Newspaper Page Text
♦ FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2006
6A
What are the three Fs for a fit heart?
Special to the Journal
Fish, fiber and fruit are
loaded with nutrients that
make them tops in their field
for heart protection. Making
them a regular part of daily
meals is painless and the
easiest way to lower one’s
risk for coronary heart dis
ease.
Fish that contains omega
-3 fatty acids can boost heart
health. It helps stop blood
clots from forming, cuts the
risk of irregular heartbeats,
slows the growth of artery
clogging plaque and lowers
blood pressure.
The American Heart
Association suggests eating
fish at least twice a week.
Try mackerel, lake trout,
herring, sardines, albacore
tuna and salmon.
Fiber helps lower blood
cholesterol, which may
reduce a person’s risk of
*heart disease. When read
ing food labels, look for the
terms “soluble” fiber and
“insoluble” fiber. Soluble
fiber helps lower cholesterol,
while insoluble fiber while
good for digestion does not
seem to lower cholesterol.
Several health groups sug
gest eating five to 10 grams of
soluble fiber daily. Americans
get little more than half
this amount. Increase fiber
intake by eating oatmeal,
bran-flake cereals, beans,
whole-wheat bread, fruits
and vegetables.
Eating five or more serv
ings per day of colorful fruits
and vegetables provides a
wide range of the vitamins,
minerals, fiber and phyto
chemicals the body needs
to reduce the risk of heart
disease, stroke and cancer.
Fruits and vegetables also
seem to reduce the buildup
of fatty plaques that cause
heart attacks. Fruits and
vegetables don’t even need
to be fresh; frozen and dried
varieties provide the same
benefits.
Folate is a form of water
soluble vitamin B that occurs
naturally in foods such as
leafy greens, dry beans and
peas.
See HEART, page 6B
Prostate cancer: Early
detection saves lives
Special to the Journal
Prostate cancer is the sec
ond most common cancer in
men after skin cancer and
accounts for 30 percent of
all male cancers. Most cases
of prostate cancer occur in
men older than 50, and more
than 75 percent of these
cases are in men over age 65.
African-American men are
more likely to develop pros
tate cancer and are twice
as likely to die from the dis
ease. Having two or more
first-degree relatives such
as a father or brother diag
nosed with prostate cancer
also increases a man’s risk
of developing the disease.
“Even though pros
tate cancer is one of the
most diagnosed cancers in
America, on average men
have only a three percent
risk of actually dying from
the disease,” explains Dr.
Daniel A. Deighton, a urol
ogist and member of the
medical staffs of Houston
Medical Center and Perry
Hospital. “Tumors are often
slow-growing and highly
treatable. However, patients
sometimes experience no
symptoms until the cancer
has spread. That’s why early
detection by a physician is
important.”
No bigger than a walnut
and weighing only an ounce,
the prostate gland is located
under a man’s bladder and
plays an important role in
a man’s urinary and repro
ductive health. Because the
urethra passes through the
prostate gland, problems
such as benign enlargement
of the prostate and prostate
cancer cause urinary symp
toms including decreased
strength of the urine stream,
difficulty starting to urinate
and painful urination.
The good news is that
prostate cancer can usually
be found in the early stages
Special to the Journal
Cholesterol —some is
vital, but too much can be
deadly. According to the
American Heart Association,
approximately 107 million
Americans have borderline
high or higher cholesterol
levels. The good news about
blood cholesterol is that it
can be controlled, usually
with favorable results. In
fact, each 10 percent reduc
tion in high-cholesterol lev
els lowers a person’s risk
of heart attack by approxi-
mately 20 percent.
Cholesterol is a soft,
fat-like substance
produced in
PI //(
J
fißr ••
I «|j|
the liver.
How
much cho
lesterol
the liver pro
duces depends
on a person’s
genes and their
diet.
There are
two types
of cho
lesterol: jjfl
low den- Hr;;
sitv lipo- I||
protein
(LDL)
the “bad”
cholesterol
that can build up in artery
walls, causing inflamma
tion and clot formation; and
high density lipoprotein
(HDL) the “good” cho
lesterol that helps remove
LDL and carry it to the
liver where it is processed
and eliminated.
When LDL rises too high,
it collects and sticks inside
artery walls contribut
ing to clot formation and
increasing the risk of heart
attack and stroke. It can
also cause blood vessels to
stiffen and harden, which,
in turn increases the risk
of high blood pressure.
Triglycerides are another
blood fat also linked to heart
disease and stroke. Ideally,
RnnoMa rfflnr<M
mssiaie cancel
syiiipusno
Being knowledgeable
about the symptoms of
prostate cancer and the
benefits of early detec
tion is also important
to maintaining good
prostate health. Lee
Brown, RNC, FNB and
Affiliate President of the
Central Georgia Komen
Foundation, will discuss
the prevention and early
detection of prostate
and testicular cancer at
Houston Healthcare’s
annual Prostate Cancer
Luncheon on Sept. 21
at the Houston Health
Pavilion EduCare Center.
Lunch will be served
beginning at 11:30 a.m.,
followed by the guest
speaker at noon.
Pre-registration is
required by calling 923-
9771.
by having a prostate can
cer screening. The American
Cancer Society recommends
that men begin prostate
cancer screening at age 50
with an annual digital rectal
exam of the prostate and
a Prostate-Specific Antigen
blood test.
