Dispelling Myths about Strength Training

In the past decade, the popularity of nutritional supplements has grown by leaps and bounds. The supplement craze has reached such a fever pitch that conventional supermarkets now carry many of the same products once reserved only for nutrition marts and health food stores.Glucose and amino acid supplementation has been lauded by many in the bodybuilding world for its ability to increase muscle protein synthesis following resistance exercise. However, the mechanisms underlying this supposed action remain unsupported by the literature, including this study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.Seven previously untrained men and women (average age: 23 years) trained on a leg-extension machine for 10 weeks - four sets of 10 repetitions, five days per week. Alternate legs were trained on successive days, and subjects ingested a supplement containing glucose, amino acids, or a neutral placebo on alternate days, immediately after training.Although serum insulin concentration after supplement ingestion peaked at nine times the placebo level, no significant strength differences were noted between the supplement leg and the placebo leg. The authors suggest: "Athletes and others who wish to gain muscle strength may not benefit by supplementing their workouts in such a manner." Reference: Williams A, Oord M, Sharma A, et al. Is glucose/amino acid supplementation after exercise an aid to strength training? British Journal of Sports Medicine 2001: Vol. 35, No. 10, pp109-113.For more information on sports and fitness, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/sports.html.

Vitamin C for the Skin

We've all heard about the benefits of vitamin C, and just about everyone knows where to find good sources of this important nutrient - look no further than the produce section at your local market. Oranges, grapefruit (and other citrus fruits), broccoli, asparagus, tomatoes and sweet peppers are a few of the many fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of vitamin C.What you may not know is that vitamin C is also necessary in tissue growth and repair, suggesting its potential role in retarding skin damage and skin aging. Researchers evaluated this premise in a recent study published in the European Journal of Dermatology. Twenty female volunteers (aged 55-60 and suffering from photoaged skin on the neck) received a six-month application of topical vitamin C or placebo. Results showed a significant decrease in the wrinkles and deep furrows on the side of the neck treated with the vitamin C cream. This improvement was confirmed by patient self-assessment and by a dermatologist's clinical examination. Your doctor can provide you with more information on minimizing skin damage, and on the many benefits of a well-balanced diet rich in the proper nutrients. For more information on vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html. Reference: Humpert P. Topical vitamin C in the treatment of photoaged skin. European Journal of Dermatology 2001: Vol. 11, pp172-173.

Missing Work Because of Depression

Do you feel unhappy most of the time? Do you frequently get upset over little things? Do you frequently feel like crying? The answers to these and other seemingly simple questions can be important in diagnosing an all-too-common illness: depression.Depression can be devastating to everyday life, including family relationships, friendships, and the ability to work. Employers have long coped with employee absenteeism, but a new study reveals that depression may be a substantial contributing factor.The study used statistical analyses to evaluate more than 6,000 employees at three corporations. Workers exhibiting symptoms of depression were twice as likely to miss work (at least one missed workday in the previous four weeks) due to health reasons, compared with workers without depressive symptoms; decreased job performance was also seven times higher for depressed vs. nondepressed employees.These findings emphasize that depressive disorders persist over time and can have a significant impact on workplace effectiveness.Reference: Druss B, Schlesinger M, Allen H. Depressive symptoms, satisfaction with health care, and two-year work outcomes in an employed population. The American Journal of Psychiatry 2001: Vol. 158, No. 5, pp731-34.

Soy Protein for School Lunches

While strides have been made in recent years to improve the nutritional quality of cafeteria food provided to schoolchildren, there's still more work to be done. Pizza, French fries, tacos and friend chicken nuggets remain staples of the daily student diet; the majority of fat from these and other foods comes from meat, dairy and processed foods.A study in the April 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Dietary Association investigated the effects of substituting meat with soy products, with the specific intention of evaluating the impact of such a substitution on the overall nutritional quality of school lunches. Meat content was reduced by 30% and replaced with soy protein in 132 elementary school lunch selections, including Sloppy Joes; lasagna; pizza; chicken enchiladas; and tuna and ham salad.Results: With the exception of chicken entrees, kilocalories and average grams of total and saturated fat decreased in meat-only entrees (replaced with soy) than in entrees with fat from additional ingredients such as cheese or oil.The authors note in their conclusion that soy protein can be a good way to improve the nutritional quality of school lunches, particularly those in which meat (pork, ground beef and ground turkey) is the primary source of fat.Your doctor of chiropractic can help outline a nutritional and exercise program suitable to your family's needs. For additional information on nutrition, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html. Reference: Thomas J, Lutz S. Soy protein lowers fat and saturated fat in school lunch beef and pork entrees. Journal of the American Dietary Association 2001: Vol. 110, No. 4, pp461-63.

Low-Iron Diet = Low Math Scores?

