The scientists learned that vigorous physical activity as brief as 42 minutes over a 3-day period, similar to federally recommended levels, can protect individuals from the effects of chronic stress by reducing its impact on telomere length. Telomeres (pronounced TEEL-oh-meres) are tiny pieces of DNA that promote genetic stability and act as protective sheaths by keeping chromosomes from unraveling, much like plastic tips at the ends of shoelaces.

A growing body of research suggests that short telomeres are linked to a range of health problems, including coronary heart disease and diabetes, as well as early death.

“Telomere length is increasingly considered a biological marker of the accumulated wear and tear of living, integrating genetic influences, lifestyle behaviors, and stress,” said Elissa Epel, PhD, who is one of the lead investigators and an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. “Even a moderate amount of vigorous exercise appears to provide a critical amount of protection for the telomeres.”

The findings build on previous UCSF research documenting that chronic psychological stress takes a significant toll on the human body by impacting the length of telomeres in immune cells. While the exact mechanisms have remained elusive, a UCSF-led research study in 2004 [PNAS, Dec. 7, 2004; 101 (49)] found that the ramifications of stress stretch deep into our cells, affecting telomeres, which are believed to play a key role in cellular aging, and possibly disease development.

The findings also build on previous studies showing that exercise is linked to longer telomeres, but this is the first study to show that exercise – acting as a “stress-buffer” – can prevent the shortening of telomeres due to stress.

Research on telomeres, and the enzyme that makes them, was pioneered by three Americans, including UCSF molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD, who co-discovered the telomerase enzyme in 1985. The scientists received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009.

“We are at the tip of the iceberg in our understanding of which lifestyle factors affect telomere maintenance, and how,” noted Blackburn.

The new study, in which Blackburn is a co-author, is scheduled for publication May 26, 2010 in the peer-reviewed online publication PLoS ONE.

In the study, 62 post-menopausal women – many of whom were caring for spouses or parents with dementia – reported at the end of each day over three days the number of minutes of vigorous physical activity in which they had engaged. Vigorous activity in the study was defined as “increased heart rate and/or sweating.” They also reported separately their perceptions of life stress that they had experienced during the prior month. Their blood’s immune cells were examined for telomere length.

Results support the UCSF-led discovery six years earlier in premenopausal women that psychological stress has a detrimental effect on immune cell longevity, as it relates to shorter telomeres. The new study showed, however, that when participants were divided into groups – an inactive group, and an active group (i.e., they met federal recommendations for 75 minutes of weekly physical activity) – only the inactive high stress group had shorter telomeres. The active high stress group did not have shorter telomeres. In other words, stress predicted shorter telomeres in the sedentary group, but not in the active group.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week for adults, or 150 minutes of moderate activity in addition to weight-bearing exercises. For children and adolescents, recommended levels are 90 minutes per day. For this sample of older women, it appears that the CDC-recommended level of vigorous exercise for adults may be enough to buffer the effects of stress on telomeres. However, the researchers say, this finding needs to be replicated with larger samples.

“At this point, we have replicated previous findings showing a link between life stress and the dynamics of how cells age,” said lead author Eli Puterman, PhD, a psychologist in the UCSF Department of Psychiatry. “Yet we have extended those findings to show that, in fact, there are things we can do about it. If we maintain the levels of physical activity recommended, at least those put forth by the CDC, we can prevent the unyielding damage that psychological stress may have on our body.”

“Our findings also reveal that those who reported more stress were less likely to exercise over the course of the study,” he said. “While this finding may be discouraging, it offers a great opportunity to direct research to specifically examine these vulnerable stressed individuals to find ways to engage them in greater physical activity.”

The UCSF researchers are now embarking on another research project in which participants will learn their own telomere length. The scientists will test whether discovering one’s personal telomere length will motivate people to make lifestyle changes such as exercising more, reducing stress and eating less processed red meat, all factors that have been linked to telomere length.

