Sudden cardiac death according to most sources is a rare event.  Usually there are no significant symptoms experienced before the catastrophic event. Studies from Italy and in the United States have shown that the use of cardiac ultrasound screening can identify serious heart conditions (e.g hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) that would put our children at increased risk for physical activity. And not only would cardiac ultrasound screening help identify heart conditions in kids that would place them at high risk for sports,  but also in college and professional athletes too (e.g. Hank Gathers-basketball player from Loyola Marymount University and Reggie Lewis-basketballplayer from the Boston Celtics)!

It’s a reoccurring theme. Thousands of child athletes get screened each year, most by simple history and physicals. Some are lucky enough to get an electrocardiogram.  A few may get an advanced test called an echocardiogram-which is an ultrasound evaluation of the heart.  There is no routine physical screening. Some physicians feel that taking a history from the student or family may be sufficient to grant a student access to sports.  But is that really enough? And let’s look at the electrocardiogram. Recent studies have clearly indicated that even highly trained pediatric cardiologists may not recognize features of significant heart disease on an electrocardiogram and subsequently allow a student to play organized sports when they are at serious risk. So why hasn’t the medical community and the academic sporting associations come together to say that we need more testing of our kids before we allow them to play sports? Why is it taking so long to routinely utilize testing that we so readily have at our fingertips?  It is clear that the medical community is divided. Many doctors are proponents of pre-sports cardiac testing while others will hide behind statistics saying that it won’t help detect all heart or medical problems. Of course there is no perfect test. And maybe we can’t prevent every possible medical problem from causing an unexpected death, but we can sure use what tests we have available to eliminate those problems that CAN be detected now.

If I can borrow an expression from GG, “my friends,” please let me know your thoughts on this. To me it is very simple: add the electrocardiogram and echocardiogram to ALL pre-participation sports examinations for all athletes. Is it really that much to ask for? Maybe we should ask that question to all of the parents that have lost kids from sudden cardiac death. What do you think their answer would be?

So let the adventure begin! A new “In the News”:                                              

The heart benefits of being a father of two children:

it seems that fathers of at least two or more children have a lower incidence of dying from heart disease compared to child-less males and those fathers of a single child. So far the exact reasons for these results are still being investigated so stay tuned.

50 Percent of all Americans will be obese by 2030:

Y. Claire Wang, M.D.** from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and her colleagues  have reported that there will be 65 million more obese adults by 2030. Also as a projection from reviewing the NHANAES data, there will be the following:

65 million more Americans will be obese by 2030. 24 million of thses new cases willbein the 60 and older age group.

6-8.5 million more people with have diabetes

5.7 to 7.3 million more cases of stroke and heart disease

490,000 to 670,000 more cases of cancer

26-55 million quality adjusted life-years lost

$48-$66 billion more in medical costs by 2030 

Wang and colleagues also reported that if “everyone’s BMI was 1% lower-1kg/2lbs in an adult-in the United States, more than 2 million cases of diabetes and 1.5 million heart disease cases and 100,000 cancers would be avoided.”

Wang, Y, et.al. “ Health and economic burden of the projected obesity trends in the USA and the UK” Lancet 2011; 378:815-25

Common over the counter dietary supplements may make athletes fail drug tests:

It seems that simple over the counter dietary supplements contain substances that may show up on drug tests in athletic events, turning the test positive. One special example is the steroid nandrolone which is banned by major world athletic organizations. It has several precursors that are in many energy waters and dietary bars-at minute concentrations. However despite very low levels in the supplement, this may turn a drug test positive.  Athletes need to be very careful with all supplements that they consume prior to athletic events and in general, everyone needs to be more aware of the contents of each of the supplements, liquid or sold, that they put into their bodies.  Read the labels and ask your medical professional before using any OTC supplement.

More U.S. children living in poverty:

Yes my friends, based on the recent data (from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire) accumulated between the years 2009 and 2010, one million more children in the United States are living in poverty-now a total of 15.7 million kids  up 2.6 million from 2007. In fact authors of the study report that “one in four young children, under the age of 6, now live in poverty.” In addition the authors found that 38 states have had an increase in poverty. Mississippi had the highest percentage of child poverty while New Hampshire had the lowest. The southern states have the highest rate of child poverty and the northeastern states have the lowest rate. 

