Did You Know?

• existing scientific evidence suggests that about one third of the cancer deaths in the United States each year are due to dietary factors? Eating Well, March/April 1999.

• last spring the Food & Drug Administration approved a new weight control drug called Orlistat a.k.a., Xenical? It works by blocking enzymes needed to digest fat in the gastrointestinal tract. Taken three times a day, the drug blocks the digestion of about one third of the fat an individual consumes each day. The undigested fat is excreted as waste. Negative side effects include modest weight loss, blocked absorption of beta-carotene, vitamins A, D, E & K, diarrhea, flatulence and oily stools. It's no wonder that some health experts are not sold on the effectiveness of this drug.

• eating spinach, strawberries and blueberries may improve your memory? Researchers at Tufts University fed rats a special diet of one pint of berries or a large spinach salad every day for eight months. The rats on the special diet fared better on tests of memory and showed less age-related stress than their peers who ate standard issue rat chow. Isn't it cool, you can actually boost your brainpower by eating foods you already like?

• taking excessive amounts of pain relievers (acetaminophen and aspirin) can create a toxic effect if you drink three or more alcoholic beverages a day? Taking more than the suggested amount of acetaminophen can cause liver damage and even liver failure. Mixing aspirin and alcohol can irritate the stomach lining, causing intense pain and other problems such as ulcers. The Food & Drug Administration requires all packages warn heavy drinkers concerning these health risks and suggests talking to a doctor about other options.

 

 

 

July 1999
Gardening in July | 50 Plants & Flowers You May Not Want to Eat | Butterflies & Caterpillars in Your Garden | Patch Disease in Lawns | Ode to Violet | Lawn Care Calendar | Bug Bites | Cybergarden Sites | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Summer Time is Tea Time | Locally Grown: The Farmers' Market | Summertime Food: Eating in the Street | It's a Wash: Gardener's Hands | Health & Household Tips | Did You Know

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