The research article on exercise and telomere length is available free online here:

How exercise buffers effect of chronic stress on telomere length

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Furthermore, breastfeeding mothers’ diets may lack DHA, which is found in cold water fatty fish and fish oil supplements (and some supplements derived from sea algae).

Canadian researchers sought to determine if giving mothers DHA supplements would increase DHA levels in breastfed preemies.

“Results suggested that an early supplementation with DHA to lactating mothers with low dietary DHA was successful in increasing DHA status in very preterm infants,” said Isabelle Marc, MD, PhD, lead author of the study, which was presented May 1, 2010 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting.

Mothers of 12 infants born at 29 weeks’ gestation or earlier who planned to breastfeed received high dosages of DHA supplements until 36 weeks post-conception. Researchers compared DHA levels in the mothers’ breast milk, mothers’ and babies’ plasma lipids, and daily DHA intakes in the preterm infants from birth to day 49 with a control group of very preterm infants and mothers who did not receive DHA supplements during lactation.

Results showed that DHA levels in the breast milk of mothers who received supplements were almost 12 times higher than levels in the milk of mothers in the control group. Although there was no difference in the enteral (tube) feeding intake among both groups of infants, those in the intervention group received about seven times more DHA than the control group. In addition, plasma DHA concentrations in mothers and babies in the DHA group were two to three times higher than the control group.

“Our study has shown that supplementing mothers is a feasible and effective way of providing DHA to low birthweight premature infants,” said Dr. Marc, an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, and clinician researcher at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec.

“Our results underline the urgent need for recommendations addressing dietary DHA intake during lactation of mothers of very preterm infants to reach optimal DHA level in milk to be delivered to the baby for optimal growth and neurodevelopment, since the human milk DHA content in mothers not consuming fish during this period is most probably insufficient.”

The abstract of the study is available online free here:

High dose DHA supplementation for breastfeeding of very premature infants

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The vitamin D deficiency is largely due to how Arab women dress outdoors – preventing exposure of the skin to sunlight and subsequent vitamin D intake, according to Adekunle Dawodu, M.D., a physician in the Center for Global Child Health at Cincinnati Children’s and lead author of the study.

“Vitamin D deficiency is common in Arab women, and its deficiency in pregnancy is detrimental to the health of both mother and child,” he says. “The problem can be addressed by either vitamin D supplementation or having expectant mothers expose their skin modestly to sunlight in private, such as the privacy of their own courtyards.”

“Vitamin D deficiency is the major cause of rickets around the world, but rickets may be just the tip of the iceberg,” says Dr. Dawodu. “Increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems – not just those involving calcium and bone. It also may increase the risk of respiratory infection and chronic diseases after birth and later in life.”

Dr. Dawodu studied vitamin D status in 105 expectant Arab mothers participating in a prenatal, vitamin D supplementation study in the United Arab Emirates. Blood samples were taken at different times of the year. Dr. Dawodu found no seasonal variation in the rate of vitamin D deficiency.

Blood vitamin D levels in adults of less than 50 nanomoles per liter are considered deficient. In this study, 76 percent of the women had blood vitamin D levels below 25 nanomoles per liter – an amount considered very low by any standard. In addition, these pregnant women had low levels of dietary vitamin D intake and low rates of sun exposure outdoors.

“Vitamin D supplementation and modest sun exposure require urgent attention,” says Dr. Dawodu.

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Informal dementia caregiving for a spouse is a natural marital obligation, and spousal caregivers often report positive feelings toward caregiving, yet it is difficult, requiring time, energy and usually physical exertion. Dementia caregivers have been shown to provide more assistance, and to report more personal sacrifices and stress, than those who care for physically-impaired elderly without dementia. While there are many published studies showing that dementia caregivers are at higher risk for health problems and depression, none have examined risk for dementia in the caregiver.

2,442 subjects (1,221 married couples) aged 65 and older from Northern Utah, USA, without dementia at onset were studied for up to 12 years to monitor for onset of dementia in husbands, wives or both. During this time, 125 cases of dementia only in the husband were diagnosed, 70 only in the wife, and 30 where both spouses were diagnosed (60 people).

