers who had gotten a ticket for a moving violation, 44% had gotten 3 or more. Considering over 30,000 people die yearly in motor vehicle crashes, very good drivers aren’t good enough.

Finally, new words could be good news or bad news. In 2011 four hundred new words were added to the 12^th edition of the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, which is the abridged version of the Oxford English Dictionary reflecting today’s culture. One of the new words is “jeggings” – women’s tight-fitting stretch pants that look like jeans. Another word is “retweet” – to repost another Tweet user’s message. “Textspeak” is the abbreviated language used in cell phone messages. Then there’s “woot” – an exclamation, especially in electronic communication, to express elation or triumph. Hmmm, is it possible for new words to leave you speechless?

 

ARE WE DOING ALL WE CAN ABOUT ALZHEIMER'S?

The 2 leading factors contributing to Alzheimer’s and dementia are age and genetics. However, a study published in the journal Neurology found good general health might also reduce dementia risk. The study followed over 7,000 people – ages 65 and older with good cognitive health – and evaluated them after 5 and 10 years. They were evaluated on 19 health problems associated with aging – such as arthritis, hearing problems, eyesight problems and denture fit. Each problem increased the dementia risk 3%. The 883 participants who remained cognitively healthy scored lowest on the health evaluations. Sometime being “low-grade” is good.

According to a study published in The Lancelot Neurology, there are 7 preventable conditions that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s. Those conditions accounted for approximately half the cases of the disease. Diabetes accounted for 3%. Midlife obesity and low education (not using your brain enough) tied at 7%. The fourth condition was high blood pressure – 8%, the fifth was smoking – 11% and the sixth was depression – 15%. The #1 preventable condition causing Alzheimer’s was too little exercise. About 33% of the U.S. population is sedentary. How ironic if those 33% say they keep forgetting to exercise.

The Alzheimer’s Association says that anything compromising cardiovascular health has the potential for compromising brain health too. Then there was another study published in Neurology that said vascular risk factors - such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and obesity - might cause the brain to age faster – possibly 10 years faster. Researchers found people with those risk factors had smaller brains and decreased brain function later in life. Because vascular risk factors affect our brain and our ability to think even in midlife, they need to be treated early to decrease Alzheimer’s risk later in life – and it’s already later than we think.

No, it’s not surprising healthy living extends our life spans. The surprise is by how much. A study done at Maastricht University in Holland tracked 120,000 people ages 55-69. Men who avoided smoking, exercised at least 30 minutes daily, avoided obesity and stuck to the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet lived about 8.5 years longer than men who didn’t do any of those things. The women who did all four lived about 15 years longer than women who didn’t do any of them. The reason healthy women lived longer than healthy men was attributed to hormones, but it could be payback for women surviving PMS.

 

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT IDEA?

In hospitals there is a new kind of doctor – a hospitalist – someone who oversees the care of patients instead of their personal physicians. Because of their familiarity with the hospital, hospitalists can supposedly improve care and save money. However, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at approximately 60,000 patient Medicare records. Hospitalists’ patients had shorter hospital stays, but they were likelier to be readmitted or go to emergency rooms within 30 days. Hospitalists were also likelier to discharge patients to nursing homes or rehabilitation facilities and less likely to send them home. It seems this type of “hospitality” costs Medicare more.

In Boston’s Logan International Airport – and only there – there was a 60-day pilot program to improve airport security. After providing their boarding pass an ID, travelers at the Terminal A checkpoint were questioned by specially trained behavior detection officers. Their job was to spot high-risk travelers by looking for suspicious facial expressions and behavior. Suspicious travelers would receive additional screening and could be referred to law enforcement officers. Obviously, the questions to be asked during the “casual conversations” were not revealed. This is a test you can’t study for, but that you want to pass with “flying” colors.

In England the maker of Weetabix cereal selected 15 children from around the country to sponsor. These were children who were very busy with after-school sports and activities. Each child was paid about $400 to wear special Weetabix clothes on their busiest days of the week. The implied message is that children who eat this cereal can accomplish more. Unlike Little League uniforms displaying a company’s logo, this isn’t the sponsorship of an entire team that helps to cover expenses like field rentals and equipment purchases. This is a walking, running, playing advertisement. Like it or not little Billy becomes a “Bill-board”.

