Die-Hard Sports Fans Fatter, Less healthy than Others With Football Season around the corner sports fans may be focusing on couch surfing, beer, and nachos But they might want to take a second look at the exercise habits of the sports teams they support.  A new survey suggests that die-hard sports fans weigh more, eat fattier foods, and have worse health habits in general than folks who don’t care as much about sports…. resulting in a higher disease rate! Suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, sclerosis of the liver and colon cancer…..  “The irony is seeing unhealthy people watch athletes at the peak of physical fitness,” says Daniel R. Sweeney, PhD, an assistant professor of sport management at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), who conducted the survey with Donna Quimby, PhD, an associate professor of exercise science.  The researchers conducted an online survey of 14,000 people at UALR, including faculty, staff, and students. They divided 515 respondents into two groups—die-hard fans and those who were less devoted to sports teams. About 70% were students.  “Those that highly identify with a team are more emotionally involved and personally committed,” says  Sweeney.” They usually spend more time, energy, and resources on rooting for their team.”   Despite sports fans’ religious-like devotion to their heroes on the field, the researchers found that they didn’t     appear to emulate their health habits. In fact, devoted sports fans had a higher body mass index than non- sports fans, and were more likely to be overweight, with an average BMI of 27.4, compared with the non fans’ more slender 25. (A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.)  They also ate junk food and fast food more often and drank more alcohol per sitting than their peers, according to the study, which was presented at the Arkansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance conference in November. About 26% of the sports fans consumed vegetables only one to three times a month, compared with 19% of non-sports fans; 21% of fans almost always ate high-fat food compared to only 13% of their peers. Commentary    AJ. Leon   June/2010 GLUTTONY HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH   Well there you have it Die hard football fans, Statistics and reports speak for themselves. Over indulging! Really puts a load on ones future. Many of us don’t realize the damage it brings upon our bodies until it’s too late. Some may say oh well it won’t happen to me! Others may say who cares! When it happens it happens give me another drink! Well, one thing for sure you can’t blame GOD! When your behind is up in the air; being diagnosed for prostate cancer or being rushed into the emergency room for heart surgery! Oh Ya, it becomes real then! Gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins it enters your life as wine poured into a glass, as one who drinks sees the swirls go around and around as he drinks he becomes drunk in his own desire! Until it turns on him and bites him like a viper! Unfortunately we are all guilty of this! In the scriptures Gluttony was associated with stubbornness, rebellion, disobedience, drunkenness, and wastefulness. In Matt.11:19 they accused JESUS of being a glutton, being in the mist of the of them he was wrongfully accused, the point of this scripture JESUS came to heal the sick not the well, For Wisdom is justified by her children, those who feed off GODS wisdom become his children, having understanding in life! Knowing how much is enough in all things. Peace out……….Silver Black!

 

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Study Finds High Dementia, Arthritis Rates

A study commissioned by the NFL to assess the health and well-being of retired players found that they reported being diagnosed with dementia and other memory-related diseases at a rate significantly higher than that of the general population. The study also found a greatly increased rate of arthritis being reported by the former NFL players but found reduced rates of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

The 37-page study was conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and its findings were based on a telephone survey of 1,063 retired NFL players conducted last November and December. Researchers found that 6.1 percent of retired NFL players age 50 and above reported receiving a diagnosis of dementia, Alzheimer's disease or other memory-related disease, compared to 1.2 percent for all comparably aged U.S. men, and 1.9 percent of players ages 30 to 49 indicated they'd received such a diagnosis, compared to 0.1 percent for the general population.

The researchers wrote in the study that assessing rates of dementia through a phone survey can be problematic. "We did not administer cognitive tests and did not conduct neurological examinations," the researchers wrote. "The only information we collected about dementia was to ask the respondent (or proxy) if they had ever been diagnosed with 'dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or other memory-related disease.'... The vague category of memory-related disease makes the interpretation of this question somewhat difficult." The researchers concluded that "further research on this issue is warranted."