The researchers, led by Dr. Maria Norton of Utah State University, USA, adjusted for socioeconomic status, a significant predictor of many health-related outcomes including dementia to control for shared environmental exposures that might influence risk for dementia in both spouses.

The results showed that incident dementia was significantly associated with older age, and having a spouse with dementia. Participants with a spouse who developed dementia were at a six times increased risk of developing dementia, taking into account the effect of age, gender, APOE genotype, and socioeconomic status, with higher risk in men (11.9) than women (3.7).

“Future studies are needed to determine how much of this association is due to caregiver stress compared to a shared environment,” said Norton. “On the positive side, the majority of these individuals, with spouses who develop dementia, did not themselves develop dementia, therefore more research is needed to explore which factors distinguish those who are more vulnerable.”

“Given the significant public health concern of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and the upcoming shift in population age composition, continued research into the causes of dementia is urgent,” concluded Norton (courtesy of Eurekalert).

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Since dentists typically request that their patients return every six months, some people see their dentist more frequently than they see their physician or pediatrician. As a result, dentists may be the first to identify the symptoms of mouth breathing. And, because dentists understand the problems associated with mouth breathing, they can help prevent the adverse effects.

“Allergies can cause upper airway obstruction, or mouth breathing, in patients,” said Yosh Jefferson, DMD, author of the study. “Almost every family has someone with mouth breathing problems.”

Over time, children whose mouth breathing goes untreated may suffer from abnormal facial and dental development, such as long, narrow faces and mouths, gummy smiles, gingivitis and crooked teeth. The poor sleeping habits that result from mouth breathing can adversely affect growth and academic performance. As Dr. Jefferson notes in his article, “Many of these children are misdiagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD / ADHD) and hyperactivity.” In addition, mouth breathing can cause poor oxygen concentration in the bloodstream, which can cause high blood pressure, heart problems, sleep apnea and other medical issues.

“Children who mouth breathe typically do not sleep well, causing them to be tired during the day and possibly unable to concentrate on academics,” Dr. Jefferson said. “If the child becomes frustrated in school, he or she may exhibit behavioral problems” [that can mimic other behavioral disorders - ed].

Parents should know that treatment for mouth breathing is available and can be beneficial for children if the condition is caught early. A dentist can check for mouth breathing symptoms and swollen tonsils. If tonsils and/or adenoids are swollen, they can be surgically removed by an ear-nose-throat (ENT) specialist. If the face and mouth are narrow, dentists can use expansion appliances to help widen the sinuses and open nasal airway passages.

“After surgery and/or orthodontic intervention, many patients show improvement in behavior, energy level, academic performance, peer acceptance and growth,” says Leslie Grant, DDS, spokesperson for the AGD. “Seeking treatment for mouth breathing can significantly improve quality of life.”

At this time, many health care professionals are not aware of the health problems associated with mouth breathing. If you or your child suffers from this condition, speak with a health care professional who is knowledgeable about mouth breathing.

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It should. After all, it’s supposed to. It’s a work of art. But it’s not really food.

I know that many of you would claim that no fast food is really food. Bestselling writer Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food, and Food Rules, has gone so far as to call it an “edible foodlike substance.” But bear with me for a minute.

The burger in the picture looks good enough to eat. But even if you like burgers, you wouldn’t want to eat this one.

That’s because:

• The meat was only cooked for twenty seconds per side to avoid, as George Costanza famously put it, “shrinkage.” It’s still raw in the middle, but no matter. So long as it looks big and juicy on camera.

• To make it look even bigger, a pie-shaped wedge was cut out from the back side of the patty, out of view of the camera, so that the remainder could be spread out on the bun.

• A red-hot skewer was used to “brand” the meat, giving the appearance of grill marks. Then it was painted with a mixture of brown food coloring, molasses, and wood stain to give it that perfect color.

