Brain fitness industry boggles the mind

By EDWARD M. EVELD

The Kansas City Star, February 3, 2009

Is your brain switched to autopilot? If you’ve hit age 25 or so, it probably is.
Time to start exercising.
The notion of fitness for the brain has arrived — via video games, Internet sites and best-selling puzzle books. The lexicon includes terms such as “neurobics” and “brain calisthenics.”
Brain training may be trendy, and some of it questionable in terms of effectiveness, but it’s not a hoax.
It stems from what science is discovering about “neuroplasticity.”
They know about neuroplasticity at serious places such as the Brain Fitness Center at St. Luke’s Hospital.
“For decades we thought that you couldn’t form new connections in the brain,” said Marilyn Rymer, director of St. Luke’s Brain and Stroke Institute.
Brain research based on magnetic resonance imaging and other technologies is showing otherwise.
“We know now the new connections can be formed,” Rymer said. “It’s analogous to building muscle in the gym. But you have to do things you’re not used to doing.”
Adults tend to settle into routines in almost every aspect of their lives, she said, from jobs and friends to exercise routines and hobbies. They don’t embark on much new learning.
John Corbaley, who runs St. Luke’s Brain Fitness Center, said for many people at about age 25, after they complete their education and establish a daily work routine, the brain locks into “user mode.”
With less new learning, neuroconnectivity declines and so can memory and problem-solving skills.
Research shows certain activities can switch on the brain’s “acquisition mode.”
They include:
•Going back to school
•Learning a new “active” sport
•Learning a language
•Neurotraining(clinically proven)
The gold standard for such training, Corbaley said, is software from Posit Science. The company provides the training program used at the center.
With auditory and visual cues, the computer program presents “games” and tests that get progressively more difficult and require participants to recognize “infinitesimally small differences in the stimuli,” Corbaley said.
Pat Clune of Leawood and husband Bob are among the “worried well” who have attended the center. Worried well is the expression for participants who aren’t injured or impaired but want to ward off lapses.
“We have a wonderful family and grandkids,” Clune said, “and we like being a part of their lives. We want to stay ‘with it’ as long as we can.”
One exercise at the center reminded her of the “concentration” card game, only tougher. On the computer screen was a 30-square grid, and clicking on a square produced a one-syllable sound, such as “cha.”
Identifying the sound, remembering its location on the grid and finding its match was a real challenge, she said.
So what about all the brain games out there? Do they really work?
Hard to say without clinical research to back them up, Corbaley said.
For instance, people think of crossword puzzles as good brain exercisers, he said, but if you become an expert at them, they won’t serve as the best cognitive stimulators.
The activities should be:
•Progressively challenging
•Mentally rewarding
•Novel or surprising
•Demanding of attention
Finally, brain fitness isn’t only about waking up the brain. Other factors must be addressed to maintain and improve brain health, namely: physical exercise, nutrition, stress management and sleep.
http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1010069.html

Cardiologists Recommend Lifestyle Habits for Healthy Hearts

PR Newswire  02-03-09
WASHINGTON, Feb 03, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Diet, Vitamins, Exercise Are Key
February may be American Heart Month, but keeping your heart healthy is a year-round proposition. Eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly are two pillars of heart health. However, a new study shows that nearly three-quarters of cardiologists would add another recommendation: taking dietary supplements.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/lifesupplemented/36723 In fact, 73 percent of cardiologists believe this regimen - healthy diet + vitamins and other supplements + exercise - is essential for a healthy heart, according to new research from the "Life...supplemented" Healthcare Professionals (HCP) Impact Study. The study also showed that 72 percent of the nation's cardiologists recommend dietary supplements to their patients, and more than half (57 percent) take supplements themselves, with the most popular being multivitamins, omega-3/fish oils and vitamin C.
"Dietary supplements play an important role in a well-balanced health regimen, filling nutritional gaps and helping to promote overall health," says William Cooper, M.D., medical director of cardiovascular surgery at WellStar Kennestone Hospital, assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Emory University and advisor to the "Life...supplemented" campaign. "For those at high risk for heart disease, there's evidence that consistent use of certain supplements may help as part of a preventative program."
For example, Dr. Cooper points to the benefits of omega-3 fatty acid/fish oil supplements to help reduce inflammation, lower triglyceride levels and contribute to a healthy heart. He also recommends multivitamins, noting that the first step to heart health is maintaining overall health, and is a strong advocate of the benefits of fiber and phytosterol supplements for cholesterol-lowering effects. Other supplements to consider for heart health include antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, B vitamins, coenzyme Q10, calcium, potassium and magnesium. A healthy diet complemented by appropriate vitamins, minerals and other supplements is part of a long-term effective solution. In fact, 54 percent of cardiologists believe dietary supplements can play an important role in improving or maintaining the health of their patients.
If all this information sounds confusing, don't be afraid to ask a doctor for guidance. Sixty-two percent of cardiologists agree that one of their roles as a healthcare professional is to provide information to patients on dietary supplements. The ones they are most often asked about include omega-3/fish oil (80 percent), coenzyme Q10 (58 percent), vitamin E (39 percent), multivitamins (36 percent), and glucosamine and/or chondroitin (35 percent). A good way to start the conversation is to visit www.lifesupplemented.org and take "My Wellness Scorecard." It's a free, fast, fun interactive wellness assessment tool that helps identify realistic and personalized steps people can take toward better health. Take your results to your physician to develop a wellness regimen that works for you.
While a well-balanced wellness regimen that includes a healthy diet, vitamins and regular exercise is the foundation for long-term health, there are other steps you can add to help protect your heart:
1. Talk to your doctor; don't be afraid to ask questions. Form a partnership with your physician to set realistic goals for your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
2. Engage in stress-reducing behaviors, such as yoga, meditation and massages, and be sure to get a good night's sleep on a regular basis.
3. Don't smoke. Research concludes that smoking is not good for your health or your heart.
Methodology: Results from the 2008 "Life...supplemented" HCP Impact Study went public in November 2008 and comprise three separate surveys -- 300 cardiologists, 300 dermatologists and 300 orthopaedic specialists. Margins of sampling error at a 95 percent confidence level are A5.7 percentage points for each of the specialty groups of healthcare professionals surveyed (dermatologists, cardiologists and orthopaedic specialists). A nominal honorarium was given to each healthcare professional completing the survey. Ipsos Public-Affairs conducted the survey online. The first "Life...supplemented" HCP Impact Study of primary care physicians, OB/GYNs and nurses was conducted online in November 2007.
About the "Life...supplemented" HCP Impact Study: The study is part of the "Life...supplemented" consumer wellness campaign, which is dedicated to driving awareness about the mainstream use of dietary supplements as an integral part of a proactive personal wellness regimen that combines healthy diet, supplements and exercise. The study evaluates the personal attitudes and use of dietary supplements by healthcare professionals and whether their attitudes toward supplements affect their clinical behavior and recommendations to patients. The "Life...supplemented" campaign is managed by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry. For more information: www.lifesupplemented.org.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=7845&Section=Nutrition

