EAT CHOCOLATE FOR BEING HEALTH

Chocolate's Potential Health Benefits – and its Effect on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

by Patti Schmidt
ImmuneSupport.com03-29-2002

Advertisement Researchers have some news for chocolate lovers: it may be good for you. Scientists reported preliminary evidence recently that cocoa and other chocolates may keep high blood pressure down, your blood flowing and your heart healthy.
The research, the latest which correlates eating flavonoid-rich foods with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease(1), was presented in February at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS) annual meeting in Boston.
One study found that a substance in cocoa helps the body process nitric oxide (NO), a compound critical for healthy blood flow and blood pressure. Another study showed that flavonols in cocoa prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries, and make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause clots. Flavonoids are plant compounds with potent antioxidant properties; so far, scientists have found more than 4,000 kinds. Cocoa beans contain large quantities of flavonoids, and so do red wine, tea, cranberries, peanuts, strawberries, apples and many other fruits and vegetables.(2) The flavonoids in chocolate are called flavonols.
Generally, science has found that dark chocolate is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate.(3) The way that cocoa powder and chocolate syrups are manufactured removes most flavonoids.

Nitric Oxide

In the first study, researchers gave Boston volunteers cocoa with either a high or low amount of flavonols. Those who drank cocoa with more flavonols showed more nitric oxide activity.(4)
"Nitric oxide plays such an important role in the maintenance of healthy blood pressure and, in turn, cardiovascular health," said lead researcher Dr. Norman K. Hollenberg, physician and professor of medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
The residents of an island called Kuna in Panama prompted Hollenberg's study. These indigenous people rarely develop high blood pressure, although they drink about 5 cups of cocoa each day and include it in many recipes. But if they leave the island, the risk of high blood pressure increases, and studies found it wasn't related to salt intake or obesity.
Next, Hollenberg's team will determine if regulating nitric oxide with flavonols has a positive impact.
"If our research results continue to support a link between consumption of flavonol-rich cocoa and nitric oxide synthesis, there could be significant implications for public health," said Hollenberg.

Promotes Blood Flow

The other study compared how blood platelets responded to a flavonol-rich cocoa drink with 25 grams of semi-sweet chocolate pieces and a blood-thinning, 81-milligram aspirin dose. The research found similar reactions to the two from a group of 20- to 40-year-olds: both the drink and the aspirin prevented platelets from sticking together or clotting, which can impede blood flow.(5)
In other words, flavonol-rich cocoa and chocolate act similarly to low-dose aspirin in promoting healthy blood flow. Reducing the blood's ability to clot also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Lead study author Dr. Carl Keen cautioned that his team isn't suggesting that people eat a couple of candy bars instead of taking their daily dose of aspirin.
"We're not advocating that people consume flavonol-rich foods in place of aspirin," stressed Keen, who is also the University of California-Davis nutrition department chairman. For people who cannot take aspirin, however, he said eating flavonol-rich foods "may be a useful approach."
He noted one important difference between aspirin and flavonol-rich foods: "The effects you see in aspirin are longer-lasting than the effects you see in flavonols," he said.
Although the trial involved just 40 people, Keen called the results "remarkably robust" and said the platelet effect may be related to the nitric oxide benefits found by Hollenberg's study.
Keen's team currently has an article under review in which they show a direct comparison to low-dose aspirin using the same study group.
"The next thing on our agenda is to look at chronic effects," said Keen. "What happens when a person has a high flavonol intake for two weeks? Do you still see the same effects? Many times...the body adapts or adjusts and you don't necessarily see the same thing after two or three weeks."

CFS & Chocolate

Many CFS specialists consider chocolate one of a few substances their patients should stay away from completely. CFS specialist Chuck Lapp, M.D., is one of them.
"I've always recommended that PWCs avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, Nutrasweet and tobacco," said Lapp, director of the Hunter Hopkins Center in Charlotte, NC. (He tells patients to remember the things they shouldn't eat by remembering the mnemonic SCANT, the first letter of each of those words.)
"These items are not tolerated well," he said. "PWCs tend to have hypoglycemia, and eating refined sugar - like chocolate candy - triggers reactive hypoglycemia, or a 'let down' in energy a couple hours later. And the cocoa used in cake, for example, doesn't contain refined sugar, but has a caffeine-like effect."
Dick Bruno, M.D., agrees. He's Director of the Fatigue Management Programs and Post-Polio Institute at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, NJ.
"PWCs shouldn't use anything containing caffeine- including chocolate, coffee, tea or soda-to pump themselves up," said Dr. Bruno. "What's more, we discourage the 'sugar high' carbs provide and recommend a hypoglycemia diet: using protein as a long-lasting source of fuel to supply and turn on damaged, brain-activating system neurons."

