The Consumer Tip of the Day with Herb Weisbaum

Herb is a respected consumer advocate, with features heard for decades on Seattle media.  You have probably heard his reports on KOMO 1000 Newsradio, or seen them on KOMO-4 News (especially every afternoon at 4pm on FIRST NEWS AT 4).  Now his most helpful information appears on STAR 101.5!

Medical Tips air on STAR 101.5 Wednesdays: Mornings (time varies) and 5:35pm sponsored by Overlake Hospital Medical Center

CHECK OUT HERB's CONSUMER TIP FOR THIS WEEK:

Skipping red meat can cut heart disease risk

What you eat can increase or reduce your risk of heart disease. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health finds eating red meat is one of those factors.

The research team, led by Dr. Adam Bernstein, followed 84,000 women for 26 years.

"We found that a higher intake of total red meats – which include both processed and unprocessed red meat as well as high-fat dairy products – those were associated with an increased risk of heart disease,” says Dr. Bernstein.

The study found that women can dramatically lower that risk by choosing healthier protein-rich foods, such as fish, poultry and low-fat dairy products.

Dr. Bernstein says, if you can't give up meat entirely, try to cut back.

"So if you're currently having three servings a day then move down to two servings, two servings to one serving. If you're a one serving a day person, then try to move to every other day” he says.

The study found that eating nuts also helped lower the risk of heart disease.

Listen to Herb's consumer tip HERE.

HERB's CONSUMER TIP FOR LAST WEEK:

THE STRAIGHT SKINNY ON CELLULITE
Cellulite, we all know it when we see it. Most women have some cellulite -- usually around the hips, buttocks or thighs. Treating that dreaded dimpling is big business. But according to Dr. John Swartzberg at the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, none of the treatments available -- none -- offers a permanent solution. Here’s Dr. Swartzberg’s take on the various offerings:

Creams and Gels: They’re probably safe, but likely a waste of money.

Dietary Supplements: There's no evidence they work and yet people make all sorts of wild claims about them.

Wraps, Massage Therapy and Spa Treatments: They can really help you feel better; but besides the vigorous rubbing that can maybe temporarily make the skin look better, it has no benefit at all for cellulite.

The bottom line: Cellulite is normal and Dr. Swartzberg says there is nothing that will make it go away -- permanently.

"The most important thing is to try to deal with it emotionally,” he says. “If you're overweight, losing weight can sometimes be helpful. Getting more exercise to tighten muscles and tone the muscles can also be somewhat helpful. But the best thing is just to learn to accept your body the way it is.”

Listen to Herb's consumer tip HERE.
 

SUPPLEMENTS: The Good and the Bad
We Americans do love our dietary supplements. More than half of the adult population have taken them to stay healthy, lose weight, gain an edge in sports or in the bedroom, and avoid using prescription drugs. In 2009, we spent $26.7 billion on them, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, a trade publication.

What consumers might not realize, though, is that supplement manufacturers routinely, and legally, sell their products without first having to demonstrate that they are safe and effective. The Food and Drug Administration has not made full use of even the meager authority granted it by the industry-friendly 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). As a result, the supplement marketplace is not as safe as it should be.

• We have identified dozen supplement ingredients that we think consumers should avoid because of health risks, including cardiovascular, liver, and kidney problems. We found products with those ingredients readily available in stores and online.
• Because of inadequate quality control and inspection, supplements contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, or prescription drugs have been sold to unsuspecting consumers. And FDA rules covering manufacturing quality don't apply to the companies that supply herbs, vitamins, and other raw ingredients.
• China, which has repeatedly been caught exporting contaminated products, is a major supplier of raw supplement ingredients. The FDA has yet to inspect a single factory there.

The lack of oversight leaves consumers like John Coolidge, 55, of Signal Mountain, Tenn., vulnerable. He started taking a supplement called Total Body Formula to improve his general health. But instead, he says, beginning in February 2008, he experienced one symptom after another: diarrhea, joint pain, hair loss, lung problems, and fingernails and toenails that fell off. "It just tore me up," he said.

Eventually, hundreds of other reports of adverse reactions to the product came to the attention of the FDA, which inspected the manufacturer's facilities and tested the contents of the products. Most of the samples contained more than 200 times the labeled amount of selenium and up to 17 times the recommended intake of chromium, according to the FDA.

In March 2008 the distributor voluntarily recalled the products involved. Coolidge is suing multiple companies for compensatory damages; they have denied the claims in court papers. His nails and hair have grown back, but he said he still suffers from serious breathing problems.

The editors also identified a number of supplements that are likely to be safe and effective for most people. They include calcium for bone health, cranberry for urinary tract infections, fish oil for cardiovascular health, lactase for lactose intolerance, psyllium which lowers cholesterol lowering and is a laxative, St. John's Wart for depression and vitamin D which if you take it with calcium helps prevent osteoporosis.

The editors also identified a number of supplements that are likely to be safe and effective for most people. They include calcium for bone health, cranberry for urinary tract infections, fish oil for cardiovascular health, lactase for lactose intolerance, psyllium which lowers cholesterol lowering and is a laxative, St. John's Wart for depression and vitamin D which if you take it with calcium helps prevent osteoporosis.

Listen to Herb's consumer tip HERE.