Archive for May, 2006
For years, nutrition experts have been advising us to avoid foods containing trans fats because of their link to an increased risk of heart disease.
Until recently, that warning fell on deaf ears because for the most part, the ingredient remained hidden. Not anymore. The federal government’s Jan. 1 deadline to get that information on food labels is in effect.
So the next time you pick up a loaf of bread, a container of margarine or any kind of snack food, the label on the back should tell you if artery-clogging transfat, created during the hydrogenation process, is one of the ingredients. Trans fats are dangerous because they lower your good cholesterol (HDL) and raise your bad cholesterol (LDL).
The labels haven’t been out long, but they’re already having an effect on the food industry. Kraft, Kellogg, Frito-Lay and other large food manufacturers have responded by announcing plans to reduce or eliminate their use of trans fat. Many restaurant chains are following suit. In many cases, the companies are switching from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to palm oil.
“Its greatest benefit is that palm oil has the same functional properties as hydrogenated oil — thus it may be effectively substituted — but without the health problems,” says Stacey Day, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant from Redford, Mich. “In fact, human studies have shown palm oil to have a favorable effect on cholesterol.”
Palm oil extracted from the pulp of the fruit grown primarily in Malaysia has approximately 35 percent less saturated fat compared to both coconut oil and palm kernel oil, also grown in tropical regions. Some human studies compared olive oil and palm olein, the liquid fraction of palm oil, and found the same beneficial effects on cholesterol levels. Studies suggest palm oil increases the good HDL cholesterol levels while having a neutral to beneficial effect on the bad LDL cholesterol levels, thus promoting cardiovascular health. Furthermore, palm oil is a nutrient dense oil containing many potent antioxidants including beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A and tocotreinols, a potent form of vitamin E.
It has been the oil of choice overseas for generations, used as a cooking oil, in baking, for frying foods, to make margarine and as a component in many processed foods. So why did American companies replace palm oil with unhealthy trans fats back in the 1960s?
“They didn’t know any better,” says Day. “People were told that saturated fats like palm oil were bad for them so they started looking for alternatives. Well turns out, the alternative was even worse.”
Now realizing its many benefits, several major food manufacturers have started using palm oil in their products again. You’ll find it in Nabisco’s Golden Oreo cookies, Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal, Pepperidge Farm Oatmeal Cranberry cookies, Voortman Vanilla Wafers, Cadbury Finger Dark Cookies and many products sold at “health food” stores.
You can also find palm oil for sale in your grocery store to cook with at home. It is a very versatile oil. Palm oil has a high smoke point so it is great for stir-fries, sautéing, grilling, and frying. The red color of palm oil beautifully enhances any salad dressing recipe. Palm oil is tasteless and odorless so it may also be used for baking.
So the next time you see palm oil on a food label, don’t hesitate. You now know it’s a good oil to consume. For more information about the benefits of palm oil, or to find a list of distributors in your area, visit www.americanpalmoil.com or call (877) ASK-PALM (275-7256).
May 31st, 2006
MONDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) — Mix and match may work well when buying clothes, but if the product is medicine, it’s better to seek professional advice.
According to a new study, older women who mix over-the-counter, herbal and prescribed medication regularly could be risking their health.
And, the report in the March issue of Geriatric Nursing suggests, this danger often goes unnoticed, because many women neglect to tell their doctors about all the different medications they take.
Additionally, their physicians fail to ask the right questions. “Many of these older women do not consider over-the-counter and herbal medications real drugs, and therefore, do not report them,” lead researcher Saunjoo Yoon, an assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Nursing, said in a prepared statement.
Approximately half of Americans aged 65 and older take five or more medications, including prescription, herbal and over-the-counter drugs, on a regular basis. The study of a small group assessed the potential danger caused by such consumption.
The researchers analyzed 58 older women, all from North Central Florida, each taking both an herbal medication and at least one over-the-counter or prescribed medication. Seventy-four percent of participants were declared to be in danger of a moderate or high risk drug interaction, according to Gold Standard Multimedia’s Clinical Pharmacology Drug Interactions, a database program that analyzes thousands of drug interactions.
Of the 136 drug interactions spotted, 41 percent were found to be high risk and 58 percent were of moderate risk, the team concluded.