Chocolate's Benefits?

A PWC who was a true chocoholic could do a little research and argue that there are several bioactive compounds in chocolate that promote alertness, lessen pain and promote well-being.
For example, the stimulants theobromine, caffeine, tyramine and phenylethylamine (PEA) provide a brain-fogged PWC with a much-needed lift. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, lessens anxiety by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin; endorphins, the body's natural opiates, reduce sensitivity to pain.(6)
Anandamide acts like a cannabinoid to promote relaxation.(7) And last but certainly not least, chocolate is a natural analgesic, and high-fat, chocolate foods trigger the brain's production of natural opiates. (6)
So let's sum up. Chocolate gives you an energy lift, less anxiety, a reduction in pain-who wouldn't recommend something that did all that? Well, a nutritionist or biochemist could argue that chocolate doesn't contain much of these ingredients.
For example, while caffeine does encourage alertness, there is less caffeine in chocolate than there is in a cup of coffee. (6) (There are about 30 milligrams of caffeine in your average chocolate bar, while a cup of coffee contains 100 -150 mgs.)
Another example: PEA causes blood pressure and blood sugar to rise, and you'll feel alert and content for awhile. But those good feelings are likely to be followed by a sugar-induced drop in energy that leaves you more tired than before you ate the candy.
Cannabinoids are substances that mimic marijuana. The chemical in marijuana that makes people "high" - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - binds to certain receptors in the brain. The anandamide in chocolate can bind to the same receptors, producing a "high."(8)
However, Christian Felder at the National Institute of Mental Health would point out that a 130-pound person would have to eat 25 pounds of chocolate all at once to get a marijuana-like effect. (8)
And what about chocolate's ability to trigger the brain's natural opiates? At a CFS conference held September 1999 in Brussels, Belgium, Professor Jonathan Brostoff of London discussed "Allergy in CFS." He said about 25 percent of the population suffers from intolerances or allergies and the percentage is the same for PWCs.
Brostoff said food and inhalant sensitivities could lead to health problems, including migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, arthralgia and chronic fatigue. He suggested an elimination diet to find out whether someone is intolerant. Furthermore, he blamed the "exorphins" (external morphine-like substances) in chocolate for "gut problems" and even "psychological sequelae."(9)
Don't laugh: A study published in 1999 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that chocolate contains "several biologically active constituents (methylxanthines, biogenic amines, and cannabinoid-like fatty acids), all of which potentially cause abnormal behaviors and psychological sensations that parallel those of other addictive substances."(10)
So, about those chocolate cravings: At "The Challenge of Chronic Illness" CFS conference in Sydney, Australia, in 1999, Abhijit Chaudhuri, a neurologist on the Glasgow, Scotland-based team researching CFS, said about 40 percent of his patients routinely craved chocolate. He suggested SSRIs or and low-dose tricyclics to help prevent those cravings.
Some people find that Bupropion (Wellbutrin) reduces chocolate cravings.(6) That may be because Bupropion's chemical structure is similar to PEA.(11)