In Japan a former Sony technician designed air-conditioned clothes. The first item in his line was a $140 jacket with a pair of battery-powered fans on the sides. The air that is drawn in and circulated inside the jacket evaporates sweat and creates a personal cooling system. Now his line includes a button-up shirt, a hooded jacket, a short-sleeved shirt for women and cargo pants. There is also an air-conditioned mattress and cushion with fan controls. Considering how much energy is saved by air conditioning clothes instead of entire rooms, this is a “cool” idea.

 

ARE PARENTS' DON'T LISTS GETTING LONGER?

In spite of the song “Mommas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”, that might be better than letting them be business majors. According to the 2011 PayScale survey, a business degree ranked 59^th. Students majoring in linguistics, biology, fashion design, literature, urban planning, food science and philosophy made more money. In mid-career salaries petroleum engineering/$155,000 was #1 – followed by chemical engineering/$109,000; electrical engineering/$103,000; material science and engineering/$103,000; aerospace engineering/$102,000; computer engineering/$101,000; physics/$101,000; applied mathematics/$98,600; nuclear engineering/$97,800; and biomedical engineering/$97,800. The top 20 highest-paying college degrees all require advanced math. The facts “add up”.

Something else we shouldn’t let children do is eat out too much. This trend has been increasing, reflecting the availability of fast food restaurants and food prepared in supermarkets and convenience stores. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, between 1977 and 2006 calories eaten away from home increased from 23.4% to 33.9%. We also shouldn’t serve so much fast food at home. In 2006 almost half the fast food children ate was eaten at home. Fast foods and prepared foods are high in fat, salt, sugar and calories – causing a “growing” problem.

However, there’s one thing you can’t stop mothers from doing. That’s worrying. Recent government figures show that in 2011 it cost an average $227,000 to raise a child from birth to age 17. When the parenting website BabyCenter asked 1,300 mothers what expenses they most worried about, 66% said school or college education. Housing was the second biggest worry/47%. Childcare, family vacations, and healthcare and medical bills were tied/44%. Food/42% was followed by transportation/41%, children’s activities/39%, family outings/32%, utilities/28%, baby care/26%, taxes/19%, new baby gear and furniture/11% and other/3%. On the list of worries, worry lines must come under “other”.

Nevertheless, there is something mothers-to-be can do. They can take fish oil. In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, 800 women were randomly given 400 milliliters of DHA (one of two main ingredients in fish oil) or a placebo daily from their second trimester through birth. Three times during the next 6 months researchers asked if the babies had experienced cold symptoms in the previous 15 days and if so, how long. The DHA babies not only had shorter periods of cold symptoms, but at 1 month they had 24% lower risk of any cold symptoms. DHA could help parents fight the “cold war”.

 

HELP! DO WE HAVE TO RE-THINK WHAT HELPS?

Hot dogs – and other processed meats – help our budget, but they don’t help our health. That’s according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and several studies support that. A 2007 study using data from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund found eating 50 grams of processed meat (1 hot dog) daily increased colorectal cancer risk 21%. A 2005 University of Hawaii study linked eating processed meats to a 67% increase in pancreatic cancer risk. It’s estimated the average American eats 32 pounds of processed pork yearly. However, 32 pounds sounds like “porking out”.

Colon cleaning doesn’t help. Whether your colon is flushed with water or you take something orally, whether it’s done in a spa or at home, your body isn’t cleansed of toxins. Despite the continued popularity of colon cleansing, the American Medical Association determined in the early 1900’s the procedure didn’t work. More recently a study published in the Journal of Family Practice examined 20 studies published in the past 10 years and found colon cleansing can cause cramping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, electrolyte imbalance, renal failure, aplastic anemia, liver toxicity and kidney failure. Instead, doctors recommend we “come clean” naturally.

Not even crying helps. In a study published in the Journal of Research in Personality, 97 women – ages 18-48 – kept a daily diary for 2-3 months. If they cried, they kept further details – such as reason for crying, duration, location and whether others were present. After analyzing the 1,004 crying episodes, researchers found the average episode was about conflict, loss or seeing others suffer; lasted 8 minutes; and took place in the living room alone or with one other person. However, 61% of the participants didn’t feel better after crying and 9% felt worse. They might as well have “cried uncle”.

However, red wine does help –in more than one way. Previous studies have linked resveratrol in red wine to lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and protecting blood vessel linings. The chemical resveratrol has also been shown to stave off detrimental effects of inactivity. Now a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has found the flavonoids in red wine help prevent skin from forming “reactive oxygen species”. It’s the ROS’s that react with UV rays to destroy cells and cause sunburn. Although the same benefits can be found in red wine grapes, I’d rather drink to my health.