The most common and dangerous combinations involved two or more nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), or NSAIDS and the herb ginkgo. Other dangerous combinations included over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen and calcium supplements with prescribed medication.
“It’s so important for health-care providers to take a careful medication history to evaluate all prescribed, over-the-counter and herbal drugs to monitor interactions in older women,” Yoon said. “Prevention of possible interaction is the safest practice.”
– Whitney Gambrill
May 31st, 2006
If you’ve already begun to dream of being barefoot on the beach, or showing off your pedicure in spring’s hottest new sandals, the time to start prepping your feet is now, during the last days of winter.
Cold weather takes a particular toll on the feet. And while you might think that covering them up protects them from the elements of snow, sleet and rain,
in fact, the damp weather, combined with cold temperatures and dry indoor heat, all add up to a potentially harsh combination for feet. Too often, the sins of foot care neglect in the colder months come home to roost in the form of corns, calluses and dry and cracked heels in the spring — unsightly foot problems that women will pay pedicurists dearly to address come sandal season.
Consider:
* Feet need more care in cold weather, not less, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association.
* Dry, cold conditions dry out feet, leading to cracking, especially on the heels. Indoor heating exacerbates this problem. Dry, cracked heels provide an opening for fungus to enter, in addition to their unsightly appearance. To make matters worse, the skin on the soles of the feet contain no oil glands to lubricate and soften, so moisturizing is critical.
* Poor fitting boots can make such cracking worse, and also lead to friction on the foot, which causes corns and calluses.
* It’s also hard to keep feet dry when outside during cold weather — from sweating in heavy socks to walking in snow or rain — creating a breeding ground for odor and bacteria.
The reality is people, and women in general, don’t provide much thought to preventative foot wellness — only to taking care of unsightly foot problems after they develop. But, this year, with just a little bit of care, you can keep your feet in tip top shape and get a great jump start on their “unveiling” once the warmer weather rolls around again.
Here are some tips on how to get your feet ready for their springtime unveiling:
* Give your feet a therapeutic soaking at least once a week to exfoliate and remove hard dead skin and smooth away rough surfaces. Luke-warm water (hot water dries out your skin) and a few drops of skin-softening oil is recommended. Exfoliating your feet is a great preventative measure for corns and calluses. After you thoroughly dry your feet, treat them to a massage from heel to toe using a cream specially formulated for feet, such as the Heel Rescue Superior Moisturizing Foot Cream, made by ProFoot Footcare Products. This foot cream is a non-greasy moisturizer that contains CoQ10, a powerful coenzyme that boosts the skin’s natural ability to renew itself and Imidazolidinyl urea, a powerful softening agent used in many high-end exfoliating formulas.
* Corns and calluses are caused by added friction in a shoe or boot. Combine this friction with damp socks from the bad weather, and the sliding around your foot can do in an improperly fitting boot, and the chances of your feet looking and feeling less than desirable are increased. To keep your foot firmly placed in your shoe or boot use an insole, such as “the 2 ounce Miracle.” This light-weight insole is made with advanced memory foam that properly positions the foot in a boot to prevent friction and the development of corns and calluses. This insole is so light that it goes unnoticed in your shoe, and gives you the comfort you need to keep your feet feeling great .
* The harsh winter weather can lead to dry, brittle nails. Just like your skin, your nails need extra moisturization, especially in advance of a pedicure, where harsh nail polish removers can do further damage. Moisturize your nails regularly with a product specially formulated for the job, such as ProFoot’s Nail Saver. Nail Saver not only softens nails, but is a clarifying formula as well, helping to brighten nails that may have been stained and yellowed from nail polish.
To learn more about preparing your feet for warm weather fun, visit www.profootcare.com. ProFoot Foot Care products are available at food, drug and mass outlet stores nationwide.
May 31st, 2006
By Miranda Hitti
The FDA has approved Seasonique, an extended-cycle birth control pill that gives women four periods per year instead of 12 (one per month).
Seasonique is “the next generation” of Seasonale, an extended-cycle birth control pill launched in 2003, states a news release from Barr Pharmaceuticals, the parent company of Duramed Pharmaceuticals, which makes Seasonique and Seasonale.
Seasonique will be available by prescription in July, states a Barr Pharmaceuticals news release announcing the drug’s approval. Seasonique is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy when taken as directed, states Barr Pharmaceuticals’ news release.