Antioxidant Power

Here's an argument you could win with the nutritionist: Studies show that cocoa powder, dark chocolate and milk chocolate have higher Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) values than many common foods, such as prunes and blueberries. (12) (ORAC values measure how powerful an antioxidant a substance is. An antioxidant is a substance that inhibits oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen and peroxides, and that include many held to protect the living body from the deleterious effects of free radicals. Examples include beta-carotene, vitamin C, and alpha-tocopherol.
Dark chocolate has more than 13,000 ORAC units and milk chocolate has about 6,700, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association in McLean, Va. Unsweetened powdered cocoa starts out with almost twice as much antioxidants as dark chocolate, but when it's diluted with water or milk and sugar to make hot chocolate, the flavonoid total per serving plummets to about half that in milk chocolate. (13)
In different terms, a 40-gram serving of milk chocolate contains about 400 milligrams of antioxidants, the same as a glass of red wine, according to research published by Joe A. Vinson of the University of Scranton, Pa. (14) Vinson's team's results were also supported by ACRI.
Vinson and his colleagues found that the flavonoids in chocolate are more powerful than vitamins such as ascorbic acid in protecting circulating lipids from oxidation.(14) Atherosclerosis studies suggest that oxidation of lipoproteins is part of the process that creates the plaque that clogs artery walls. (1)
"Chocolate just stands out," Vinson said. "It's much higher than anything else."
If that doesn't convince your doctor, try this: researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who eat chocolate and sweets up to three times each month live almost a year longer than those who eat too much or those who steer clear of junk altogether. (15)
Industry-funded Research
Both studies presented at the February AAAS meeting used an experimental cocoa supplied by Mars Incorporated, and the candy company commissioned the research as well. Mars Incorporated makes M&Ms and Mars, Snickers and Dove bars, among other candies.
For the last few years, Mars Incorporated and the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI) in McLean, Va., have jointly funded research to try to find health benefits in the delectable dessert. Mars Incorporated external affairs director Marlene Machut said the studies began as "flavor research" but shifted to health benefits as evidence grew.
One problem with that was alluded to in an AAAS symposium on chocolate held in 2000: Why should consumers trust data on chocolate when it comes from industry-funded research?
"That's a valid question," acknowledged John W. Erdman, professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and cochair of that symposium. But he also said in a recent interview that if the candy industry hadn't funded the research, "it would have been very difficult to get off the ground otherwise."
Erdman said the situation is similar to Quaker Oats' preliminary funding of research that showed oats' lowered serum cholesterol, or to Midwestern soy farmers funding most of the initial studies which showed that proteins and antioxidants in soy fight heart disease. Later clinical research done by independent labs around the world confirmed those smaller studies' conclusions and expanded upon them, he said.
"It's often necessary for a lot of promising, peer-reviewed, industry-financed studies to be done before government steps in with financial support for larger-scale research," Erdman said. "Nowadays the FDA wants preliminary information before they fund a major project."
Rather than questioning the data, Professor Keen believes people should applaud the industry for investigating the nutritional value of their products.
"Responsible food companies have a responsibility to fund research into the potential value of nutrients in those foods," he said. "If [these] companies help fund research at independent campuses and universities, and generate exciting data, that tells the NIH, 'This is a worthwhile area in which to invest precious taxpayer dollars.'"

Conclusive Evidence?

So does chocolate contribute to disease prevention? Should we eat chocolate for its health benefits as well as for its terrific taste?
When asked to choose how far along the preliminary-conclusive continuum this research is, Erdman said, "It's moving along. People are starting to say, 'There's something here.' Scientists are finding similar results with compounds in fruits and vegetables, tea, red wine and tomatoes."
Keen agreed, pointing out that the tea, grape and chocolate industries are just a few of the groups exploring antioxidants' potential benefits.
"I think one should view it from a collective perspective," he suggested. "There are a number of industries with very different types of food products who are saying, 'It looks like these compounds may have some potential health benefits,'" he said.
Of course, people should always be "skeptical" until results are repeated and published in peer-reviewed journals, Keen said.
The USDA Food Composition Laboratory is already sold: They're developing a database reporting the levels of flavonoids in plant foods, and cocoa will be included along with fruits, berries and other foods that provide health benefits, said Machut. In addition, the lab adopted Mars Incorporated's methods for looking at the flavonol levels in food products.
Methods Matter
"The cacao bean and its bran have the highest polyphenol levels," nutritionist Angela Miraglio noted in a May 2001 article in Nutrition Notes. "Processing the beans destroys some polyphenols; temperature, chemical changes and duration of exposure contribute to the loss. So the level of polyphenols in the final product vary. Cocoa processors and chocolate manufacturers are beginning to take precautions to minimize the losses."(13)
Mars recently developed a proprietary method for processing cocoa beans called Cocoapro?, which preserves polyphenols by changing the way the beans are selected, fermented, dried, as well as how they're processed and formulated, said external affairs director Machut. Some Mars candy bars feature the CocoaPro label.
"That's how consumers can identify chocolates that retain much of a cocoa bean's initial flavonoid riches," said Machut.
Future?
Both Keen's and Hollenberg's teams plan future research into the benefits of cocoa. As you might expect, Mars Incorporated plans more, too.
But the surest sign of the candy company's faith in its main product is the fact that they're "working with several pharmaceutical companies to isolate and develop cocoa components as cardiovascular pharmaceuticals." In other words, they're trying to develop a drug based on chocolate's cardiovascular health benefits.
"Take a candy bar and call me in the morning." I knew it all along: Those of us who've been self-medicating ourselves with a few chosen chocolate candies were simply ahead of our time.

