There is more than one source of white in Christmas

By Dr. Franco


This year I was closer than ever before to a white Christmas, and in places like Belgium a white Christmas occurred for the first time after 23 years. However, In Leiden (the Netherlands) where we gathered this year with friends and family to celebrate Christmas, no snow fell on the 25th, and from the snow accumulated the previous days there was only just enough to throw a few last snowballs.

But besides celebrating, sharing and being able to express our artistic skills with anthropomorphic sculptures in the snow, this season is also marked by excesses of food and drink. Almost every evening in the last week I have been able to enjoy the fruits of culinary feasts that make of this season the kindest to our senses but one of the riskiest to our health. Behind the alcohol, pudding, turkey and fatty products that should be consumed in moderation, hides a darker source of white to this season: salt.

Salt is perhaps one of the finest and tastiest gifts that nature has provided us with. The spice of life surely, salt has been one of the greatest assets to humankind, but is also one of its greatest threats generally considered a silent killer. Salt increases our blood pressure, and the greater the amount of salt intake the higher the level of blood pressure, and the higher the risk of suffering a stroke and heart disease.

In a recent manuscript published in the British Medical Journal, a team of scientists from the University of Naples in Italy and the University of Warwick in the UK aimed to compile all the evidence available on the effect that high levels of salt consumption might have on the risk of suffering stroke or heart disease. They found that reducing the daily consumption of salt by approximately 5 grams (1 teaspoon of salt) could provide a 23% reduction in the risk of stroke and a 17% reduction in the risk of heart disease. Such a measure could avert about one and a quarter million deaths from stroke and almost three million deaths from heart disease each year!

But how can we reduce our salt intake? Here are some tips that you might want to use when making your New Year’s resolution(s):
- Increase the consumption of foods rich in potassium: fruits and vegetables
- Eat/cook at home more, and when eating out ask the chef to reduce the amount of salt
- Cook low in salt and add only small amounts at the end
- Try to have less than 6 grams a day of salt (a teaspoon)
- Use fewer sauces, mixes and canned products.
- Aim to progressively reduce your salt intake. Everyday a bit less and your palate wont notice it.



Reference:
Strazzullo P, D'Elia L, Kandala NB, Cappuccio FP. Salt intake, stroke, and cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of prospective studies. BMJ. 2009 Nov 24;339:b4567.

Global warming and winter wonderland: contradiction and paradox?

By Dr. Franco

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? This will be my ninth Christmas in Europe and for the first time I am approaching it in top of white blanket of snow and with a very high probability of experiencing my first ever white Christmas. The evergreen island of Britain is now immaculately white. Does this mean that global warming is nothing but a staged theoretical situation forged by bored scientists with nothing better to do in their spare time?

I was surprised yesterday when I picked a local newspaper and found the following headline on its front page: “Global warming? Snowballs!!” (Referring to the current winter wonderland that we are experiencing in the UK). However, these two situations are not contradictory. On the contrary, extreme weather conditions like the current storm being experienced in the east of USA are a consequence of climate change. And if we don’t take action to mitigate climate change and heal our planet these extreme weather situations will become more frequent and even more intense.

But what can we do? In a scientific paper recently published in the Lancet, we aimed to evaluate the potential public health impact of transportation strategies aimed to reduce greenhouse emissions. Considering that transport accounts for a large part of all greenhouse-gas emissions (almost a quarter of all fossil fuel greenhouse emissions), we found that reducing motor vehicle use through more walking and cycling will not only help to mitigate climate change but should also substantially contribute to reducing obesity, heart disease and improving our trajectories of ageing.

Using greener transport alternatives and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions should not be the sole responsibility of governments and policy makers and all of us -citizens of planet earth- should be hold accountable for our decisions and their consequences. So lets think twice before we take the car and lets try to choose the bike or just walk instead of driving comfortably, but poisonously. This would not only help to mitigate current climate change but will also help us to keep fit, avoid heart disease and enjoy the most of this and many more white Christmases to come.

Finally as “tiny Tim” said: "A Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one!"… and don’t forget to bless our planet!

Reference:Woodcock J, Edwards P, Tonne C, Armstrong BG, Ashiru O, Banister D, Beevers S, Chalabi Z, Chowdhury Z, Cohen A, Franco OH, Haines A, Hickman R, Lindsay G, Mittal I, Mohan D, Tiwari G, Woodward A, Roberts I. Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: urban land transport. Lancet. 2009 Dec 5;374(9705):1930-43.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(09)61714-1/fulltext (you must register to access the full article for free).

All for one… and statins for all?