'America's Super Fruit' Offers Homegrown Health Benefits

PR Newswire 02-03-09
LANSING, Mich., Feb 03, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cherries are not only good for you, but they're also on trend as a homegrown "Super Fruit." According to recent data, more than 9 out of 10 Americans want to know where their food comes from, nearly 80 percent say they're purchasing "locally produced" products, and the majority are defining "local" as made in America.(1,2) And cherries deliver.
About ninety-five percent of cherries consumed in the U.S. are grown here, with most coming from Michigan, Wisconsin, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania and New York.
Food and nutrition experts, including registered dietitian and host of the Food Network's "Healthy Appetite" Ellie Krieger, say the homegrown advantage, coupled with powerful health benefits, make cherries "America's Super Fruit."
"Cherries offer some of the most important attributes people are seeking in their foods today," said Krieger. "While exotic berries may be 'trendy,' as a chef and dietitian I choose cherries, an all-American favorite, because they deliver a powerful combination of good nutrition, local sourcing and environmental sustainability."
"America's Super Fruit" also delivers on safety. As stewards of the environment, the cherry industry has been at the forefront of sustainable growing practices and responsible pesticide research for many years.
As February is American Heart Month, it's no wonder it's also National Cherry Month. The antioxidant compounds -- called anthocyanins -- that give cherries their RED color continue to demonstrate heart-health benefits. Recent studies from the University of Michigan revealed that cherry-enriched diets in animals lowered multiple risk factors for heart disease. In 2007, researchers found that cherry-enriched diets in animals lowered total blood cholesterol levels and reduced triglycerides (fatty acids).(3) And, in 2008, the University of Michigan researchers found animals fed a cherry-enriched diet saw reduced total body weight and fat by 14 percent, in particular the "belly fat" that is most often associated with heart disease risk.(4)
"As we increasingly look for ways to improve health and fight disease with foods, it's exciting to see more and more studies suggest that simple dietary changes, such as including tart cherries, could help decrease the risk for heart disease," said Dr. Steven Bolling, a cardiac surgeon at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center who also heads the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory. "The fact they come from Michigan and around the United States is an added bonus."
In addition to being grown in the U.S., tart cherries come in dried, frozen and juice forms so they're readily available to enjoy all year long.
Krieger says being able to make foods a habit is an important factor in sustaining a healthful diet. "Creating a routine with foods you like is one of the most successful strategies for a long-term, healthful diet plan," said Krieger. "And, with heart disease continuing to be the number one killer in America, being able to incorporate heart-healthy foods like cherries in almost any meal or snacktime makes it easy and enjoyable to protect your heart."
To learn more about the health benefits of cherries and to find recipes and tips, visit http://www.choosecherries.com. There you can also download a copy of the Cherry Nutrition Report, a compendium of the more than 65 published studies on the potential health benefits of cherries.
The Cherry Marketing Institute (CMI) is an organization funded by North American tart cherry growers and processors. CMI's mission is to increase the demand for tart cherries through promotion, market expansion, product development and research. For more information on the science supporting the unique health benefits of cherries and for cherry recipes and menu ideas, visit http://www.choosecherries.com.
1: Survey conducted by IRI Data, 2008
2: Survey conducted by The Hartman Group, 2008
3: Seymour EM, Singer AAM, Bennink MR, Bolling SF. Cherry-enriched diets reduce metabolic syndrome and oxidative stress in lean Dahl-SS rats. Experimental Biology 2007 225.8, Presented in minisymposium 225, Dietary Bioactive Compounds: Chronic Disease Risk Reduction.
4: Seymour EM, Lewis A, Kirakosyan A, Bolling S. The Effect of Tart Cherry-Enriched Diets on Abdominal Fat Gene Expression in Rats. American Dietetic Association FNCE 2008.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=7844&Section=Nutrition

APHA Lists Vitamin D Deficiency as Top Public Health Issue
NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Public Health Association (APHA) recently adopted 12 new polices associated with public health issues, with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as a leading concern. APHA's new policies, approved during their 136th Annual Meeting in San Diego, seek to support the major public health concerns for both children and adults in the United States. Always at the forefront of innovation, Nature Made anticipated this public health threat four years ago and responded to the growing body of science and public health concerns regarding vitamin D deficiency by being the first company to increase the amount and potency of vitamin D offered in their products.
Researchers have estimated that nearly half (40-50 percent) of adults and more than 30 percent of children in the United States are at risk of vitamin D deficiency.(1) And, according to APHA, black Americans are at the highest risk for vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiencies are also more common in those who are over the age of 50, get very little sun exposure, have lactose intolerance, are vegan, or infants who are fed only breast milk.
APHA's focus on vitamin D deficiency as a top public health issue is supported by other leading health care organizations. In the past year, the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Dermatology have all issued position statements or communication efforts stressing the need for increased intake of vitamin D.
In addition to the importance of vitamin D intake for bone health, recent research shows optimum levels have been linked to maintaining colon, breast, prostate and ovarian health, benefiting the heart health and colorectal health, and enhancing immune system strength in adults. The best source of natural vitamin D is sunlight, yet many people don't get the needed 10 to 15 minutes of exposure without sunscreen a couple of times a week. Vitamin D is naturally found in butter, eggs, and fish liver oils, as well as fortified foods like milk and cereal. Since it is difficult for most people to meet their vitamin D needs through foods and sunlight, vitamin D supplements are extremely important.
Recognizing that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are major public health concerns for both children and adults in the United States, Nature Made was the first multivitamin line to include 1,000 I.U. of vitamin D to ensure consumers could meet their dietary requirements for this important vitamin. Most multivitamins offer only the basic level of this nutrient in their formulas, but Nature Made Multivitamins with Optimized Nutrient Levels includes the level required for more optimal health.
Vitamin D is sold in two forms, vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. All Nature Made vitamins and multivitamins provide high-strength vitamin D in the D3 form, which is more potent and active than the D2. One tablet of Nature Made Vitamin D 1,000 I.U. is equivalent to: 5 cans of tuna (3 oz. cans), or 10 cups of fortified milk, or 50 egg yolks, or 25 cups of fortified cereal.

