July 2006 | Whole Health
Body Talk
By Elizabeth Barker
Chocolate: Myths and Realities
Chocoholics may swear by the mood-boosting powers of M & M’s, but that sweet relief probably won’t last long after the milk chocolate melts in your mouth. In reviewing a collection of studies on chocolate and mood, scientists from Australia’s Black Dog Institute discovered that any benefit is most likely fleeting.
“Chocolate can provide its own personal pleasure by satisfying cravings, but when consumed as a comfort eating or emotional eating strategy, is more likely to be associated with prolongation rather than cessation of a depressed mood,” notes study author Gordon Parker.
For a better mood makeover, up your serotonin levels with a light, all-carb snack, suggests Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food & Mood. And eating omega-3-rich fish like salmon and tuna may help lift your spirits in the long run. “Fatty fish won’t immediately enhance your mood, but your serotonin levels should increase over time with regular intake of omega-3s,” Somer says.
Clearing the Air on Indoor Air Filters
Certain types of indoor air purifiers may end up doing your lungs more harm than good, suggests a recent study from the University of California, Irvine. Some air-purifying products are designed to emit ozone, a substance thought to have disinfectant properties. But the high ozone concentrations required to cleanse the air may actually damage your lungs, worsen asthma and weaken your body’s ability to fight respiratory infections, the study’s author concludes. In testing the ozone emissions of a group of air purifiers, one ozone-generating product (the EZ-COM Air Purifier) was found to create indoor pollution levels that would trigger a Stage 2 smog alert if detected in city air.
Not all air cleaners will dirty your indoors, however. Devices that use only high-efficiency particulate air filters (aka HEPA filters) aren’t known to emit ozone. And a 2005 Consumer Reports study recommended the Friedrich C-90A and Whirlpool 45030 as safe, effective air purifiers.
Mineral Magic
High levels of magnesium and zinc may mean lower risk for heart disease and cancer, a new report from the journal Epidemiology suggests. In an 18-year study of more than 4,000 men, researchers from France’s Lille Pasteur Institute found that those with the highest magnesium levels had up to a 50 percent reduced risk of death compared to those with the lowest levels.
What’s more, men with low zinc levels combined with high copper levels were 2.6 times more likely to die during the study period. Low magnesium was associated with high blood pressure and diabetes, while low zinc may suppress immune function, according to the study’s authors.
To get your daily fill of magnesium (320 mg for women, 420 mg for men), load up on almonds (80 mg per ounce), peanut butter (25 mg per tablespoon) and bananas (30 mg each). For optimal zinc intake (8 mg daily for women, 11 mg for men), look to zinc-fortified cereals (up to 15 mg per bowl), plain yogurt (2.2 mg per cup) and cashews (1.6 mg per ounce).
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