***
SIDEBAR
CHOCOLATE: WHERE TO FIND IT
Before I begin to list some of the websites devoted to chocolate, I must mention San Francisco’s Exploratorium, which offers a great video webcast about chocolate. Or you can simply go through the site’s nicely designed web pages chock full of information about chocolate. It’s available at:

http://www.exploratorium.edu/chocolate/
The Exploratorium is a museum of science, art and human perception in San Francisco. This online site offers a video webcast titled, “The Sweet Science of Chocolate,” in which host Sedge Thomson talks with chocolatiers, chefs and scientists about the history and science of chocolate. The webcast includes a visit to the Amazon rain forest to see cacao, the source of chocolate growing on the tree; information about the early history of chocolate, its importance to early American cultures and how it spread to Europe; a video tour of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Makers factory; and scientists explaining the chemical properties of chocolate.

http://chocolocate.com/
The Chocolate Lovers' Page is “a guide to chocolate on the web.” Its database lists more than 910 worldwide chocolate web sites, including retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, industry and trade associations, as well as fan sites. It also lists sites with information, places to buy chocolate gift baskets or find chocolate for fundraising, recipe sites, and places with books about chocolate.

http://www.virtualchocolate.com/
Virtual Chocolate sells t-shirts, mouse pads and books, and allows you to send chocolate using an online searchable directory. (If your honey is on a diet, you can also send a “Virtual Chocolate” postcard treat to anyone with an email address.) You can also find chocolate wallpaper for your computer screen.
The rec.food.chocolate newsgroup on the world wide web periodically posts a Chocolate Resources document. See http://www.faqs.org/faqs/food/chocolate/resources/part1/.
Yahoo offers a chocolate resources page too: See http://dir.yahoo.com/society_and_culture/food_and_drink/types_of_foods/desserts_and_sweets/chocolate/
http://www.chocolate.com/
allows you to find chocolate sources as well as meet other chocoholics, find information, books, recipe and gift links.

http://www.candydirect.com calls itself the “world's largest candystore online.”

http://www.candywarehouse.com
The CandyWarehouse.com Factory Outlet Store offers a “huge selection of yummy candies.”
http://www.best-online-shopping-mall.com offers “the best chocolate retailers.”
ENDNOTES/REFERENCES
1 Knekt P, Jarvinen R, Reunanen A, Maatela J. Flavonoid intake and coronary mortality in Finland: a cohort study. Brit Med J 1996;312:478-81. Hertog M, Kromhout D, Aravanis C, et al. Dietary antioxidant flavonoids and risk of coronary heart disease: the Zutphen Elderly Study. Lancet 1993;342:1007-11. Hollman PC, Hertog MGL, Katan MB. Role of dietary flavonoids in protection against cancer and coronary heart disease. Biochem Soc Transact 1996;24:785-9.

2 Hollman PC, Katan MB. Dietary flavonoids: intake, health effects and bioavailability. Food Chem Toxic 1999;37:937-42.

3 Adamson GE et al. HPLC method for the quantification of procyanidins in cocoa and chocolate samples and correlation to total antioxidant capacity J Agric Food Chem 1999;47:4184-8.

4 K Chevaux, L Jackson, ME Villar, J Mundt, J Commisso, G Adamson, MM McCullough, H Schmitz, N Hollenberg Proximate, Mineral and Procyanidin Content of Certain Foods and Beverages Consumed by the Kuna Amerinds of Panama J Food Cmpstn & Anal 2001;14:553-563

5 Rein D, Paglieroni TG, Wun T, Pearson DA, Schmitz HH, Gosselin R, and Keen CL. Cocoa inhibits platelet activation and function Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72:30-5.

6 http://www.chocolate.org/ Chocolate [sorely tempted?] A rampant chocaholic

7 Zurer, P. 1996. Chocolate may mimic marijuana in brain. Chemical and Engineering News 74(Sept. 2):31

8 http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/choco.html Neuroscience Resources for Kids, Discovering the Sweet Mysteries of Chocolate Ellen Kuwana

9 Brostoff J., Second World Congress on CFS and Related Disorders held in Brussels, Belgium, Allergy in CFS September 1999.