STORY=/www/story/02-03-2009/0004965389&EDATE=

Soy May Reduce Risk of Colorectal Cancer
ST. LOUIS, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explores how soyfood consumption may lower the risk of colorectal cancer, or cancer of the colon or rectum, in postmenopausal women. According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 71,560 American women were diagnosed with the fourth most common cancer in 2008.
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine researchers found that women who consumed at least 10 grams of soy protein daily were one-third less likely to develop colorectal cancer in comparison to women who consumed little soy. This is the amount of soy protein available in approximately one serving of tofu (1/2 cup), roasted soy nuts (1/4 cup), edamame (1/2 cup) or soy breakfast patties (2 patties).
The study observed soy intake in 68,412 women between the ages of 40 and 70, all free of cancer and diabetes prior to the initial screening. Researchers identified 321 colorectal cancer cases after participants were monitored for an average of 6.4 years. After adjusting for confounding factors, total soyfood intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women.
"Research this comprehensive demonstrates how important it is for baby boomer and older women to add soy into their daily diet," said Lisa Kelly, RD, MPH, for the United Soybean Board. "Furthermore, the study's recommended serving is a simple and affordable nutritional step towards everyday wellness."
Evidence shows soy can play an important role in a healthy diet for a variety of reasons. It is a source of high-quality protein, and contains relatively little saturated fat as well as zero grams of trans fat. Soy protein also directly lowers blood cholesterol levels. And, for postmenopausal women in particular, the largest and longest trial published to date reported that the phytoestrogens in soy reduced hot flashes by 50 percent. A range of products - from soymilk to soy burgers to soy protein bars - can help deliver soy's benefits with convenience

STORY=/www/story/02-03-2009/0004965210&EDATE=

New AIDS approach disrupts patient's DNA
Last Updated: 2009-02-03 15:16:29 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California biotechnology company Sangamo BioSciences Inc. said on Monday it will start human testing of a new approach to treating the AIDS virus that involves altering a patient's DNA.
The approach is based on research that has long shown that people with a certain mutation in a gene called CCR5 resist infection with the fatal and incurable virus.
The gene controls a doorway called a receptor in immune system cells. The human immunodeficiency virus uses the CCR5 receptor to latch onto the cells it infects.
Sangamo's drug SB-728-T disrupts CCR5. It is a zinc finger nuclease -- a compound that can slice open molecules.
This one is specifically designed to disrupt CCR5. The company plans to remove immune cells called CD4 T-cells from HIV patients, treat them with the drug and re-infuse them.
The hope is these altered cells will thrive and multiply and give the patient an immune system resistant to HIV.
"This is the first time that we have had the ability to make a patient's T-cells permanently resistant to infection by CCR5-specific strains of HIV and we are very excited to begin a clinical trial of this novel zinc finger nuclease-based therapy," said Dr. Carl June of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, who will help test patients.
The company said its phase I study is meant to look for safety only, and 12 patients with advanced HIV infection will be recruited.
"The ability to protect immune cells from infection with HIV and the expansion of CCR5-modified T-cells has the potential to provide long-term control of both the virus itself and eventually the opportunistic infections characteristic of AIDS," June said.
In November, German researchers reported that a bone marrow transplant to replace the immune system of an HIV patient with leukemia not only treated his cancer, but appeared to have suppressed the AIDS virus as well. The transplant was from a donor who had the CCR5 mutation.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/02/03/eline/links/20090203elin011.html

US senators propose bill to stop generic drug delays
Last Updated: 2009-02-03 16:38:56 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two senior senators have introduced a bill that would make it illegal for pharmaceutical companies to pay generic drugmakers to keep lower priced alternatives off the market.
"It's time to stop these drug company pay-for-delay deals that only serve the profits of the companies involved and deny consumers access to affordable generic drugs," said Sen. Herb Kohl, a Wisconsin Democrat, who unveiled the legislation along with Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican.
As senator, President Barack Obama supported a similar bill. There is no companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Federal Trade Commission, one of two U.S. agencies to enforce antitrust law, argues that patent settlements are illegal if a brand name drug company pays a generic firm to delay sales of a cheaper equivalent.
It filed suit last week against Solvay SA, which had struck deals in 2006 with generic drug companies Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc, Par Pharmaceuticals and Paddock Laboratories to delay their production of a cheaper version of Solvay's testosterone-replacement therapy AndroGel.
But U.S. courts are divided on the issue.
The first known reverse payment was in 1994 when Bristol-Myers Squibb Co paid $290 million to Schein Pharmaceutical to delay sale of a generic version of the anti-anxiety drug Buspar.

Cancer Spreads Through Body Long Before Tumor Develops

by David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) Seemingly healthy cells may spread to distant parts of the body long before any cancerous tumors are visible, researchers have discovered. This suggests that the virulence of a specific case of cancer might actually be determined early in the disease, perhaps even before diagnosis.

At issue is a phenomenon called metastasis, by which cancer cells spread from one organ to a non-adjacent organ. Cancers that have metastasized are particularly lethal and hard to treat; the majority of lethal breast cancers, for example, are metastatic.

"These findings indicate that properties inherent in normal cells are sufficient for negotiating a significant portion of the metastatic cascade," lead researcher Dr Katrina Podsypanina said. "Our data seems to point toward the inherent decision that is made when the tumor is formed whether it is highly malignant or not."

The findings might explain the mystery of why some cancers have such high rates of metastasis and recurrence. Breast cancer is one such disease, with roughly 20 percent of women who are free of cancer five years after diagnosis suffering a recurrence some time in the following 10 years.

Previously, researchers had thought that metastasis could only occur in the late stages of cancer, when highly developed cancer cells break off from tumors and enter the circulatory or lymphatic systems. They had thought that prior to this point, cells would be unable to survive the journey and establish themselves in other organs.

In the current study, published in the journal Science, Podsypanina and colleagues at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center in New York injected mice with mammary (breast) cells that had been genetically modified to contain an "oncogene" that could be switched on to turn them cancerous. These cells were observed to travel through the blood and establish colonies in the lungs, where they were able to survive for up to 16 weeks.

They did not begin to form tumors, however, until their oncogenes were switched on. At that point, they rapidly developed into aggressive tumors without passing through the traditional early stage.

For comparison, the researchers also injected mice with non-modified mammary cells. In these mice, too, the breast cells established colonies in the lungs that were observed to grow and proliferate. These clusters of mammary cells never became malignant, however. When they were removed and implanted into other mice, they developed into normal, apparently healthy breast tissue.