Greg Aiello, the NFL's senior vice president of public relations, said that further research by the league on the topic "already is under way," also pointing out that the issue was covered in only two paragraphs of the 37-page study and the report "acknowledges significant limitations of the survey in this area." In a written statement, Aiello said: "The survey did not diagnose dementia but relied on self-reporting or family proxy reporting on a retired player's memory and it also noted that diseases of memory are rare in both the general population and NFL retirees. Despite those facts, the study recommends further research based on the reported numbers (1.9 percent of NFL retirees 30-39 and 6.1 percent of NFL retirees 50+) and that already is under way. Memory disorders affect many men and women who never played football or other sports. We are trying to understand it as it relates to our retired players.

"The survey makes no link between concussions and memory disorders. Concussion as one of many potential factors in memory disorders is being studied throughout the medical community, including our own study on the long-term effects of concussions on retired players. Meanwhile, our focus is also on the proper prevention and treatment of concussions in today's game. We do this through rules changes and enforcement; education of players, their families, coaches and team personnel; and ensuring that our players have the best medical care available. Our medical staffs take a cautious and conservative approach to managing concussions, including expanded use of neuropsychological testing and return-to-play guidelines." The New York Times first reported the study's findings.

"The survey method is an established method to gather information," Chris Nowinski, the co-director of a Boston University medical school program that studies brain injuries in sports, said by telephone Wednesday. "I think in this situation we can believe the data. This is a major public health problem we're facing. The fact is, you've got a 19 times greater risk [for former players ages 30 to 49 to have been diagnosed with a memory-related disease]. It's frightening."

Nowinski said the problem of brain injuries among football players should be addressed through rule changes, increased training on tackling techniques, streamlined practice routines with decreased contact, further research on possible equipment changes and improved care and management of players' concussions. "They can't say [this study] was done poorly," Nowinski said of the NFL. "They must have signed off on the methodology. They can't dispute their own findings. They've got to deal with this and they've got to deal with it in a radical manner. They're now accountable to deal with this." The study found that 41.3 percent of NFL retirees ages 30 to 49 reported suffering from arthritis, compared to 8.7 percent for the general population, and 62.4 percent of older former players reported having arthritis, compared to 32 percent of all comparably aged U.S. men.

On other health issues, former players reported faring better than the population as a whole. According to the study, NFL retirees reported fewer heart attacks and strokes than comparably aged men in the general population, and they were less likely to report angina, chest pain related to arterial blockage. The rate of reported diabetes among former NFL players was lower than that of the entire population. Only 2.5 percent of NFL retirees 30 to 49 reported suffering from diabetes, compared to 4.7 percent for the general population; 10.5 percent of NFL retirees 50 and older reported having diabetes, compared to 17.3 percent for the general population.

Researchers wrote that the rates of kidney and urinary problems reported by NFL retirees were comparable to the rates for U.S. men as a whole. The reported rate of ulcers was comparable for younger retirees and lower for older retirees. The rate of reported cancer was higher than that of the general population. The study found that, on the subject of obesity, 56 percent of NFL retirees 30 to 49 reported having a body mass index of greater than 30, a standard for obesity, compared to 32.1 percent of all comparably aged U.S. men. That figure was 49.3 percent for older former players, compared to 28.5 percent for the entire population.

But the researchers wrote that BMI "may be an especially poor measure for this population which we might reasonably expect to be heavily muscled." The researchers wrote in general of their methodology: "Some limitations must be noted. Surveys do not directly diagnose disease or measure performance. They ask questions about diagnosis and perceived ability. A population of professional athletes, for whom physical performance was critical to success, may well be more medically aware and knowledgeable than the general population."

The researchers also wrote in summarizing their findings: "The study finds retired players to be in very good stead, overall. They are satisfied with life and deeply connected within their social networks and communities. Their history of physical fitness (including low rates of smoking and high rates of physical activity) shows up in lower rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. On most other health problems they are similar to or healthier than the general population. However, they do have much higher rates of arthritis and reported pain and mobility problems than the general population. Retired players are in good financial shape overall, although there are small percentages of retired players who report financial difficulty."

Aiello, the NFL's spokesman, said in his written statement: "As part of our overall initiative to assist retired NFL players, we commissioned a telephone survey by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The institute is releasing its report today. The primary purpose was to get a better look at the overall condition of retired players and identify specific areas where we can further address their needs.

"The survey found that playing in the NFL was a very positive experience for most retired players and that overall they are in very good physical and financial condition. Their history of physical fitness shows up in lower rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. On most other health problems they are similar to or healthier than the general population, the survey noted. We are carefully reviewing the information and sharing it with others to assist our work on behalf of retired players.

