healthbriefs


Stone Fruits Keep Waistlines Trim S


levels and excess fat around the waist that can lead to serious health issues such as stroke, heart disease and diabetes. A study by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, presented at the American Chemical Society’s 2012 National Meeting & Exposi- tion, reported that pitted fruits contain bioactive compounds that can potentially fight the syndrome.


According to food scientist Luis Cisneros-


Zevallos, Ph.D., “The phenolic compounds in the fruits have anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti- diabetic properties… and may also reduce the oxidation of the bad cholesterol, or LDL, which is associated with cardiovascular disease.”


ome favorite summer fruits, like peaches, plums and nectarines, may help ward off metabolic syndrome, a collection of conditions including high blood sugar


I ICED TEA HAS ISSUES


t is peak season for iced tea, but this warm-weather favor- ite may not be the ideal choice to counter dehydration. Iced tea made from black tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to the forma- tion of kidney stones, a common disorder of the urinary tract that affects about 10 percent of the U.S. population. “For people that have a tendency to form the most com- mon type of kidney stones, iced tea is one of the worst things to drink,” reports Dr. John Milner, an assistant professor with the Department of Urology at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine. While all black tea contains oxa- late, dietitians note that people tend to imbibe more of it when it’s on ice than when it’s hot.


some sweet health benefits. Studying the effects of strawberries on cardio- vascular health, heart disease and diabetes, scientists at the University of Warwick, UK, discovered that ex- tracts from the fruit activate a protein called Nrf2, which increases antioxi- dant and other protective measures in the body and helps decrease blood lipids and cholesterol that can lead to cardiovascular problems. The scien- tists plan to continue their research in order to identify the most healthful varieties of strawberries, how they are best served or processed and the amount to eat for optimum benefits.


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HEALTHY METAL


n the United States, healthcare- acquired infections (HAI) result in 100,000 deaths annually and add an estimated $45 billion to healthcare costs. Common HAI microbes that often contaminate items within hospital rooms include methicillin-resistant Staphylo- coccus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin- resistant enterococcus (VRE). Few strategies have been clinically


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proven to reduce the spread of these infections, but copper’s antimicrobial properties are promising. According to a recent study published in the journal Infection Control and Hospi- tal Epidemiology, place- ment of bed rails, tables, IV poles and nurse’s call buttons in intensive care unit hospital rooms reduced the number of HAIs in pa- tients by more than half.


A BEVY OF BERRY BENEFITS


electable straw- berries serve up


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