healthbriefs
Go Easy on the Meat
research from the University of Texas cautions that people who eat meat fre- quently, especially red meat that is cooked medium or well-done, may run a higher risk of developing bladder cancer. Cook- ing meat at high temperatures generates cancer-causing chemicals called heterocyclic amines. The UK Food Stan- dards Agency suggests that people can reduce their risk by cooking at lower temperatures for a longer period of time and keeping flames from touching food when barbecuing or grilling.
M
Banning Trans Fats Saves Lives
U
nlike other dietary fats, trans fats are not natural, and therefore
have no role in terms of nutrition. Rather, they are partially hydroge- nated oils created by manufacturers and can harm health by lower- ing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, while raising those of LDL (bad) cholesterol. They are known to play a role in increasing the risk for coronary heart disease and some chronic illnesses.
According to the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, five major fast food chains have now significantly decreased the use of oils containing trans fats to cook their food, responding to health concerns from the public. But, is it enough? A recent report published in the British Medical Journal states that banning trans fats from all foods in the UK would prevent thousands of heart attacks and deaths every year, stressing that it would be a simple way to protect consumers from chronic disease. While the amount of trans fats must be clearly stated in labels on packaged food items in the United States, restaurants are not mandated to disclose it. Given the fre- quency with which Americans eat out, trans fats should be of constant concern.
Good steps to take include carefully choosing places to dine out and making it a special occasion, rather than a regular occurrence. Read labels on groceries and lobby government representatives to ban the use of trans fats from all foods; these are, after all, classified as toxic by the World Health Organization.
November 2010 9
eat has traditionally had a proud place at holiday tables, but recent
It Pays to be Optimistic W
hile several studies have shown that optimists generally enjoy better health, a
recent University of Kentucky study of stu- dents suggests that a change in perspective from negative to more positive can directly boost the immune system. Their conclu- sion, published in Psychological Science: Optimism has emotional and physical health benefits.
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