Seasonique was tested in a study of about 2,500 U.S. women aged 18-40 who took the drug for 12 months (four cycles, each lasting 91 days), the news release states. Side effects were similar to those seen in trials of other oral contraceptives, according to Barr Pharmaceuticals.
Seasonique vs. Seasonale
What’s the difference between Seasonique and Seasonale? Both drugs are designed to give women four periods per year instead of 12. With Seasonale, women take inactive pills during their four yearly periods. With Seasonique, they get a low dose of estrogen during their period, which may provide benefits including less breakthrough bleeding, Barr Pharmaceuticals spokeswoman Carol Cox tells WebMD.
Users of extended-cycle birth control pills may be more likely to experience bleeding or spotting between periods; such bleeding and spotting tends to decrease during later cycles as women keep taking the drug.
“Oral contraceptives are not for every woman,” states Barr Pharmaceuticals’ news release.
“Serious as well as minor side effects have been reported with the use of hormonal contraceptives,” the release continues. “Serious risks include blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially in women over 35 years.”
Oral contraceptives don’t protect against HIV — the virus that causes AIDS — or other sexually transmitted diseases, the news release also notes.
May 31st, 2006
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of gynecological cancers and the fourth-leading cause of cancer death among American women.
In 2005, it is estimated that over 22,000 women will be diagnosed with the disease and more than 16,000 will lose their lives to it. Although ovarian cancer is most common in women over the age of 50, it can affect women of any age.
With no effective, easy-to-use means of early detection available, many women may miss the subtle and vague symptoms. Symptoms may include pelvic and/or abdominal discomfort or pain; vague but persistent gastrointestinal complaints such as gas, nausea, and indigestion; unexplained changes in bowel habits, frequency and/or urgency of urination; weight loss and ongoing fatigue.
Because of this, 75 percent of cases are detected at a late stage. As a result, approximately 50 percent of all patients are alive and disease-free five years after diagnosis. However, if caught and treated early, the five-year survival rate can jump to over 90 percent.
Fortunately, clinically important advances in diagnosis and treatment are being made every day. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) is making a tremendous impact on the world of ovarian cancer research, having funded numerous cutting-edge research projects across the country. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, a long-time partner of this fund, supports its initiatives by donating ten percent of proceeds from the sale of its Hopeful Wishes Bouquet. Click on 1800flowers.com to see the Hopeful Wishes Bouquet, featuring striking white Stargazer lilies.
May 31st, 2006
(ARA) - Do you feel tired all the time even though you get eight hours of sleep a night? Do your muscles throb every time you complete a workout even though you exercise every day; or do you experience occasional irritability for no apparent reason? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your problem may be a lack of adequate levels of oxygen in the blood.
Our bodies were designed to operate in an environment that existed hundreds of years ago — when 30 to 40 percent of the air breathed was oxygen.
Due in a large part to pollution, today, oxygen levels are about half that - 20 to 22 percent in most U.S. cities; as low as 15 percent in others.
According to Ed McCabe, author of “Flood Your Body With Oxygen,” by living in an oxygen-deficient environment and not feeding our cells the proper oxygen and nutrients needed for cleaning out toxins and wastes, our body fluids and blood can become dirty and toxic. A lack of oxygen to our cells weakens our immune system, which may lead to viral infections, damaged cells, bacterial growths, inflamed joints, serious heart and circulatory problems, toxic buildup in blood and premature aging.
However, if the cells in our bodies are rich in oxygen, mutated cells may be less able to reproduce Other benefits of having adequate levels of oxygen in our systems: increased energy; the ability to maintain healthy cholesterol levels; enhanced brain function; a reduction in stress; the ability to overcome fatigue; and looking and feeling younger.
So what can you do to restore a healthy balance of oxygen in your blood?
1. Do more aerobic exercise (where you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs and hips) such as walking or bicycling. When you’re aerobically fit, your body is more efficient at taking in and using oxygen, which can help you live longer and healthier.
2. Eat food-based antioxidants, such as dark-colored berries. They convert toxic free radicals in your body into harmless elements. If left unchecked, free radicals will attach themselves to oxygen molecules which are supposed to be providing the cells with energy, and instead damage them.
