Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
The Genetics of Smoking
The study I’m examining this week is profound for a number of reasons. Identifying the genes that are affected by direct contact with the toxins in cigarette smoke provides one piece of a very complex puzzle. For example, they showed the difference in genetic mutations in the same type of tumors between smokers and non-smokers. The smokers had the genetic mutations while the non-smokers didn’t. So why did they get that type of cancer? That’s why I said it’s one piece of a puzzle. There are undoubtedly other factors involved.
With the information that . . .
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Smoking and Cancer Update
A fascinating research paper was recently published in which researchers compared the genetic mutations found in 14 different types of tumors from chronic cigarette smokers and those who never smoked. They were attempting to see the differences in the genetic damage that occurred in tumors from the same organs between people who smoked and those who had never smoked. While they occur less frequently in non-smokers, some types of lung cancers still occur in those who never smoke.
This was complicated research to say the least. The research group had developed an algorithm that would look at over 90 . . .
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The Bottom Line on a Low-Fat Diet
In this final look at the opinion article in JAMA, I’m going to cover another statement the author made along with some thoughts on the article and why it matters.
In the article, he suggests that, based on the theory that carbohydrates do not cause weight gain, public health policy was changed to encourage the use of more starch and sugars (1). Specifically he cited Healthy People 2000 Nutrition Goal 2.15, which recommended that food manufacturers “increase to at least 5,000 brand items the availability of processed food products that are reduced in fat and saturated fat . . .
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As Much Sugar As You Want!
Continuing the topic from Tuesday’s message, I’m going take a look at one specific statement that the author made in his article in JAMA (1). I chose it because he specifically stated it was used to justify the increase in carbohydrate recommendations in public health policy. I also had never heard of it before—and I’ve been around awhile. The inner quote was taken from an article written in 2001 (2) that was used as a reference in . . .
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Low Fat: A Failed Public Policy?
The recent series of messages on health hooligans was something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. No sooner did I finish it than I got an email from JAMA announcing an opinion piece on the low-fat diet we’ve been told to follow for over 40 years (1). I spent some time over the past few weeks checking the piece and the research behind it.
The opinion was written by an expert in endocrinology, a physician and researcher. He has the credentials. But he is one of a number of scientists who’ve become critics . . .
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The Teal Pumpkin Project
Halloween is Monday, and I happened to check out a local news story about The Teal Pumpkin Project. It began in eastern Tennessee and has been adopted nationally by the Food Allergy and Education (FARE) group. In a nutshell, the Teal Pumpkin Project does just that: tries to keep kids with allergies to nuts, eggs, and other food allergens safe by providing non-food treats to kids.
Paula and I have done this in the past before we even heard of the Teal Pumpkin (primarily to limit our own exposure to candy, because those Snickers aren’t going to last . . .
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Last Was First
What was the roar I told you about in the last message? It was for the last runner of the Grand Rapids Kids Marathon. You can see him in the group picture: the kid on the far right with the walker in the cool shades. I don’t know exactly what his condition is; most likely a muscular disorder of some sort. But that didn’t stop him from participating.
His mom accompanied him the whole way. When he came through the aid station, he wanted a cup . . .
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Kids Marathon
One of the requirements of a triathlon training group I belong to is to volunteer at a running or other event. This past weekend, the Grand Rapids Marathon held a Kids Marathon. I was in—not just to help, but experience what this type of event is like.
The idea is this: kids run or walk at least one mile, three times a week, with a friend or family member and track their progress on a training sheet that goes through mile 25. On race weekend, the children run or walk the last 1.2 miles of the marathon distance . . .
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Why You Need to Supplement
The author of the opinion article in JAMA recommended that physicians make their patients aware of the research that questions the effectiveness of supplementation, hence his title “Negligible Benefits, Robust Consumption” (1). In making that recommendation, he gives the precise reason why that’s a bad idea. As I said Thursday, the answer can be found in the data used in the original article in JAMA about supplementation use in the U.S. (2).
While the JAMA article focused on supplementation, it also included data on food . . .
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Supplements: No Benefits?
The opinion piece in the journal article was titled “The Supplement Paradox: Negligible Benefits, Robust Consumption” (1). The author is a well-respected physician who has written often about what he feels are the problems in the dietary supplement industry. He used the article I talked about Tuesday as a basis for his latest thoughts. Why would supplement use stay the same when research demonstrates that there are little to no benefits?
He raised three points. First, he suggests that people haven’t heard about the negative studies. I would debate that based on the questions I get about science . . .
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