Fried food raises stroke risk in older women

By Agence France-Presse

Older women who eat high amounts of the kind of fat found in fried foods and baked goods face a greater risk of stroke than women who eat lower fat diets, a US study suggested.

 

Older women who eat high amounts of the kind of fat found in fried foods and baked goods face a greater risk of stroke than women who eat lower fat diets, a US study suggested.

However, aspirin use could cut those risks, said the researchers from University of North Carolina whose findings are published in the Annals of Neurology.

The data came from the largest study to date of post-menopausal women and their eating habits, and included 87,025 women between the ages 50 and 79 who were generally in good health at the time of enrollment.

Women who reported eating diets high in trans-fatty acids, or 6.1 grams a day, showed a 39 percent greater incidence of stroke due to a blocked artery than women who ate 2.2 grams per day of such fats.

The researchers did not find any significant links between stroke risk and how much total fat the women consumed, or their level of dietary cholesterol.

But aspirin use was shown to slim down the link between trans fat intake and stroke, which affects nearly 800,000 people in the United States per year and is the fourth leading cause of US death.

"Our findings confirm that postmenopausal women with higher trans fat intake had an elevated risk of ischemic stroke, but aspirin use may reduce the adverse effects," said lead author Ka He of the UNC School of Public Health.

"We recommend following a diet low in trans fat and adding an aspirin regimen to help women reduce their risk of stroke, specifically following the onset of menopause."

Trans fat is on the decline in the United States due to a public health and legislation campaign which has banned its use in many fast food restaurants and in food preparation.

But it hasn't disappeared altogether.

"Trans fats are rare in living nature, but can commonly occur in foods as a result of food processing called partial hydrogenation when a liquid vegetable oil is turned into a solid fat," said Nancy Copperman, director of public health initiatives at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in New York.

Copperman, who was not involved in the study, added that the behaviors of women who ate lots of trans fat were also unhealthy, including decreased physical activity, smoking, and higher levels of diabetes.

"Encouraging and supporting women consume a balanced diet avoiding trans fat and including healthy oils and daily physical activity can be a major step in preventing stroke and other lifestyle related diseases," she said.

http://news.xin.msn.com/en/world/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5947202

15 Ways to Fight Breast Cancer

Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board

An estimated one in eight women will be afflicted with breast cancer in her lifetime. Although there is no guaranteed protection against the disease, there are things you can do lower your risk. Follow these tips to prevent breast cancer and to support finding a cure:

• Maintain a healthy weight.

  There is a strong link between obesity and breast cancer, particularly if extra weight is added after menopause.

• Schedule an annual mammogram.

  This is vital after age 40, as mammograms may help detect early signs of breast cancer, sometimes up to several years before a lump can be felt.

• Eat foods high in fiber.

  Try to consume 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Among its many health benefits, fiber may help reduce the amount of circulating estrogen in the body. Foods high in fiber include whole grains and beans.

• Avoid long-term hormone therapy.

  The link between postmenopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer has been a subject of debate for years, and research results have been mixed. For women approaching menopause and having frequent symptoms, experts believe it's probably safe to take hormones for as long as four to five years any longer increases breast cancer risk, without conferring any clear benefits.

• Enjoy soy.

  Isoflavones in soy foods are weak estrogen-like compounds that block the action of estrogen, which may contribute to breast cancer. Use soy flour in recipes, add tofu to soups or main dishes, eat green soybeans, or drink soy milk.

• Limit alcohol consumption.

  Drinking alcoholic beverages is linked to breast cancer, and the type of alcohol doesn't seem to matter. Consume less than one alcoholic beverage per day, or better yet, avoid it entirely.

• Stay physically active.

  Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise on most days. Try to include weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, or dancing, which have the added benefit of keeping bones strong.

• Eat good fats.

  Certain types of fats seem to increase estrogen levels, which, in turn, raise breast cancer risk. Opt for monounsaturated oils like olive and canola and omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, sardines, and herring. Avoid trans fats, found in stick margarine, packaged baked goods, and snack foods, and the polyunsaturated fats featured in corn, sunflower, and safflower oils.

