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Study: Popcorn packed with antioxidants

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Study: Popcorn packed with antioxidants – – CNN.com Blogs.

Popcorn isn’t just low in calories and high in fiber. Turns out the popular snack is chock full of antioxidants, too.

Per serving, plain popcorn contains nearly twice as many polyphenols as the average fruit, according to the preliminary results of a laboratory analysis presented today at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Polyphenols, a type of plant-based chemical found in foods ranging from vegetables to chocolate, help neutralize the harmful substances known as free radicals and are thought to protect against heart disease and other health problems.

Health.com: The 10 best foods for your heart

“Nobody had paid much attention to popcorn as a source of anything other than fiber,” says lead researcher Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, which funded the study. “Popcorn has more antioxidants in total than other snack foods that you can consume, and it also has quite a bit of fiber.”

Vinson and his colleagues analyzed four brands of commercially available popcorn. After grinding kernels (both popped and unpopped) into a fine powder, they separated out the polyphenols by adding a pair of solvents – a process that roughly mimics what happens in the stomach as food is digested, Vinson says.

A single serving of popcorn – about two tablespoons of unpopped kernels – contained up to 300 milligrams of polyphenols, the researchers found. By contrast, the average polyphenol content of fruit is about 160 milligrams per serving, while a single serving of sweet corn contains 114 milligrams.

Health.com: Superfoods you need now

Some types of polyphenols are pigments, and in fruit the biggest concentrations tend to be found in the skin and seeds. Similarly, the hull or outer skin of the corn kernel – the stuff that gets stuck in your teeth when you’re munching away – was the richest polyphenol source.

“That’s where the antioxidants are, that’s where the fiber is,” Vinson says. “You shouldn’t throw that out.”

The findings don’t mean that popcorn should replace apples and oranges in your diet, of course.

“Popcorn is no substitute for fruit,” says Michael G. Coco, an undergraduate chemistry student at the university who participated in the study. “Fruits have other vitamins and minerals that popcorn does not contain.”

However, the findings do suggest that popcorn is a healthy alternative to snacks such as chips and crackers. In addition to the polyphenols and low calorie content, popcorn is 100% whole grain, Vinson and Coco point out. Eating more whole grains has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Health.com: Whole grain fiber linked to longer life

“This is great news in terms of getting other whole grains in your diet,” says Carolyn Brown, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at FoodTrainers, in New York City. “We’re always trying to diversify. Everyone’s kind of stuck in this wheat rut.”

But popcorn isn’t always healthy, Brown adds. Movie-theater popcorn drenched in butter is the opposite of a health food, she says, and some microwave and pre-popped varieties contain artificial or less-than-healthy ingredients – such as partially hydrogenated oils – that shoppers should be mindful of.

“Not all popcorn is created equal, and you can get some nasty stuff in there, especially with the microwave popcorn.”

Health.com: 25 diet-busting foods you should never eat

The healthiest way to prepare popcorn is to use plain kernels in a stove-top popper (such as a Whirley Top) or air-popper, Brown says. Adding a little olive oil or butter is fine, she adds, and popcorn can also be jazzed up with a sprinkling of low- or no-calorie flavorings such as parmesan cheese or chili pepper.

The American Chemical Society is a professional organization for chemists and scientists. Unlike the research published in scientific journals, Vinson’s findings have not been thoroughly vetted by other experts in the field.

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Leukemia Patient Faces Death, Twin Has Bone Marrow Idea to Save Thousands – ABC News

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Leukemia Patient Faces Death, Twin Has Bone Marrow Idea to Save Thousands – ABC News.

I think this is an absolutely fantastic idea!  Hope it works and helps with gaining more donors.

Click link to watch video.

For nearly 18 years Graham and Britton Douglas believed they were fraternal twins. That was until Britton needed a bone-marrow transplant because chemotherapy for his leukemia had failed.

The Fort Worth, Texas, brothers learned that they were identical twins, sharing the same DNA, and therefore Britton could not receive his brother’s bone marrow because their genetic make-up was too similar to fight the cancer.