"The finding that metastatic disease can arise from untransformed mammary cells in the circulation refines our conception of cancer progression," the researchers said.

The researchers and other cancer experts cautioned that more research is needed before it can be known for sure whether healthy cells are really involved in the spread of cancer. For one thing, it is not clear why or how healthy cells would get to other parts of the body in the first place, or how they would be activated once there.

"This does suggest that cells can sit for a long time, and then be activated," said Claudine Isaacs of Georgetown University. "But these cells were injected into the circulation. Normal breast cells are not supposed to be in the circulation."

In addition, the same effect might not occur in humans as in mice.

Yet if the implications of the study are correct, it might be possible to develop new cancer treatments that prevent the disease from spreading and becoming more lethal.

"If follow-up research suggested that dissemination of normal breast cells can account for metastatic relapse in breast cancer patients (a hypothetical situation, at present), we would argue that treatment strategies should aim to compromise viability and/or proliferation of normal breast cells, and not just breast tumor cells," they said.

"It's definitely conceptually very profound," Podsypanina said.

http://www.naturalnews.com/z025517.html

Milk Destroys Antioxidant Benefits in Blueberries

by Barbara Minton, Natural Health Editor

(NaturalNews) Not much is better than a bowl of fresh blueberries. Bursting with flavor and sweetness, low in calories, and packed with nutrients and antioxidants, these tiny fruits are anti-aging superstars. There is however one word of caution. Blueberries lose their power when eaten with milk.

A new study reported in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine investigated whether antioxidant properties of blueberries were reduced because of their affinity for protein. They assessed the bioavailability of phenolics after consumption of blueberries with and without milk. Phenolics are the active compounds in plants that give blueberries their antioxidant potential.

Volunteers consumed 200 g of blueberries with 200 ml of either water or whole milk. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at intervals following consumption. The samples revealed that ingestion of blueberries with water increased plasma levels and concentrations of caffeic and ferulic acids. When blueberries and milk were ingested together, there was no increase in plasma antioxidant capacity. There was a reduction in the peak plasma concentrations of caffeic and ferulic acids as well as the overall absorption of caffeic acid.

Ferulic acid provides rigidity to cell walls and protects the nervous system. It has a normalizing effect on blood pressure. Caffeic acid is also a powerful protector of neurons. Other research has shown caffeic acid has the potential to prevent neurodegenerative disease.

This study suggests that the best way to gain maximum benefits from blueberries and other fruits eaten for their polyphenol content is to consume them either one hour before protein is consumed, or two hours after.

The effects of ferulic and caffeic acids on neurons may be what give blueberries their ability to influence cognition and learning. A study reported in the August, 2008 journal Nutrition and Neuroscience looked at cognitive impairment in age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's as being due to long-term exposure and increased susceptibility to inflammatory insults. They investigated whether polyphenols in blueberries could reduce the deleterious effects of induced inflammation.

Rats were fed a diet that included a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), or a 2 percent blueberry diet. After two weeks and behavioral evaluation, the rats were examined and total RNA from the hippocampus was extracted to analyze the expression of inflammation-related genes. The researchers found the blueberry diet was able to improve cognitive performance to a much greater degree than was the NSAID diet. Blueberry eaters showed a reduction in several factors influencing the inflammatory response. They concluded that blueberry polyphenols can lessen learning impairments resulting from neurotoxic insult and exert anti-inflammatory actions, perhaps by alteration of gene expression.

Other studies have found that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging animals, making them mentally equivalent to animals much younger.

Blueberries are antioxidant powerhouses

Researchers at Tufts University recently analyzed 60 fruits and vegetables for their antioxidant capabilities. Blueberries were tops among all that were studied, ranking highest in the capacity to destroy free radicals. Antioxidants in blueberries neutralize free radical damage to the collagen matrix of cells and tissues that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, heart disease and cancer.

The pigments that give blueberries their color improve the structure of veins and the vascular system. They enhance the effects of vitamin C and inhibit enzymes from cleaving the collagen matrix. Maintaining a stable collagen matrix is essential for health of bones, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue. The collagen matrix is what keeps skin from wrinkling and sagging.

Eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day including blueberries lowers risk of age-related macular degeneration, the primary cause of vision loss in older adults. Blueberries are loaded with eye healthy and vision preserving carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, and flavonoids like rutin, resveratrol and quercitin. And they contain a wealth of minerals needed for vision and overall health, like selenium and zinc.

Blueberries are high in the soluble fiber pectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol. They provide greater cardio-protective antioxidant capability than red wine.

Blueberries' cancer fighting properties are legendary. Ellagitannins is probably the most highly prized compound in blueberries because of its ability to block metabolic pathways that can lead to the initiation and promotion of cancer. A study reported in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that blueberries inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and induce programmed cell death. Blueberries contain kaempferol. This compound was shown in the Women's Health Study to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by 40 percent in women who diets provided the greatest amounts. Blueberries also contain pterostilbene, another powerful cancer fighting compound.

Both diarrhea and constipation can be relieved with blueberries. Their tannin concentration helps reduce inflammation in the digestive tract as well as in the urinary tract. They provide safety form the bacteria that cause food borne illnesses.

Blueberries are terrific anti-depressants and mood elevators.

For many people seeing the price tag for fresh organic blueberries is a real jolt. Some of the cost can be minimized by buying wild blueberries. These are often the same quality as those certified organic. Frozen blueberries provide all the antioxidant potential and other nutrients found in fresh ones. If you are looking for frozen berries, check the bag to make sure the berries move around freely and are not stuck together, indicating they have been thawed and refrozen. If you like some juice with your blueberries, frozen is the way to go.

As a general rule, the riper the fruit the greater its antioxidant content.

Organic dried blueberries are also a good choice, especially for snacking since the sweetness is accentuated by the drying process. The antioxidant potential of dried blueberries can be as much as four times greater than that of fresh. Organic dried berries will have been dried at temperatures low enough to protect their antioxidant capabilities.

Heat is a destroyer of the antioxidant potential of blueberries, making canned or other processed berries a poor choice. Fresh or frozen blueberries can be pureed and fed to babies. Blueberries in baby food jars will have lost most of their nutritional value.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025516.html

Fermented Soy is Only Soy Food Fit for Human Consumption

by Barbara Minton, Natural Health Editor

(NaturalNews) Writings about the soybean date back to 3000 B.C., when the Emperor of China listed the virtues of soybean plants for regenerating the soil for future crops. His praises centered on the root of the plant, not the bean. These ancient writing suggested that the Chinese recognized the unfitness of soybeans for human consumption in their natural form. Now 5000 years later, we are once again catching on to the anti-nutritive qualities of the soybean, and realizing that the only soybean worth eating is one that has been fermented.

