Issue Date: November 15, 2006
Publisher: Mellanie True Hills, The Health & Productivity Revitalizer®

Welcome to those of you who are new to this newsletter. Our purpose is to bring you important and relevant health research information that you can use, and where appropriate, to provide you with important perspectives on that research and how you can use it.

Do you want to live to be 100? Then listen up–here's important information for your health and well-being, much of it coming out of the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions this week in Chicago . We'll cover these two topics today:

1. Health Impact of Red Meats, Healthy Fats, and Carbs
2. Snippets from the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions
   You'll want to pay attention to this if you take vitamins, don't like to exercise, get angry or emotional, are diabetic, or are a woman.

But first, take a look at who sat next to me at the Texas Governor's Conference for Women recently.

Announcement: Mellanie's latest book, A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life, just received the following prestigious award:

Health Impact of Red Meats, Healthy Fats, and Carbs

You may have heard of the long-running Nurses Study conducted by researchers at the Harvard Medical School . Two findings emerged from that study this week.

• First, premenopausal women (generally in their 20s, 30s, and 40s) who ate red meat regularly had twice the risk of breast cancer of those who ate it less frequently. Those with the higher risk ate 1½ servings per day, whereas those with lower risk ate red meat no more than 3 times per week.

Was it the red meat, or hormones in the meat, or the way it was cooked? We don't know for sure—it could be any of these, so more research is necessary. We do know that grilling creates cancer-causing compounds (the black char marks), so that may be it. Or maybe it's the hormones in the meat (a good reason to buy natural, hormone-free meats).

Originally the researchers found no overall link, but they did find a link between red meat and breast cancer when they examined those in the study who had developed a specific kind of breast cancer, those that were fueled by hormones (estrogen and progesterone).

What are the implications for us from these results? Certainly, we should eat reasonable portions of red meat, not excess. Having 1½ servings of red meat every day is too much. We should balance our protein sources, alternating red meats with poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans and legumes throughout the week. It's also wise, as shown by previous studies, to limit overcooking or grilling—this applies to any foods—as char marks aren't good for us.

• Related to the second set of findings from the Nurses Study, did you hear more sound bites this week saying that low fat diets aren't the answer, or that diets lower in carbs are better?

Here's what the study really found: heart disease risk was cut by nearly one-third by eating good, healthy fats (nuts, avocados, seafood, and certain oils) and healthy unprocessed carbs (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables). You should continue to avoid processed carbs, such as products made from white flour.

While they recommend that you get 25-35% of daily calories from fat—mostly the good fats—I still think you should stay on the low end of that range, or even just slightly lower.

(Are you confused about what you should eat and what you shouldn't eat, and how much you should eat? A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life will clear up your confusion. You'll learn what are the good fats that you should eat, the bad fats that you should minimize, and the ugly fats that you should totally avoid. And how much of what else you should eat.)

Snippets from the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions

Turning to the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions this week, there were lots of interesting and important findings. Here are snippets from those that may interest you.

• Do vitamins protect us from heart disease? Maybe, or maybe not.

For women who smoke, or have multiple cardiovascular disease ( CVD —heart disease and stroke) risk factors, taking folic acid, B6, B12, beta carotene, vitamin C, or vitamin E did not prevent cardiovascular disease. While you'll probably want to take these for other reasons--such as folic acid when you're pregnant—there appears to be no need to take them to decrease your cardiovascular disease risk.

But, there were two very interesting findings among small sub-groups: First, taking vitamin C did reduce the risk of stroke for those with multiple risk factors who had no apparent cardiovascular disease; Second, taking vitamin E reduced the number of cardiovascular disease incidents for those who already had cardiovascular disease. More info

• Do you hate to exercise? Waltzing may be the answer. Truly!

Waltzing? Yes, waltzing, like to the "Blue Danube." A study in Italy found that for chronic heart failure patients, waltzing was as effective, or more so, than other aerobic exercises, such as using bicycles and treadmills. It was more enjoyable, too. If it works for them, it can work for you, too. More info

• Anger can be deadly

Emotions, particularly intense anger, caused potentially fatal heart rhythm disturbances among heart patients.  While the study was conducted on heart patients with implanted cardiac defibrillators because of the ability to track and measure heart rhythms caused by emotional incidents, these findings are applicable to all of us. Chill out, and manage your stress, if you want to live to be 100. More info

• Important news for Diabetics

Do you, or someone you love, have diabetes? An interesting insight came from the comments given by the recipient of the American Heart Association Distinguished Scientist Award, who received it for his work on the landmark Framingham Heart Study that significantly advanced our understanding of heart disease.

In sharing significant insights gleaned from this study, he touched on a finding that isn't well known, but does impact diabetics. While diabetes is well known as one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease, the study found that for diabetics, managing blood pressure is more important to avoiding heart disease and stroke than managing the diabetes and blood sugar.   More info

• For women, having low testosterone levels can increase your heart attack risk

We don't know why, but postmenopausal women were found to be at more risk for a heart attack if they had low testosterone levels. Low testosterone levels were found to be common in women that were younger, nonsmokers, and those who had undergone hysterectomy or had their ovaries removed. While these findings are interesting, it's hard to draw conclusions about the implications for women. Stand by…more research is needed. More info

• One day soon, we'll be able to grow our own rejection-proof organs

The most fascinating results came out of a study in Japan where researchers grew heart-valve-shaped tissue inside of rabbits using the rabbits' own cells.  The ability to do this would allow us to grow our own replacement heart valves, and perhaps other organs as well, without fear that our bodies would reject them. Fascinating stuff! More info

Do you want to live to be 100?

Get the secrets in A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life. (Works for men, too.) With 5 simple steps, you can live a long, healthy, and happy life.

How about saying Thanks, I Love You, or Merry Christmas by giving family, friends, and employees the gift of a long and healthy life? Saving lives is truly PRICELESS.

We're celebrating this latest award, Best Books 2006 for Women's Health, and my November 15 birthday, by giving you the following gifts:

1. Free US Shipping (reduced price International Shipping)  
2. Buy 3 for gifts, and get 1 FREE (buy 6, and get 2 free)
3. We'll even personalize them (request in order comments box).

Use this special link for Mellanie's Birthday Special

But hurry—it's only until the end of November.

If you want larger quantities, just contact me using the contact information below.

For those of you in the US , have a wonderful Thanksgiving next week. What are you giving thanks for? I hope it's for good health, the most precious thing you have. If you have your health, you'll be around for those you love and who love you. Give thanks for them, too. Happy Thanksgiving.

Mellanie

Mellanie True Hills

The Health & Productivity Revitalizer®...improving lives & productivity
Speaker and Author of A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life
Read the first two chapters

PS. If you are responsible for a Go Red for Women event or a women's health event, please e-mail or call for more information about Mellanie's heart health topics and to receive a special gift.

PPS . Mellanie's story is featured in the new book "Sixty Things to Do When You Turn Sixty" - see it in USA TODAY

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