10 Bruinsma K, Taren DL Chocolate: food or drug? J Am Diet Assoc 1999 Oct; 99(10):1249-56

11http://extratv.warnerbros.com/reframe.html.

http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/rxtra/03_01/03_12a_4.html Turning Off the Fat Genes: Chapter Four, The Truth of Chocolate Addiction, March 12, 2001

12 Waterhouse A, Shirley R, Donovan J. Antioxidants in chocolate. Lancet 1996;348:834.

13 Miraglio A, Chocolate’s Potential for Health Benefits Nutrition Notes May 2001

14 Vinson JA, Proch J, Zubik L. Phenol antioxidant quantity and quality in foods: cocoa, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate J Agric Food Chem. 1999 Dec;47(12):4821-4.

15 Lee IM, Paffenbarger R Life is sweet: candy consumption and longevity BMJ 1998; 317: 1683-1684.

(http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3464/)

BEING HEALTHY WITH CYCLING

Cycling and Health

Getting on your bike regularly not only gets you where you want to go faster than a car, it protects you against a wide range of ill health, and also makes you feel better.
Cycling is good for your heart and health
Everyday cycling, where the exercise leaves you breathing heavily but not being out of breath, is an effective and enjoyable form of aerobic exercise. This is the type of exercise that is most effective at promoting good health. For example, cycling reduces the risk of serious conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and the most common form of diabetes.1,2,3,4
One rough calculation suggests that new cyclists covering short distances can reduce their risk of death (mainly due to the reduction of heart disease) by as much as 22 per cent.5
Cycling will help with weight management
Cycling can be part of a programme to lose weight2 because it burns the energy supplied by a chocolate bar or a couple of alcoholic drinks in an hour (about 300 calories). A 15-minute bike ride to and from work five times a week burns off the equivalent of 11 pounds of fat in a year.6 That kind of cycling pattern also meets the Government's latest target on exercise: that we should take part in some mild to moderate physical activity that leaves us out of breath for at least 30 minutes five times a week.
Cycling can improve your mood
Cycling can have positive effects on how we feel too.2 Moderate exercise has been found to reduce levels of depression and stress, improve mood and raise self-esteem, and has also been found to relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.4,5,7
Cycling can help to maintain strength and coordination
There can also be indirect benefits in terms of reducing injuries from falls, which can be seriously disabling, especially in older people. The strength and co-ordination that regular cycling brings make them less likely.4,5,8,9 Physically active older people have much reduced rates of hip fracture.10
How cycling improves fitness
A study carried out for the Department of Transport found that 'even a small amount of cycling can lead to significant gains in fitness'. The study found that aerobic fitness was boosted by 11 per cent after just six weeks of cycling 'short distances' four times a week.8 If cycling the equivalent of four miles to and from work in total a day the aerobic benefit increased to 17 per cent.8
According to the Department of Transport study people who do not exercise who start cycling move from the third of the population who are the least fit, to the fittest half of the population in just a few months.8
Leg strength also improved in the cyclists in the study. This is more important than it seems because leg strength improves other mobility by allowing people to get out of chairs more easily, and helps older people especially avoid falls and the broken bones and other injuries associated with them.8
Cycling, the researchers behind the study concluded, is 'one of the few physical activities which can be undertaken by the majority of the population as part of a daily routine'.8
Cyclists breathe in less fumes than car drivers
If you are worried about traffic fumes, there may be no need. Cyclists and pedestrians actually absorb lower levels of pollutants from traffic fumes than car drivers.4,11
Who can cycle?
There are no real age barriers to cycling, and people of most fitness levels can cycle, slowly and gently if necessary. Anyone with heart disease or other conditions affecting their activity should, of course, consult their doctor before starting any exercise programme. Those of all body shapes and all but the most extreme body weights can ride a bike.
Getting Started
What sets cycling apart from most other forms of exercise is how well it fits into our busy, modern lifestyles. Apart from the bicycle itself (and a recommended protective helmet) no other equipment is needed, no special time needs to be set, and no special clothes are needed (although you might want to leave your best suit on the hanger). Instead of spending time stuck in a car or bus, you spend it on the bike, there is no need to find extra time to exercise.
It's as easy as riding a bike. You simply start to use a bike when you would otherwise have gone by car, bus, train or on foot. How much you ride depends on you, your fitness and your lifestyle. New cyclists could start off by using the bike to pop a few hundred yards down the road to the shops or the post box, and gradually increase the distance they cover. In a few weeks aerobic fitness will have improved and you will be able to ride for miles without feeling anything more than a little puffed out.
Helmets
There is still some argument, but there is increasing evidence that cycle helmets can reduce the number and severity of head injuries in cyclists. To be any good at all the helmet must be worn correctly and be close fitting without being pushed to the back of the head. Get expert advice from someone in a bike shop. But remember, the health benefits of cycling significantly outweigh the risks of cycling on British roads.5
Keep at it
Most cyclists are 'utility' cyclists where the bike is a way of getting from A to B, and getting some exercise is an added bonus. Nearly three-quarters of journeys people make are of five miles or less, and these could be acheived by most people.12 On reasonably flat ground you will soon be able to cover at least four to six miles in half an hour - faster than cars in many towns and cities.
But those bitten by the bike bug may improve their fitness and may make long rides to work, or may choose to go leisure cycling where they cover 30-50 miles a day.
Competitive individuals may want to start racing - against other cyclists or against the clock.
Fitter individuals with a taste for adventure may choose to try mountain biking, speeding down specially made trails on the side of hills, leaping over dips and jumping over obstacles.
These more active cyclists are likely to increase their health benefits. In general the more active an individual is, the healthier they are. But, whichever form of cycling you choose to pursue, remember to have fun while you're doing it. As you are whizzing past drivers stuck in a queue, you can enjoy the fact that not only are you getting to your destination quicker, but you are getting fit at the same time.

