Note to media: To reach the media contacts for any of these health news tips, call the Office of News and Publications at 214-648-3404.

VALENTINE CHOCOLATES ARE HEALTHY! WELL … MAYBE, MAYBE NOT

Valentine’s Day brings out the chocolate lover in us all. Yet, should we really indulge? “Of course we should,” says Lona Sandon, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at UT Southwestern Allied Health Sciences School. “Chocolate, or the cocoa bean from which it’s made, has anti-oxidant properties in it similar to those found in red wines, grapes, tea, onions and apples. These may reduce the risk of cancer or heart disease.”

Is that a green light to guiltlessly devour an entire box of chocolates?

“In studies that have looked at chocolate in regard to the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels, cocoa butter was shown to have a neutral effect on total cholesterol levels and the LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol that clogs the arteries),” Sandon says. “However, chocolate does increase tryglyceride levels and decrease HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

“So, it’s really a Catch-22. Chocolate could be good; it could be bad.”

Cocoa alone contains little fat or cholesterol. But, start blending it with milk to create that sinful “milk chocolate” flavor, and that’s when the fat and cholesterol contents increase.

How about calories? Dark chocolate, similarly, is lower in calories than milk chocolate.

“My advice is that it’s always OK to have some chocolate – realizing there may or may not be any health benefits,” Sandon says. “Like anything good, it should be eaten in moderation.”

Media Contact: Donna Steph Hansard

COLORECTAL CANCER: DEADLY BUT PREVENTABLE

Colorectal cancer – cancer of the colon or rectum – is second only to lung cancer in numbers of cancer-related deaths in the United States, surpassing both breast and prostate cancer.

In fact, the Cancer Research Foundation of America (CRFA) reports that more than 148,000 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year, and 56,600 people will die from the disease. Fortunately, colorectal cancer is highly preventable. Dr. Clifford Simmang, associate professor of surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, says the key is early detection.

“It’s probably 75 percent to 85 percent preventable through screening tests and by removing polyps in the pre-cancerous phase,” Simmang says. “The key is to undergo recommended screening, which includes a colonoscopy, at age 50 and older.”

Since symptoms of colorectal cancer are often unobtrusive, it is important to get regular screenings. And because the risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with age, all men and women age 50 and over should be regularly tested.

Another strong defense against the disease is a low-fat diet high in fruits and vegetables, along with regular exercise. “A healthy lifestyle and a moderate amount of exercise seems to lower the chance of developing cancer,” says Simmang. “This likely keeps the immune system functioning better, and your body is better able to attack and destroy cancer cells.”

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Media Contact: Scott Maier

GOT ITCHY, DRY SKIN? TRY SHORTER SHOWERS, SOOTHING SOAP

Brisk winter weather can leave skin dry and itchy, but relief is easy to find, says Dr. Amit G. Pandya, associate professor of dermatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

He suggests the following tips to fight dry skin:

• Take short baths and showers, using lukewarm water. Hot water removes the skin’s protective oils. Wash with mild, acid-neutral soaps.
• Pat dry after bathing, and while still moist apply moisturizers within three minutes of stepping out of the shower or bath.
• Use thick creams with lipids to moisturize the skin. Avoid thinner, watery lotions this time of year.
• Wear cotton clothing under wool, since wool can irritate skin.
• Humidify the house; heaters tend to deplete indoor air humidity.

Media Contact: Staishy Bostick Siem

THIRTY-SOMETHING HOT FLASHES COULD BE EARLY MENOPAUSE

It’s never too early to talk about menopause.

That’s the opinion of Dr. Karen Bradshaw, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

“In my practice I’ve often seen women with menopausal symptoms who are in their 30s – and that’s just the ones who are coming for diagnosis and treatment,” says Bradshaw, a reproductive endocrinologist. “There are a lot out there who aren’t being helped because even though they are having symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal changes and depression, they don’t know what’s wrong.”

Bradshaw says early diagnosis is important, so treatment can begin immediately. Not only are the symptoms unpleasant, but there are physical disorders and diseases also associated with menopause’s declining estrogen levels. Some of these include bone loss, or osteoporosis, atherosclerosis leading to heart problems or stroke, bladder incontinence and even cancers of the breast and reproductive system.

Any woman in childbearing years – no matter her age – who starts having heavy menstrual bleeding, hot flashes or flushes, sudden mood swings or other symptoms associated with menopause, should see her primary-care physician or gynecologist, Bradshaw says.

“And don’t wait,” she stresses.

Media Contact: Ann Harrell

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