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LIGHT MAY HELP PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA -- A study indicates aromatherapy and bright light treatment may help people with dementia. The study, published in the "British Medical Journal," shows most older people with dementia develop such symptoms as agitation, aggression, depression, delusions, wandering, sleep disturbances, and hallucinations. The currently prescribed drugs such as neuroleptics and other sedatives can have adverse side effects, doctors said. New studies point to the promise of aromatherapy and bright light treatment. Three trials have shown aromatherapy can benefit agitated patients. There was nearly complete compliance and no serious side effects, the study authors noted. Lemon balm or lavender oil, the two main agents in aromatherapy, are delivered by inhalation or skin application. Three trials of bright light therapy showed a beneficial effect on people with sleep disturbances. Aromatherapy and bright light treatment appear safe and effective in managing behavioral problems in people with dementia, the authors concluded.

NUTS ARE HEALTHY -- With fat content that is predominantly monounsaturated, nuts are loaded with minerals. Recent studies have shown nut eating can lower risk of cardiovascular problems. Many nuts contain high levels of selenium, demonstrated to inhibit cancer of the mammaries and ovaries. Try Brazil nuts, cashews, or almonds.

VITAMIN B AND DEPRESSION -- Researchers say vitamin B supplements may help fight depression. Research published in "BMC Psychiatry" suggests people suffering from depression respond better to treatment if they have high levels of vitamin B12 in their blood. The investigators from the Kuopio University Hospital in Finland monitored 115 depressed patients for six months. The patients who responded fully to treatment had higher concentrations of vitamin B12 in their blood at both the start and the end of the study than those for whom treatment was less effective. "As far as we know, there have been no previous studies that have suggested a positive relationship between vitamin B12 and the treatment outcome in patients with major depressive disorder who have normal or high vitamin B12 levels," the authors said.

EXERCISE HEADACHES -- Some people with heart disease may get head pain instead of chest pain. Like chest pains, cardiac headaches begin during exercise and subside when exercise stops. See a doctor for an exercise stress test if the pain of your "exercise headache" is severe, you normally do not get headaches, you smoke, you are older than 50, or you have any risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease.

FIGHTING THE WINTER BLUES -- With winter now upon us, it is very common for people to feel a little more depressed or unhappy with less daylight and sunshine. Getting outside on your lunch hour could help keep winter blues away. Whether you walk to the store, have lunch on a heated balcony, or simply walk around the outside of your office building a few times, spending your lunchtime outdoors could help boost your mood. Research suggests that blood levels of mood-boosting serotonin may increase with increased exposure to sunlight.

CANCER INHIBITING POWER -- Sipping on a cup of hot tea may be a safeguard against cancer. Population studies have linked the consumption of tea with a reduction in risk for several types of cancer. Researchers speculate that the polyphenols in tea may inhibit certain mechanisms that promote cancer growth. Both green and black teas have been credited with cancer-inhibiting powers. Tea consumption has been credited with reducing the risk of several different types of cancer, including colon cancer, stomach cancer, and bladder cancer. Studies also have suggested that tea is good for the heart and may boost immune system function. In one of these studies, people who drank 5 cups of tea per day had lower levels of blood clotting factors in their blood, which could in turn reduce the risk of stroke.

THE TOP 10 FOODS FOR HEALTH -- Tomatoes, olive oil, red grapes, nuts, whole grains, salmon and other fatty fish, blueberries, garlic, spinach, and tea.