(http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/healthy_living/lifestyle/exercise/cycling/cycling_health.html)

Further information
Cycle Touring Clubwww.ctc.org.uk
London Cycling Campaignwww.lcc.org.uk

References
Carnall D. Cycling and health promotion. A safer, slower urban road environment is the key. BMJ 2000; 320: 888.
Mersy DJ. Health benefits of aerobic exercise. Postgrad Med 1991; 90: 103-7 and 110-2.
Kelley GA. Effects of Aerobic exercise in normotensive adults: a brief metaanalytic review of controlled clinical trials. South Med J 1995; 88: 42-46.
www.nationalcyclingstrategy.org.uk
Rutter H. Modal shift. Transport and health. A policy report on the health benefits of increasing levels of cycling in Oxfordshirewww.modalshift.org/reports/tandh/print_version.htm
Leeds cycling action group. Cycling and Healthwww.leedscyclists.org.uk/health.htm
Scully D, Kremer J, Meade MM et al. Physical exercise and psychological wellbeing. In MacAuley D (Ed.) Benefits and hazards of exercise. London: BMJ Books 1999.
Fentem PH. ABC of sports medicine. Benefits of exercise in health and disease. BMJ 1994; 308: 1291-5.
Joakimsen RM, Magnus JH, Fonnebo V. Physical activity and predisposition for hip fractures: a review. Osteoporosis Int 1998; 7: 503-13.
Rank J, Folke J, Jespersen PH. Differences in cyclists and car drivers exposure to air pollution from traffic in the city of Copenhagen. Sci Total Environ 2001; 279: 131-6.
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. A new deal for transport: Better for everyone. Chapter 2 Sustainable transport. Published 20 July 1998.

AVOCADO MAKE YOU HEALTH

Health Benefits of Avocado
The Saturday Statesman , 10/02/2007

Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol. In one study of people with moderately high cholesterol levels, individuals who ate a diet high in avocados showed clear health improvements.
After seven days on the diet that included avocados, they had significant decreases in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, along with an 11% increase in health promoting HDL cholesterol.
Avocados are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Adequate intake of potassium can help to guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke.
In fact, the US Food and Drug Association has authorized a health claim that states: "Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.”
One cup of avocado has 23 percent of the Daily Value for folate, a nutrient important for heart health. To determine the relationship between folate intake and heart disease, researchers followed over 80,000 women for 14 years using dietary questionnaires.
They found that women who had higher intakes of dietary folate had a 55 percent lower risk of having heart attacks or fatal heart disease. Another study showed that individuals who consume folate-rich diets have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke than those who do not consume as much of this vital nutrient.
How to select and store
A ripe, ready to eat avocado is slightly soft but should have no dark sunken spots or cracks. If the avocado has a slight neck, rather than being rounded on top, it was probably tree ripened and will have better flavor. A firmer, less mature fruit can be ripened at home and will be less likely to have bruises.
The Hass avocado weighs about 8 ounces on average and has a pebbled dark green or black skin, while the Fuerte avocado has smoother, brighter green skin. Avoid Fuertes with skin that is too light and bright. Florida avocados, which can be as large as 5 pounds, have less fat and calories, but their taste is not as rich as California varieties.
A firm avocado will ripen in a paper bag or in a fruit basket at room temperature within a few days. As the fruit ripens, the skin will turn darker. Avocados should not be refrigerated until they are ripe. Once ripe, they can be kept refrigerated for up to a week.
If you are refrigerating a whole avocado, it is best to keep it whole and not slice it in order to avoid browning that occurs when the flesh is exposed to air.
If you have used a portion of a ripe avocado, it is best to store the remainder in the refrigerator. Store in a plastic bag, wrap with plastic wrap, or place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.
Sprinkling the exposed surface(s) with lemon juice will help to prevent the browning that can occur when the flesh comes in contact with oxygen in the air.