• The bun was carefully selected from hundreds of contenders for its perfect shape. Then sesame seeds were carefully affixed with tweezers and glue. To keep it from getting soggy, it was coated with waterproofing spray. The burger is also sitting on top of a cardboard platform in a specially made diaper that absorbs all of the juices.

• The vegetables were selected from cases of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions to find the perfect specimens. Then they were put in place with straight pins and toothpicks.

• See that perfect shine on the meat, cheese, and vegetables? That’s a mixture of water and glycerin, an oily component of fats that’s used in soaps, skin care products, and industrial solvents. It was misted on by spray bottle because it lasts for up to 15 minutes under the hot studio lights.

• If they had wanted condiments for this shot, those would have been carefully applied by paintbrush or glue gun.

And that’s just the burger. Don’t even get me started on the fries, which were hand selected and mounted to a Styrofoam board to create the perfect bouquet.

Still sound good? It’s enough to make you lose your appetite.

Nothing Is As It Seems

The fact of the matter is that there’s about as much truth in fast food advertising as there is nutrition in fast food.

Think burger ads are the only culprits? Think again.

You know the iconic cereal commercials where the flakes and the milk cascade together down into the bowl? It’s a great visual, but there’s a big problem with that: cereal gets soggy in milk. And nobody wants to buy soggy cereal. The solution? They usually use white glue instead.

How about the rich syrup that gets poured over heaping stacks of warm, freshly made pancakes? Same problem. That’s why the syrup is usually motor oil.

Professional food stylists also hate things that melt. Ice, for example. Anytime you see an ad with ice in it, it’s usually acrylic. Not only won’t it melt, it also catches the light better.

Ice cream melts, too. That’s why the ice cream you see in ads is often made of shortening, margarine, powdered sugar, and corn syrup. The mixture is like clay, but it looks like the real thing, and it can be stored for months.

How do they get away with that?

Easy. You’d think there would be rules about food advertisements, and there are. You have to show the real product you’re selling. But there aren’t any rules about what else you show along with it.

You know how toy ads always show more toys than are actually included? By showing extra stuff, they make the product look better. It’s the same with food ads.

Cereal makers aren’t selling milk, so they don’t have to use milk in their commercials. Pancake mixes don’t come with syrup. Drinks don’t come with ice. And that’s why they don’t have to show real syrup or real ice.

Nobody expects you to eat glue or motor oil. But the ads aren’t telling you to. You didn’t even know that’s what you were seeing.

The rules about truth in advertising only apply to the products being advertised. Everything else is extraneous.

But What About the Burger?

That loophole is big enough to drive a Mack truck through, but it kind of makes sense. It still doesn’t explain the burger, though.

Or the ice cream, for that matter. If they’re selling ice cream, don’t they have to show real ice cream?

They do indeed. That’s why the ice cream “recipe” above is what they use in commercials for hot fudge or whipped cream or apple pie.

When they’re selling ice cream, though, then they have a problem. Interestingly, it’s the same problem they have with pudding.

The lights in a photo studio are so hot that even pudding will melt under them. Runny pudding? Now there’s a disgusting idea. To keep that from happening, the pudding they use in ads has so much gelatin in it that you’d chip a tooth if you tried to eat it.

It’s basically real. They used the same ingredients. It’s not something else altogether.

But it’s an awfully fine line.

Something similar happens when they try to sell you roast chicken. Cooking a chicken makes the skin wrinkle up. It doesn’t look pretty like on TV.

But if they’re selling chicken, then they have to show you chicken.

So here’s what they usually do. They cook the bird until the skin turns golden brown. The inside is still raw, but that’s okay. It’s still real chicken, and it’s not on camera.

Then they wash the whole thing with dishwashing detergent to remove unsightly fat and grease spots. They stuff it tightly with hot, wet paper towels to create steam. Then they use a needle and thread to sew up the back of the bird and pull the skin tight.