The key to releasing the nutrients of the soybean has been known for thousands of years

About 1000 B.C. some smart person in China discovered that a mold, when allowed to grow on soybeans, destroyed the toxins present and made the nutrients in the beans available to the body. This process became known as fermentation and led to the creation of the still popular foods tempeh, miso, and natto.

A few centuries later, a simpler process was developed to prepare soybeans for consumption. After lengthy soaking and cooking, the beans were treated with nigari, a substance found in seawater. The end product was tofu. During the Ming dynasty, fermented soy appeared in the Chinese Materia Medica as a nutritionally important food and an effective remedy for diseases.

Unfermented soybeans contain potent anti-nutrients

In their natural form, soybeans contain phytochemicals with toxic effects on the human body. The three major anti-nutrients are phytates, enzyme inhibitors and goitrogens.

These anti-nutrients are the way nature protects the soybean plant so that it can live long enough to effectively reproduce. They function as the immune system of the plant, offering protection from the radiation of the sun, and from invasion by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. They make the soybean plant unappetizing to foraging animals. All plants have some anti-nutrient properties, but the soybean plant is especially rich in these chemicals. If they are not removed by extensive preparation such as fermentation or soaking, soybeans are one of the worst foods a person can eat.

Unfermented soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women, allergies, ADD and ADHD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer, malnutrition, and loss of libido.

Groups most at risk of experiencing negative effects from the anti-nutrient properties of soy are infants taking soy baby formula, vegetarians eating a high soy diet, and mid-life women going heavy on the soy foods thinking they will help with symptoms of menopause.

Soybeans contain high levels of phytates

All legumes contain phytate (also known as phytic acid) to some extent, but the soybean is particularly rich in this anti-nutrient. Phytate works in the gastrointestinal tract to tightly bind minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, magnesium and calcium. It has a particularly strong affinity for zinc, a mineral that supports wound healing, protein synthesis, reproductive health, nerve function, and brain development. It is believed that people living in developing countries are shorter than those in developed countries because of zinc deficiency caused by eating too many legumes. There is also evidence that mental development can be negatively impacted by a diet high in phytate.

In most legumes such as other varieties of beans, soaking is enough to break down most of the phytate content. However the soybean requires that the enzymes be released in the fermentation process to reduce its phytate content to the point where it becomes fit for consumption. This means that fermented soy foods like miso and tempeh have the lowest levels of phytate and are the best choices for anyone wishing to eat soybean products. Tofu is also a good choice, as long as care is taken to replenish loss nutrients.

Whole soybeans, soy milk, soy chips, soy protein isolates, soy flour and all the other myriad of products made from processed soybeans and advertised as health foods have much higher levels of phytate and are not worth eating.

Unfermented soy products are rich in enzyme inhibitors

When food is eaten, digestive enzymes such as amylase lipase and protease are secreted into the digestive tract to help break it down and free nutrients for assimilation into the body. The high content of enzyme inhibitors in unfermented soybeans interferes with this process and makes carbohydrates and proteins from soybeans impossible to completely digest. When foods are not completely digested because of enzyme inhibitors, bacteria in the large intestine try to do the job, and this can cause discomfort, bloating, and embarrassment. Anyone with naturally low levels of digestive enzymes such as elderly people would suffer the most from the enzyme inhibiting action of soy.

Soybeans can block production of thyroid hormone

Soybeans have a high content of goitrogens, substances that can block the production of thyroid hormone as well as cause goiter formation. Low thyroid activity plagues women in America, particularly middle-aged women. Thyroid hormone stokes the cellular furnaces, known as mitochrondia. When thyroid production is low, energy levels as well as body heat are also low. Low thyroid level is what makes old people move so slowly and seem like every action is a huge chore. Low thyroid means the action of the heart is reduced, resulting in lack of oxygen to the cells, a prime condition for cancer.

Genistein, an isoflavone found in soybeans, can also block thyroid production. Phytate can accentuate these effects because it binds up zinc and copper, leaving little of these important minerals available to make thyroid hormone.

A transport protein called GLUT1 is shut down by genistein. This protein sends glucose into the cells where it is used to generate energy. Slowing the transport of glucose means less energy production not only of thyroid hormone, but of every other action in the body.

Another way in which soy isoflavones reduce energy in the body is by inhibiting tyrosine kinases, enzymes involved in the transfer of energy from one molecule to another. These enzymes drive cell division, memory consolidation, tissue repair, and blood vessel maintenance and regeneration.

It is this action of regulating cell division that made genistein a popular substance for fighting cancer. When research on this anti-cancer effect of genistein became know, the soy industry feverishly developed products that would appeal to Western women looking for genistein. In the middle of all this excitement, little attention was paid to how the energy reducing effects of genistein lowered cellular energy in normal cells.

The benefits of genistein come at a high cost

Women have been encouraged to use high genistein soy products to alleviate symptoms of menopause and as a guard against bone loss and breast cancer. But given the full range of effects of genistein in the body, high consumption could result in age-related memory loss. Commercial soybean products offer genistein levels as high as 20 to 60 mg per serving. Asians are presented as an example of the benefits of eating soybean products because their incidence of breast cancer and osteoporosis is low. However, the Asian diet of fermented soybean products such as miso and tempeh includes only around 5 mg of genistein a day.

Genistein slows the growth of blood vessels to tumors, another action that makes it popular as a cancer fighter. However, it has the same effect on blood vessels serving normal cells. Eating a regular diet high in genistein could result in the starvation of healthy blood vessels, resulting in a reduced supply of oxygen to cells, setting up a cancer promoting situation.

In a graphic example of how genistein slows cellular energy, a study found that eating high levels of it slowed hair growth by 60 to 80 percent

A decade ago a study of 8,000 Asian men showed that those consuming the highest amounts of tofu had smaller brain size and nearly three times the rate of senile dementia as those who ate the lowest amounts. These results suggest that eating foods high in isoflavones such as soy protein isolates may accelerate the aging of the brain.

Fermentation releases nutrients and transforms soybeans into nutritious food

People filling up their shopping carts with raw or cooked soybeans, soy milk, and other non-fermented soybean products do not realize that the isoflavones they contain will not be available to their bodies. Most of the isoflavones in soy products are bound to carbohydrate molecules called glucosides. In this form genistein is actually called genistin. It is fermentation that transforms genistin into genistein. Many products in the U.S. do not distinguish between genistin and genistein on their labels.

