Are People Still Consuming Too Much Salt?

Being one of the oldest food seasonings, salt has 2 major components: sodium and chloride ions. Salt is needed by human body to perform a variety of essential functions. Besides helping maintain fluid in the body cells and transmitting information in the nerves and muscles, salt can also be used in the uptake of certain nutrients form the small intestines.

While human require only a small quantity of salt each day, the salt consumption has increased to a level that is harmful to the body. Statistics showed that most Americans eat more than twice the recommended daily allowance of sodium.

Excess intake of sodium can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), which in turn is a major risk factor for stroke and heart disease. About 80 percent of the sodium consumed by Americans is from restaurants and food manufacturers.

Despite the urge by health experts to cut salt intake for better health, the amount of salt found in processed or fast food is still high, according to a study that was published online on May 13, 2013 in the ‘Journal Of The American Medical Association’.

The findings showed that there was little change in terms of sodium content in sample of 480 processed and restaurant food from 2005 to 2011. The sample is only a small percentage of the thousands of foods in restaurants and grocery stores.

Though some products like sliced cheddar cheese and canned tomato soup did show decreases, others showed increases. Restaurant French fries, cheese pizza, whole-wheat bread, Caesar dressing, and barbecue sauce were found to have higher sodium in 2011 than 2005. A decrease of at least 30 percent was found in some of the products studied, but an increase of at least 30 percent was found in a greater number of products.

As suggested by some research, lowering salt intake could save up to 150,000 lives a year in the United States. There are, however, different views on whether consumers should cut sodium or whether the food industry should face tighter regulations.

Judge by what the new study has revealed, it seems that voluntary approach has failed. The food industry has not been making much changes. Hence, the researchers urge government to step in to protect the public by imposing regulations on the food industry. Otherwise, it is estimated that at least one million deaths and $100 billion in health-care costs will be incurred in the coming decade.

Can Tomato Cut Stroke Risk?

Intake of fruits and vegetables and levels of serum carotenoids have been tied to lower risk of stroke but the so far the findings have been inconsistent.

To examine if serum concentrations of major carotenoids (alpha-tocopherol and retinol) were related to any stroke risk in men, researchers from various institutions in Finland looked at 1,031 Finnish men when they were first enrolled in the study in the early 1990s.

These men, aged between 46 and 65 years old, were part of a larger study examining at risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke). The findings were published in the October 9, 2012’s issue of the medical journal ‘Neurology’.

When the study began, blood levels of lycopene, alpha- and beta-carotene, and Vitamins E and A of these participants were measured. 7 years later, same measurements were done for most men. The men were followed an average of 12 years.

During the follow-up period, there were 11 strokes among the one-quarter of men with the highest lycopene levels, compared to 25 among the one-quarter with the lowest levels. Even after taking into accounts of some major factors that affect stroke risk, like smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes, the high-lycopene group still had a 55 percent lower risk of suffering a stroke.

The study had some limitations, though. For instance, it lacked information on the men's overall diet habits that might explain why lycopene was linked to lower risk. The findings did, however, support the current advice to get plenty of fruits and vegetables, and reinforced the prevailing recommendations for people to get a well-balanced diet, with fruits and vegetables.

Lycopene is a chemical that gives a reddish hue to foods like tomatoes, red peppers, watermelon and papaya. It is a potent antioxidant that helps protect body cells from damage that can ultimately lead to disease. Research also suggested that lycopene might help fight inflammation and blood clots better than other antioxidants.

But in cutting stroke, diet does play an important role. The so-called “DASH” diet, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, suggests cutting salt and getting more fiber-rich grains, nuts and legumes, and a low-fat dairy, as well as 4 to 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

In 2010, the United States updated its dietary guidelines, stating that Americans should raise their fruit and vegetable intake - at least 2 and half cups of fruits and vegetables per day can reduce risk of heart attack and stroke.

Can Smart Mobile Devices Help Lose Weight?