Deadly Listeriosis outbreak Identified from Cantaloupes:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that a deadly outbreak of the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes has been isolated from “whole cantaloupes grown at Jensen Farms in Granada, Colorado. 13 deaths have been reported and 72 people have been infected in over 18 states.  The CDC (cdc.gov/listeria/) recommends the following:

• persons at high risk for listeriosis, including older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women, should not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.

• Other consumers who want to reduce their risk of Listeria infection should not eat Rocky Ford cantaloupes from Jensen Farms.
• if some of the cantaloupe has been eaten without becoming ill, dispose of the rest of the cantaloupe immediately. Listeria bacteria can grow in the cantaloupe at room and refrigerator temperatures.
• Listeriosis, a serious infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. The disease primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems.

Well, that’s all for my first column. Please send me your comments and topic requests to talk@nerdel.com. Best of luck to my good friend Graehm Gray on his adventures. Remember, food is meant to be enjoyed. Don’t rush through your meals. Chew your food thoroughly. Don’t overdo, push-away from the table. Don’t fill yourself up. Drink enough water daily. Stay away from added sugars. Stay away from added salt. Exercise daily-even ten minutes will help. Watch out for OTC supplements-ask an expert and or your medical professional what the supplements are and what effects they will have. As a rule of thumb-dietary bars, liquid energy drinks and smoothies have lots of extra calories, electrolytes and ingredients that your body may not need-so be careful. More tips to follow.

F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future*, reveals that the obesity rates across America are increasing. That’s right, there are more obese individuals in 16 states than in 2010. And there was no state in the United States, that reported a decline in obesity rates. Yes, we are all getting fatting-well most of us!

Here are the percentage of obese adults in all 50 states-see it for yourself**: 

 Okay, look at the state that you live in and compare it to the other states. My friends, we have a big problem. It seems that all of the interventions, all of the diets and diet books, all of the infomercials, all of the diet aids, all of the exercise programs and exercise equipment are not yet making a considerable dent in the epidemic.

What can we do? Well, my first suggestion continues to be education of our youth in nutrition and exercise. You have heard me say this before- well here I go again-bring back the Home Economics courses and retool them for the current generation. Let’s teach our kids about eating healthy, about cooking and about getting exercise. We have to start at a young age and continue this education pathway until these kids reach adult hood. What else can be done? Oh no-are you thinking “fat” penalties?  Well my friends, we are certainly heading in that direction if we are unable to discipline ourselves.  Paying an extra tax for those extra pounds you are carrying! Are you all ready for the supermarket to tell you what items you can buy and what items are off limits? Are you ready for the restaurant to  pleasantly decline to serve you all of the items that you would like? Are you ready for your doctor to report your waist size, weight and BMI to a government registry?

Yes, this could be a doom and gloom scenario. Can we all cut down on the excess calories we are consuming voluntarily? I am not sure! Many studies are pointing to the excess in calories consumed more than the types of calories as the true cause of weight gain. We all know that some people eat too many carbs and switching them to a lower carbohydrate and higher fat/protein regimen will help them lose weight. We also know that some people will lose weight on a lower fat diet or a rice diet or even a cabbage diet. You can lose weight on all of them.

So what will it take? What will it take to make the general public think about the cutting down? Medical warnings about the risks of carrying extra weight don’t seem to be helping. And we are getting mixed messages from the medical community-some reports actually show no increase in mortality statistics with obesity; while other reports describe an increase in heart disease, arthritis and diabetes with extra weight. So what is someone to believe? With extra weight , I may get some health issues, but I will live as long as my thin neighbor!

My friends, we need to empower our children with nutrition and physical fitness education. Start early and they will grow up with the information and knowledge to make healthy choices. As for us adults, we either help ourselves, help the helpless, or we will face more and more penalties and restrictions on our freedoms. Maybe that’s the way our founding fathers wanted us to interpret the freedoms they inscribed. Freedoms at a cost!

Stay fit and healthy, The Nerdel Way.