• Consider aspirin therapy.

  Taking an aspirin just once a week may help protect against breast cancer, but be sure to consult a doctor before starting an aspirin regimen. When used for long periods of time, aspirin can cause stomach irritation, bleeding, and ulcers.

• Avoid additives.

  When possible, buy hormone-free organic meats, poultry, and dairy foods. Be sure to wash fresh produce and remove peels to get rid of pesticide residue.

• Try vitamin E.

  In a small study at State University of New York at Buffalo, participants with a family history of breast cancer had an 80 percent lower risk for developing breast cancer if their diets contained 10 or more IU per day of vitamin E.

• Eat more fruits and vegetables.

  In particular, get enough cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, which can boost cancer-fighting enzymes.

• Perform monthly breast self-exams.

  Women can detect lumps or changes in their breasts by performing exams every month. The best time to do a self-exam is a week after the start of your period, when breasts are less likely to be tender or swollen.

• Breastfeed if possible.

  Some studies have shown that breastfeeding may decrease the risk of breast cancer later in life.

• Participate in the fight against breast cancer.

  There are numerous ways to get involved in raising awareness and money for breast cancer research, so do your research and get started today.

http://www.qualityhealth.com/cancer-articles/15-ways-fight-breast-cancer

Massage Helps Heal Muscles and Relieve Pain

How Massage Helps Heal Muscles and Relieve Pain
Massage may work as well as drugs like aspirin or Advil in easing pain from intense exercise.
By MAIA SZALAVITZ | @maiasz | February 2, 2012 |
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The word massage alone elicits deep relaxation and stress relief, and now a new study sheds light on how deep touch works to ease pain and promote healing in sore muscles.

Researchers at McMaster University in Canada found that massage affects the activity of certain genes, directly reducing inflammation in muscles — the same result you’d get by taking aspirin or ibuprofen — and boosting their ability to recover from exercise.

The study involved 11 young men who were willing to engage in what the researchers described as “exhaustive aerobic exercise” — the equivalent of an intense spinning class. The men rode stationary bikes to the point of exhaustion.

After the workout, each man received a 10-minute Swedish-style massage on only one leg; the other leg served as the control. They also had biopsies taken from their leg muscles before and after exercise, immediately after massage and then again two and a half hours later.

MORE: Aching Back? Try Massage for Chronic Pain

Researchers found that massage set off a series of molecular events in muscles that helped reverse discomfort related to exercise. Massage dampened the activity of proteins known as inflammatory cytokines, which cause inflammation and pain. It also increased levels of proteins that signal the muscles to produce more mitochondria, the cell structures that produce energy and help muscles recover from activity.

Tiffany Field, a leading researcher on the effects of massage and director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School, says she found the results “very believable.” She was not associated with the new research. (Field notes that her group is planning to study the effect of massage on some of the same inflammatory cytokines in HIV-positive pregnant women.)

Massage basically has the same pain-relieving effect as drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), says Field. Known as NSAIDS, for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, these medications work by reducing levels of substances called prostaglandins that increase levels of inflammatory cytokines. “By reducing the inflammation — or the pro-inflammatory cytokines, to be specific — you would reduce pain,” says Field.

Mainstream medicine has often dismissed massage as a bona fide therapy, but “these findings will have an impact on traditional medicine, as every ‘beneath-the-skin’ finding helps,” says Field.

The study was published in Science Translational Medicine.

MORE: The Lab Rat Gets Petted: How Massage Works

Maia Szalavitz is a health writer for TIME.com. Find her on Twitter at @maiasz. You can also continue the discussion on TIME Healthland’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIMEHealthland.

Read other related stories about this:
Study Works Out Kinks in Understanding of Massage The Los Angeles Times
Massage May Help Sore Muscles Recover WebMD
Massage After Exercise Tamps Down Inflammation That Causes Aches Bloomberg
Related Topics: massage, Medicine, Pain


Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/02/how-massage-helps-heal-muscles-and-relieve-pain/#ixzz1lLmzuVZK