By Dr. Franco

Since the 70’s when statins were discovered by Japanese Drs. Endo and Koruda, these pharmacological compounds have attracted broad attention and have been widely investigated. Statins act by inhibiting an enzyme called HMG-CoA reductase, which is key in the production of cholesterol in the liver and therefore lower the blood levels of cholesterol. By these and other mechanisms (e.j. inflammation reduction, improvement in endothelial function) statins substantially contribute to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (namely myocardial infarction and stroke).

Different studies have demonstrated the ample benefits of administering statins to individuals suffering from heart disease. Whether to administer statins to those without heart disease nevertheless remains controversial. In a recent meta-analysis (a collection and summary of studies performed in a particular subject) published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), researchers from Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, aimed to evaluate the benefits of giving statins to people without cardiovascular disease but with different risk factors for this disorder. The results of this study provide a complex picture, showing that although taking statins reduced mortality as well as heart disease events, many people would have to be treated to prevent one event or death. Furthermore, potential adverse effects could occur among those taking statins, as the authors conclude: “Concerns might remain about the higher risk of cancer in elderly patients (70-82 years)… and further follow-up studies in such patients are required”

It appears from this comprehensive summary of the evidence that statins are a good alternative to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease but that needs to prescribed to many in order to save a few and that could generate unnecessary adverse effects. Should those who do not suffer from heart disease use statins? That remains a partly unanswered question, but why not avoid the need of taking statins by following a healthy lifestyle? Adequate levels of physical activity, following a healthy diet, no smoking and good sleep patterns have all been related with potential reductions of heart disease risk. Its never too late and you could have fun and improve your quality of life while doing it.

Reference:
Brugts JJ, Yetgin T, Hoeks SE, Gotto AM, Shepherd J, Westendorp RG, de Craen AJ, Knopp RH, Nakamura H, Ridker P, van Domburg R, Deckers JW. The benefits of statins in people without established cardiovascular disease but with cardiovascular risk factors: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2009 Jun 30;338:b2376

There is a ‘D’ in Healthy Aging

By Dr. Franco

There is nothing like the warm sensation of feeling the sun rays warming up your skin and filling your soul with joy and energy. I can still remember consciously experiencing this for the first time when I was three years old, my own ‘sun birth’. I was taking swimming lessons, after which I laid down for a couple of minutes enjoying the warmth of our star and left with the necessary energy for the soccer match that was to follow.

But taking the sun does not only feel good, it is also good for our health.
Adequate levels of sun exposure are fundamental to avoid low levels of vitamin D, which have been associated with increased risk of suffering from osteoporosis, diabetes, metabolic syndrome (a conglomerate of metabolic abnormalities that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality) and depressive symptoms.

In a recent study published in the scientific journal ‘Diabetes Care’ we evaluated the levels of vitamin D in a population of Chinese (aged 50+) and the impact of these on metabolic syndrome. We found alarming low levels of vitamin D with almost 70 percent of this population having vitamin D deficiency. We also found that low levels of vitamin D were associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance (a step involved in the development of diabetes).
Analyses in other populations (including Americans) have found similarly low levels of vitamin D in the elderly and significant associations with metabolic syndrome highlighting the need for us all to seek adequate levels of sun exposure, normally recommended as no more than 30 minutes twice per week.

Just as I pleasantly remember my early sun encounters, however, I can still feel the exasperatingly unpleasant sensation in my skin secondary to abusive sun exposure. Moderation is key, and too much of anything -even if it’s good- is detrimental… and sun exposure is not the exception. Too much sun will not only give you the unpleasant feeling of an irritating sunburn but also an increased risk of skin cancer. But this should not make us afraid of the sun; just remember not to soak up too much heat. Enjoy the gifts that Mother Nature blessed us with, but remember, moderation is the key.

Reference:
Lu L, Yu Z, Pan A, Hu FB, Franco OH, Li H, Li X, Yang X, Chen Y, Lin X. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and elderly Chinese individuals. Diabetes Care. 2009 Jul;32(7):1278-83

It's -really- NEVER too late for harvesting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle!

By Dr. Franco

Even from early age, we have a natural tendency to disregard changes in lifestyle under the perspective of a limited or self-limiting time horizon, perhaps driven by the will to avoid the potential efforts involved. Following the same approach -oriented towards the avoidance of efforts- when we consider ourselves young we delay changes and decisions trying to postpone them to a later age that when it arrives we then think it is too late. In the case of following a healthy lifestyle as the pathway to achieve healthy ageing there is never a case for being too early or too late.

Being a sine qua non of life, ageing starts from the moment we are conceived and stops only with a full cease of our bodily functions (i.e. we are deceased). It is therefore logical to consider that any decision, choice or habit that we undertake along our life course would affect how we age and feel. Following a healthy lifestyle has been associated with a different number of benefits among different populations at all stages of life benefiting children and elderly alike.