(http://www.thestatesmanonline.com/pages/news_detail.php?section=12&newsid=2467)

WALKING IS GOOD FOR HEALTH

How to walk

If you felt surprised by this title, it is probably because you think everyone knows how to walk. You put one foot in front of the other and there you go.What's the big deal about it? But it is a serious and effective way of getting some exercise.

Don't dismiss walking. It can provide enormous health benefits such as improving your circulation and cardiovascular function, strengthening your bones, helping to build and maintain muscle mass, easing stress and anxiety, improving your sense of well-being and, if done regularly and at a high enough intensity, it can help to shed unwanted kilos.

But to maximise the benefits you get from it, make sure that your walking technique is up to scratch. Perhaps get a friend to assess your body positioning and style.

Here's how to do it for maximum benefit

1. Keep your head up, eyes looking forward and focused ahead.
2. Ensure your back is straight, but relaxed.
3. �Zip up� your abdominals and squeeze in your gluteal (butt) muscles - this will help you to maintain a straight back. The deepest layer of abdominals act as important stabilisers for your lower back and are very important when walking.
4. Keep your chest out, your shoulders back, down and relaxed.
5. Let your arms, which are bent at the elbows, swing naturally from the shoulders. As you speed up, you might find it easier to bend your arms at 90� and use a stronger arm movement.
6. Your foot strike action is important. After you land on the outer side of your heel, your foot rolls inwards, which is essential for adequate shock absorption and the final phase is a push off with your toes.
7. Beware of pounding your heels down when walking briskly; this generates unnecessary forces on your joints.
8. Dorsiflex your foot (bend the top part of your foot back) adequately, rather than just shuffling along. The foot needs 10� to 15� of dorsiflexion in order to walk correctly. Otherwise, to compensate, your foot will roll inwards excessively, which might lead to problems such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Stretching your calf muscles daily should help you to achieve adequate dorsiflexion.
9. Stride length is rather an individual feature of your walking technique. Most walkers take steps of the kind of length that promotes their walking efficiency.
10. Breathe rhythmically, for example inhale for 3 steps and exhale for the next 3, or at a rate that feels right.

Walking is not as simple as it looks. Different techniques must be used for walking uphill and for walking downhill.

Tips for walking uphill

1. Since walking uphill is quite demanding, make sure you warm-up by walking on the flat first for about 5 minutes.
2. Shorten your steps.
3. If you are fit, you can quicken your step rate with shorter steps, or if you are less fit, then at least try to maintain your step rate.
4. Lean very slightly forward into the hill. Leaning backwards will unbalance you.
5. Because hills are hard work, you should experience an increase in your heart rate and breathing rate. However, make sure that you can still conduct a conversation, even if it is somewhat breathless.

Tips for walking downhill

1. Relax and let your steps flow.
2. Going downhill, your stride will naturally lengthen. Whilst overstriding when walking on a flat surface is bad, when going downhill it will actually help you to brake slightly as gravity keeps you moving faster.
3. If you feel like your pace is out of control, shorten your stride and slow down your step rate.
4. Stay upright and don't lean back in an attempt to slow down.
5. If it is a very steep downhill, then you might want to lean forward a little for greater stability; keep your knees slightly bent at all times.

Well done on a great exercise choice � enjoy the benefits!

(Kathleen Mc Quaide - Sports Scientist)

(http://www.health24.com/fitness/Specific_Sports)

BONE HEALTH

Weekly tip - Walk your way to healthier bones

Don't dismiss walking. It can provide enormous health benefits such as strengthening your bones. But to maximise the benefits you get from it, make sure that your walking technique is up to scratch.

