Show ! mi is & f ? - 11 Opinion 13 Crossword 14 The Herald Journal Logan Utah Tuesday July 21 1998 Chromium III " ny ' "! ?’r r t C ' J imm ' - r id r ' 4:r -44 44 V ' vf ' V V ’ beneficial "'!K ' ' ’V but you can get all you need from a 'i i i 't s-$s' V i - i? v ' - ''V'--' i 4-- Vyj 4' -- : i Q diet well-balanc- ed 4’ r By Ed Bkmz PhD D : EAR DR BLONZ: Lately there's been lot uid about chromium picolinate It is supposed to make you lose all your unwanted poundage make your skin look as soft sod new as baby's rev up your metabolism and ' - i 'i f - i make you feel calm and serene What do you think of the chromium craze? Is there anything to it? — AR ' DEAR AR: Chromium is an essential nutrient required primarily for the proper metabolism of sugar (blood glucose) but It’s also involved with fat and protein metabolism Chromium picoli-Q-ii nate is a popular suppkmenl form that combines the mineral with picol-in- k acid to help tnake it more available to the body The recommended level of intake is small ranging between 50 and 200 micrograms per day (one microgram of a gram) Chromiequals um is found in some unrefined foods meats (especially organ meats) brewer's yeast wheatgerm some fats and vegetable oils Chromium can be found In pome unrefined grains but the amount depends on the level in the soiL there are a number of claims floating wound that chromium is useful for diabetics or those with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) It is also churned that chromium lowers bloodcholesterol helps you lose weight and helps increase muscle mass (I hadn't seen die one about chromiupi's ability to make your skin soft!) Some preliminary research studies support the claims but not all studies are positive There are few longterm studies and this is an essential element before any conclusions can be drawn In my opinion while the research on chromium is exciting some aspects of the chromium "craze’’ are misleading I say this because as a supplement this mineral isn't likely to produce the range of beneficial effects in people who already have an adequate intake Think about u: When chromium is present in kuffident amounts it allows the body to operate with its normal efficiency It is only in those who don't get enough of the nutrient that a supplement will appear to work wonders Imagine if you would calling water a wonder nutrient that miraculously "turns 00 metabolism helps rid the body of waste keeps you cool and of course quenches mint These effects wouldn't be wondrously evident in those who already drink enough of iL This being said however we have to consider the fact that the vast majority of people do not get enough chromium from their diets A 1991 article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association said that as many as 90 percent of US adults don’t reach the government's suggested minimum of SO mkrognms per day Consider too the fact that we are seeing an increased incidence of obesity and adult-ons- et diabetes Could an endemic chromium deficiency be playing a role? If so does this mean that we all would benefit from taking chromium supplements? The answer unfortunately is unclear It’s essential that we focus on whole foods and better food choices rather than pills to get our nutrients Perhaps the chromium story is but another assertion example of this Far those interested in taking chromium supplements keep in mindthat they wont “work" for everyone I could find no evidence however that supplements within die recommended range of SO to 200 micrograms per day were harmful Because chromium can potentially affect the efficiency with wfaidi insulin works in the body those with diabetes or hypoglycemia should consult their health ' ' - f : ' ' - ‘!i " i’ i i- ' t - i‘ Ui V: i i‘ Ac t" - - - - - " "4 ' I '' v - ' 'J- vs V - ' ' ’ V' 4’ ?'r '‘V '4 i i V JL I 7 nutrition i Diana MuMNmenld Journal th - ed At Logan Regional Hospital ultrasound is used to determine how far along a pregnancy is and toxheck for problems DID M Insurance1 companies crack'dowiTOn '‘friyoldus'usesofthis amazing technology By JoLyrme J features writer hile the word “ultrasound” usually conjures up the image of expectant parents getting an advance look at their duld most ultrasound procedures are done for other less happy reasons If you warn to have an ultrasound you’re probably pregnant If you need to have an ultrasound vou’re probably in pain At Logan Regional Hospi- taLooly anesti- mated 30 percent of ultrasounds are ' J Lyon O' V pmotmeator root out prowems to tumors That's not to say ultrasound procedures are unnecessary for women They atouT when they will help patients to bum The sex ol the fetus la not always assay deta defivkthdrehild it’s commonly onfered by docton when the size of the mother's minedTNs one is a girt uterus doesn't jibe with the date of her last period An ultrasound can determine if she’s big because she's carrying a lot of fluid or because she’s canying twins Sometimes the ultrasound wjllpqfrover unexpected complications in it pregnancy like a placenta that is too low in die uterus But many expectant mothers will say that whatever the reason for die procedure they also want to know the sex of the child they are carrying Repeated ultrasounds for women who do not appear to have complications are sometimes questioned by the insurance companies who pay for them according to officials at Logan Regional Hospital Ultrasound Services That's consistent with policy at Blue CrossBIue Shield of Utah according