Furthermore, the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle are not only reserved to people that are currently healthy. As presented by researchers from the VA Medical Center in Durham (NC) in a recent publication in the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) benefits of a healthy lifestyle can also be seen among elderly long-term cancer survivors. Their study evaluated whether providing information on the components of a healthy lifestyle through telephone counselling and mailed print material would ameliorate or even stop functional decline among older overweight cancer survivors.
The authors found after 12 months that those receiving information about following a healthy lifestyle, experienced a substantial amelioration of their functional decline and an improvement in quality of life compared to those that did not receive the information.

Perhaps following a healthy lifestyle imply certain efforts that to many may appear a great burden, nevertheless the efforts are greatly compensated and it is never too late to invest in the bank of the healthy lifestyle. Healthy ageing will be just one of the rewards.


Reference:
Morey MC, Snyder DC, Sloane R, Cohen HJ, Peterson B, Hartman TJ, Miller P, Mitchell DC, Demark-Wahnefried W. Effects of home-based diet and exercise on functional outcomes among older, overweight long-term cancer survivors: RENEW: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2009 May 13;301(18):1883-91

Avoid Alzheimer’s by going ‘Med’

by Dr. Franco

Mediterranean, is a word that to me evokes intensely-blue seas, sunny weather, slow-paced life, afternoon siestas but above all, great food… I mean, wonderful food. I can still feel that pizza I had in the small town of Pula in Sardegna. “Da Eleonora”, said the locals in Cagliari, go south… to Pula, you will find your best pizza ever. And so I did, the holy grail of pizzas. Simple, yet sublime, a feast to my senses and a recurrent theme in my dreams -while awake. But Mediterranean food goes beyond pizza of course, it includes high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, olive oil, moderate intake of fish, low consumption of red meat and low to moderate consumption of wine with the meals. And is not just its taste, nor its simplicity, it is also the benefits that it can provide. In the last decades, many studies have studied and praised the benefits of following a Mediterranean diet. In multiple scientific publications this type of diet has been associated with increased life expectancy, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (diseases of the heart and stroke), reduced risk of cancer and as two recent JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) publications suggest, a reduced risk of developing dementia. By studying over 1400 adults living in Bordeaux, France, French researchers found that higher adherence to Mediterranean diet was associated with slower cognitive decline. But these benefits are not only observed among Mediterranean people as demonstrated in a study published in the same August edition of the JAMA. Investigators from Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, found among a multiethnic group of 1880 elders living in New York that those that followed a Mediterranean-type diet had a 40% lower risk of developing Alzheimer disease (compared to those that didn’t). Although it wont hurt to visit Pula and drop by “Da Eleonora”, there is no need to go far to reach the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. All of us, at home, wherever we live, if we take the adequate choices and follow the basic principles of balance and moderation can reap the benefits and avoid suffering from the burden that Alzheimer disease can impose in our lives. Our taste and memory will be grateful.
References:
Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet, Cognitive Decline, and Risk of Dementia. Catherine Féart; Cécilia Samieri; Virginie Rondeau; Hélène Amieva; Florence Portet; Jean-François Dartigues; Nikolaos Scarmeas; Pascale Barberger-Gateau. JAMA. 2009; 302:638-648.
Physical Activity, Diet, and Risk of Alzheimer Disease. Nikolaos Scarmeas; Jose A. Luchsinger; Nicole Schupf; Adam M. Brickman; Stephanie Cosentino; Ming X. Tang; Yaakov Stern. JAMA. 2009; 302:627-637.

PS: this is the first post (special thanksgiving edition) of the blog entitled 'Splashes from the Fountain of Youth' created by Dr. O.H. Franco MD, DSc, PhD, FESC. This blog will be posted regularly every Sunday from the 29th of November.

Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) presents: "BeneVia" Strength & Energy Juice Drink by HealthSpan Solutions (USA)

