Vitamins, minerals & supplements Archive

Q. I've heard that apple cider vinegar can clean out the arteries. Is there any truth to that?

A. If you believe the stories written about apple cider vinegar, it is a miracle cure for just about anything that ails you, from curbing the appetite to detoxifying the body, boosting the immune system, treating arthritis, and improving circulation. That's a tall order for a brew made from fermented apples. But there's no evidence to back up most of these apple cider vinegar claims.

Do a little detective work before digging into that dessert.

Treating yourself to a small dish of an icy dessert used to be simple: we had a limited number of dessert types and flavors available, like chocolate ice cream or orange sherbet. Today there are so many options at the grocery store you may feel a brain freeze before you even take a bite.

You'll find ice cream, frozen custard, frozen yogurt, sherbet, and gelato. It may be full fat, reduced fat, low fat, nonfat, low carbohydrate, or sugar-free.

News briefs

We often tell you about using aerobic exercise and a healthy diet to try to stave off dementia. But will those approaches help if you already have the slight but noticeable change in memory and thinking known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI)? A small randomized trial (the gold standard type of study) published online Dec. 19, 2018, by Neurology suggests the combination of diet and exercise may indeed help. Researchers studied 160 sedentary older adults who had MCI as well as one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as high cholesterol. Participants were randomly assigned to do aerobic exercise, to follow a heart-healthy diet (the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, diet), to do a combination of aerobic exercise and the DASH diet, or to just get weekly heart health education. After six months, people who just exercised several times a week got a little bump in executive function (thinking skills that help us plan and organize), but the biggest change was seen in people who both followed the DASH diet and did aerobic training three times a week. Their improved planning skills were equivalent to reversing nearly 10 years of brain aging, compared with study participants who didn't exercise or improve their diets. The findings demonstrate that it's never too late to start exercising and eating right.

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News briefs

Are you eating enough fiber each day? The recommended dietary fiber intake in the United States is 25 grams per day for women (about three half-cup servings of legumes) and 38 grams per day for men. But most people eat only half of that. Now a study commissioned by the World Health Organization, published online Jan. 10, 2019, by The Lancet, offers more evidence about why fiber is an important player in good health. Researchers combed through more than 240 studies and clinical trials and found that people who ate the most fiber-rich foods had the lowest risks for dying or developing chronic disease during the studies, compared with people who ate the least amount of fiber-rich foods. How much did the risks fall? For every 8-gram increase in dietary fiber eaten each day, the total number of deaths and cases of heart disease, diabetes, and colorectal cancer decreased by 5% to 27%. The authors say that eating 25 to 29 grams of fiber per day is adequate, but eating more than 30 grams per day might offer even more protection.

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The "nocebo effect" may explain why some people believe they can't tolerate statins.

For more than 20 years, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs have been a mainstay for preventing and treating heart disease. But up to half of people prescribed these drugs are no longer taking them within a year or two. The reasons vary, but some people experience what they believe to be statin-related side effects — most often muscle pain. Others avoid statins altogether because of worries over side effects.

"Far too any people think they cannot tolerate statins when they actually can," explains Dr. Jorge Plutzky, director of preventive cardiology at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. To be clear, muscle problems are a known side effect of statins. However, serious muscle-related complications are extremely rare (see "What is rhabdomyolysis?"). And when people experience the more common — but less worrisome — muscle-related symptoms, those issues usually resolve with a lower statin dose or a change to a different statin, Dr. Plutzky says.

Ask the doctor

Q. I just got a stent placed in my heart artery and feel great again. If it develops problems, can it be treated?

A. Stents, the tiny wire-mesh tubes used to prop open blocked arteries, are useful for treating heart attacks and chest pain that occurs with physical activity. They're placed during a coronary angioplasty and stenting procedure, which usually involves snaking a thin tube (catheter) through a vessel in the upper thigh or the wrist up to the heart. After more than two decades of use, today's stents are safer and more effective that the original versions. Problems can still arise, but they are uncommon and treatable.

These trendy programs may encourage healthier eating and even weight loss. But consider the cost and sustainability.

For people who don't have the time, energy, or interest to plan and prepare their own meals, a subscription meal delivery service may be an appealing option. A growing number of companies will deliver partly (or even fully) prepped meals right to your door. Many cater to a variety of dietary preferences, including vegetarian and gluten-free. Some are geared toward people seeking to lose weight or who have diabetes, and at least one provides low-sodium meals.

If you're concerned about preventing or treating heart disease, what should you consider before trying one of these plans? That depends on your particular situation, says Kathy McManus, director of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Unlike most bean varieties, which come in earthy, neutral hues, red beans can add a bit of color to your cooking. Like all beans, they're a good source of potassium, a mineral that promotes healthy blood pressure.

Red beans are used throughout the world in a variety of dishes. Red beans and rice is a common meal in the southeastern United States. This Creole-inspired dish features red beans simmered with bell peppers, onions, celery, and spices served over rice. Similar versions are found in Latin American cuisine. In Northern India, rajma chawal is made with red kidney beans, onion, tomato and a blend of spices, including ginger, garlic, coriander, cardamom, and cumin. Chili recipes often include red kidney beans, and they are a key ingredient in three-bean salad, along with garbanzo beans and fresh green beans.

Here's how to prepare for the coming allergy season.

Spring is in the air, and so are millions of pollen particles, the tiny grains that fertilize plants. Seasonal allergies — also known as hay fever — can affect almost anyone and at any time in life. Although most people begin to experience allergies in childhood or early adulthood, sometimes the symptoms become more problematic later in life, especially if their living environment changes.

"Even if you have never suffered from allergies — or used to when you were much younger but not anymore — there is a good chance you will become more sensitive to pollen as you reach your 60s and 70s, although it's not clear why," says Dr. Mariana Castells, of the Department of Allergy, Rheumatology, and Immunology at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

In the journals

Spinach is one of the best sources for the antioxidant lutein, which may promote eye health and reduce the risk of macular degeneration. A new study in the March 30, 2019, issue of Food Chemistry suggests that eating uncooked chopped spinach can ensure you get the highest amounts compared with traditional cooking methods.

The researchers measured the lutein content of baby spinach after it was fried, boiled, and steamed. They found that lutein levels dropped by 40% after only four minutes of boiling, and by 90% after 90 minutes, while levels decreased by more than 60% after just two minutes of frying. Spinach lost about 50% of its lutein after four minutes of steaming.