3. Eat plenty of green, leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens. They are a good supply of Vitamin E which is one of the antioxidants that attacks free radicals.
4. Take oxygen-enhancing products, such as Oxygen Elements Plus which supplies the body’s cells with a steady diet of oxygen, full spectrum minerals, amino acids, and enzymes. To use the supplement, simply add five to seven drops to six to eight ounces of purified water, juice or some other beverage. Gradually increase the product usage over a two or three week period until you are using a maintenance amount of seven drops three times a day. Children may use 1/4 to 1/2 the adult dose.
The Health and Longevity Institute of San Marcos, Calif., recently conducted a test to determine the effectiveness of Oxygen Elements Plus. The participants were instructed to go about their lives as normal — not changing their dietary, exercise, medication or normal supplement habits. All they did different was add seven drops of Oxygen Elements Plus to their drinking water or juice three times a day for 30 days.
“Blood samples taken at the end of the testing period were compared to those taken before supplementation began and the results were dramatic,” says Dr. Gary Shima of the Health and Longevity Institute. “Total cholesterol levels were recorded lower in 70 percent of the participants; 50 percent of them had higher iron levels, and 40 percent saw their calcium and potassium levels normalize.” In the post-test questionnaire, participants also made note of some other benefits they experienced - less daytime sleepiness, a reduction in pain and swelling and a reduced sense of anxiety.
Oxygen Elements Plus is not available in stores. For more information on how you can dramatically improve your health and well-being for less than a dollar a day, log on to www.oxygentoday.com
May 30th, 2006
Learn the Steps to Fight Osteoporosis
(ARA) - Imagine having bones so fragile that everyday activities like bending over, lifting a vacuum cleaner or even coughing can cause a fracture.
Unfortunately, this may become a reality in the future for 44 million Americans - 80 percent of them women - threatened by osteoporosis, the “brittle bone” disease.
In the United States, 10 million people already have this disease, and 34 million more have low bone density, placing them at increased risk for developing osteoporosis and getting bone fractures.
Contrary to what most people think, osteoporosis does not just affect elderly women. Bone loss can begin earlier in life, long before symptoms actually appear. After your mid-30s, everyone begins to slowly lose bone mass. Women lose bone mass faster after menopause, but according to the 2004 Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis it happens to men too.
“The good news is that there are simple steps we can take throughout our lives to help keep bones strong and help prevent osteoporosis,” says Claude Arnaud, M.D., FACE, director of the medical and scientific board of the Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education (FORE) and professor emeritus of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
The first step, at any age, is to make sure you are getting enough calcium and vitamin D. In fact, lack of calcium has been singled out as a major public health concern because it is critically important to bone health. Calcium alone is not enough. Vitamin D is important for adequate absorption of calcium. Unfortunately, many Americans do not get enough calcium and vitamin D in their diet alone.
Current recommendations for the daily intake of calcium for adults are 1000 to 1200 mg and 750 to 800 IU for vitamin D. For those whose diets do not contain enough calcium and vitamin D, a calcium supplement can be taken with meals once or twice a day. Clinical studies suggest that a calcium supplement can slow the progression of bone loss. A calcium supplement, like Caltrate, that provides a daily intake of 1200 mg of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D can help promote calcium absorption and bone protection.
“Getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet is an important element for good bone health,” says Dr. Arnaud. “Vitamin D is available in multivitamin supplements and some calcium supplement products. Be sure to read the labels to make certain you are purchasing the supplement that is right for your needs.”
You should also follow these simple steps to help keep your bones strong and reduce your risk of falls and fractures.
*Keep active. Like muscle, bone gets stronger with exercise. Regular weight bearing exercise (like walking) strengthens the bones, and also improves mobility, and balance, which can help reduce the risk of falls and fractures. Make sure to talk to your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.
*Reduce smoking and alcohol intake. These habits make it difficult for your body to make use of calcium that is important in maintaining good bone health.
*Be informed and talk with your doctor about promoting good bone health. Only your doctor can determine if you are at risk for osteoporosis and if you need additional measures to reduce your risk of fracture. Ask if you need a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test.
May 30th, 2006
Skipping breakfast has become a common habit among adults in recent years. Whether due to lack of dedicated eating time in the morning or an attempt to lose weight, skipping breakfast can be harmful to health and actually cause weight gain.