Once that’s done, they paint it with an appropriate mixture of food coloring, molasses, oil, wood stain — whatever they have on hand to get the color they want.

To top it all off, they use a blowtorch to brown any parts that are still a bit too pale to be photogenic. Quite the tanning booth, I’d say.

It’s still real chicken. And honestly, it hasn’t had anything done to it that people don’t do to themselves for cosmetic reasons.

Call it a chicken with a makeover.

That Still Doesn’t Explain the Burger

Well, it does and it doesn’t. You have to show the real product you’re selling. But you want to show that product in the best possible light.

Consider what they do in soup ads. If you leave a bowl of soup to settle, all the good stuff falls to the bottom. But when it’s on camera, you want all that good stuff to show.

One way to fix the problem would be just to add more stuff. Put in more of the meat and the veggies that are already in there and more will show. Simple enough, right?

Problem is, you can’t do that. You can’t use twelve ounces of meat and vegetables if there’s really only six in the product. That, says the government, would be dishonest.

Instead, when they film soup commercials, they use marbles to “prop up” the meat and the vegetables. They’re showing you the real product. They’re even showing you the real amount of the product.

And that, says the government, is truth in advertising.

Ever see an ad for mashed potatoes where the bowl looks impossibly full? Real mashed potatoes. Right amount. But usually with newspaper wadded up underneath so that it looks like more.

Truth in advertising.

Anytime you see an advertisement for food on a plate or a drink in a glass, it has to be the real food and drink. But the plates and glasses are probably tiny. If they’re shot from a very close-up angle, you can’t even tell the difference. Except, of course, that the food looks bigger.

Truth in advertising.

And the burger?

Well, what about it? They’re showing you a real burger.

They can’t use more meat than they use in the real product. So they don’t. They just make it look bigger.

They can’t put things on the burger that they don’t put on the real product. So they don’t. They just make them look better.

They can’t say anything that is untrue about their product. So they don’t. They lie with pictures instead.

Truth be told, that’s even more effective. A picture’s worth a thousand words.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is truth in advertising.

Deception Is Everywhere

Are you feeling swindled right about now?

It gets worse. The deception isn’t limited to advertisements.

Remember the trick with forced perspective? Restaurants do the same thing. In fact, many chains have started to experiment with lighter silverware so that your fork “feels” fuller with each bite.

Manufacturers know about perspective, too. That’s why products are almost always made taller than they are wide. Psychological studies have shown that we tend to systematically overestimate the volume of tall, skinny containers while underestimating the volume of short, fat ones.

The extra sales easily make up for the increased production costs.

How about dressing up meat so that it looks better than it really is? Butchers and supermarkets are just as guilty as advertisers. Fresh meat is bright red. We instinctively know this, and so we look at color as an indication of freshness.

Meat marketers know this, too. And they know that we know. That’s why in 2004, they applied for FDA approval to use carbon monoxide to keep it looking fresh for longer.

The scary part is, they got it. The FDA actually approved the use of a poisonous gas to keep your meat looking artificially fresh.

I will repeat that.

The FDA actually approved the use of a poisonous gas to keep your meat looking artificially fresh.

Granted, the concentration is so low that there is little to no risk of poisoning. I am not aware of a single reported case. Nonetheless, I don’t like the precedent it sets.

Europe is traditionally much more lenient regarding food regulations than the U.S. And yet, the practice is banned there for fear that it would mask spoilage.

It may well be the ultimate case of false advertising.

What Can You Do About It?

The single best way to protect yourself from deceptive advertisements is to educate yourself. Be skeptical of everything you see, everything you hear, and everything you read. That’s the best way to keep from being misled.

Always be aware when someone’s trying to sell you something.

Look for proof behind any health claims they make.

Remember that very few things are actually as good as advertised.

And if you see a pretty picture, keep in mind that that’s exactly what it is: a pretty picture. A work of art. But definitely not food.

To Your Health,

Michael Noltemeyer
Managing Editor
Total Health Breakthroughs

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