November 2003 Health Report

Can too much red meat cause cancer?

It's one of the drawbacks of the very popular Atkins diet: Eating substantial amounts of red meat can possibly cause all sorts of cancer, from pancreatic, breast, prostate to renal, according to the National Cancer Institute. In fact, people who ate the most red meat (average 3 ounces daily) ran twice the risk of colon cancer compared with those who ate less than one-half ounce daily. The following are a few ways to sidestep cancer and still get enough protein.
Eat fish or poultry, not red meat.

• Cook meat slowly with lower heat.
• Go for rare or medium rare, not well done.
• Eat turkey or soy burgers, not hamburgers.
• Microwave meat for a few minutes before grilling.
• Use watery sauces, like teriyaki.
• Avoid nitrate-cured meats. They contain carcinogens.

-adapted from USA Weekend

5-million-year-old diet lowers cholesterol

If you eat like an ape did 5 million years ago, chances are you'll lower your cholesterol. It turns out that if you consume large amounts of soy protein (such as soy milk and tofu) plus oat bran, barley and nuts, then you stand a good chance of reducing your cholesterol level. A new study examined three groups of people who were put on low-fat diets. The first group ate lots of whole-wheat cereals. A second group ate the same foods, but also took the cholesterol-lowering drug, lovastatin, also known as Mevacor. The third group ate what was referred to as “the ape diet,” as described above. At the end of one month, the study concluded that the ape diet performed nearly as well as the one that included the drug, and much better than the first group.

—adapted from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Newborns can suffer nicotine withdrawals

If you are pregnant, don't mistakenly think a cigarette or two won't do any harm to your unborn child. A new study shows that babies whose mothers smoked as few as six cigarettes per day during pregnancy appeared to suffer nicotine withdrawal after birth. The study also said the newborns exhibited similar behavioral characteristics as babies whose mothers abused heroin and cocaine. They had trouble settling down. They were tense. They required more handling. In the past, smoking was thought to only affect the birth weight of babies, but the study shows it also affects the nervous system. Of the 56 women who were studied, 27 of them smoked and all the babies exhibited behavioral problems.

—adapted from The New York Times

Tired of fatigue?

Managing your energy during the workweek is paramount, and yet more often than not people tend to abuse their bodies by not eating properly, which can only lead to burnout. Food scientists and health experts advise eating smaller meals throughout the day in order to keep up your energy level. Eat smart. Eat often. That's the mantra of late. Here's how:

• In the morning at home, grab a bowl and mix Fiber One cereal in with Cap'n Crunch's Peanut Butter Crunch. Then add 1/2 percent or 2 percent milk. That will give you fat, protein and a long-burning fiber, plus some sugar to jumpstart your day.
• In the car: Eat trail mix. You can dump these nuts, raisins and chocolate chips right into your mouth while you navigate rush-hour traffic. The raisins provide potassium, the nuts are high in magnesium and the chocolate gives that needed sugar spike.
• At your desk, eat cottage cheese and fruit. It's a good source of calcium and phosphorous, two minerals that help build the energy reserves in your muscles.
• Drink lightly sweetened tea at your desk to avoid afternoon slumps. Researchers have found that the tea will help boost your metabolism and burn more calories, especially green tea.