According to a study that appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who skipped breakfast for two weeks developed higher “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and were less sensitive to insulin than women who ate breakfast every day.
The same study showed that women who ate breakfast burned 100 more calories and ate lighter meals throughout the day.
Not eating breakfast can also cause a drop in blood sugar, which may lead to fatigue and lethargy throughout the day. A great way to break into the day with energy to burn is to bring breakfast back into your daily routine. Not only will it rejuvenate your body, it can aid in the battle against weight gain.
When dieting, try incorporating healthy foods into breakfast, such as the sweet potato. The sweet potato contains vitamins A, C and B6, four times the recommended amount of beta-carotene, iron, potassium and fiber. Sweet potatoes are also low in fat and sodium. In fact, the Center for Science in the Public Interest named sweet potatoes as the number one most nutritious vegetable.
An excellent, nutritional breakfast recipe is Nutty Yam Banana Bread. This delicious, moist breakfast bread is the perfect way to start your engine for the day. When preparing Nutty Yam Banana Bread, try using Louisiana sweet potatoes for the sweetest flavor. Here’s the recipe:
* Nutty Yam Banana Bread
(Makes 16 servings.)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mashed bananas (about 1)
1 cup fresh, mashed sweet potatoes or 1 (15-ounce) can sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture, mixing only until combined. Stir in the walnuts. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
May 30th, 2006
(ARA) — Eating healthy is fast becoming a way of life for many Americans. Studies show people are living longer and enjoying more active lifestyles.
Consumers are increasingly interested in eating healthier without giving up great taste. It turns out that simple fruit may be the fountain of youth no matter what your age.
Studies show that fruit contains many natural health benefits. Due to advances in food technology, we are only just beginning to discover the many health secrets Mother Nature has placed in simple everyday fruit. In fact, in early 2005, the U.S.D.A. revealed the updated version of the food pyramid that increased their recommendation for fruit and vegetables to five to nine servings per day.
The Search for Eating Healthy
So why is fruit becoming the first choice for those wanting to enjoy a more active lifestyle? Fruit is a great-tasting, antioxidant-rich food that can help maintain healthy joints, help support brain function, provide nutrients for healthy skin and even assist in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. All of these health benefits and more are available in the multiple colors, sizes, flavors and shapes of fruit.
Apples to Oranges, grapes to strawberries, each offer unique health benefits that that will lead to an active and healthy lifestyle. The multitudes of health components found in fruit are truly a gift we are only to discover.
About the “Fruit for a Healthy You” Movement
Eating healthy resonates with every sector of American society from the 76 million strong Baby Boom generation to seniors, from business executives to busy stay-at-home moms trying to encourage their children to eat healthy.
Jennifer LaPointe, owner of both Traverse Bay Farms and Fruit Advantage, is the driving force behind the “Fruit for a Healthy You” movement. This grass roots movement aims to encourage people to eat more fruit and fruit-based products. Whether it’s a handful of dried blueberries, a fresh apple or a glass of cherry juice, LaPointe’s movement encourages daily consumption of fruit. Her mantra is “Eat Fruit … Live Life.”
While today’s active and hectic lifestyles may inhibit the ability to enjoy fresh fruit daily, there is an excellent way of supplementing your daily intake of antioxidants. Fruit Advantage offers antioxidant-rich, whole-fruit based supplements for people who strive to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The Fruit Advantage line of dietary supplements includes Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry, Wild Blueberry, Pomegranate and Cherry Prime. Fruit Advantage Cherry Prime is the World’s first dietary supplement to combine Tart Cherries with Glucosamine. You can visit Fruit Advantage at www.fruitadvantage.com.
This grass root effort not only encourages a healthy lifestyle it also supports the American farmer by spreading the word about the natural health benefits of fruit. LaPointe has created Orchard of Health. This Web site is an information-only site and is the first to compile research from several sources into one location. The site also contains numerous, great-tasting fruit recipes.
May 30th, 2006
By: Purdue News on Aug 20 2005 18:32:41
Jennifer Cutraro - WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.
Menopause and Bone Loss
Maintaining a proper balance of dietary fats may ward off much of the bone loss associated with post menopausal osteoporosis, according to a recent study by scientists at Purdue University and the Indiana University School of Medicine.
