If you get frequent headaches, including migraines, air pollution may to be blame, at least for some of them. Researchers in Chile recently reported on the results of a study in Santiago Province, an area surrounded by the Coastal and Andes mountains and therefore topographically susceptible to pollution. The investigators found that hospital admissions for migraines, as well as for cluster, tension and other types of headaches were highest when pollution levels were high. They evaluated air pollution levels (ozone, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter - tiny particles linked to the combustion of gasoline, natural gas and other fossil fuels) at seven monitoring stations between 2001 and 2005. At the same time, they were accumulating data on hospitalizations for headaches. The study showed that headaches were linked to pollution during all seasons of the year, regardless of how old the patients were or whether they were male or female. The study was published in the October 15, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. The researchers noted more study is needed in other locales to confirm their findings.
My take? This is a very interesting study, suggesting an environmental cause for headaches. It could help explain why many patients never identify their headache triggers. If further research confirms these findings, the best defense against some headaches may be exploring ways to avoid pollution and supporting efforts to enact public policies that will result in cleaner air.
Take Your Health in Your Hands
Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor is a great way to start taking an active role in your own well-being. A few minutes are all it takes to learn what vitamins and supplements may benefit your lifestyle and health. Visit today for your free, personalized recommendation, and make your first purchase today to get up to 25% off!
More Chocolate, Less Stress
Is this too good to be true? Investigators at the Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland found that eating a little chocolate every day for two weeks reduces levels of stress hormones. The investigators recruited 30 volunteers, male and female ages 18-35, who were interviewed to assess their general anxiety. Those who rated themselves as highly stressed were then asked to consume 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks. The researchers reported that eating the chocolate appeared to reduce levels of stress hormones in these volunteers. This isn't the first study to suggest that chocolate can ease emotional stress, but it is the first to identify the positive biochemical changes chocolate promotes. The study was published online on October 7, 2009 in the Journal of Proteome Research, a publication of the American Chemical Society. Other studies have shown that antioxidants in chocolate can make blood vessels more flexible and that the flavonoids chocolate contains can reduce the stickiness of platelets, inhibiting blood clotting and possibly reducing the risk of developing coronary artery blockages.
Managing Stress
Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan has tips, articles and step-by-step guidance for breathing exercises, meditation and other stress-management techniques. Join now and see if it is right for you - visit today and get a free recipe!
Eating More Slowly Might Help Weight Loss
It's not just fast food, its eating fast that may underlie the obesity epidemic. New research from Greece and Great Britain suggests that speed eating doesn't give your body's appetite control process time to send signals that you've had enough to eat. The investigators recruited 17 healthy men and served them ice cream. They first told the men to eat the two big servings in five minutes. Later, they gave them men the same amount of ice cream in smaller servings and told them to take their time and finish eating within 30 minutes. The researchers found that when the men ate more slowly, levels of two hormones released by the digestive tract to signal "fullness" rose appropriately and stayed at effective appetite-curbing levels for about three hours. The rushed snack did not elicit a similar increase in these hormones. The investigators noted that earlier studies reported that taking time to chew food thoroughly and enjoy a meal results in eating fewer calories than when the same size meal is eaten in haste. The new study will be published in the January 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Healthy Recipes for All Your Holidays!
The Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging online guide has over 200 healthful, delicious recipes, including many vegetarian options - plus a new recipe each week! Make this holiday season a healthy and satisfying one - start your free trial now and save 30%!
Healthy Recipe: Easy Pie Crust
This pie crust has far less fat than common versions. It is also quick to make and delicious to eat!
View Recipe
Food as Medicine
Maple syrup is a good source of manganese, a trace mineral that is an essential enzyme cofactor, and important component of energy production and disarming free radicals.
Healthy Aging Tip
Courtesy of Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging
Healthy Holiday Food: Winter Squash. A delicious and versatile meal option for the colder months, winter squash comes in many varieties, all with plenty of healthful nutrients: winter squash is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and provides good amounts of potassium, dietary fiber and folate. They also provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, and have been associated with the prevention of variety of diseases, including benign prostatic hyperplasia, lung cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes-related health issues, and inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and osteoarthritis.
Featured Discussion:
"Should I choose glass over plastic containers?"asks Priondragas.
A number of acid foods, such as mayonnaise and ketchup, are now sold in plastic containers. Is it best to avoid buying them, and instead try to find such foods packaged in glass containers?
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Vitamins & Supplements - What Should I Take?
When it comes to supplements and vitamins, knowing the right amount to take is important. Help prevent taking too much - or too little - with Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor. Created by Andrew Weil, M.D., and his science advisory team, it asks about your diet, lifestyle habits, health concerns, medications and other factors that affect your nutrition needs. Visit today for your free recommendation and opportunity to purchase Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor Complete Program.
What's New
AzCIM: Prostate Cancer Course
Online - duration: one hour
The experts and faculty at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM) have created this highly informative and interactive one-hour online course for anyone interested to learn more about prostate cancer. We encourage you to talk with your primary care provider, urologist, and/or oncologist if you have additional questions. Although this course is primarily intended for men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, we also discuss risk factors, screening, and preventive measures that can help you or a loved one. Registration information.
Evolution of Psychotherapy
December 9-13 - Anaheim, California
Dr. Weil will be part of the sixth Evolution of Psychotherapy conference in Anaheim this year. He will present a pre-conference on healthy aging and a keynote address. Learn more: Evolution of Psychotherapy.
Integrative Mental Health Conference
March 22-24, 2010 - Phoenix, Arizona
This conference, sponsored by the Arizona Health Sciences Center at the University of Arizona and presented by the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, is the first conference of its kind to assemble leaders in integrative mental health (IMH), creating a new field and framework with which to promote mental wellbeing. Registration information.
7th Annual Nutrition & Health Conference
May 10-12, 2010 - Atlanta, Georgia
Nutrition and Health: State of the Science and Clinical Applications conference is the premier nutrition conference for health professionals in the U.S. Co-presented by the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, the conference assembles internationally-recognized researchers, clinicians, educators, and chefs, all of whose work focuses on the interface between nutrition and healthful living. Save the date! Registration details coming soon.
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