SUBJECT: Special Notes from Roc Nutrition Investigator
Here are many notes from recent months:
1. 9 of 10 deaths are flu related for people over 65. Only 61% of 65-plus get flu shots! Flu fighting foods include tomatoes, carrots, tea (not herbal), mushrooms, yogurt, and almonds (from AARP)
2. Naps nuture young brains. 3 to 5 yr olds getting naps remembered 15% more in a memory game.
3. One more reason not to eat red meat: Europe banned drugs promoting weight gain in cattle at feedlots, but the US cattle industry still uses them. When it passes out of the cattle, it significantly harms fish and disrupts the endocrine system Science: 341: 1441).
4. What one change would most improve the work-life balance for scientists? “I call on you to value healthy lifestyles enough to insist that your employees make to time to exercise during the day.” Science 342:36
5. 4 weight loss boosters (from Juvenon) – Exercise, and some foods burn calories! a. Beans, in a 2011 study researchers observed that for every 10 grams of soluble fiber eaten over the course of a day there was a corresponding 3.7 percent decrease in abdominal fat over a five-year period. b. salmon. c. Nuts, a 2001 Harvard study that found that participants following a Mediterranean-style diet included nuts lost greater amounts of weight and stuck with the diet longer than other diets. d. green tea, Studies now suggest that green tea may help to burn fat.
6. 3 cups of milk a day may be too many. Federal guidelines recommending that Americans of all ages consume three cups per day of reduced fat milk or other dairy products may be influenced more by lobbying from the dairy industry than by scientific evidence (Walter Willett)
7. Arecent study by HSPH researchers found that people who started eating more red meat than usual—about 3.5 servings more per week—had a 50% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes during the next four years. These findings add to the already substantial evidence that replacing red meat with fish, poultry, beans, or nuts, could help prevent heart disease and diabetes—and could lower the risk of early death. (Harvard newsletter)
8. Virgin olive oil is wonderful but 69% is fake! An NPR program this morning reminded me. There was a recent study in AJCN about olive oil and heart disease, a big Spanish study. People who consumed 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil had 30% fewer heart attacks, compared to people who ate the same but had nuts or nothing. But another study shows at least 50% of olive oil is such poor quality that it does no good for hearts, and 69% of olive oil tested by Food and Nutrition Board failed on quaility. Olive oil must be used within 4-6 months of opening, and good olive oil has date stamped on the bottle. Good oil should sting the back of the throat due to polyphenols that are still active.
9. How to be a better student (from Sept/Oct 2013 Scientific American Mind): 1. Get visual – Many people remember things better when they see them rather than hearing them. Look at figures in your texts. 2. Get exercise! Regular exercise improves cognitive function, memory, and grades!! 3. Share your progress. Compose updates on what you are learning and tweet your friends. 4. Test yourself BEFORE you study. This substantially improves your retention. Before reading about proteins, ask yourself questions. Take a practice test before from questions at the end of chapters.
10. Learning to love math (from Sept/Oct 2013 Scientific American Mind): With the right lesson plan, struggling students will enjoy and succeed.
11. How to keep your brain fit (New Yorker article) – For mature individuals concerned about maintaining mental fitness, here’s evaluations of how to maintain your brain (beyond the nutrition advice at this site if you search dementia, etc.)
12. Krill oil is like fish oil without fishy taste.
I hope some of these comments are useful. -Nutrition Investigator, Roc
