K ON NUTRITION
Red, white and blue
Red white and blue are the colors of our flag. And they are also pigments that occur naturally in many fruits and vegetables. Besides being festive, these various hues convey protection to our bodies when we include them regularly in our diets. Here are some redeeming values of the red, white and blue: Red is derived from natural plant pigments “lycopene” (found in
tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit) and “anthocyanins” (strawberries, raspberries, red grapes). Lycopene is best known for its protective role against certain types of cancer such as prostate cancer. Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants that protect our cells from damage, according to registered dietitian Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson. Take strawberries. Better yet take a
cup of strawberries (about 8 whole berries). There in lies more vitamin C than an orange (140 percent of our daily requirementBuy bright red strawberries with fresh-looking green caps, say experts. And keep them intact until right before you plan to serve them. As soon as you remove the green cap, vitamin C begins to wane. White: Whoever said to avoid everything white forgot that white fruits and vegetables (bananas, cauliflower, garlic,
onions to name a few) are colored by health-promoting “anthoxanthins” — plant chemicals that have been shown to help lower cholesterol, blood pressure and protect against certain types of cancer. Blue is another color derived from natural plant pigments called “anthocyanins.” Blueberries, plums (and prunes) are examples of foods that contain these pigments. Due to their ability to protect cells from damage, these substances help
guard against a variety of agerelated infirmities including heart disease and certain types of cancer. A recent study found that older women who ate more strawberries and blueberries had slower rates of “cognitive decline” as they aged. In other words, the women who ate more berries delayed the loss of brain function associated with aging (ouch) by up to 2.5 years.
— MCT Information Services
HEALTH timesleader.com
THE TIMES LEADER
SECTION
TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2012
IN BRIEF
ASK DR. H
Hazleton General accredited as Chest Pain Center Hazleton General Hospital has received Chest Pain Center accreditation from the Society of Chest Pain Centers, an international not-for-profit organization that focuses on excellence in cardiovascular care by assisting facilities in their effort to bring outstanding quality and patient satisfaction in the provision of heart care services. Hospitals that have received SCPC accreditation provide a higher level of expertise in dealing with patients who arrive with symptoms of a heart attack. They emphasize the importance of standardized diagnostic and treatment programs that provide more efficient and effective evaluation as well as more appropriate and rapid treatment of patients with chest pain and other heart attack symptoms. They also serve as a point of entry into the health care system to evaluate and treat other medical problems, and they help to promote a healthier lifestyle in an attempt to reduce the risk factors for heart attack. To become an Accredited Chest Pain Center, Hazleton General Hospital, part of the Greater Hazleton Health Alliance, met or exceeded the standards of excellence established by the SCPC for its ability to assess, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack.
MITCHELL HECHT
Applications being accepted for New Story Fund New Story is accepting applications for the Fall 2012 New Story Fund through July 31 at www.NewStory.com. The New Story Fund distributes $50,000 each year during two application periods. Following the application period, $25,000 will be allocated in the form of awards to families in Pennsylvania. Families can be nominated for an award of up to $1,500 per application period. The fund helps families that do not have the money to access products and services needed to support their children. Members of the community are encouraged to submit an application for themselves or to nominate a family in need. Nominees must meet be a legal resident of Pennsylvania, be between the ages of birth and 21 and be faced with one (or more) of the following challenges: Autism Spectrum Disorder, emotional support needs, mental retardation or other developmental disabilities. The nomination application must be fully completed, including why the nominee needs help from New Story and specifically what will be purchased with the fund. Examples include durable medical equipment, therapy services, prescriptions, after-school care and camp tuition. If the cost of the product/service being requested exceeds the amount granted, then the nominator will be required to provide documentation to cover the remaining cost of the product/service. Nominators or nominees do not need to be enrolled in New Story schools or New Story services. Applicants may not be employees or affiliates of New Story. For more information, visit www.newstory.com/fund.
C
‘Carcinoma’ terminology worries patient
AIMEE DILGER/THE TIMES LEADER
Karen Valentine, Kathy Berry and Alaina Hollock go through a series of stretching warm-up exercises at the beginning of class at Melt Hot Yoga in Edwardsville.
