January 24th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Health Tips
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I loved yogurt when yogurt wasn’t cool.
In fact, I grew up on a small dairy farm in Canada where our sole product was yogurt. My parents bought a cow (Daisy) “in an unguarded moment” and ended up having to get creative to get rid of all the extra milk that she produced for our family. One thing led to another – and I wound up as the VP of Sales and Marketing for a growing yogurt company taking Canada by storm. So when I saw today’s news release about Dannon being sued for exaggerated health claims for their yogurt, my dairy ears perked up.
First of all, if it’s true that Dannon is claiming that their yogurt has greater health benefits than other yogurts with active cultures, that’s false advertising.
I also think it’s pretty sneaky that they (allegedly) ran ad campaigns exaggerating the health benefits of yogurt, and then marked up their product by 30% to make consumers feel that they were getting added value from what was there all along. Typical big business move, right?
Secondly, yogurt bacteria do have beneficial uses (eating yogurt may decrease colon infection rates in hospitals, and can reduce the chance of vaginal yeast infections after antibiotic use). There is no conclusive evidence that yogurt treats or prevents diarrhea. However, it’s silly to extrapolate that these friendly bacteria will improve the health of your entire immune system – so you’ll never be sick – or that they will perfectly regulate your bowels – regardless of your underlying disease. As with many foods that have been shown to have some specific health benefits (green tea, blueberries, flax seeds) the media tends to blow them out of proportion.
And finally, what should you know about yogurt? Know that for those who are not allergic to milk products, it is a healthy nutritional option (especially the low fat variety without too much sugar) that may be especially important if you’re in the hospital or have received any antibiotics recently. Yogurt contains protein and calcium, which are important components of a healthy diet. But beyond this nutritional benefit (and the infection reduction in at-risk populations), I wouldn’t ascribe any particular magic powers to this tasty treat – as much as I’d like to.
1. Look for the “active cultures” sign on yogurt containers. The National Yogurt Association (NYA) established its own criteria for live and active culture yogurt in conjunction with its Live & Active Culture seal program. In order for manufacturers to carry the seal, refrigerated yogurt products must contain at least 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture. Don’t pay extra for a yogurt because they have live cultures. The majority of them do!
2. Yogurt bacteria don’t live forever in your gut, so you’ll need to eat yogurt (or take active cultures) regularly to repopulate the colonies. I can’t find any data to support an exact consumption frequency. I guess it also depends on how many bacteria are contained in the yogurt or supplement you’re taking.
3. Acidophilus pills (one of the most popular yogurt bacterial strains) are available at health food stores for those who’d rather not eat yogurt but still want the benefits of the culture. These pills must be refrigerated to keep the culture alive (kind of like keeping milk cool) – and make sure you check the expiration date too. For more information on acidophilus, check out this supplement database.
4. The most common side effect of eating live yogurt cultures (in pill form or in yogurt form) is bloating and gas.
So don’t be surprised if you encounter it!
And I think that’s a nice thought to end on.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in News
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I was shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden and unexpected death of actor Heath Ledger. As fate would have it, I had watched his movie, “Candy” on the weekend prior to his death. Candy is the sad story of a young Australian couple who get involved in the drug culture, begin shooting heroin, and end up as junkies, prostituting themselves to afford their habits.
While the cause of Heath’s death is not yet known, a drug overdose is suspected and autopsy results will not be available for up to two weeks. A coworker asked me why the results would take so long, and what’s involved in an autopsy. I found a good article on the subject and will excerpt it here:
- Before the actual autopsy, as much information as possible is gathered about the person who died and the events that led to the death. Other information may be gathered by investigating the area where the person died, and studying the circumstances surrounding the death.
- Procedures done during the autopsy may vary depending on the circumstances surrounding the death, whether the medical examiner or coroner is involved, and what specific issues are being evaluated during the autopsy.
- The autopsy begins with a careful examination of the external part of the body. Photographs may be taken of the entire body and of specific body parts. X-rays may be taken to evaluate skeletal or other abnormalities, confirm injuries, locate bullets or other objects, or to help establish identity. The body is weighed and measured. Clothing and valuables are identified and recorded. The location and description of identifying marks, such as scars, tattoos, birthmarks, and other significant findings (injuries, wounds, bruises, cuts), are recorded on a body diagram.
- A complete internal examination includes removal of and dissection of the chest, abdominal, and pelvic organs and the brain. The examination of the trunk requires an incision from the chest to the abdomen. The removal of the brain requires an incision over the top of the head. The body organs are examined before removal, then removed and examined in detail.
- In some cases, organs may be placed in a preservative called formalin for days to weeks prior to dissection. This is particularly important in the examination of the brain for certain types of diseases or injuries. Tissue samples are taken from some or all of the organs for examination under a microscope.
- Completion of the autopsy may require examination of tissues under a microscope, further investigation of the circumstances of death, or specialized tests (such as genetic or toxicology tests). The tests performed may vary based on the findings at the autopsy dissection, the circumstances of death, the questions asked about the death, and the condition of the tissues and body fluids obtained at autopsy. A written report describes the autopsy findings. This report may address the cause of death and may help answer any questions from the deceased person’s doctor and family.
