Appetite suppressants, weight loss products, herbal aids for dieters, food supplements for weight watchers, are all potential harmful substances, with side-effects in the long run. Since overweight and obesity are generally in most cases due to more calories getting in and less calories getting out, reducing food intake and expending excess calories through physical exercises are the safest, most inexpensive, and most beneficial strategy to manage the waistline and general health.
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Individuals taking Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) pills for gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD), like Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, etc., reduce stomach absorption of Folic acid and Vitamin B 12. In view of this, physicians prescribing PPI medications also add Folic acid and B 12 in the treatment regimen. Another sample of remedial therapy is co-prescribing CoQ10 for those on cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins, because statins also act to lower the body’s natural CoQ10 as a side-effect. The other is adding a beta blocker (like Bystolic) to protect the kidneys for those taking Metformin for diabetes.
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Current trend in medicine when it comes to diet is extreme reduction in carbohydrate intake, like rice, bread, desserts, and sweets (candy, ice cream, etc.), and total abstinence from any and all forms of soft drinks, because they increased the risk for the development of Metabolic Syndrome, among both adults, and especially children. Protein, more on wild caught (not farmed) fish, like salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallop, and oysters (preferably cooked), chicken, lean red meat, oat meal, grains, nuts (almond, walnuts), avocados, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, various spices, and moderation in fruits (organic berries).
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Abstinence from or severe restriction in rice (white or brown) and in bread and potatoes (regular or sweet) consumption effectively lead to dramatic weight loss, waistline reduction, and lowering of serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. This strategy and caloric control have been noted among those who are normal weight individuals, but especially more strikingly among overweight and obese persons. Rice (white or brown) has a high glycemic index that almost instantly leads to spike in blood glucose after ingestion, is a major culprit in the high incidence of T2 diabetes, besides cardiovascular diseases, in the Philippines and in other high-carbs eating nations. Indeed, LOW-CARBS-high protein diet is in, like the Ketone diet.
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Owning a pet, especially a dog, reduces the risk for depression, more impressively among women in pre and post menopausal stage of their life. This beneficial psychological effect is also generally found among men. Having a pet also provides joy, security, and calmness to children. For homes, these man’s best friends are good addition to or an effective substitute for security alarm. Studies show that a barking dog, especially the big ones, almost always deter home break-ins.
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New studies showed that there is NO safe level for alcohol intake. Previous recommendations were one drink per day for women and two drinks for men to be medically acceptable, and that drinking red wine with dinner was good for the cardiovascular system. The most recent clinical research suggests even one drink is unhealthy, especially for the liver and the brain. On holidays and special occasions, about 12 times or so a year, I still enjoy my Beefeater’s very dry Martini with 3 large olives.
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Coffee is in as a health drink, minus sugar and cream. Soft drinks are toxic and are out! Coffee is an antioxidant that lowers the risk for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, and also for Alzheimer’s and even cancer. There was a time when coffee was feared to contribute to cardiac rhythm irregularities. Indeed, continuing, never-ending, scientific researches lead to a healthier life for the world, albeit sometimes reversal or 360 degree-change in medical recommendations is confusing. But progress always includes correction of old dogmas and data with new updated evidence-based medical facts, for the benefit of mankind as a whole.
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COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases) is not associated with smoking cigarettes only. It could be genetic and is also seen among individuals with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease, where gastric acid could regurge (flow upwards from the stomach to the throat) into the airway pipe (between the vocal cords) down the lungs, causing some inflammation over time, eventually leading to COPD. The individual could have episodes of itchy throat and mild coughs. Instead of the toxic tobacco smoke, the irritant here is the stomach acid going to the airway pipe and the lungs. For those with reflux, the best is to avoid spicy foods and alcohol, and raise the head part of the bed to prevent stomach acid from backing up and spilling over from the food pipe to the air pipe. Using bed raisers is better than using 2-3 pillows which get displaced while asleep.
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This electronic age and the continued progress in computer technology, including virtual reality and all the related gadgetry have been a boon to mankind. Depending on how they are used, computerized gadgets, including the cellphones, pods, tablets, laptops, etc., could bring families closer and help improve health. On the other hand, their overuse, misuse, or abuse could lead to adverse effects overall. Children, unsupervised and undisciplined, spend too much time with any of these devices, all to themselves, sometimes missing meals, social interaction, and in some cases even school. The addiction could lead to 8 hours or more screen time, attention deficit, poor school performance, maladjustment in the social environment, and, physically, to poor posture (with neck aches and backaches), impairment of vision (blurry or double vision) from the prolonged screen glare and not blinking enough causing eye dryness, tiredness, and eye irritation, leading to actual damage to vision (computer vision syndrome) and general health. Of course, the same negative impact from undisciplined use of electronics could also be seen among older children and adults. Abuse in computer use could lead to cataract formation even among younger individuals and also increase in the risk for macular (central part of retina vital to vision) degeneration and blindness. Parents should limit screen time for their children, encouraging them to play more, outdoors, with their friends, and make sure they get adequate sleep. At night the blue lights from thes gadgets impair sleep. Never use these gadgets as “baby-sitters.” Teach them the 20-20-20-20 rule: Blinking at least 15 times a minute, have a 20-minute break from these devices after 20-minute use, and get up, stretch, and look at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds, staring at a distant object. This will relax the body and the muscles of the eyes. Let’s use these marvelous gadgets wisely and take advantage of them to help us attain improved brain-power, better health, more substantial joy, and greater security and prosperity.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: [email protected]