Links:

1. *Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director, Trust for America’s Health; David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; Samantha Heller, M.S., R.D., dietitian, nutritionist, exercise physiologist, Fairfield, Conn.; July 7, 2011, Trust for America’s Health report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future

2. **Supplement to F as in Fat: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2011/FasinFat2011LegislativeSupplement.pdf

Come on folks, I appreciate the freedoms of our society and the Constitution. But this sign of freedom doesn’t seem like a good idea at all. Putting alcohol into the hands of drivers is not a good thing. And I can’t believe that alcohol served at stadiums, for thousands of people to drink, right before they get behind the wheel of their cars is a good thing. Maybe if we had designated drivers at these events for all of those people that want to have an alcoholic beverage- that would work. But having the availability of alcohol increased –that’s good?  No! Okay, it’s being done already in Europe-for many years. Yes, I know that. There are differences in our freedoms all over this world. That doesn’t make it right. Are we really looking out for our children? Or is this a quest to improve the bottom line for Corporate America? Of course serving alcohol will add to a restaurant’s profits. And yes this will help balance the loss of income caused by the current recession. But, hey, it’s our kids we are talking about.  

Let’s talk statistics according to the *MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Driving site:                   

• This year, 10,839 people will die in drunk-driving crashes – one every 50 minutes
• High school students who use alcohol or other substances are five times more likely to drop out of school or believe good grades are not important.
• An average drunk driver has driven drunk 87 times before first arrest.
• Drunk driving costs each adult in this country almost $500 per year.
• One in three people will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime
• Every minute, one person is injured from an alcohol-related crash.
• One in five teens binge drink. Only 1 in 100 parents believes his or her teen binge drinks.
• Teen alcohol use kills about 6000 people each year, more than all illegal drugs combined.
• Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens and one out of three of those is alcohol related.
• Kids who start drinking young are seven times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash

 Let’s talk about what alcohol does to our driving skills**: 

• reaction time- slow reflexes can decrease the ability to react swiftly to situations
• vision – eye muscles function more slowly. Eye movement and perception are altered, possibly resulting in blurred vision. Night vision and color perception are also impaired.
• tracking – the ability to judge the car’s position on the road, the location of other vehicles, center line, road signs, etc., can be adversely affected.
• concentration – attention to driving may decrease and/or drowsiness may occur
• comprehension – the depressant effect of alcohol hinders the ability to make rational decisions
• coordination - the mechanics of driving can be affected by reduced eye/hand/foot coordination.

My friends, we will all have to get used to alcohol being on the menu. It’s already started and will only become more widespread.  Parents and teachers need to focus on educating and warning our children about all aspects of alcohol. This should not be a Bill of Rights issue. This should not be about a restriction of our freedoms. This is about our children; their premature exposure to a forbidden drug; the devastating and catastrophic effects of alcohol and driving under the influence, and the effect of alcohol on innocent victims. Is there anybody besides me that can see how ridiculous this is? 

 My friends, let me know your thoughts. Stay fit and healthy the Nerdel Way!

 Links: please check them out:

1. *MADD: www.madd.org/statistics
2. Driving and Alcohol: www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/cmed/alcohol/driving.htm

The low carbohydrate diet used by Dr. Gower and her associates consisted of the following breakdown of calories:

1. 43 percent from carbohydrates
2. 39 percent from fat
3. 18 percent from protein

Using the above method, dieters on the restricted carb diet had 11 percent less deep fat than the subjects on the “standard” low fat diet. In addition, most dieters on the carb restricted plan had a 4 percent greater loss of total body fat.

Bottom line: my opinion: the lower intake of carbohydrates definitely promotes a burning of fat. Now this research confirms prior theories (Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, etc.) that by cutting carbs, there is a loss of the deeper fat as well. And the loss of body fat can come without a loss of total body weight. This suggests that the restricted carb diet will allow loss of body fat and not lean body tissue (i.e. muscles). Dr. Gower**, in a prior study demonstrated that cutting the carbs lowered insulin levels and stabilized blood sugar after a meal and increased the sensation of satiety. And more studies are revealing that it is not necessary to completely eliminate the carbohydrates from your diet for health and weight loss.  Some of the latest studies point to increasing the carbohydrate content of the breakfast with a reduction in the carb content for lunch and dinner.

My friends, reduce the carbs in your diet now. Eat healthier carbs including whole grains and fresh fruits. Cut down on the added sugars in the diet. Reduce the saturated fats (e.g. red meat, cheese, etc.) and add more poly and mono unsaturated fats (veggies, fish, nuts). Switch to low fat (or zero fat) dairy. Make fruits and vegetables at least half of your diet plan.

Stay fit and healthy The Nerdel Way. 