Today, at 27, Britton Douglas is a healthy, successful Dallas lawyer, thanks to a bone marrow donation by a stranger.

But his twin brother, knowing that he nearly lost his only sibling, has been obsessed for nearly a decade with finding better ways to get more Americans to become donors.

“It’s indescribable how much I love my brother,” said Graham. “I don’t know what I would do without him.”

Graham’s concept was so simple and yet could save the lives of tens of thousands of Americans with leukemia who are waiting for a bone-marrow transplant: packing a swab kit inside a box of bandage strips.

A senior creative at the New York City advertising agency Droga 5, he found his inspiration last year while teaching a portfolio class at a commercial arts school.

Year after year, he has challenged his students to find a creative solution to attract more donors. Two students he refers to as the “Spanish team” — Alfredo and Alberto — came up with the “germ” of an idea last year, and it has now hit the market.

The consumer healthcare company Help Remedies partnered with Graham and the world’s largest bone marrow donor center, DKMS, to release the new product — “help I’ve cut myself & I want to save a life.” The cost is $4.

Before applying a bandage strip to a minor cut, consumers can swab their blood and then send the sample in a self-addressed, stamped envelope, along with their age and email address, to DKMS.

The donor center will then follow up to get more information on how the consumer can become a donor. All potential donors are anonymous and there is no obligation to donate bone marrow, even if a match is found.

The three-year-old start-up Help Remedies is known for its minimalist packaging and unusual product names. For now, the over-the-counter marrow registry kit is only available on its website.

“Like any over-confident ad guy, I saw a problem and wanted to fix it,” Graham said. “Maybe I am naive, but finding a bone-marrow match should be as easy as a blood match.”

From Idea to Reality in Just 3 Months

After fleshing out the idea for the kit, Douglas said he “blindly” started sending it out to large and small companies. He heard back from Help Remedies that same day.

“A lot of people pitch us with ideas that are pretty boring or we’ve seen it before,” said company co-founder and CEO Richard Fine. “But this was such a simple, nice, smart idea and we pride ourselves to make healthcare simpler and friendlier.”

The product has a “dual benefit and it helps people,” Fine said. The design was taken from its concept to the marketplace in little more than three months.

The Need

More than 10,000 Americans are on a waiting list for bone marrow transplants — the treatment of last resort for blood cancers like leukemia — and only 6 in 10 will ever get the treatment they need to save their lives.

Only 30 percent of all patients will find a match within their family; the other 70 percent rely on strangers to give them a second chance at life, according to DKMS.

Blood cancer is only second to lung cancer as the leading cause of all cancer deaths in the United States, killing more children than any other disease.

“It could make a difference,” said Britton. “A few drops of blood and you send it in — that’s incredible to me. It’s just sitting in your medicine cabinet.”

One of the Lucky Ones

Britton Douglas was diagnosed in the summer of 2002, just weeks before the twins were to begin classes at the University of North Texas. “Ten years ago, I didn’t think I would be around today,” he said.

“It all happened really fast,” he said. “I went to the doctor with stomach ache and thought it was a virus. Thankfully, the doctor did a blood sample.”

Test results showed a high level of white blood cells and Britton was sent straight to the emergency room and diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of the disease in children, according to the National Cancer Institute.

A double round of chemotherapy didn’t work, but Britton was one of the lucky ones. He got a bone-marrow match in just two months.

Caucasians like the Douglas twins are more likely to find matches because their genetic make-up is less diverse. African-Americans and Hispanics have a much harder time finding matches since their DNA is more heterogeneous.

And due to what some attribute to socio-economic reasons, they are less apt to become donors, according to DKMS.

But transplant experts say many people have misconceptions about bone marrow donation, which is safe and relatively non-invasive. The risk to the donor is minimal and the body regenerates bone marrow.

Alina Supranova, vice president of partner relations for DKMS, said the kits have “huge potential.”