to Dr Keith Petersen a medical director for the company If it came to the company's attention that someone was having an inar- dinate number of ultrasounds officials would question the doctor about iL If there were a good reason he said that would be the end ofiL But if someone went to a maO where ultrasounds are formed solely to find out the sex of a child the procedure would not be covered Tt’s a valuable tool but it's nottaimr"fYtmm said Likewise officials at Logan Regional expect other standards will be imposed oa the industry In soox areas Medicare t u per-procedure fanned by m accredited facility (Logan is notone of those arms but LosanReuonal is nationally accredited) And more and more Medicare is setting standards under which the procedure can be done according to Earnest Rendon administrative director of die Diagnostic Imaging Center at Logan Regional Hospi- - uneJt ail 1' E4BtonzPtitk is tin outer ol the "Your Psraonal NuMtonWT book tattoo (Signal 1998) ay hasanultrasoimdaCTscancanbe three times as expensive As the clinical lead of the department at Logan Regional Hospital Doug Amussen has done a lot of ultrasound procedures He has looked at the images inside a lot of abdomens searching for turnon as well as fetuses And even when he has examined unborn children sometimes an unexpected problem shows up But Amussen said by and laige Cache Valley pregnancies are healthy LAcal women are usually glad when they find out they are pregnant he said and they are careful not to endanger the fetus weather a person quickly loses a lot of fluids Dress appropriately for hot weather exercise Wear clothing that reflects Summer is here so weekend warriors rather than absorbs heaL d beware: Exercise can be hazardous to clothing can make a significant difference and long sleeves can shield die your health if you don't watch out for liver malfunction illnesses We all know peoBut illnesses can be skin from direct exposure to the sun ple who try to cram a week or even a avoided with a few sensible precauPhy attention to individual health conmonth’s exercise into n weekend In the tions The body cools itself in two ways: ditions Someone who is running a fever summer they risk heat exhaustion and sweating which causes evaporative or is fetigued is at greater risk for overeven heat stroke cooling and vasodilation which is Vie heating So are those who are obese d illnesses occur when the expansion of blood vessels Vasodilation For the first few weeks of hot weediExey body dehydrates and is unable to cool circulates more blood near the skin er keep your workouts itself well enough The greater the heat causing die transfer of heat away from rcisers who gradually become the body's core Even in hot weather accustomed to the heat sweat more and exposure the more serious the problem While heat exhaustion is usually a you can protect the body’s ability to lose fewer salts in their sweat so their minor problem characterized by fatigue cool and minimize the risks of heat bodies cool more eflicientiy and weakness hut stroke is a potentialexhaustioo or heat stroke In addition be awale of the effect Drink water before during and after medications can have Many drags ly fatal condition The body’s temperature rises above 105S degrees exercise In hot and especially humid reduce the body's ability to cool itself Dr Suri Vassaflo New Yotk University School of Modcina For AP Special Features heat-relat- ed Fahrenheit and the sufferer exhibits a change in mental status such as dizzi- ness confusion or even coma Heat stroke requires emergency medical attention to guard against seizures kidney failure and internal bleeding from heat-relat- light-colore- ed low-ke- Wednesday Focus: Warm blood cool demeanor i The trend usually starts with Medicare with most everything” Rendon said Of course Medicare coven those ultra- sound procedures that are done to find out what's wrong with a patient Ultrasound chief C Richard Hopkins said the procedure has its Bmitatioos ultrasound waves can’t see through bone like an X-rAn ultrasound isn’t a good way to look at die brain or the lungs But the technology can show health professionals what is going in inride soft tissue in real time there is no need to develop an image To use the example of obstetrics an ultrasound can not only locate the heart Hr fetus it can show if that heart is beat mg What’s more it’s relatively cheap While stressing that these are ballpark figures Hopkins said an MRI can cost four times Guard against potentially fatal heat stroke Heat-relate- Send miestions to: "On Nutrition" Ed Bloaz do Newspaper Enterprise Association 200 Madison Ave New York NY address inquiries to j0016 For edbkmzcom Due to the volume of mail personal replies cannot be provided - taL antihistamines and drags such as tranquilizers and tricyclic inhibit sweat gland Over-the-coun- ter function Decongestants constrict Mood vessels at the skin Many heart medicines such as betablockers and calcium blockers lower blood pressure decreasing die ability to reswnd to beat stress Drinking alcohol before and during exercise is also risky It dehydrates the body and inhibits the hypothalamus the portion of the brain that regulates temperature and other more automatic functions in the body ( Once exercising watch out for signs of illnesses especially chills weakness thirst dizziness or heat-relat- ed faintness is Mien the Light-headedne- ss earliest sign of heat stroke If you v See HEAT on Page 22 Features: a 4P V glinnvM Ma 4 V— 752-212- 1 |