Even with fermented soy foods, a little goes a long way. The nutrients found in miso, tempeh, and natto can be beneficial in the moderate amounts found in the typical Asian diet, but have the potential to do harm in higher amounts. In China and Japan, about an ounce of fermented soy food is eaten on a daily basis.

When fermented soy foods are used in small amounts they help build the inner ecosystem, providing a wealth of friendly microflora to the intestinal tract that can help with digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and boost immunity.

Dr. John Lee, author of several books on the health of women, recommended that women wishing to consume soy production eat only miso, tempeh, natto. Tofu can also be eaten provided it is accompanied by fish or some other protein source and some seaweed or kelp to replenish bound minerals. Eating small amounts of these foods will provide the cancer protective effects of genistein without causing the other potential problems of genistein. Dr. Lee recommended avoiding genistein and isoflavone supplements, and soy protein isolates.

Sources:

Dr. John Lee, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer, Warner Books.

How Fermenting Takes the Allergy Out of Soy and Other Foods, bodyecology.com.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025513.html

Two Important Ways to Lower Risk of Heart Failure

 (NaturalNews) A man who is obese and inactive can have a risk of getting heart failure which is as much as three times that of a lean and active counterpart, a study conducted at Brigham and Women`s Hospital has found. And heightened heart failure risk applied not just to obese men, but also to those who were simply overweight.

Details of Study

The large prospective cohort study was published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association and was led by Satish Kenchaiah, MD. The study team had made use of data of 21,091 men from the Physician`s Health Study. The men were aged 40 to 84 at the start of the study (mean age of 53) and did not have any known heart disease. From the commencement of the study in 1982, the study subjects filled in annual health surveys, and occurrence of heart failure was tracked from that year to 2007.

The study found that there was an 11% increase in risk of heart failure per increase of 1-kg/m2 in body mass index (BMI). In addition, with lean study subjects (BMI <25 kg/m2) as the base group, it was found that overweight men (BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2) had a 49% higher risk of heart failure, while men who were obese (BMI 30 kg/m2) experienced a 180% higher risk.

"Whereas previous studies have established that obese men have a higher likelihood of developing heart failure, the present investigation has extended this knowledge by pointing out that even overweight or pre-obese men are not spared from this increased risk," said Dr Kenchaiah.

Lack of Vigorous Physical Activity Also Raises Heart Failure Risk

Further, undertaking vigorous physical activity offered an 18% reduction in heart failure risk. The research team had defined "vigorous physical activity" as a dichotomous variable - the men were either "active", which meant they undertook exercise that caused sweating 1 to 3 times each month, or "inactive", which meant rare or no occurrences of such activity.

With more exercise, the protective effects were enhanced. In comparing men who exercised vigorously 5 to 7 times each week to men who did not have such physical activity at all, the former group had a 36% lower risk of heart failure.

Combined Effect of Healthy Weight and Vigorous Physical Activity

Using men who were both physically active and lean as the base group, the risk of heart failure was higher for all the other groups by the following respective amounts:

* lean and inactive - 19%
* overweight and active - 49%
* overweight and inactive - 78%
* obese and active - 168%
* obese and inactive - 293%

Significantly, it was also found that weight and physical activity did not seem to influence each other`s impact on heart failure risk. In other words, whether you are heavy or light, exercise helps, while whether or not you exercise, being heavier heightens your risk. "Higher [body mass index] increased the risk of heart failure in active and inactive men. By the same token, the beneficial effect of vigorous physical activity in reducing the risk of heart failure was observed in lean, overweight, and also obese men," said Dr Kenchaiah.

Bottom line? To reduce your risk of heart failure, keep lean, and exercise regularly often. Both are important, although, between the two, the figures seem to imply that maintaining healthy weight offers more pronounced protection against heart failure.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025511.html

Plums Poised To Give Blueberries Run For The Money

ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2009) — There’s an emerging star in the super-food world. Plums are rolling down the food fashion runway sporting newly discovered high levels of healthy nutrients, say scientists at Texas AgriLife Research.
Plainly, “blueberries have some stiff competition,” said Dr. Luis Cisneros, AgriLife Research food scientist."Stone fruits are super fruits with plums as emerging stars."
Far from fruit snobbery, the plum is being ushered in after Cisneros and Dr. David Byrne, AgriLife Research plant breeder, judged more than 100 varieties of plums, peaches and nectarines and found them to match or exceed the much-touted blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients associated with disease prevention.
The duo acknowledge that blueberries remain a good nutritional choice. But Byrne said their findings are plum good news, especially in tight economic times, because one relatively inexpensive plum contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of more expensive blueberries.
“People tend to eat just a few blueberries at a time – a few on the cereal or as an ingredient mixed with lots of sugar,” Cisneros said. “But people will eat a whole plum at once and get the full benefit.”
Discovery of the plum’s benefits – along with that of fellow stone fruits, the peach and the nectarine – came after the researchers measured at least five brands of blueberries on the market. Against those numbers, the team measured the content of more than 100 different types of plums, nectarines and peaches.
The first comparison was for antioxidants, molecules that sweep through a body looking for free radicals to knock out. Free radicals are atoms or molecules that lurk where diseases like cancer and heart disease are found.
"If the radicals aren’t taken care of,” Cisneros said, “they will cause the problems that lead to disease.”
But the scientists didn’t stop at knowing that plums and peaches were flexing their antioxidant muscles.
“Knowing that we had all these varieties with high levels of antioxidants, then the possibility of preventing these diseases would also be high with their consumption, so we went to the next step – how these compounds could actually inhibit chronic diseases,” Cisneros said.
The team examined the full content of plums and peaches, then tested the effect of the compounds they found on breast cancer cells and cholesterol in the lab.
“We screened the varieties again with the biological assays,” Cisneros said. “And that had never been done before, because it is expensive and a lot of work. But that investment is small in terms of the information we got, and how it can be used now for breeding efforts to produce even better fruit.”
Byrne noted, for example, that one benefit the team found was that the phytonutrients in plums inhibited in vitro breast cancer growth without adversely affecting normal cell growth.
He said this type of research needs further study but is an indication that breeders ultimately will be able to produce new crop varieties with the best ratio of various phytochemicals to have an impact on disease prevention and inhibition. And these fruits will be available as fresh produce as well as in extracts for dietary supplements.
"Future work with stone fruits will focus on cardiovascular and cancer using animal models and identification of specific compounds that exert the properties," Cisneros added.
Bottom line from the researchers: “We suggest that consumers take seriously the recommendation to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables – or even more – every day and to make sure that plums are part of that,” Byrne said.
Funding comes from the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center at Texas A&M University and the California Tree Fruit Agreement.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090128160926.htm

