- Colonoscopy: Early research is showing that a CT scan can detect polyps in the colon which may be or become cancerous. This is screening as is the stool sample kit and the colonoscopy. One is gross, and the other is quite invasive. The CT scan may be more expensive, but that is in debate just now. It could change if there became more demand for it and insurers covered it. For me, at 42, there is lots of time for this to get worked out before I need my first of either test. I really hope the CT is standard in eight years, however, I remain constantly wary of radiation and selective about when and how I allow myself to be radiated. Back to the important point. Colonoscopy and colon cancer screenings are effective in reducing incidence and death from this disease. Screens are usually recommended to begin at age 50 and to take place every ten years thereafter. A diet that is limited in red and processed meats is also health promoting.
- Heinz: Hmm. The people at Heinz are currently cultivating and testing a new tomato to use in their ketchup. I use the one carb variety but only because it is lower in sugar and cals per serving. It tastes just great to me. I hope what they are doing doesn’t effect that type of ketchup. The reason that the company is trying to recreate the tomato has to do with the use of corn for ethanol. Again, many rippling effects have occurred and one is the increased cost of high fructose corn syrup, hfcs. Oh My, how can that be bad! Anyway, HFCS is in ketchup and the folks at Heinz are trying to make a tomato that is sweeter so they can do without it. It is a very secretive endeavor so not much is known about the new tomato or if they’ve even got one coming along. I wonder what the end result will be nutritionally speaking. Will their new tomato still have the same make up of lycopene that is health promoting and will the calorie and other nutrition info offered in say the USDA Nutrient Database apply to a Heinz tomato, oh and lastly, will the tomato go from a low GI food to a high one?
- Parents: BOLO-Be On the Look Out for changes on the labels of cold and pain medications marketed for children. The FDA is working on changing the labels to include a warning for children under age 6, four years later than most parents expect. Several physicians are suggesting that children’s colds and pains be treated with non medicinal remedies when at all possible. This is of course a conversation you, as a parent, should have with your own doctor.
- FDA: The director of the agency came out with an interesting statement the other day regarding the regulation of tobacco. He, I believe, said that it would send out the wrong message. And for this I am in stunned agreement. His point being that the purpose of the agency is to keep us all safe and to assure that the medicines we take, the products we consume, that they are safe as well. As all of you know, there isn’t anything safe about tobacco products and tobacco smoke. Thus if the agency regulates something that kills people, well…….. you get the idea.
- FISH Again: A group of women came out at the end of the week with a recommendation for pregnant women to eat more fish. This is in strong contrast to the EPA and FDA suggesting that pregnant women and children limit their seafood intake. I continue to support the current FDA caution and the reason is detailed in my Mercury and Fish power point presentation that you can access on the side panel here. I understand the benefits of fish. I FEAR the effects of mercury and other toxins and I don’t think we know the half of it. Most certainly, choose the fish that is SAID to have the least of these poisons, smaller fish, like tilapia, shrimp and chunk light tuna.
- Germ Fighting 3 to 1: A great story aired on NPR’s health matters some time ago. It discussed what products, techniques or methods might be best for cleaning your produce. To make a long story short, I mean that is why you read this right, fill a spray bottle with three parts water and one part vinegar. Spray the fruit or veggie thoroughly and then rinse with cool water. This works better than any of the products you buy. It works best on smooth fruits and veggies, as opposed to lettuce and or broccoli.
- Omega 3s: Interesting article in this months Runner’s World taught me a couple of things about this most wonderful healthful fat, yes found in fish. It is most readily in Salmon, which is usually low in contaminants, and this form of the fatty acid is easily absorbed while that in vegetables and nuts is not. Omega 3s helps reduce inflammation and may reduce pain. Some people use fish oil capsules, I still shy away from almost any nutrient that is not on a plate………. Except for three things, which can be your quiz…………Any way. Omega 3s in fish are EPA and DHA and in plants it is ALA. If you eat something with 100 mg of ALA by the time it is changed to the other type and absorbed, you might get but a fraction of it. But here is an even more important point. The recommendations for Omega 3s are NOT in milligrams, but grams. So Salmon has say 1 to 1.8 g’s but those products you see that claim omega 3 added or fortified, etc, like eggs, that is milligrams………. Man oh Man, those food labelers are slick…….. Okay Dee’s three non food nutrients are a multivitamin with iron, additional vitamin D and calcium!
Ending this week’s news at poolside from my Sarasota Apartment. It has been a stressful three weeks and a difficult two days. Cat and I are fine though. Work starts Tuesday and wonderful friends in North Carolina have eased my transition. As has my most awesome sister and super brother in law.
Wishing you wellness
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