Can herbs reduce pain and other diseases?
A heaping helping of curry could relieve your pain. That's because turmeric, a spice used in curry, contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory that works similarly to Cox-2 inhibitors, drugs that reduce the Cox-2 enzyme that causes the pain and swelling of arthritis, says Lee.

It might also: Prevent colon cancer and Alzheimer's disease. According to a small 2006 clinical trial conducted by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, curcumin can help shrink precancerous lesions known as colon polyps, when taken with a small amount of quercetin, a powerful antioxidant found in onions, apples, and cabbage. The average number of polyps dropped more than 60% and those that remained shrank by more than 50%. In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, researchers at UCLA also found that curcumin helps clear the brain of the plaques that are characteristic of the disease.

Maximize the benefits: For general health, Lee recommends adding the spice to your cooking whenever possible. For a therapeutic dose, James A. Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy, suggests 400 mg of curcumin extract three times daily, right in line with what subjects in the colon polyp study took (480 mg of curcumin and 20 mg of quercetin, three times a day).

Cinnamon: Lower blood sugar

In a recent German study of type 2 diabetics, taking cinnamon extract daily successfully reduced blood sugar by about 10%.

It might also: Lower cholesterol. Cinnamon packs a one-two punch for people with type 2 diabetes by reducing related heart risks. In another study of diabetics, it slashed cholesterol by 13% and triglycerides by 23%.

Maximize the benefits: To tame blood sugar, study subjects took 1 g capsules of standardized cinnamon extract daily, while those in the cholesterol study took 1 to 6 g. But keep in mind that a large amount of the actual spice can be dangerous, so stick with a water-soluble extract. Terry Graedon, PhD, coauthor with her husband, Joe, of Best Choices from the People's Pharmacy, recommends the brand Cinnulin PF (available in health food stores).

Rosemary: Avoid carcinogens

Frying, broiling, or grilling meats at high temperatures creates HCAs (heterocyclic amines), potent carcinogens implicated in several cancers. But HCA levels are significantly reduced when rosemary extract (a common powder) is mixed into beef before cooking, say Kansas State University researchers. "Rosemary contains carnosol and rosemarinic acid, two powerful antioxidants that destroy the HCAs," explains lead researcher J. Scott Smith, PhD.

It might also: Stop tumors. Rosemary extract helps prevent carcinogens that enter the body from binding with DNA, the first step in tumor formation, according to several animal studies. When researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign fed rosemary extract to rats exposed to dimethylbenzanthracene, a carcinogen that causes breast cancer, both DNA damage and tumors decreased. "Human research needs to be done," says study author Keith W. Singletary, PhD. "But rosemary has shown a lot of cancer-protective potential."

Maximize the benefits: To reduce HCAs, Smith recommends marinating foods in any supermarket spice mix that contains rosemary as well as one or more of the spices thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, or parsley.

Ginger: Avert nausea

Ginger can prevent stomach upset from many sources, including pregnancy, motion sickness, and chemotherapy. "This is one of Mom's remedies that really works," says Suzanna M. Zick, ND, MPH, a research investigator at the University of Michigan. A powerful antioxidant, ginger works by blocking the effects of serotonin, a chemical produced by both the brain and stomach when you're nauseated, and by stopping the production of free radicals, another cause of upset in your stomach. In one study of cruise ship passengers traveling on rough seas, 500 mg of ginger every 4 hours was as effective as Dramamine, the commonly used OTC motion-sickness medication. In another study, where subjects took 940 mg, it was even more effective than the drug.

It might also: Decrease your blood pressure, arthritis pain, and cancer risk. Ginger helps regulate blood flow, which may lower blood pressure, says Zick, and its anti-inflammatory properties might help ease arthritis. Ginger extract had a significant effect on reducing pain in all 124 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, in a study conducted at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Miami. Those same anti-inflammatory powers help powdered ginger kill ovarian cancer cells as well as--or better than--traditional chemotherapy, at least in the test tube, found a 2006 study by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Although further testing is needed, Zick and the study's authors are excited about its prospects: "Our preliminary results indicate that ginger may have significant therapeutic benefit for ovarian cancer patients."