Being obese or overweight is no longer an individual issue. It has become a serious global health crisis. In the United States alone, it is estimated that nearly 68 percent of adults are either overweight or obese, and 5 to 10 percent of all healthcare costs in the United States are devoted to dealing with obesity related diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.

Technology has been accused as a culprit among many other factors responsible for obesity epidemic. But recently, a group of researchers from various institutions including the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago found that mobile devices that enable people to track how much they eat and exercise might help them lose weight.

Their findings, which were published on January 28, 2013 in the ‘Archives of Internal Medicine’, reported that overweight and obese adults could lose an average of over 3.6 kilos more when they had personal digital assistants (PDAs) and occasional phone coaching to assist them, in addition to a group program.

69 overweight and obese people, who were in their late 50s and were referred to a Veterans Affairs clinic for weight-loss support, participated in the study.

Over a trial period of 6 months, the participants were enrolled in 12 group sessions that focused on nutrition, exercise and behavioral changes to promote weight loss. Half of the participants were given a PDA to record their food and activity throughout the day and there was a coach who was in contact with them by phone.

At the end of the trial period, those in the PDA group had lost an average of almost 10 pounds (4.5 kilos) and 41 percent of these participants had met the goal of losing at least 5 percent of their initial body weight. In comparison, those not in the PDA group had lost an average of 2 pounds (1 kilo) and only 11 percent of them had achieved the weight loss goal.

The most important thing about weight loss is self-monitoring - watch and keep a record of what is eaten. App (program) on a mobile device is cheaper and can easily be personalized. It can not only help people keep track of their eating habit but also help re-engage people who have trouble. Moreover, it can widely be available whenever people carry their mobile phones or PDAs.

While PDAs are mostly not in use nowadays, the emergence of smart phones such as iPhone, Android and Window phones can serve almost the same purpose. In the United States, smartphone usages continued to climb and more than 61 percent of mobile subscribers owned a smartphone.

Nevertheless, there is evidence that apps on mobile devices alone do not have much of an impact. Hence, experts believe that technology can only be used as an aid to help from a doctor or nutritionist.

How To Treat Atrial Fibrillation Induced Stroke?

Being an irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest heart rhythm problems in cardiological clinical practice. People with AF will have abnormal beat of the upper chambers of the heart, causing stagnation of blood in the left upper chamber. Clots can then be formed and be carried in the bloodstream to the brain. The consequence is a large area of brain is damaged and permanent disability and even dead could be resulted. More importantly, an AF-induced stroke can be recurrent.

About 1 percent of the population has AF, which is the cause for 1 in 5 stroke cases. The chance for octogenarians to get an AF is 15 percent. Congestive heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, valve disease, coronary artery disease are some other conditions associated with AF.

While some people with AF can have symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath and tiredness, some might not feel anything at all. Taking appropriate anticoagulation drugs to prevent blood clots can actually reduce AF-induced stroke by 60 percent.

It is not recommended to prescribe anticoagulation drugs like Warfarin to patients who are not aware that they have AF, and do not have at least one of the risk factors like advanced age, hypertension, diabetes, prior history of stroke, and presence of heart failure. This is to avoid possible bleeding risk and side effects.

Fortunately, new drugs like Rivaroxaban (brand name Xarelto) have been proven to be easier to use and more effective than Warfarin. In fact, Rivaroxaban is a single fixed dosage that does not require monitoring.

In Germany, about 45 percent of the elderly with AF are not prescribed with blood thinners in fear of bleeding risk. But with Rivaroxaban, the risk of fatal bleeding is cut by 50 percent and the risk of intracranial bleeding is reduced by 35 percent. It is also 20 percent better than Warfarin in lowering stroke and systemic embolism.

But in reality, the biggest problem in preventing AF-related stroke is detecting AF itself. Many patients have no syndromes hence they do not even get diagnosed by ECG (electrocardiogram) that can detect AF for people having AF symptoms.