Men at high risk, such as
African-American men or
those with a family history
of the disease, should begin
screening at age 45. Used
together, these two tests can
detect most prostate can
cers at a curable stage. In
a digital rectal exam, the
physician feels the prostate
through the wall of the rec
tum to check for abnormali
ties.
The PSA blood test can
detect prostate cancer at a
very early stage by measur
ing the amount of a protein
See PROSTA TE, page 6B
Ten Ways to Take Charge of Cholesterol
a person should have a high
level of HDL and low levels
of triglycerides and LDL.
“While cholesterol is a
leading factor in heart dis
ease, it is only one of many
risk factors that may even
tually lead to a heart attack
or stroke,” explains Dr.
Madalyn N. Davidoff, cardi
ologist and member of the
medical staffs of Houston
Medical Center and Perry
Hospital. “It must be looked
at in conjunction with a per
son’s weight, body shape,
blood pressure and fitness
level to get a true
picture of heart
q health.”
X Below are 10
ways to start
getting
! choles
ter o 1
levels
under
control:
■
1. Get
screened!
Schedule
a choles
. terol test
I today,
[j Total
v choles
terol
should
measure
less than 180 milligrams;
anything higher than 240
milligrams is considered
dangerous. For LDL cho
lesterol, an optimal count
would be less than 100
milligrams and anything
higher than 190 milligrams
would be in the extreme
danger zone. An optimal
triglyceride count should be
lower than 150 milligrams
while anything higher than
200 milligrams is unhealthy
and places an individual at
greater risk for heart attack
and stroke. A good HDL
cholesterol count should be
60 milligrams or higher.
■2. Shed excess pounds.
When a person is over
weight, the body is storing
It is an honor felt far beyond the hospital doors, an honor centered in our community and
lives of the people we serve. Houston Healthcare is extremely proud to receive the
Georgia Hospital Association's Community Leadership Award.
Because this prestigious award recognizes healthcare that goes out beyond our walls
exemplary health education, wellness, and disease prevention—Houston Healthcare is
, confirmed in our mission: improving the health of our community.
From a prenatal outreach program for healthy births, to Senior Care for lifelong fitness, to a
nationally recognized diabetes management program, Houston Healthcare is working hard
for your wellness. We thank all of our staff, physicians, volunteers and community partners
for their compassion and commitment.
■■
mmm
IT
Houston Healthcare
HEALTH
more body fat and choles
terol than it should. Excess
weight often translates into
higher-than-normal levels
of both cholesterol and tri
glycerides, which are good
indicators of the amount A
of fat in the blood,
According to Dr.
Davidoff, the good
news is that losing
weight can make >
a tremendous dis- II
ference. “Even a ji
small amount of ||
weight loss will i
drop your blood \
pressure and cho- •
lesterol levels,”
she says. \
■3. Get mov- \
ing. Regular exercise \
seems to improve the >
ratio of good to bad cho
lesterol. Aim for 30 min
utes or more of moderate
aerobic activity three to five
times per week. “There are
a number of heart-healthy
benefits to exercise,” com
ments Dr. Davidoff. “You
will lose weight or maintain
a lower weight. Usually you
will lower your blood pres
sure and cholesterol levels
as well.”
■4. Stop smoking.
Smoking lowers HDL cho
lesterol and raises LDL
cholesterol. HDL choles
terol is important because
it sweeps away the LDL,
or bad cholesterol, which
sticks to vessel walls.
■5. Read labels and
know what to look for. Food
labeled “cholesterol free”
still may raise cholesterol
levels. Potato chips, for
example, have no dietary
cholesterol, but they are
high in trans fats. “To
improve overall cholesterol,
you should avoid foods high
in trans and saturated fats,
and limit your intake of
dietary cholesterol, which
is found in all animal
based products,” explains
Sandra Brenner, RD, PhD,
CDE, dietitian for Houston
Healthcare. Instead, try to
COMMUNITY
• 1
PR6SEHTEOSV #'■
jiiiii»iiiiiiiiii)iiiiii'i[iiiMn]iiißiMiCT
GHj
Georgia Hospital AnocMtmt- „ * V
IMPROVING THE HEALTH
OF OUR COMMUNITY
emphasize healthful fats,
such as seeds and nuts,
olive
Nv imm! * a
, • L
oil,
avocados,
and salmon, all of which
may help raise HDL levels,
Come Take A Look
You Might Be Surprised!
ML
’Jin' %Jejßti>hj 'btcie
926 Carrol! St. • Perry, CiA 31069 •
478-224-8888
T-F l()am-5pni SAI 10am 2pm
HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL
she says.
■6. Fill up on fiber.
According to Brenner, eat
ing fiber-rich foods like
ts. dried peas and beans,
legumes, apples,
oat products,
|L lentils and cit-
Kv rus fruits is a
low-calorie
way to sat
isfy hun
ger pangs,
i “These
1 foods are
j also good
> sources
of soluble
j fiber, which
’ / helps elimi
/ nate choles
/ terol from the
bloodstream,”
she adds.
■7. Control
portion sizes. Practice
portion control and it may
be possible to enjoy all kinds
of foods. Brenner says to
See TIPS, page 6B
»mmUS<»SA