Is your child having problems in math class? A study in the June 2001 issue of Pediatrics indicates that diet may be a factor. The scores of four standardized tests -- math, reading, verbal ability and performance -- were evaluated for a sample of 5,398 children between 6 and 16 years old.Scores for the tests were derived based on age groups and test scores were compared to cases of iron deficiency. Children identified with iron deficiencies scored much lower in math than children with normal iron levels. Iron-deficient children with anemia averaged 86.4 and iron-deficient children without anemia averaged 87.4 on the math test, compared to a 93.7 average for children with normal iron levels. Also, a greater number of iron-deficient children (with and without anemia) scored below average in math than children with regular iron levels.Iron deficiency was also more prevalent in girls than in boys. The researchers believe that this may be due to a combination of poor diet and menstrual blood loss. Be sure your child is getting enough iron naturally in his or her diet; some of the best sources of naturally occurring iron include red meat, poultry, beans and whole grains. Coffee, tea and excessive consumption of high-fiber foods decrease the body's ability to absorb iron.Reference: Halterman JS, Kaczorowski JM, Aligne CA, et al. Iron deficiency and cognitive achievement among school-aged children and adolescents in the United States. Pediatrics June 2001:107(6), pp 1381-1386. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the essentials of a health diet for your children, or visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html.

Dietary Fats Affect Childhood Allergies

Kids who suffer from allergies know how lousy they can make you feel, and allergy medications often have side effects like drowsiness. As a result, natural means of preventing the development of hay fever and itchy skin are increasingly being studied. Research on dietary fat intake and its association with allergic reactions is an example -- it has been suspected that eating a lot of unsaturated fat, such as margarine, may be linked to nasal and dermal (skin-related) allergic reactions.In a recent study in Allergy, researchers evaluated the link between dietary fats and the risk of developing allergies. They examined 462 children, 3 to 18 years old, comparing the occurrence of allergies to dietary information. The children were studied over a nine-year period.Results indicated that prior to developing allergies, allergy sufferers had used more margarine and less butter than the other children. Also, the level of fatty acids obtained from fish was higher in non-allergic kids than in those with skin allergies.Providing too much margarine and not enough butter in your child's diet may be related to the development of allergies. Eating fish also may reduce allergy symptoms. More research needs to be done on a possible association between dietary fats and allergies, but in the meanwhile, be sure to provide your child with a balance of dietary fats. For online information on childhood health, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/childhood.html. Reference: Dunder T, Kuikka L, Turtinen J, et al. Diet, serum fatty acids, and atopic diseases in childhood. Allergy 2001:56, pp 425-428.

Lining up at the Buffet? You May Eat Twice as Much

Faced with a large variety of foods, such as buffets offer, people eat considerably more than they would at a typical meal. Hardly surprising, but do you know how much more? The variety in your diet may influence the amount you eat more than you realize.According to a recent review of related literature in the Psychological Bulletin, one study reported that subjects given a varied four-course meal ate 44% more food and 60% more calories than subjects given only one food for each of the four courses. The results of another study showed that participants consumed much more yogurt per course when offered three flavors instead of one. Texture, taste and appearance of food may all be related to the amount of food a person consumes.It's no secret that we're all tempted to overeat when given a choice between a variety of foods. The message is clear: Stay away from the buffets! You can still eat a variety of foods, but select from vegetables and fruits ("good carbs") and low-fat, protein-rich items (skinless turkey, chicken, fish, soy/ tofu). Minimize the "bad carbs": breads, pasta and rice, and make sure that those you do eat are whole-grain products.Reference: Raynor HA, Epstein LH. Dietary variety, energy regulation, and obesity. Psychological Bulletin 2001:127(3), pp 325-341.

Purple Grape Juice Combats Cardiovascular Disease (and It's Cheaper than Red Wine!)

Moderate red wine consumption reduces the risk of heart problems and protects the body from cardiovascular disease, but the alcohol in it can cause health problems. New research suggests that purple grape juice may provide these same benefits, without the effects of alcohol.A study in the June 12, 2001 issue of Circulation tested blood samples incubated with purple grape juice, and examined 20 subjects, 20 to 45 years old, who drank purple grape juice daily for two weeks. The purple grape juice inhibited blood clotting and increased antioxidants in both in- and out-of-body tests. Results were dose-dependent: the more juice a person drank, the more dramatic the effect on blood clotting and antioxidant levels.The beneficial properties in red wine and purple grape juice appear to come from the presence of flavonoids, which are concentrated in the skins, seeds and stems of grapes. Purple and other dark-colored grapes offer much greater concentrations of flavonoid compounds than light-colored grapes.Reference: Freedman JE, Parker III C, Li L, et al. Select flavonoids and whole juice from purple grapes inhibit platelet function and enhance nitric oxide release. Circulation June 12, 2001:103, pp 2792-2798.