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.
Curcumin: Question 1
In April, I wrote about curcumin, the latest popular supplement proclaimed to fix what ails us; it’s an antioxidant, reduces inflammation, and may have other beneficial properties in treating cancer and improving memory. But over the holiday weekend, I thought about the questions that still need to be answered. The questions apply to just about any nutrient that’s purported to be the latest and greatest—juices such as açai or noni or powders such as moringa.
Let’s begin with antioxidant properties. Could the amounts used in supplements be too much? Curcumin is poorly absorbed; that’s . . .
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Quantifying the Benefits of Nature
When this type of study is published, we can think of it as touchy-feely; in other words, it’s about how we feel more than hard numbers. That may be true on the surface, but let’s take a look at the effect on society from just one benefit of spending time in nature.
The study showed that if people spent just 30 minutes per week in a park, the rate of depression in cities could be reduced by 7%. While they didn’t test it, I would say that’s true for just about anybody who spends time . . .
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Research on Nature and Health
I’m back on the deck to write today’s message about the benefits of spending time with nature (1). Researchers tested over 1,500 subjects who live in urban settings; they wanted to quantify visits to parks in cities with physical measures such as depression, blood pressure, social interactions, and physical activity (2). If you’re a long-time reader, you know I prefer studies with solid measurements such as body weight or cholesterol levels. Surveys and questionnaires are subject to how a person feels at any given moment, but these researchers used the best instruments available.
They found . . .
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Does Nature Improve Health?
One of my favorite places during the summer is on our deck. I just love sitting out there in the cool of the morning. On a calm day with little humidity, it’s great even when the temperature hits the mid-80s; the shade sail helps. Working or relaxing, it’s my favorite place. The flowers. The trees. The birds, especially the frequent visits by hummingbirds. This patch of nature didn’t happen by accident. Over the 15 years we’ve been here, Paula has created a space that soothes the mind, helps creativity, and lifts the soul. That’s . . .
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PQQ: The Bottom Line
I’ve told you about PQQ this week because I’ve been asked about it so often. First I talked about the infomercial; the hype is tremendous if you spent the 30 minutes or so to watch it. There are actually a couple of different ads that essentially say the same thing. Then I showed you the research or rather lack of it. Why write anything more? Because there are things you should know about PQQ that I’m going to cover today.
PQQ is . . .
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PQQ: The Research
PQQ was identified in the late 1970s, and since then there have been 796 studies of all types on PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone). The majority of those studies have been done in test tubes to determine exactly what PQQ is and what it does; those are necessary, but reveal little about its real impact on health. For that, you need clinical trials on human subjects.
There have been three studies done on humans (1,2,3); the total number of subjects has been less than 50. One study demonstrated that PQQ is absorbed when given as a supplement and had some . . .
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PQQ: Miracle in a Bottle
The latest cure for your health problems has arrived. I know—I just watched the online infomercial. Or do they call it advertainment now?
It was presented by a cardiologist who is well respected in his field. The topic was arterial inflammation, AKA the cardiac killer, and what you could do about it. I was in.
What I saw were the “facts” about heart disease. Using an artist printing and drawing on a whiteboard with a voice over, I learned:
- Cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the number one killer.
- The Framingham Study gave . . .
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Observations: Easy to Believe
In the past few months, I’ve gotten many questions about my thoughts on a video series that claims to reveal the truth about cancer. I watched as much as I could. When some parts were absolute fabrications, I just fast forwarded. There was nothing really new; I’d seen everything before over the years.
One of the basic premises was that the pharmaceutical industry is suppressing cures for cancer so they can make money selling treatments that won’t work. That’s a degree of cynicism that I don’t understand, and yet it’s something many people believe . . .
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Observations: One Thing
Our pretend daughters helped me cut down a dead pine tree a couple of weeks ago (we don’t have any actual daughters, so we just chose two young women we especially liked and pretend they’re ours). I can remember when that pine was planted. It grew from about seven feet tall to well over 25 feet in 15 years. Every tree that was planted in our yard has grown like crazy and thrived. Why did this one die? It had plenty of water. We had a tree service feed and protect the trees against pests and diseases.
The . . .
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Observations: It Can’t Be Fun
I need a mental break from the research and scientific analysis, and I’m thinking maybe you do, too. I like to observe life around me, so I’m going to share some observations this week.
The obesity rate is higher than it’s ever been according to a recent study (1). The two groups that are the fattest in the U.S. are Baby Boomer men and black women in any age group. I observe men my age as well as black women who are struggling just to walk. That can’t be fun to carry an extra 100 . . .
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