The researchers found that diets with a low ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids minimized the bone loss typically brought on by estrogen deficiency, which is common in post menopausal females.
Omega-6 fatty acids are typically found in foods such as grains and beef, while omega-3 fatty acids are found in foods such as walnuts and salmon.
“Our lab and others have shown that omega-3 fatty acids help promote bone formation,” said Bruce Watkins, professor and director of Purdue’s Center for Enhancing Foods to Protect Health. “We also have shown that higher intakes of omega-6 fatty acids lead to an increased production of compounds associated with bone loss.”
The current study, which is in press in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, assessed bone mineral content and bone mineral density in female rats. These measurements are used as indicators of bone mass and bone strength, respectively.
Half the rats in the study had their ovaries removed, a procedure that leads to a rapid drop in estrogen levels. This mimics menopause and is the standard model for studying compounds that mitigate osteoporosis, said Mark Seifert, a professor of anatomy and cell biology at the Indiana University School of Medicine and the study’s co-author.
“Bone loss due to estrogen depletion in the adult female rat is very similar to that which occurs in post menopausal women,” he said. “Studies like this will help us and other researchers assess drugs or nutraceuticals that may reduce the bone loss that sets in with menopause, ” he said.
In the study, groups of these rats were fed diets containing different ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
While both types of fats are essential for human health, diets with a high ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids are often associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. A low ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, however, is believed to promote cardiovascular health, improve memory and, as the current study shows, protect bone health.
After 12 weeks, rats with the lowest ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in their diet experienced significantly less bone loss than rats in the other dietary groups.
“We saw in this study that omega-3 fatty acids are associated with a better blood profile of bone health, and with higher bone mineral density, in the absence of estrogen,” Watkins said.
“A 5-to-1 dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids led to a conservation of bone mineral content that we didn’t see with a 10-to-1 ratio,” Watkins said.
While he cautions against translating these results to humans, Watkins does agree that omega-3s are an important part of a healthy diet.
“As a nation, we don’t consume enough of these fats, but we’re heading in the right direction,” he said.
The average American dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids is approximately 10 to 1, a ratio inflated by the types of foods people eat and the methods used to produce those foods, especially those containing vegetable oils, Watkins said.
“Our foods are different today than they were yesterday,” he said.
“Omega-6 fatty acids have been an important part of our diet, but over the past 80 years, the human diet has shifted in a way that increased the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. In the past century, we’ve relied on high omega-6 grains like corn to feed livestock.”
Animals such as cattle naturally feed on pasture grasses, which have a lower omega-6 to omega-3 ratio than grains like corn, Watkins said.
The omega-6 fatty acids in today’s animal feed incorporate right into the animals’ tissues where they become part of the eggs, poultry, meats and pork served in households and restaurants across the country.
“The expression ‘you are what you eat’ is truer than you think,” Watkins said.
Seifert suggests the bone-protective effects of omega-3 fatty acids may be linked to their previously established role in minimizing inflammation in the body.
“We believe omega-3s may minimize bone loss with estrogen deficiency in association with their anti-inflammatory effects,” he said.
Inflammation is caused by a number of compounds, including a class of molecules called cytokines. These compounds also stimulate bone breakdown, a natural part of a body process known as the bone cycle.
“Many people don’t realize it, but our bones are not static structures,” Seifert said.
Bones undergo a process called “remodeling,” in which they are continuously broken down and rebuilt. Two types of cells found in bones govern this process - bone resorption cells, which remove small portions of bone, and bone building cells, which fill in the gaps.
Estrogen blocks some of the inflammatory compounds associated with bone resorption, which may explain why osteoporosis typically progresses after estrogen levels fall with the onset of menopause.
Likewise, Watkins’ previous studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the production of these same inflammatory compounds, accounting for their bone-protective effect.
“Omega-3s change the behavior of cytokines in a way that is consistent with the role of omega-3s in mitigating cardiovascular disease,” Watkins said.
Watkins and Seifert have spent the last 10 years investigating the role of lipids on the biology of bone. “We began to question years ago how lipids may affect bones,” Watkins said. “Our studies have laid the groundwork for other researchers today who have started to look for lipid effects on bone health in humans.”
Yong Li, with the Purdue Center for Enhancing Foods to Protect Health, also participated in this research. The Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund provided funding.
May 29th, 2006
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