May 23, 2002

- Vol 1 Issue 9

Welcome to the May edition of the Wellness Insider! We welcome your feedback and questions. To contact us, please click here. PLEASE NOTE: We have recently updated our newsletter sign-up form to a quick pop-up window format. The window will appear on any page that you access through this newsletter. You can choose to turn off the message by clicking on the checkbox that reads, "Do not show this window in the future". A Message from Dr. Cooper Probably the hottest topic in the study of heart disease right now is C-reactive protein (CRP). An elevated level of CRP, which can be measured with a simple blood test, indicates inflammation within the body and is now known to be directly linked to heart disease. Do not forget that heart disease is by far America's number one killer, and that the most common first sign of heart disease is sudden death. more... Nutrition Your Blood Pressure IQ - What Is Your Number? Melinda Safir, R.D., L.D. Do you know that a non-gender specific, "silent killer" is lurking among us and can surface suddenly to trigger heart attack, kidney failure, eye hemorrhage (damaging the retina), or stroke? With every heartbeat, this insidious and symptom-free killer, also known as high blood pressure, can overwork the heart and lead to numerous complications before one even knows there is damage being done. more... Nutritional Supplements A to Z: Nutrition for the Skin - What You Should Know Before Undergoing a Surgical Procedure Angela Marks, Cooper Concepts, Inc. Unfortunately today more than ever, we are being bombarded with environmental "triggers" that stimulate the production of free radicals, which can cause a variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis. In addition, free radicals can accelerate the aging process of the skin, resulting in wrinkles and sunspots, not to mention an increased risk of skin cancer. A free radical is an unstable oxygen molecule that has become damaged due to factors such as cigarette smoke, air pollution, ultraviolet light, pesticides, radiation, emotional stress, and excessive exercise. more... Men's Health Coronary Artery Calcium and Heart Disease: To be continued Tim Church M.D., PhD., M.P.H. The Cooper Institute Forty years ago, Dr. DH Blankenhorn examined 3,500 artery segments from 89 hearts during autopsy and found that calcified deposits observed on X-ray were atherosclerosis in the heart vessels. Thus, while it has long been known that atherosclerotic plaques tend to be calcified, until recently there has not been an effective and safe way to measure the amount calcium in the blood vessels of the heart. more... Physical Training Learning the Basics of Functional Ball Training Jill Armayor, Cooper Ventures You have seen them looming in the corners of some gyms. Their bright colors of blue, green, and orange catch your attention as you scope the fitness floor. Often they sit, undisturbed, as gym members choose the heavy weights and machines. However, if you are lucky, you belong to a club where functional training is ingrained in its fitness philosophy and these colorful balls are a regular part of every fitness routine. more... Women's Health Women's Wellness Brought to you exclusively from the women physicians at Cooper Clinic No doubt if you are a regular visitor to the Cooper Clinic web site or have read any of Dr. Cooper's books, you know that there are many health benefits to regular physical activity. Regular physical activity is associated with reduced blood pressure, an increase in good cholesterol and reduction in bad cholesterol, reduced total body fat, weight loss or maintenance of ideal body weight, and improved handling of sugars in the blood. In more global terms, a number of studies have shown that higher activity and/or fitness levels are associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers. How exactly does a regular, brisk walk around your neighborhood confer these wonderful outcomes? more...

Kid's Corner In a country where more than 10 million children ages 6 to 17 are considered overweight and almost half of these are severely obese, it's more important than ever to educate young people about the importance of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. If you would like to receive periodic information on kid's nutrition and fitness, click here to automatically be added to the mailing list... Weekly Recipe Wilted Spinach Salad Ingredients: 8 cups torn fresh spinach leaves (about a pound) 1/2 cup fresh orange sections 1/3 cup snipped fresh chives or minced green onion 1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Directions: Combine spinach, oranges and chives in a salad bowl; set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour over spinach mixture, and toss. Serve immediately. Per Serving: 95 Calories, 5 g Fat from: The Cooper Clinic Solution to the Diet Revolution written by Georgia Kostas, M.P.H., R.D., L.D. Please click here to read current and noteworthy information information on various nutrition topics written by our Cooper Clinic dietitians. You may also click here to visit the Nutrition Library to retrieve past articles and answer many of your nutrition questions! Shop Online: The Polar Heart Monitor Keep track of your workout time and average heart rate with the Polar Heart Monitor! This is the ideal monitor for beginning exercisers. It features easy to use, single button operation. Heart rate is continuosly displayed along with a visual indicator of exercise time. Recalls both total exercise time and average heart rate for your workout.