Links:

1. *The Endocrine Society (2011, June 24). Cut down on ‘carbs’ to reduce body fat, study authors say. ScienceDaily.
2. **The Endocrine Society (2009, June 12). Moderately Reduced Carbohydrate Diet Keeps People Feeling Full Longer. ScienceDaily
3. ***Best Diet in the Universe:  www.nerdel.com/blog

The British Food Standards Agency is advising all people not to eat sprouted seeds including alfalfa, mung beans (or bean sprouts) and fenugreek unless “they are cooked until steaming hot throughout.”

France also stopped the sale of fenugreek, mustard and arugula sprout seeds from the British company.

No one is sure if the seeds used to make the sprouts are from the same group of seeds used to make the German sprouts.

One week ago, seven children in the French city of Lille, were infected with E. coli linked to frozen ground beef.  The children, ranging in ages from 18 months to 8 years old, were being treated for the hemolytic uremic syndrome- which is a serious blood and kidney ailment. This E. coli was suspected to be the 0157 type and not linked to the German E. coli 0104.

Bottom line: my opinion: if you are traveling to Europe this summer, stay away from the uncooked spouts. According to the CDC, high risk foods to stay away from include: unpasteurized (raw) milk, unpasteurized apple cider and soft cheeses made from raw milk. Do not eat undercooked hamburgers! Make sure all vegetables are thoroughly washed.

Here are some additional tips from the CDC:

1. WASH YOUR HANDS thoroughly after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before preparing or eating food. WASH YOUR HANDS after contact with animals or their environments (at farms, petting zoos, fairs, even your own backyard).
2. COOK meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat that has been needle-tenderized should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160°F/70˚C. It’s best to use a thermometer, as color is not a very reliable indicator of “doneness.”
3. AVOID raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices (like fresh apple cider).
4. AVOID swallowing water when swimming or playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools, and backyard “kiddie” pools.
5. PREVENT cross contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat. 

My friends, stay fit and healthy, The Nerdel Way:

Important links to follow:

1. CDC E. coli: www.cdc.gov/ecoli/
2. WHO : www.who/int/

Isn’t it time for the cereal companies to wake up and deal with the issue straight on? They know what kids want. So let’s give it to them. Let’s place a character on the box that represents everything good for kids. Like Nerdel. Let’s place a character on the box that wants to eat healthy and exercise. Like Nerdel. Let’s place a character on the box that wants the kids of the world to eat less sugar, to eat whole grains, to eat fruits and vegetables. Like Nerdel. A character that follows the same habits! Like Nerdel. And a character, that kids can see on television (and in the movies), eating the “healthy stuff”. Like Nerdel.

Who is that character? Well my fans, that’s Nerdel!  Nerdel represents “everything good for kids!.” Nerdel eats lots of colorful fruits and veggies. Nerdel loves low fat dairy and doesn’t drink those sugary beverages. Once the cereal companies (food companies) start realizing that they can sell loads and loads of “the healthy stuff” using Nerdel, life will change. And our children will be the beneficiaries! Can you imagine that day when our children pick the “Nerdel Doodels” cereal and know that they are eating a healthy breakfast, loaded with whole grains, fiber, vitamins, nutients, protein, and very low sugar that tastes great!   Can happen!

Now, there is a simple issue here as well-the cereal has to taste good. Our kids may be drawn to the cartoon covered box, but once they taste the product, if it tastes like cardboard, that won’t do. So, let’s get our best cereal food engineers together and create the best tasting, healthiest cereal, known to man, woman and child. Place Nerdel on the box and bingo-sit back and watch that cereal disappear. That my friends, will be a hit! And let’s not stop with just cereal-why not place Nerdel on fruits, veggies and who knows? Maybe even broccoli!

My friends, stay fit and healthy The Nerdel Way.

Links:

1. M. A. Lapierre, S. E. Vaala, D. L. Linebarger. Influence of Licensed Spokescharacters and Health Cues on Children’s Ratings of Cereal Taste. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2011; 165 (3): 229
2. Can we Positively Influence Our Children’s Eating Patterns? Graehm Gray. www.nerdel.com/blog
3. Superbug E. coli 0104:H4 Again Tied to bean Sprouts. Death Rate Rises! Graehm Gray. www.nerdel.com/blog
4. Best Diet in the Universe Series. Graehm Gray. www.nerdel.com/blog

E. coli is a bacterium that is found in the intestines of animals and humans. Produce (fruits and vegetables), does not produce this bacteria. So the fruits and vegetables get contaminated by the manure of animals (and humans). It is also suspected that animals that are fed antibiotics to prevent infections (or treat infections), produce a resistant strain of E. coli leading to the development of the new super strains of E. coli (e.g. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli 0104:H4) we are seeing.