“We want to get people talking and understanding this is a big disease and many out there need our help,” she said. “We are not asking for money, but a part of themselves. You can donate yourself to save another person’s life.”

Who Can Donate; How it Works

Generally, anyone from age 18 to 55 and in good health can donate. “It’s less restrictive than being a blood donor,” said Supranova.

DKMS receives the swab by mail and asks the potential donor for more information, then schedules a lab test to determine tissue and human leukocyte antibody (HLA) type.

“If the hospital requests you as a donor, they let us know,” said Supranova. “There are tens of thousands of combinations of HLA, which is why it’s difficult to find a match.”

There are two ways to donate: having blood collected from the arm during an outpatient setting or directly extracted from the hip in a surgical procedure that requires anesthesia. The first takes about five hours and the second requires an overnight stay in the hospital.

Once collected, doctors separate out the stem cells needed for transplant. Patients recover quickly and regenerate their bone marrow.

Supranova’s dream is that every donor might one day meet the person whose life they saved.

Britton eventually met his donor — a firefighter in his 40s from Fort Hood in Texas, a father with two children.

“He’s a really down-to-earth nice guy,” he said. “He does realize that he has affected my life and I have his life a lot, too.”

Brotherly Love

Graham still remembers the pain his brother endured. Britton’s recovery was a “game of inches,” he said. “It was a big deal when he was allowed out to go to the mailbox.”

Were it not for his twin, Britton would never have been able to register for online classes that spring semester when he was recovering. He was too weak to leave the house so Graham memorized his brother’s Social Security number and posed as him in order to attend the required orientation.

“I know my experience really hit him hard,” said Britton. “I cannot imagine what it must have been like to go through that second hand — to watch someone extremely close to you who is near death.”

Today, the brothers’ love runs deep, even though they live 2,500 miles apart.

“Everyone says twins can feel each other’s pain, and I think it’s true,” said Britton. “Even though we spent our childhood beating the crap out of each other.”

To sign up for a bone marrow registration kit go to Get Swabbed.

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11 States Sue EPA Over Delayed Soot Pollution Standards

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11 States Sue EPA Over Delayed Soot Pollution Standards – Yahoo! News.

According to Reuters, 11 states filed a lawsuit in a Manhattan federal court on Friday demanding the Environmental Protection Agency review clear air standards for nationwide soot pollution. The lawsuit was prompted after the EPA missed an October deadline for the review. Under the Clean Air Act, the federal agency is required to review clean air standards for pollutants every five years and update the National Ambient Air Quality Standards accordingly.

Here are some facts about soot pollution in the U.S., the health impacts, and the lawsuit itself:

* The Associated Press reported the eleven involved are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

* Soot pollution comes from diesel burning vehicles and power plants and is linked to respiratory illnesses and disease, heart disease, asthma, and impaired lung function.

* The EPA has responded to the lawsuit and said it was continuing to work on proposing the revised and updated standards, noted the New York Times.

* The Obama administration has faced opposition from the GOP and industry representatives who claim that such standards would increase the cost of energy and be detrimental to economic growth in the country.

* ABC News reported the states with the largest number of deaths related to particulate pollution include Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Florida, and Illinois.

* Young children, the elderly, and those with already-existing respiratory problems are the most at-risk in terms of soot pollution.

* A report from Environment California lists California as having the worst rate of soot pollution in the U.S. with the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area ranked as the worst among metro areas.

* California’s poor performance in terms of soot in the air is attributed to the state’s power plants, diesel burning vehicles, and a growing population.

* Soot is considered particulate matter, a known air pollutant that can range in size from “fine” particles (less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter) and “coarse” particles, which are larger, noted the Clean Air Trust.

* Because of how small soot particles are, often times soot can travel hundreds of miles downwind from the original pollution source.

* According to a report from the American Lung Association, Clean Air Task Force, and Earthjustice, up to 35,700 premature deaths and 2,350 heart attacks could be avoided each year if the EPA tightened its standards on soot.

* Additionally, the economic benefits of reducing soot exposure are estimated to be as much as $281 billion every year.