Guest guest Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Mon, 24 May 2004 08:16:01 -0500 HSI - Jenny Thompson Fuel Crisis Fuel Crisis Health Sciences Institute e-Alert May 24, 2004 ************************************************************** Dear Reader, We talked a while ago about depression and how it has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in men. But why this link exists is not fully understood. With that in mind, a team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine here in Baltimore recently conducted a study to assess the association between depression and elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP; a key heart disease marker). Coincidentally, their research (which appeared this month in the Archives of Internal Medicine) was published nearly simultaneously with a study in the Journal of Nutrition that examined the effects that a specific dietary factor has on CRP. Together, these two studies - completely independent of one another - provide insight into heart disease, and a plan of action that may help prevent it. ----------------------------- Heavy heart ----------------------------- As HSI members are by now well aware, CRP has been shown to be just as important a marker for heart disease as cholesterol is, and probably more so. But could CRP (which is produced by the liver in response to inflammation) somehow be tied in with depression? To address that question, Johns Hopkins researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Dietary information was collected on more than 6,900 men and women, between the ages of 18 and 39. The records of the 3,760 women and 3,154 men showed that nearly eight percent of the women and almost 6 percent of the men were diagnosed with major depression. Within these two subgroups of depressed subjects, researchers found a clear association with elevated CRP levels, and this was especially so among the men. These results held true regardless of age, race, total cholesterol levels, diabetes, systolic blood pressure, aspirin use, alcohol use, and other factors. In addition, CRP levels were found to be highest among men who had recurrent episodes of depression and men who had suffered from depression within one year of testing CRP levels. This study doesn't reveal the exact nature of the relationship between depression and heart disease, but it does indicate that depression is somehow associated with the inflammation that accompanies cardiovascular problems. ----------------------------- Cooling off ----------------------------- The second study was conducted by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The CDC researchers also used NHANES data. In this case, the dietary and medical records of more than 3,900 men and women were examined to assess the association between dietary fiber intake and CRP levels. Scientists already know that higher intakes of dietary fiber may reduce the risk of heart disease. But the Atlanta team's results took that association one step further. Comparing subjects who had the highest fiber intake with those who had the lowest, researchers found that CRP levels were lowest among subjects with fiber-rich diets. And when data was factored out for subjects with conditions that can raise CRP levels (such as diabetes, cancer and heart problems), the high-fiber/low-CRP association remained the same. How fiber intake affects inflammation is still poorly understood. But in the e-Alert " Water Works " (9/16/03), I told you about two studies that showed how soluble fiber intake may have a preventive effect against heart disease. Soluble fiber sources include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, oats and barley. ----------------------------- The whole package ----------------------------- So, does depression somehow trigger inflammation that leads to heart disease, or do the inflammatory factors that prompt heart disease set the stage for depression? The new studies don't answer these larger cause-and-effect questions. But what we do know is that many studies have shown that increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids have beneficial effects on both depression and CRP levels. Many depressed patients are also deficient in magnesium, a mineral that's found in high-fiber sources such as leafy green vegetables, nuts and whole grains. And finally, there's vitamin C. To my knowledge, vitamin C doesn't have a direct effect on depression, but in a recent study the vitamin had a significant effect in lowering CRP levels. In the e-Alert " Putting the C in CRP " (4/28/04), I told you about research reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in which vitamin C cut CRP levels by nearly 25 percent. So for men who are middle-aged or older, any prolonged bout of depression should be taken as a warning sign that heart health may be in jeopardy as well. Fortunately, there are clear steps they can take to address these concerns - not individually, but as a whole. ************************************************************** THE TERRIBLE TRUTH BEHIND THE FLUORIDE MYTH How does the government help big industry get rid of millions of tons of toxic waste? Easy. They add it to your drinking water! Uncover the terrible truth behind the fluoride myth - and find out the most effective, economical way to protect yourself and your family from its potentially harmful effects. Click below to find out more: http://www.agora-inc.com/reports/600SCTDF/W600E518/home.cfm (if you can't open here use the HTML links listed below) ************************************************************** To start receiving your own copy of the HSI e-Alert, visit: http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/freecopy.html Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of the HSI e-Alert. ************************************************************** ... and another thing I created a fuel crisis. In the e-Alert " C Trumps H " (5/5/04), I told you about my mishap at a gas station. I ended up with gasoline in my eyes and quite a bit of it on my clothing. I later found out the hard way that gas-soaked clothes (even when they've had a chance to dry) permeate a washing machine with gas fumes. Needless to say: not recommended. I suggested that anyone who finds their clothes soaked with gas should take them to a laundro-mat for cleaning. A member named Roy responded: " So it's okay to ruin someone else's washer & maybe someone else's clothing? Five wet noodle slaps for you! " First of all, this punishment is way too high in carbohydrates. Maybe we could change that to five slaps with a top sirloin? (Preferably from grass-fed beef, of course.) Roy is absolutely right. As soon as I read his comment I felt like Kramer in the Seinfeld episode where he sabotaged a commercial washing machine by filling it with cement mix. Unlike Kramer, though, my intent wasn't malicious. I simply thought that a large commercial washer that gets used dozens of times each day wouldn't be harmed in the way that a small home washer would be. But a member named Frank sent an e-mail to set me straight on that point. Frank, who runs a laundry, says that he spends hundreds of dollars cleaning up after customers who contaminate his equipment with chemicals, stains and noxious odors. And not only is this a costly nuisance, it can be dangerous as well. Frank writes: " You must exercise extreme caution when working with fabrics that have any flammable vapor causing liquid on them. In the case of gasoline (or other lighter than water flammables) it comes to the surface of the water and evaporates causing fumes that could in rare cases explode. You should NEVER wash clothes soaked in gasoline or any other volatile solvent before you hang them outside to air out first. When little or no odor is detectable after a reasonable time airing out only then is it safe to wash them. " Then, when it comes time to do the actual washing, Roy has these suggestions, using a commercial detergent and stain remover called Lestoil: " Take a large bucket or other container: 1. add warm water (cold water if necessary) & Lestoil (add the Lestoil after the water) 2. submerge the clothes in this solution working them up & down briskly 3. push clothes under the solution & leave for 1-2 hrs depending upon amount of gas saturation. 4. remove clothes from solution (do this outside if possible) & wring out well 5. rinse clothes well... you should no longer have the gas odor 6. you can wash the clothes in your machine using extra detergent " Roy also advises to test the fabric with Lestoil before you begin cleaning. I just wish I'd known all this BEFORE I doused myself (and my clothes and my washer) with gasoline. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** To start receiving your own copy of the HSI e-Alert, visit: http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/freecopya.html Or forward this e-mail to a friend so they can sign-up to receive their own copy of the HSI e-Alert. ************************************************************** Sources: " Depression and C-Reactive Protein in US Adults: Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey " Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 164, No. 9, 5/10/04, ncbi.nlm,nih.gov " Depression Associated with Increased CRP Levels in Men " Life Extension Foundation, 5/12/04, lef.org " Dietary Fiber and C-Reactive Protein: Findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data " Journal of Nutrition, Vol. 134, No. 5, May 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov " Dietary Fiber Intake Inversely Associated with CRP Levels " Life Extension Foundation, 5/7/04, lef.org Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, L.L.C. The e-Alert may not be posted on commercial sites without written permission. Before you hit reply to send us a question or request, please visit here http://www.hsibaltimore.com/ealert/questions.html ************************************************************** If you'd like to participate in the HSI Forum, search past e-Alerts and products or you're an HSI member and would like to search past articles, visit http://www.hsibaltimore.com ************************************************************** Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Messenger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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