Meanwhile, there is a so-called temporary and transient AF, which can come and go, yet carry the same stroke risk. Unfortunately, doctors would only prescribe a blood thinner to patients who are confirmed by an ECG that they have an irregular heartbeat, and it is not a usual practice for patients to take ECGs on a regular basis just to detect AF.

AF is a tricky disease that carries a high stroke risk. But it is now possible, with the help of new drugs like Rivaroxaban that is effective and safe to take, to substantially reduce the stroke risks linked to AF.

Is Bariatric Surgery Good For The Heart?

Every year, more than 2.6 million people die because of being obese or overweight. A person who is obese or overweight could be high-risk victim of many chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, hypertension (high blood pressure), Type-2 diabetes and even certain kinds of cancer.

When diet and exercise fail to lower the extra weight in the body, bariatric surgery is usually done especially when serious health problems arise because of the weight. The purpose of such surgery is to help lose weight by limiting how much one can eat or by reducing the absorption of nutrients, or both.

According to a study published on October 17, 2012 in journal ‘Heart’, bariatric surgery not only helps the obese cut the weight but also reduces risks of heart disease and stroke within a short period of time.

 from the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, picked up and analyzed 73 previous studies, covering nearly 20,000 people, which recorded weight and other health issues before and after bariatric surgery. 3 out of 4 of the patients were women, whose average age was 41.

They found that after the operation, participants lost on average 54 percent of their excess weight. 63, 73 and 65 percent of the patients showed improvement in high blood pressure, diabetes and blood cholesterol respectively.

The researchers also selected and reviewed a further 18 studies, covering 713 other patients, and found that bariatric surgery did lead to improvements in the heart function, like its ability to pump out and refill with blood.

Nevertheless, the review did have some limitations. For instance, it did not look at the same operative techniques or share the same criteria for measuring improvements, and there were also no follow-up or monitoring patients for a long time after their operation.

Yet according to the researchers, their analysis indicated that bariatric surgery is not just a cosmetic procedure but also a potentially life-saving alternative for the appropriate patients.

A word of caution is that bariatric surgery is a major procedure that could pose serious risks and side effects. Statistics show that there is a 0.3 percent risk of death, a 5 percent risk of intestinal obstruction and an 8 percent risk of an ulcer.

Hypertension Might Be Curbed By Egg White!

Eggs supply all essential amino acids for humans (a source of complete protein), and provide several vitamins like A, B2, B9, B6, and B12 and minerals including choline, iron, calcium, and potassium. Eggs are also a source of CoQ10 depending on how they are prepared.

Only 27 percent of the fat in egg is saturated fat that contains LDL cholesterol. The egg white consists primarily of water (87 percent) and protein (13 percent). There is no cholesterol and little, if any, fat found in the egg white.

Egg yolk is often tied with high bad cholesterol, and that is why general population, especially those who are on a low-cholesterol diet, is advised not to consume too many eggs. High bad cholesterol is often linked to heart disease, stroke, and hypertension (high blood pressure).

Nevertheless, scientists have found that a component of egg might have another beneficial effect in reducing blood pressure.

At the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans, United States held between April 7 and 11, 2013, researchers from Jilin University in China and Clemson University reported that a substance in egg white has a powerful ability to inhibit or block the action of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), a substance produced in the body naturally to raise blood pressure.

The substance is a peptide, which is one of the building blocks of proteins. In the experiments on rats with hypertension, this peptide called RVPSL did not show any toxic effects and it lowered blood pressure by amounts comparable to those achieved by a low dose of a high blood pressure drug.

RVPSL used in the experiment was heated to almost 200 degrees Fahrenheit during preparation, which is slightly lower than the temperatures at which eggs are typically cooked. Past research had shown that egg whites have positive effects on blood pressure even after they are fully cooked.

For instance, a study published in the ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, indicated that fried egg protein had greater capacity of lowering blood pressure than eggs cooked at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Researchers thought that egg white peptides could become valuable as a supplement to blood-pressure drugs, and the study could add to recent restoration of eggs’ reputation. But they cautioned that hypertensive patients should check with their doctors before making any adjustments to their diet.