Company: HealthSpan Solutions

Brand: BeneVia

Category:  Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Country: USA

Price in local currency: $2.25

Price in US Dollars: $2.25

Price in Euros:   €1.5

Product Description

According to the Mintel Oxygen report, Seniors and Technology--US--April 2009, by the year 2014, seniors (aged 65+) will account for 14% of the US population, and 27% of people will be aged over 55. With the aging population growing and many seniors taking better care of their health than previous generations, there is a need for more products that speak to the defined needs and increased activity levels of this demographic. However, manufacturers must tread lightly, as overtly targeting this group in many markets may deter older consumers from purchasing these products. There is a delicate balance that must be achieved between formulating products that meet the needs of aging consumers without appearing too medicinal, and very few companies have been able to successfully achieve this position in the market. In the US, HealthSpan Solutions recently introduced a beverage that is formulated for the energy and muscular needs of aging consumers, but does not overtly target this group. The BeneVia Strength & Energy Juice Drink is a Cranberry Lemonade flavored therapeutic drink, which is claimed to improve muscle function and mobility. With 8 grams of protein per bottle, this beverage claims to contain four times more concentrated protein and amino acids than competing products. This product stands apart because it does not call out to seniors with any of the on-pack messaging, but instead is labeled as "therapeutic nutrition" and clearly details its nutritional benefits. For formulating a functional product that packs 8 grams of protein into every 8-oz. serving to support the muscle mass in aging consumers, BeneVia Strength & Energy is awarded five points in the formulation category. This company was further able to formulate and market a functional product for aging consumers without overtly targeting them. Instead, BeneVia speaks to the needs of aging consumers, making it easy for Boomers to see and understand the benefits of the beverage without feeling marginalized. It is also notable for a product aimed at older consumers to make claims relating to energy benefits, and the Strength & Energy beverage is awarded another five points for positioning. Although products for seniors' bone and joint health are growing in popularity, this appears to be the only product that specifically claims to help maintain muscle mass, and the nutritional beverage is awarded four points for originality.

In summary, on a 5 point scale they gave Benevia



5 points for Formulation

5 points for Product Positioning

4 points for Originality

STUDY WARNS WEIGHT GAIN 'SIGNIFICANT' IN CUTTING LIFE EXPECTANCY

By Jane Kirby
Press Association Health Correspondent


Putting on weight into middle age cuts the chance of living a long and healthy life by around 80%, researchers warned today. Obesity is a "significant factor" in predicting how long a person will live, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
 Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, and the University of Warwick in Coventry analyzed data gathered since 1976 from more than 17,000 female nurses living in 11 US states.
 They found that women who were obese in middle age had 79% lower odds of healthy survival compared with women who kept their weight at a healthy level.
 The study also found that putting on weight from the age of 18 until middle age was a predictor of how long women would live in good health.
 For every 1kg increase in weight gain since age 18, the odds of healthy survival decreased by 5%, the researchers said.
 Women who were overweight at age 18 and gained 10kg of weight to middle age had particularly low survival - reduced by 82% - compared with women who were lean and maintained a stable weight.
 Obesity was defined as having a body mass index (BMI) over 30, while lean women had a BMI of 18.5 to 22.9.
 At the start of the study, nurses filled in questionnaires on their lifestyles, weight and height and history of disease.
 They were questioned again every two years for more than a 20-year period, providing updates on their health as well as weight and current lifestyle.
 Any reported illnesses were checked against medical records and other data.
 The experts classed people as healthy if they reached the age of 70 or older while being free from major chronic diseases and associated surgery: cancer, diabetes, heart attack, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, congestive heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
 The experts also determined that to be "healthy", they should have no major limitation on the use of their body and have good mental health.
 The authors concluded: "In summary, this study provides new evidence that greater adiposity at mid-life is a strong risk factor predicting a lower probability of healthy survival among older women.
 "In addition, our data suggests that weight maintenance throughout adulthood might be associated with optimal overall health at older ages."

HealthSpan Launches New Nutrition Beverage

HealthSpan Solutions LLC has announced the first-ever launch of its flagship product, BeneVia(R). Developed by leading experts in healthcare, nutrition and aging, BeneVia(R) is a revolutionary fruit-based nutrition drink with the nutrients to help consumers stay healthy and active as they age.

The four varieties of the BeneVia(R) product line target the four most common health conditions faced by aging consumers.

• Strength & Energy - Loss of muscle strength and energy
• Memory & Focus - Declining memory and speed of learning
• Heart Health - Cardiovascular health issues
• Immune Protect - Immune response and ability to fight infections

BeneVia(R) is a naturally flavored fruit juice drink that tastes better and is less filling than creamier "shake-based" nutritional drinks. BeneVia(R) is fat free and approximately half the calories of other beverages in the adult nutrition category.

BeneVia(R) is available in four-packs of eight ounce bottles and is sold in the adult nutrition section of retail food and drug stores. The recommended retail price for the four-pack is $7.99, in line with other adult nutrition drinks.

BeneVia(R) is rolling out in selected markets across the US this month with plans to be available nationally by the end of the year.

"We're thrilled to launch BeneVia(R) and also looking forward to making it available nationwide very soon," said HealthSpan CEO John Troup, PhD. "We know that the great taste and nutritional benefits of BeneVia(R) will soon help millions of aging Americans to lead healthy, active lives."

For more information about BeneVia(R), including nutritional profiles and availability, visit www.gobenevia.com.