 

WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF RICH?

The richest country in the world has a poorer education system. The U.S. requires 12 years of mandatory education. According to UNESCO, that’s 3 years above the world’s average education, which starts at age 6 and ends at 14. However, in Puerto Rico and Venezuela children are required to attend school 14 years; and in Venezuela they start school at age 3. Five countries – Anguilla, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands and Turks and Caicos Islands – require 13 years. Bangladesh, Equatorial Guinea, Laos, Myanmar and Pakistan require only 5. Obviously, the world has a lot to learn about learning.

The depression rate in the U.S. is 19.2%. That’s according to a 2011 study of 89,037 people in 18 countries that was published in the journal BMC Medicine. Participants answered questions about sadness, sleep and interest in daily activities, as well as age, income and marital status. The study found richer countries had higher depression rates. (France/21%, Netherlands/17.9%, New Zealand/17.8%, Belgium/14.1%) than poorer countries (Brazil/18.4%, Ukraine/14.6%, Columbia/13.3%, Lebanon/10.9%, South Africa/9.8%). Researchers theorized the difference could be due to richer countries having more income inequality. They also have less family and community support. Nevertheless, there’s a worldwide need to “depressurize”.

The richer the country, the more paid vacation for workers, right? Wrong. The U.S. - unlike many countries - doesn’t have a federal law mandating paid vacation. A 2009 Mercer survey covered minimum vacation days for employees working 5 days a week with 10 years service. For comparison, the typical vacation days given by large U.S. companies to 10-year employees was 15 plus 10 public holidays = 25 days. Brazil and Lithuania topped the list with 41 days – followed by Finland, France and Russia with 40. China and India have fewer paid vacation days than the U.S. No wonder we’re called the “no-vacation nation”.

Finally, in the world’s richest country the most loved brand is Lincoln Mercury. That’s according to the 2011 American Consumer Satisfaction Index. Completing the top 20 brands were Buick, H.J. Heinz, Amazon, Unilever, Apple, BMW, Cadillac, Clorox, Hershey, Mercedes-Benz, Netflix, Quaker, Colgate-Palmolive, Dr. Pepper, Lexus. Mars, Mars Petcare, Sara Lee and UPS. . Interestingly, 6 car companies were in the top 20. Also, the majority of the brands were manufacturers. Products are easier to quality control. Services involve the human element. The image of the majority of these brands has been cultivated a long time. Companies spent years “brandishing" their product.

 

DO AMERICANS HAVE A FAT CHANCE?

Fatty foods make us less sad. In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, 12 healthy volunteers underwent a 12-hour fast. Then they were attached to a gastric-feeding tube administering 250 milliliters of fatty acid or saline solution while having MRI scans. Before receiving the infusions, they listened to 11 minutes of sad classical music and looked at 10 sad faces projected on a screen. The volunteers receiving the fatty acid became 50% less sad. The fatty acid reduced the behavioral and nerve cell responses to sad emotions. It seems comfort foods are scientifically comforting.

However, teddy bears can be comforting. Fatty foods are also scientifically fattening. New York City requires fast-food chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus. The law went into effect in 2008. A 2011 report published in the British Medical Journal found 17% of customers changed their order because of the posted calories. Since the law was passed, fast food restaurants have also changed their food. Cosi started using low-fat mayonnaise, Starbucks offered low-fat milk and Applebee’s introduced an under-550-calorie menu. Considering more than 66% of Americans are overweight or obese, restaurant-goers need to become a “counter-culture”.

We also need to remember gout is a consequence of eating fatty food. Gout is a type of arthritis causing extreme swelling, inflammation and joint pain – mostly in the feet. It’s caused by too much uric acid, which can crystallize and migrate to various joints. Although genetics, being male and increasing age increase gout risk, diet is a controllable factor. Uric acid is a chemical byproduct of metabolizing high fat and high sugar foods, as well as alcohol. A 2011 study published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism found 20% of Americans have elevated uric acid levels. Obviously, we’re not taking the “out” from gout.

