More Bad News

News released today that nearly 50% of American adults have high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol.  All 3 of these are bad in and of themselves, but also strongly predispose to heart disease, the leading killer in the United States.

Dr. Steve Nissen from the Cleveland Clinic is quoted as saying, "These findings are disturbing and reflect the cumulative effects of the modern American lifestyle."

Our inattentiveness to healthy diets, lack of exercise and general disregard for our personal health is taking a toll. Where will we be a generation from now?

Bad News About School Lunches

Is our overweight problem a threat to national security?  A group of retired military officers state that school lunches are so unhealthy, they are making future soldiers "too fat to fight."  Currently, 27 million young adults are deemed too fat to serve in the military. 

Let's remember that these fat kids become fat adults.  Our current health crisis starts with overweight and sick kids.  We are setting ourselves up for a dangerous future.

Environmental Hazards

Last week, Time magazine did a great piece on chemical dangers in the environment.  This comes a few months after the FDA expressed concerns over the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a compound found in many plastics.   The concern is especially grave for unborn children as reports have shown that BPA crosses the placenta.

There are toxins everywhere.  We'll do a short series on these chemical compounds, the sources and what we can do about them. Browse through the Time magazine article as it gives a good primer on this important topic.

Folic Acid

Several studies in the past have shown a risk in taking folic acid, the synthetic form of folate.  Folate is a B vitamin found in green vegetables.  Folic acid, on the other hand, is a synthetic form that is used in most multivitamins.  It is also used to fortify many cereals and grains.

This article references a paper that found an increased risk of breast cancer with additional folic acid consumption.  Folic acid also made headlines a few weeks ago as a link between its use and colon cancer was also described. 

Be cautious of overdoing it with synthetic supplements.  Food sources are always best.