Maximize the benefits: For nausea, ginger is best taken before symptoms start, at least 30 minutes before departure, say the Graedons. They recommend capsules containing 500 to 1,000 mg of dried ginger every 4 hours, up to a maximum of 4 g daily.

Holy Basil: Combat stress

Several animal studies back holy basil, a special variety of the plant you use in your pesto sauce, as effective at reducing stress by increasing adrenaline and noradrenaline and decreasing serotonin. This is no surprise to Pratima Nangia-Makker, PhD, a researcher at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, whose mother and grandmother relied on a tea made from the leaves of holy basil to relieve indigestion and headaches.

It might also: Inhibit breast cancer. First in test tubes and then in mice, a tea made of holy basil shrunk tumors, reduced their blood supply, and stopped their spread, found Nangia-Makker, who plans to study the effects in humans.

Maximize the benefits: For stress relief, try holy basil extract from New Chapter or Om Organics, widely available in health food stores. To aid in breast cancer treatment, Nangia-Makker advises drinking this tea daily: Pour 2 cups boiling water over 10 to 15 fresh holy basil leaves (other varieties of basil won't work) and steep 5 minutes. Remove the leaves before consuming. If you are being treated for breast cancer, be sure to check with your doctor.

St. John's Wort: Soothe your worries

You probably know that research has confirmed this herb's power to relieve mild to moderate depression and anxiety as effectively as many drugs--without a lot of the side effects.

It might also: Help you snooze more soundly. St. John's wort not only contains melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles, but it also increases the body's own melatonin, improving sleep, says a report from the Surgeon General.

Maximize the benefits: For both mood and sleep problems, author Duke recommends a supplement containing at least 0.3% hypericin (the active phytochemical) per capsule or 300 mg of the extract to be taken three times daily. Warning: St. John's wort has been shown to interact with several prescription medications, so be sure to check with your doctor before taking it.

Garlic: Lower cancer risk

High consumption of garlic lowered rates of ovarian, colorectal, and other cancers, says a 2006 research review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A 2006 Japanese clinical trial also found that after a year of taking aged garlic extract supplements, people with a history of colon polyps saw a reduction in the size and number of the precancerous growths detected by their doctors.

It might also: Provide cardiovascular benefits. Garlic contains more than 70 active phytochemicals, including allicin, which many studies have shown decreases high blood pressure by as much as 30 points. Garlic may help prevent strokes as well by slowing arterial blockages, according to a yearlong clinical study at UCLA. In addition, patients' levels of homocysteine, a chemical that leads to plaque buildup, dropped by 12%.

Maximize the benefits: Crushed fresh garlic offers the best cardiovascular and cancer-fighting benefits, says Duke. But you'll need to down up to five cloves each day. Try Kyolic aged garlic extract capsules (1,000 mg), the product used in many of the studies.

Andrographis: Shorten Summer Colds

Andrographis does a great job of relieving upper-respiratory infections, such as colds or sinusitis, says new research. A study in the journal Phytomedicine reported that the herb eased symptoms such as fatigue, sleeplessness, sore throat, and runny nose up to 90%.

Maximize the benefits: Lee and the Graedons recommend Kan Jang, an herbal extract produced by the Swedish Herbal Institute and used in several of the trials.

Kudzu: Curb problem drinking

A group of moderately heavy drinkers in their 20s voluntarily cut their beer consumption in half after taking capsules containing the Chinese herb (also called Pueraria lobata) for a week, according to a study published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. Researchers say the kudzu more quickly allows alcohol to get to the part of the brain that tells you that you've had enough.

Maximize the benefits: Participants took capsules with 500 mg of kudzu extract three times daily.

*** Rules for the safest self-healing ***

Natural substances often work like drugs in the body, say Joe and Terry Graedon. They suggest following these precautions.

Rule: Don't assume it's safe. Herbs are not regulated by the FDA for safety or efficacy. So search the label for a seal of approval from the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) or CL (Consumer-Lab.com), which indicates it has been approved by certified academic laboratories.

Rule: Talk with your doctor. It's best to tell him if you're considering supplements. Some herbs can interact with certain meds, including those for high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression, as well as blood thinners and even OTC drugs. View a partial list of herb-drug interactions published by the University of Michigan Health System Drug Information Service.

Rule: Don't overdo it. More isn't necessarily better--and could be dangerous. Always follow dosing instructions.