Another consequence of too much body fat is diabetes. However, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found higher muscle mass lowers diabetes risk. Researchers analyzed data from 13,644 adults and found that for each 10% increase in the skeletal index - the ratio of muscle mass to total body weight - there was an 11% decrease in insulin resistance and a 12% decrease in pre-diabetes. In 2011, according to the American Diabetes Association, 74 million Americans have pre-diabetes – their blood glucose levels are higher than normal – but we can “muscle our way into” better health.

 

WHAT HAPPENS TO GOOD IDEAS?

Pets2Vets – now known as P2V – is an idea that’s been growing since 2009. When Dave Sharpe, an Air Force veteran, returned from service in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, he was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder. Sharpe was gun-in-the-mouth ready to kill himself when his pit bull puppy caringly licked his ear. After realizing what saved him might save others, he started matching injured vets with shelter dogs and cats. P2V also provides training and health insurance for the pets. Considering 18 veterans commit suicide daily and 1 animal is put to sleep every 8 seconds, P2V isn’t a “petty” program.

Radio frequency chips are an old idea with a new use. In 2011 they’re used by a growing number of hotels to track inventory. The chips are bendable and washable and can be read by electronic readers up to 6 feet away. Supposedly 5%-20% of hotel linens – bathrobes, bed sheets, duvet covers, bathmats, pool towels and banquet linens – are lost. Theft by guests is a concern, but the main problem is loss by outside laundries. Unfortunately, the chips cost about $1 each. Until they are more affordable, hotel rooms will be more expensive as hotel guests “chip in” to pay for lost linens.

Photo Shop is an idea that illustrates too much of a good thing can be bad. In July 2011 Britain’s Advertising Standards Agency banned two ads for L’Oreal foundation products – one featuring actress Julia Roberts and the other featuring supermodel Christy Turlington. The ASA ruled airbrushing had made the ads misleading by exaggerating the ability of the products to cover lines, wrinkles and blemishes. A spokesperson for L’Oreal described the ads as “aspirational”. However, when studies show 25% of us feel depressed by our body, it’s time for beauty advertisements to stop distorting reality and “get real”.

Red light cameras are a good idea gone bad. As of August 1, 2011 Los Angeles joined 32 other cities in discontinuing their use. They aren’t being discontinued because they don’t work. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the cameras saved 159 lives in 14 cities during 4 years of operation. The program was ended because only 60% of the 180,000 drivers ticketed paid their fine and Los Angeles had to put $1 million into the program to keep it solvent. Perhaps those in charge of red light cameras should “picture this” – laws to enforce the fines. 

 

ARE WE REALLY SO DIFFERENT?

Forty is the new 30. Generation X women – women born between 1965 and 1980 – are marrying and having children later. What used to happen in the 20’s and 30’s is moving into the 40’s. Just a couple of decades ago the bulk of childrearing was done by 40. For Generation X’ers 40 isn’t the same as when their mothers were 40. They’re in better health, have a lower mortality risk and have more healthy years ahead. A 40-year-old in 2011 - compared to 1960 - will live 5 or 6 years longer. Generation X women are “forty-fied”.

How about men? According to a 2011 AskMan online survey of 68,000 men, 68% believed in marriage and planned to marry someday. Men ages 35-50 wanted a child more than a puppy, 33% of all ages wanted a child and a puppy and 13% didn’t want either. However, the importance of children’s gender decreased with age. To maintain a healthy relationship 75% of men thought couples should have sex several times a week. Twelve percent of men under 30 thought couples should have sex daily. Those men must be part of Generation Y – as in “Y-not”.

More findings from the AskMan survey further illustrate how men and women are different. When dating, 33% of men thought they should pay the bill; 38% of women thought they should pay their own way. Sixty-five percent of men - versus 43% of women – said a beautiful home was the ultimate status symbol. Sixty-six percent of men – versus 38% of women - were okay with their mate friending an ex on Facebook. Eighty percent of men felt cheated by divorce courts, but more women thought the sexes were treated equally. Nevertheless, I expect 100% of men and women would differ about these differences.

However, single men and women have one thing in common. They’re both lazy about laundry – but in different ways. A 2011 phone survey of 1,200 people that was paid for by Clorox found 12% of men wear their underwear 2-3 times before washing them. Also, more than 50% of men admitted using the “sniff test” to determine if they could wear clothes again. Single women, however, were twice as likely as married women to buy more clothes instead of doing laundry. In fact, over 33% of unmarried women had more than 20 pairs of underwear. Well, maybe only 33% were willing to “come clean”.