CONVERT YOUR RECIPES TO LOWFAT -- The fat content in most recipes can be reduced in a variety of ways - here are ten:

1. For chicken, white meat contains less fat than dark meat. Try to buy boneless, skinless, chicken breasts. These contain relatively little fat. Turkey can be substituted for chicken. Boneless turkey breast is cheaper than chicken breast, and it is a little lower in fat (although chicken breast is low in fat also).
2. When buying hamburger, look for extra lean hamburger. This type has much less fat than regular hamburger. You can also substitute ground turkey for hamburger. Turkey has a slightly different taste, but it is good and generally costs less than hamburger. Ground turkey is generally very low in fat.
3. Trim as much fat as possible from pork before you cook it. Turkey ham can be substituted for real ham. Turkey ham, of course, is really turkey. It really does taste like ham, though, and can be used wherever a recipe calls for ham. Some people cannot tell the difference between the two. Turkey ham has very little fat compared to regular ham.
4. If you have never tried turkey bacon, you are missing out! Regular bacon is made entirely of fat, with no nutritional value whatsoever. Turkey bacon is not a pork product, it is made from turkey meat. Turkey bacon contains little fat (it is usually about 97 percent fat free). It still does not have a lot of nutritional value, but it is relatively low in fat and will give you a little protein. It tastes considerably different from regular bacon, but it is very good!
5. Tuna can be purchased packed in oil or water. Tuna packed in water contains almost no fat. Tuna packed in oil contains considerably more fat.
6. Lowfat cream of mushroom and chicken soups are available at your grocery store. Check the labels to see which one is lowest in total fat grams per serving and use those in place of regular cream-based soups.
7. For the recipes that require milk, skim milk can be used without sacrificing flavor.
8. For recipes that call for cheddar cheese, there are lowfat and nonfat varieties of cheddar cheese. The low fat variety works well in these types of recipes. The nonfat cheeses usually do not melt very well and are not great for cooking.
9. Lowfat or nonfat sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and mayonnaise can be used without sacrificing any flavor.
10. Butter can be eliminated from some recipes. When browning onions, hamburger, etc., you can spray your skillet with nonstick spray or use chicken or beef broth instead of butter to cook with. When baking, you can use reduced-calorie margarine instead of butter, but the texture will not always come out right. You have got to experiment a little. Nonfat margarines currently on the market do not bake well at all. Just remember, with baked goods, it is not always the calorie content per cookie or piece of cake, it is how many you eat!

WELLNESS QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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** Q & A #1:
Would you please provide a brief explanation of hypothyroidism?

Thyroid disease is second only to diabetes as the most common hormonal disorder in the United States, warn experts at the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Women and elderly people have the highest risk of developing hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. It is easy to confuse the symptoms with those of other conditions because they occur in so many other disorders and vary from one patient to the next. The most common ones include lethargy, weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, forgetfulness, depression, and constipation. In the elderly, hypothyroidism often is misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease or other conditions that impair mental function, while in women; it may be mistaken for postpartum depression. Adding to the confusion is the fact that hypothyroidism often develops or worsens during or immediately following pregnancy. The AAFP warns doctors to maintain a high index of suspicion when someone develops these symptoms, especially if he or she is a member of a high-risk group.

** Q & A #2:
What is vanadium and do I need it?

Vanadium is actually a mineral and serves many functions in our overall metabolism. One important benefit is its action as an antioxidant. There is a lot of interest in vanadium within the research community today. A recent study was published in the "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" which brings forth vanadium's value as a "bone builder" and its role in supporting healthy carbohydrate metabolism, especially in diabetic and hypoglycemic individuals. Some dietary sources of vanadium include skim milk, vegetable oils, lobster, and various vegetables and grains. The average daily intake seems to be between 10 mcg and 2 mg.

** Q & A #3:
Does reducing stress really reduce my chances of heart attack?

Absolutely! One major study published a few years ago in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" divided the test subjects into three groups. Group 1 simply continued their regular medical care, group 2 added exercise, and group 3 added stress management techniques. 30% of members of group 1 had additional heart trouble, while only 21% of group 2 and 10% of group 3 had additional heart trouble. From this data you can see that stress management reduced the risk by two-thirds. Various methods of stress reduction are known to all be of value such as breathing exercises, stretching, group sessions, positive thinking, and meditation. If a new drug was ever introduced that produced these kinds of results it would make major headlines all over the world.

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