weekly news

- HDL: Recently, maybe last week, it was noted that Niacin is helpful in controlling the effects of cholesterol. I may not have realized this at the time, but Niacin is known for increasing the HDL which is the good kind of cholesterol and the one often associated with exercise or being from a certain region in Italy. There had been some hope in the medical and pharmaceutical industry that the need for high HDL could be reduced by having the lowest possible LDL. Research out this week did not support that theory. Instead, it is heart protective for a person to have both low bad cholesterol and high good cholesterol. The story on this research noted that at this time the best way to do that is by maintaining a low weight and by exercising daily. Things you might already be mindful of.
- Nicotine: A very important and health related bit of education for you. Nicotine in cigarettes is what leads to addiction. Nicotine in cigarettes is associated with an increase in heart rate. Nicotine in nicotine replacement therapy does not usually increase heart rate as it is a lower dose and less quickly absorbed. Nicotine in NRT is rarely addictive, though nasal spray NRT is more so then say, the patch. What kills smokers and nonsmokers in cigarettes is NOT nicotine, it is TAR and Carbon Monoxide. Tar is the substance that changes DNA’s instructions and leads to cancerous mutations and CO is the component that leads to Heart Disease and other lung conditions. This is extremely important. Nicotine does not kill you, the combustion, the smoke, will. That being said, please considers quitting smoking today and using NRT to assist you with the cravings and withdrawal. Cigarette smoke does not physiologically decrease stress, the reason persons who quit return to smoking may be because they are experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Those symptoms can be addressed with NRT and pharmacological assistance; the symptoms of withdrawal will abate and all together disappear in time.
- Alcohol and Breast Cancer: HMMM, this is related to a recent research study that I have not had the chance to read. So this really is more based on the headline than on my review of the study. That being said, a study states that alcohol use has already been related to breast cancer when this use is more than one drink per day. A study that looked at breast cancer patients who drank reviewed WHAT they had been drinking. The results are that any alcohol, a beer, a mixed drink or a glass of wine, consumed over one drink per day is related to breast cancer incidence. A very important note in the article that I read however is that WEIGHT, AGE and GENETICS are far more predictive factors. So the message to you, as a woman is this, WHAT of those do you have power over. The answer is, weight and alcohol intake.
- Smoking: This information was shared with me from an instructor with the University of Medicine and Dentistry NJ on this date actually. I trust that this fact was culled from the research and so I share it with you. For every year that one smokes past the age of 30 (not that one should smoke before the age of 30), three months of life is lost. This means that quality life years are lost, not that you die a year or two earlier than you might have. It is very important that smokers understand, that all of us understand, our life choices can lead to slow, painful and debilitating deaths. It is not something to blow off, saying so what, I die two years earlier, instead it is oh no, you die ten slow years when you could have been living the good life.
- Exercise and Intake: Many people are concerned about increasing the amount of time they spend exercising which is awesome. Sedentary lifestyles contribute to disease and early death for more than the weight reason. Remember exercise increases HDL. In this past week, I heard several people bemoan their aversion to exercise; something they know is good for them. However, I watched the same people eat significant portions of food and food that even in small portions is calorically dense. This seemed an astounding disconnect to me. It really has to be both weight control AND exercise.

Okay friends, I have been in training on tobacco cessation treatment for this full work week and am now in the airport terminal waiting my twice delayed flight home to NC, where I will be spending a few short days before moving to Florida. Hope the news still makes sense in spite of my crazy schedule!
Yours in Wellness