Take action:
Keep your head up, eyes looking forward and focused ahead; ensure your back is straight, but relaxed; �zip up� your abdominals and squeeze in your gluteal (butt) muscles � this will help you to maintain a straight back; keep your chest out, your shoulders back, down and relaxed; let your arms, which are bent at the elbows, swing naturally from the shoulders; your foot strike action is important � after you land on the outer side of your heel, your foot rolls inwards, which is essential for adequate shock absorption; beware of pounding your heels down when walking briskly � this generates unnecessary force on your joints.(http://www.health24.com/dietnfood/Health_tips/)

HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF COFFEE CONSUMPTION

Coffee and health; benefits and implications!

Coffee extract, in one form or the other is consumed daily by approximately two-thirds of the adult population in the United States and Europe, with an average consumption of two cups of coffee per person per day in the USA; the consumption in Europe is typically twice as much, with Scandinavian countries consuming on average four cups of coffee a day.

It is not surprising that coffee is a major force in international trade with approximately 5 million tonnes being produced annually in the 50 plus countries that grow the coffee crop. In fact coffee is second only to oil in international commerce, though with the price of oil nowadays, it is in a fairly distant second place!

Therefore even relatively minor concerns about the safety of coffee have major implications for international public health and for the world economy.

Coffee is one of the most drank beverages in the world, one of the reasons for its popularity is its distinct flavour and aroma. In addition to this, one of the reasons for its great popularity is the addictive nature of some of the chemicals it contains such as caffeine. The coffee drink is known to be made up of over a thousand different chemicals. These include complex carbohydrates, vitamins, alkaloids and phenol compounds amongst many others. Many of these coffee constituients have health benefits.(www.coffee-tea.co.uk/coffeefruit.jpg&imgrefur)

TIME FOR COFFEE AND TEA

The wonderful world of coffee and tea.

Have you ever wondered how your cup of coffee gets from the farm to your house? Or what the health benefits of drinking coffee and tea are? Well hopefully after reading a few of the pages of the'time for coffee and tea' site you'll have a fuller insight into both the production and the science of these beverages.

Information on Coffee and Tea

The site is split into two main sections: a general information on coffee and tea section, and a more scientific section that provides information on the science, production and economics of coffee and tea.

Benefits of coffee and tea

The general section contains valuable information on the effects of gourmet coffee and tea upon your health.

Everyday there is more and more data supporting tea as a great way to wade off ill health. As for the health benefits of coffee, well maybe drinking it through the night to keep you awake at work may not be the best idea in the world, but it still contains valuable metabolites that may be of great benefit in helping fight off diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cancers. Did you know that the consumption of coffee has been scientifically shown to reduce the rate of suicides by 13% with every cup consumed; yet another of the great reasons to enjoy your coffee break.

The general section also contains links to articles written about tea and gourmet coffee by other people, though I can't vouch for the quality of all of them, there are some very interesting articles in this section. The final section in the coffee and tea section will guide you through all the blends of tea and coffee, so if you don't know your Earl Grey Tea to your Lady Grey Tea then this is the place to look; this should guarantee you have a fantastic coffee or tea break.

Science and economics of Coffee and tea

The science and economics section of coffee break and tea time will benefit you by providing a better understanding of just how many people depend on coffee and tea plants for a living, from people picking tea leaves, and gourmet coffee beans in Malaysia and Columbia, via cargo carriers to big companies such as Unilever and Starbucks; there are many people who benifit from coffee. You will also learn of the role that plant breeders and biologists play in the improvement of tea and coffee plant biology. For Example the production of coffee in the forest ecosystem can greatly be improved by scientific understanding leading to greater plant yields farmers and companies can keep costs down, leading to better profits and lower costs to the customer.

After reading some of the articles it is hoped that you will have a fuller understanding of the benifits, biology and practicalities of both coffee and tea production and be able to enjoy your cup of gourmet tea or coffee more than ever.

Latest coffee and tea article

The latest addition to the coffee break site takes a look into the healthy relationship between coffee consumption and diabetes. Out of 20 research papers 17 show a corelation between coffee consumption and a lowering of diabetes risk. The benefits are also seen in decaffeinated coffee suggesting that caffeine is responsible for the health benefits.
(www.coffee-tea.co.uk/coffeefruit.jpg&imgrefurl=)