Hot yoga heals, may help troubles
MELT AWAY By SARA POKORNY
M
spokorny@timesleader.com
aria Scopelliti hardly sleeps anymore but, for her, that’s no problem. • “The sleep I do get is better than it’s ever been, and I don’t have to sleep as long
to be as energized,” said the 27-year-old Wilkes-Barre resi-
dent, who gets an average of four to six hours per night. The reason for Scopelliti’s change in patterns can be attributed to hot yoga, a fitness craze taking hold locally with the coming of Melt Hot Yoga studio in Edwardsville and Steamtown Yoga in Scranton. Scopelliti recently completed a 30-day challenge at Melt, in which she attended class every day for 30 days and said she
feels like she’s in top physical condition. “There’s one posture you do that’s supposed to be equivalent to eight hours of sleep, and I believe that’s true.” Hot yoga comes in many forms, See YOGA, Page 3C
Bone-marrow donors fewer for black patients By ALEXIA ELEJALDE-RUIZ Chicago Tribune (MCT)
the registry has 10 million potential donors, only 7 percent are black. Black patients have a 66 percent chance of having a good and willing donor on the registry, compared with 72 percent for Latinos, 73 percent for Asians, 82 percent for American Indians and 93 percent for whites. To increase the pool of black donors, Be The Match has declared July AfricanAmerican Bone Marrow
Among the10,000 people in the U.S. who get leukemia, lymphoma or other lifethreatening blood-illness diagnoses each year, black people have the lowest chance of finding a donor for a bonemarrow transplant. “I call it the genetic powerball,” said Jennifer Baird, an account executive for donor recruitment at the National Marrow Donor Program’s Be The Match registry. Though See MARROW, Page 2C
LOCAL HOT YOGA
• Melt Hot Yoga, Gateway Shopping Center, Edwardsville. 2873400. Classes run 9 a.m. seven days a week, 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 p.m. Mondays, 6:30 a.m. Wednesdays and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Individual classes are $15; class packages range from $135 to $1,100 dependent on length of time. • Steamtown Yoga, 1130 Moosic St., Scranton. Call 941-9977 for pricing information. Classes take place at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. www.steamtownyoga.com.
Q: I’m confused about the findings of a breast biopsy I had a couple of months ago. The biopsy report said I had LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ). I was relieved that the breast surgeon I went to said it wasn’t cancer, but the diagnosis of “carcinoma” makes me pretty nervous. Doesn’t “carcinoma” mean cancer? A:Yes, it does. But the use of the word “carcinoma” in this breast condition is a misnomer. It’s really a pre-cancer condition, rather than a true cancer. “Lobular” means that abnormal cells were found in the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands at the end of breast ducts. As you know, it’s something found as an incidental finding on a breast biopsy for something unrelated to it. There’s no breast mass or lump directly associated with this pre-cancerous breast condition. Some doctors refer to LCIS as “lobular neoplasia” (an abnormal growth of cells) rather than “lobular carcinoma” (the presence of cancerous cells). LCIS does mean that you’re at higher risk of breast cancer in the future, so you will need to be closely watched with diagnostic mammograms. The good news is that you’re safe for now. Going forward, you will need to discuss treatment options with your breast surgeon or gynecologist. These options include frequent exams and mammography; anti-estrogen protection with a drug like Tamoxifen or Evista; and consideration of preventive mastectomy — particularly if there’s a strong family history of breast cancer. Q: For the last two months, I’ve been taking a green coffee bean extract recommended by Dr. Oz on his show. So far, I’ve lost 10 pounds without even trying! What’s your opinion of it? A: Generally, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. But this stuff may actually work! Excitement about the weight loss magic of green coffee bean extract began this year, after a “randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled, linear dose, crossover University of Scranton study.” It was published in the January 2012 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity. This wasn’t just a bunch of anecdotal claims, but the results of a 22-week study involving 16 participants who showed an average weight loss of 17 pounds. The key to the effectiveness of green coffee bean extract is not believed to be the effect of caffeine; rather, the compound “chlorogenic acid” and its metabolite “caffeic acid.” Chlorogenic acid helps to keep the body from absorbing sugar from the digestive tract, and it also stimulates the burning of fat by the liver. Dr. Mitchell Hecht is a physician specializing in internal medicine. Send questions to him at: "Ask Dr. H," P.O. Box 767787, Atlanta, Ga. 30076. Due to the large volume of mail received, personal replies are not possible.