According to the CDC:

Shiga-toxin producing E. coli (STEC) infections can cause different gastrointestinal symptoms, which often include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it is generally not very high (less than 101°F [38.3°C]). Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a disorder that usually occurs when an infection in the digestive system (such as STEC) produces toxic substances that destroy red blood cells and cause kidney injury. Early symptoms of HUS include decreased frequency or volume of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color in the cheeks and inside the lower eyelids. Signs of HUS typically start 5–7 days after the start of diarrhea, and diarrhea or bloody stools may no longer be present when HUS develops.

If you have traveled to this part of the world and have any of the above symptoms, please seek medical attention immediately.

My friends stay fit and healthy The Nerdel Way. 

Helpful links:

1. Robert Koch Institut: http://www.rki.de/EN/Home/homepage__node.html
2. CDC – Frequently Asked Questions:  http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/ecoli_o157h7/
3. World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/csr/d

Initially reported by German health officials, bean sprouts grown at an organic farm in northern Germany (Gaertnerhof farm in the village of Buenenbuettel) were implicated as a cause of the lethal bacteria. Now that doesn’t seem to be the case. The Lower Saxony agriculture ministry did an about face and retracted the bean sprout story, apparently finding no evidence of the EHEC after testing. So the search goes on. After initially implicating Spanish cucumbers, now bean sprouts are out as a suspect, at least for now.

So where do we go next? The advisory is still in effect: DO NOT EAT RAW TOMATOES, LETTUCE, BEAN SPROUTS OR CUCUMBERS when traveling in the northern part of Germany. Seek medical care if you have eaten these raw vegetables and or have any of the symptoms: bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and fever. Hospitals in the northern part of Germany are overloaded with sickened patients. 22 people are dead and over 2300 are ill. Some are seriously ill with a blood disorder and kidney failure. From the actual exposure to EHEC, to the onset of symptoms may be as long as 12 days.

Remember E. coli lives in the intestines and is found in the manure of animals (and humans). It can contaminate all foods. Fruits and vegetables should all be washed before eating. Meats, poultry and fish should be cooked to proper temperatures. And foods should be stored in properly cooled environments. Hand washing and food safety procedures should be followed, at every eating establishment as well as at home.

My friends, stay fit and healthy The Nerdel Way.

Links:

1. World Health Organization (WHO): www.who.int/
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travelers’ health: www.cdc.gov/travel/

Symptoms from a crampy and bloody diarrhea to a deadly hemolytic-uremic syndrome producing kidney failure, a blood disorder and brain disease are being seen in people affected by this super bacteria.  Women  and people over the age of 20 seem to be the likely target.  Is it because women eat more salads? It also is different in that the time from exposure to onset of symptoms maybe upwards of 12 days.  And the kicker is that it seems to be resistant to all of our available antibiotics! This bacteria produces a toxin (Shiga toxin) which is a byproduct produced by some bacteria. The problem is that when the antibiotics kills the bacteria, the toxins are released and some of these toxins are more deadly than the bacteria itself and cause many of the  symptoms being seen.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all four United States cases of the super E. coli 0104 bacteria, a hybrid form toxic to humans, are from those individuals that traveled to Hamburg, Germany. The CDC issued a travel advisory for all Americans visiting Germany: AVOID EATING RAW TOMATOES, FRESH CUCUMBERS AND LEAFY SALADS. The health warnings also say that anyone who has traveled to Germany and has become ill with bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, fever and other symptoms, should immediately see a doctor.

As a side note, E. coli, lives inside the intestines of all of us. It actually helps the body break down and digest the foods we eat and supply us with Vitamins K and B-complex. E. coli is so everywhere! Anytime we eat, drink or touch something that has been a part or near where an animal has been, we have the chance of ingesting E. Coli. Purell anyone?

So bottom line: wash your hands frequently. Follow the CDC travel advisory if you are traveling to Germany. See a doctor if you have been to this part of the world and have any of the symptoms discussed above.

My friends, stay fit and healthy The Nerdel Way.

Links:

CDC and E. Coli: www.cdc.gov/ecoli/

CDC and travel health advisories: www.cdc.gov/travel/