Glaciers Around The Globe Continue To Melt At High Rates

ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2009) — Glaciers around the globe continue to melt at high rates. Tentative figures for the year 2007, of the World Glacier Monitoring Service at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, indicate a further loss of average ice thickness of roughly 0.67 meter water equivalent (m w.e.). Some glaciers in the European Alps lost up to 2.5 m w.e.
The new still tentative data of more than 80 glaciers confirm the global trend of fast ice loss since 1980. Glaciers with long-term observation series (30 glaciers in 9 mountain ranges) have experienced a reduction in total thickness of more than 11 m w.e. until 2007. The average annual ice loss during 1980-1999 was roughly 0.3 m w.e. per year. Since 2000, this rate has increased to about 0.7 m w.e. per year.
Michael Zemp, glaciologist and research associate of the WGMS, said: «The average ice loss in 2007 was not as extreme as in 2006, but there were large differences between mountain ranges. Glaciers in the European Alps lost up to 2.5 meters water equivalent of ice, whereas maritime glaciers in Scandinavia were able to gain more than a meter in thickness. However, 2007 is now the sixth year of this century in which the average ice loss of the reference glaciers has exceeded half a meter. This has resulted in a more than doubling of the melt rates of the 1980s and 90s.»
For the observation period 2007, dramatic ice losses were reported from glaciers in the European Alps, such as of the Hintereisferner (-1.8 m w.e.) or the Sonnblickkess (-2.2 m w.e.) in Austria, the Sarennes (-2.5 m w.e.) in France, the Caresèr (-2.8 m w.e.) in Italy, or of the Silvretta (-1.3 m w.e.) and Gries (-1.7 m w.e.) in Switzerland. In Norway, many maritime glaciers were able to gain mass, e.g. the Nigardsbreen (+1.0 m w.e.) or the Ålfotbreen (+1.3 m w.e.), although the glaciers further inland have continued to shrink, e.g. the Hellstugubreen or the Gråsubreen (both with -0.7 m w.e.).
All mass balance programmes in South American reported negative values ranging from -0.1 m w.e. at the Echaurren Norte in Chile to -2.2 m w.e. at the Ritacuba Negro in Columbia. In North America some positive values were reported from the North Cascade Mountains and the Juneau Ice Field together with a continued ice loss from the glaciers in the Kenai Mountains and the Alaskan Range as well as from Canada’s Coast Mountains and High Arctic.
Glaciologists express the annual mass balance, i.e. the gain or loss in thickness, of a glacier in ‘meter water equivalent’ (m w.e.). This standardized unit takes the different densities of change measurements in ice, firn and snow into account (see Photos 1 and 2). One meter of ice thickness corresponds to about 0.9 m w.e.
The internationally coordinated glacier monitoring was initiated in 1894, following the example of the Swiss national observation network, and has been mainly under Swiss leadership since then. Today, the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) is responsible for the collection and publication of standardized glacier data from around the world. The WGMS is located at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and maintains a collaborative network of national correspondents and principal investigators in the countries involved in glacier monitoring. The long-term measurement series of glacier mass balance produces one of the essential variables within the international climate-related monitoring programmes.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090129090002.htm

Methamphetamine Use Cost The US About $23 Billion In 2005, RAND Study Estimates

ScienceDaily (Feb. 4, 2009) — The economic cost of methamphetamine use in the United States reached $23.4 billion in 2005, including the burden of addiction, premature death, drug treatment and many other aspects of the drug, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
The RAND study is the first effort to construct a comprehensive national assessment of the costs of the methamphetamine problem in the United States.
"Our findings show that the economic burden of methamphetamine abuse is substantial," said Nancy Nicosia, the study's lead author and an economist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization.
Although methamphetamine causes some unique harms, the study finds that many of the primary issues that account for the burden of methamphetamine use are similar to those identified in economic assessments of other illicit drugs.
Given the uncertainty in estimating the costs of methamphetamine use, researchers created a range of estimates. The lowest estimate for the cost of methamphetamine use in 2005 was $16.2 billion, while $48.3 billion was the highest estimate. Researchers' best estimate of the overall economic burden of methamphetamine use is $23.4 billion
The study was sponsored by the Meth Project Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to reducing first-time methamphetamine use. Additional support was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"We commissioned this study to provide decision makers with the best possible estimate of the financial burden that methamphetamine use places on the American public," said Tom Siebel, founder and chairman of the Meth Project. "This is the first comprehensive economic impact study ever to be conducted with the rigor of a traditional cost of illness study, applied specifically to methamphetamine. It provides a conservative estimate of the total cost of meth, and it reinforces the need to invest in serious prevention programs that work."
The RAND analysis found that nearly two-thirds of the economic costs caused by methamphetamine use resulted from the burden of addiction and an estimated 900 premature deaths among users in 2005. The burden of addiction was measured by quantifying the impact of the lower quality of life experienced by those addicted to the drug.
Crime and criminal justice expenses account for the second-largest category of economic costs, according to researchers. These costs include the burden of arresting and incarcerating drug offenders, as well as the costs of additional non-drug crimes caused by methamphetamine use, such as thefts committed to support a drug habit.
Other costs that significantly contribute to the RAND estimate include lost productivity, the expense of removing children from their parents' homes because of methamphetamine use and spending for drug treatment.
One new category of cost captured in the analysis is the expense associated with the production of methamphetamine. Producing methamphetamine requires toxic chemicals that can result in fire, explosions and other events. The resulting costs include the injuries suffered by emergency personnel and other victims, and efforts to clean up the hazardous waste generated by the production process.
Researchers caution that their estimates are in some cases based on an emerging understanding of methamphetamine's role in these harms and should be further refined as understanding of these issues matures. The RAND report also identifies costs that cannot yet be adequately quantified.
"Estimates of the economic costs of illicit drug use can highlight the consequences of illegal drug use on our society and focus attention on the primary drivers of those costs," Nicosia said. "But more work is needed to identify areas where interventions to reduce these harms could prove most effective."
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance that can be taken orally, injected, snorted or smoked. While national surveys suggest that methamphetamine use is far from common, there is evidence that the harms of methamphetamine may be concentrated in certain regions. One indicator of the problem locally is treatment admissions. Methamphetamine was the primary drug of abuse in 59 percent of the treatment admissions in Hawaii in 2004 and accounted for 38 percent of such admissions in Arizona in 2004.
The report, "The Economic Costs of Methamphetamine Use in the United States - 2005," is available as a PDF. Other authors of the report are Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, Beau Kilmer, Russell Lundberg and James Chiesa.