Recently, many other studies have found that most people could include eggs in their diet without increasing their blood cholesterol levels, while benefiting from eggs’ low-cost protein, vitamins and other nutrients.

Bacteria Could Cause Obesity!

A number of things could lead to overweight or even obesity, for instance, high fat diet, lack of physical activities, genes, or lack of sleep. Researchers in Shanghai, China recently reported that obesity could be caused by bacterial infection.

In a paper published on 13 December 2012 by ‘Journal of the International Society for Microbial Ecology’, researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University found that mice bred to be resistant to obesity even when fed high-fat foods became excessively overweight when injected with a kind of human bacterium and fed with a rich diet.

After following an 8-year search by scientists around the world to explain the association between gut bacteria and obesity, the Chinese researchers identified a human bacterium that caused obesity. The bacterium, which is also known as enterobacer, encourages the body to make and store fat, and prevents it from being used by deregulating the body’s metabolism-controlling genes.

Enterobacter also release chemicals, called endotoxins, which cause insulin resistance and a slower uptake of glucose from the blood after eating. Patients tend to eat more since they take longer to feel full.

As part of the experiment, mice were injected with the bacterium that was found in high quantities in the gut of a morbidly obese human volunteer for up to 10 weeks. Their weight gain was compared with mice without feeding with the bacterium. The latter did not become obese despite being fed with a high-fat diet and being prevented from exercising. Results of the experiment showed that the bacterium might causatively contribute to the development of obesity in humans.

The study also found that the human volunteer, who was prevented from doing any exercise, lost 29 percent of his body weight in 23 weeks after being placed on a special diet that cut the bacterium's presence in his gut to undetectable levels. The volunteer also recovered from diabetes, high blood pressure and fatty liver disease.

Diet used in the trial, including whole grains, traditional Chinese medicinal foods and non-digestible carbohydrates, changed the pH in the gut that limited the bacterium’s activity.

Since 1980, obesity worldwide has more than doubled, according to the World Health Organization (WTO). Overweight or obese people are at a higher risk of suffering from heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.

According to other heath experts not involved in the study, it is possible that the bacteria could be infectious and picked up from some unknown environmental factor, or a parent, and it might not be behavioral after all. The new findings could highlight a way to intervene in obesity and could allow new drugs to be developed for treatment.

Can Mobile Phone Help Smoker Quit?

Smoking is bad for the health as it harms almost all organs of the body. It will lead to many diseases including lung cancer, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), heart disease and stroke. The secondhand smoke from smokers’ cigarettes can also cause many of these diseases to people around them.

Governments around the world have been actively finding means and ways to suppress smoking rate by educating smokers as well as implementing smoking bans (or some called smoke-free laws).

According to a New Zealand’s study, text and video messages that appeared on mobile phones and designed to help people quit smoking almost doubled the success rate for attempted quitters, comparing with people who did not have such assistance.

The findings, which were published on November 14, 2012 in ‘The Cochrane Library’, reported that 9 percent of intended quitters stopped smoking for at least 6 months when reminded and encouraged through mobile phone messages, compared to 5 percent who did not have such service.

Mobile phone programs involved a text message or video conveying motivation and advice sent to smokers every day for several weeks to prepare them for the designated quit day. After the quit day, multiple messages were often sent to intended quitter each day for weeks. The messages offered encouragement, tips on getting through cravings and additional resources to quit again after a relapse.

Researchers from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and other institutions reviewed 5 studies and compared mobile phone messaging to no extra help.

A total of 9,100 smokers were tracked for 6 months. Among 4,730 participants assigned to a text or video messaging program, 444 managed to kick the habit. On the other hand, 240 out of the 4,370 participants who did not receive any additional services stopped smoking for 6 months.

Quit smoking requires a great deal of effort and most people require few attempt to quit. Many of the intended quitters still continue smoking even if they have tried a texting program. Nevertheless, the mobile texting programs are automated and easy to scale up for widespread use. It is important to offer smokers as many tools as possible to help them quit smoking.