So it makes sense that autopsy results take as long as they do. A thorough investigation requires everything from documenting items from the scene of the death, to a careful analysis of blood toxins, to preserving tissues in formalin before viewing them under a microscope. All of the clues must be carefully weighed (Is there any evidence of a heart attack? Was there a blot clot in the lungs? Was there a brain hemorrhage?) to get the full picture and to be sure of the exact cause of death. All things considered, it’s amazing that the pathologists can render an opinion so quickly.
My heart goes out to Heath’s family as they await closure on the cause of his death.
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See also:
Mira Kirshenbaum discusses depression, suicide, and a healthy way to handle stressful life circumstances
.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Humor
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Ok, I admit it. I’m just stealing content from themommyblog.net. But this quote was too charming to miss.
My friend Mindy keeps a list of her kids’ comments on her blog and at Pear Soup (a kiddie quote aggregator). This one struck a funny bone today:
Daphne and I were talking about how much we love each other and she said:
“I love you more than 1000 centuries, more than anybody or anything like a bunny or something bigger than the whole world including China.”
Now that’s a lot of love.This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 23rd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Announcements
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I am very pleased to announce that this little blog of mine has won the highly coveted “Best New Medical Blog, 2007” award from MedGadget.com. Please go to the MedGadget site to check out all the other finalists and winners – I am truly honored to be counted among them.
If you’d like to peruse the best of my blog posts from this past year, simply click here.
If you’d like to check out some of my cartoons, please click here.
If you’d like to lose weight (yes, that’s right – Dr. Val is leading a weight loss group complete with activity tracker tools and a vibrant discussion board) please click here.
A heartfelt thanks to those of you who voted for me. I was touched that MedGadget mentioned that my blog provides “a human approach to medicine, balancing news and research with anecdotes and humor.” I think that sums up my style nicely.
Hope to see some of you in my weight loss group!This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
January 22nd, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Opinion
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The New York Times reported on a growing number of bloggers who identify themselves as “fat” and are proud of it. Their message is clear: accept yourself as you are, be proud of your body, and don’t feel forced to conform to the “thin is in” crowd. The Times continues:
Smart, sassy and irreverent, bloggers with names like Big Fat Deal, FatChicksRule and Fatgrrl (“Now with 50 percent more fat!”) buck anti-obesity sentiment. They celebrate their full figures and call on readers to accept their bodies, quit dieting and get on with life.
The message from the fatosphere is not just that big is beautiful. Many of the bloggers dismiss the “obesity epidemic” as hysteria. They argue that Americans are not that much larger than they used to be and that being fat in and of itself is not necessarily bad for you.
And they reject a core belief that many Americans, including overweight ones, hold dear: that all a fat person needs to do to be thin is exercise more and eat less.
What do I make of this? I think that the so-called fatosphere has hit on some important issues: discrimination against the obese, media pressures to be rail thin, and excessive yo-yo dieting are all unfortunate and perhaps dangerous aspects of our culture. Self-esteem can be rapidly eroded by unrealistic beauty ideals, and young women are particularly vulnerable. I whole heartedly agree with the fatosphere’s rage against the collateral damage of anorexic values. But I also think that the fatosphere goes too far in arguing that obesity is not a health problem and that some people are unable to lose weight and should stop trying.
First of all, there is no scientific doubt that obesity contributes to increasing type 2 diabetes and heart disease rates. Now, it’s true that some people’s bodies can handle extra fat without becoming diabetic or perhaps having a heart attack, but why take the risk?
Second, I agree that the jury is still out regarding how “dangerous” being overweight is (as opposed to being obese), and that people with BMIs <30 may indeed be physically fit with no obvious increases in morbidity and mortality. Yes, there is one controversial study that suggests that a little extra fat may actually be protective. But let’s not exaggerate those findings. It was a “little extra fat,” (i.e. being overweight) not obesity.
Third, I don’t believe that people are “doomed” to be obese. The National Weight Control Registry keeps a running list of thousands of Americans who have lost over 30 pounds of fat and kept that weight off for at least 5 years. Long term weight reduction is possible, and believing that it IS possible is important for success. So what do these successful folks have in common? No surprise here: long term, consistent calorie reduction and regular physical activity.
I have been cheering on my friend and blogger, Fat Doctor, as she works towards getting her weight out of the obese range. I do think that her voice is very much needed in the fatosphere: she acknowledges that weight loss is very difficult, she is honest about her struggles, she does not support discrimination against the obese or the pursuit of excessive thinness, but she knows that she must lose weight for her health, and she is getting medical help to achieve her goals.
If any of you out there would like to follow in Fat Doctor’s footsteps, there’s a weight loss group right here at Revolution Health (led by yours truly – and yes, I have some weight to lose!) that may help to get you back on track with regular exercise and healthy eating. Sixty percent of Americans are overweight or obese, which makes chubbiness pretty trendy. But we are not doomed… we can reverse this trend one person at a time. Let’s do it!This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