Pulse rate clue to heart attacks
Simply measuring a woman's resting pulse rate can predict how likely she is to suffer a heart attack, says a study in the British Medical Journal.
US researchers looked at the records of around 129,000 postmenopausal women who had no history of heart problems.
They found that those with the highest heart rates were significantly more likely to suffer a heart attack than the women with the lowest rates.
However, the association was weaker than that with cigarettes and diabetes.
Previous studies have shown that resting heart rate predicts coronary events in men.
The researchers from the pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca, said the strength of this association "might be large enough to be clinically meaningful."
They assessed women over the age of 50 and enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative who were involved in four randomised trials and an observational study from 1993 to 1998.
They followed them up for about seven years and found that the women suffered 2,281 fatal or non-fatal heart attacks and 1,877 strokes.
Women with the fastest resting heart rates of more than 76 beats per minute were 1.6 times as likely to suffer a coronary event compared with those with the lowest resting heart rates below 62 beats per minute.
And the relationship was stronger in the younger postmenopausal women.
Weight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and consumption of saturated fats were all higher in the women with the highest heart rates as were the incidence of diabetes, smoking, and depression.
The women with the lowest resting heart rates were more active but also drank more alcohol than the others.
Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: "It adds heart rate to the numerous other risk factors known to influence the chances of having a heart attack.
"One's heart rate changes minute by minute in response to things like activity and emotion, so people shouldn't automatically assume that if their heart rate happens to be high at a particular time it is putting them at risk of a heart attack."
Dr Tim Chico, consultant cardiologist at the University of Sheffield, said: "We already have methods to predict someone's risk of heart disease based upon things they can change, for example whether they smoke, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, or things they can't change, such as their age and sex.
"We all need to pay more attention to things we can do in our lifestyle to lower our risk of heart disease."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7867304.stm

The long reach of youthful angst

Research suggests whether in college or not, almost half of young adults in US meet criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder

By Judy Foreman  |  Boston Globe February 2, 2009
A troubled, gun-wielding 23-year-old student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute goes on a campus rampage, killing 32 people and eventually himself. An MIT student commits suicide by ingesting cyanide, and another dies in a fire after an overdose.
Such highly publicized occurrences underscore the sense of personal angst on today's college campuses. But contrary to popular belief, the stress young people experience has nothing to do with meeting the demands of higher education.
It comes simply with being a newly minted adult.
Whether in college or not, almost half of this country's 19-to-25-year-olds meet standard criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder, although some of the disorders, such as phobias, are relatively mild, according to a government-funded survey of more than 5,000 young adults, published in December in the Archives of General Psychiatry.
The study, done at Columbia University and called the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions, found more alcohol use disorders among college students, while their noncollege peers were more likely to have a drug use disorder.
But, beyond that, misery is largely an equal-opportunity affliction: Across the social spectrum, young people in America are depressed. They're anxious. They regularly break one another's hearts. And, all too often, they don't get the help they need as they face life's questions:
"Who will I be? Will I make friends? The romantic relationships, planning for the future . . . there is all kinds of stuff going on at the same time, including raging hormones," says Ronald Kessler, a medical sociologist at Harvard Medical School.
Some evidence suggests that college students may even be less miserable than their nonstudent-age-mates.
Suicide - the third leading cause of death for teenagers and young adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - is one-third lower among the college than noncollege set, says Dr. Paul Barreira, a psychiatrist who is director of Behavioral Health and Academic Counseling at Harvard University Health Services.
The reason is not well understood. One possible explanation, according to Barreira, is that most residential colleges don't allow firearms. Firearms are still the most likely way young people kill themselves.
Mood disorders such as depression and anxiety affect slightly fewer college students than noncollege peers, researchers say.
And the biggest cause of despair? Even among college students, it's not academics, but love that hurts most.
Emotional problems were more than twice as common among students who had recently had a major loss - typically a romantic breakup - than among those who had not, says Dr. Mark Olfson, the Columbia University psychiatrist who led the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions study.
The universality of youthful angst may come as a surprise in light of tragic college occurrences. But to the specialists, it makes perfect sense.
For one thing, early adulthood is the time when serious psychiatric problems such as bipolar disorder (manic-depression) and schizophrenia often surface.
For another, happiness in general follows a U-shaped curve, with the greatest unhappiness among young and very old adults, according to Kessler, the Harvard medical sociologist. For the young, the trick is navigating a steep developmental curve - figuring out who you are, getting work, family, and finances on track, and generally stumbling toward independence.
An open question is whether life has always been this way for the young, or whether psychological problems are on the rise. A 2006 survey of directors of college counseling centers suggests things are getting worse.
But Dr. Andrew Leuchter, a psychiatrist and associate dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, says, "We don't know to what extent kids are having more difficulties and to what extent we are much better at recognizing and diagnosing them."
Barreira agrees. "Most college counseling people would say students are more depressed today. But my hypothesis is that we're looking for it more and we're better at diagnosing it in high school. More students are showing up in college on medications - they've been successfully treated so that they can get into good colleges."
For its part, Harvard is conducting a multiyear survey of mental health among incoming freshmen. And UCLA, despite general financial austerity, has launched a new initiative to help students with psychological problems.
That said, the Columbia study suggests that mental health treatment is actually better outside the Ivy-covered walls. While 1 in 20 college students with psychological problems gets treatment, 1 in 10 of same-age nonstudents gets help.
It's not clear why, says Olfson, the Columbia University psychiatrist. "College students may be more concerned" that if they seek help they might jeopardize career opportunities or academic achievement, though he adds that even so, "colleges should make more of an effort to make services available and acceptable, particularly for alcohol use problems." Living at home with parents seems to protect kids' mental health, whether they are in college or not, the study found.
Young people, in and out of school, can also do more to help one another, says Barreira, especially by minimizing isolation. "Everything gets worse if you're isolated," he says. "It's amazing how many students eat alone in the dining hall. My message to them: Find someone to talk to, even if it's a teaching fellow or a faculty member. Don't stay isolated."
Worried parents can help, too, whether their offspring are in school or in the job market. They can reassure their sons and daughters that it's not necessary to get all A's or move like lightening up the job ladder. And perhaps most important, that broken hearts usually do heal.
http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/02/02/the_long_reach_of_youthful_angst/