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Healthy Oils Improve Good Cholesterol

A spate of recent worldwide studies reveal several cholesterol-healthy alternatives to olive oil. Ingesting 15 milliliters a day of virgin coconut oil for eight weeks increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) “good cholesterol” levels in 32 young adults by an average of 5.72 milligrams/deciliter, researchers at Thailand’s Chiang Mai University found.

Walnut oil slashed heart disease risk in 100 Type 2 diabetes patients that swallowed capsules containing a total of 15 milliliters of walnut oil a week—the amount of oil obtained from 4 to 5 servings of the nuts. They experienced significant drops in total cholesterol, low-density (LDL) “bad cholesterol” and triglycerides after 90 days, reported Iranian researchers at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.

Camelina oil from the Camelina sativa plant, also called false flax, lowered LDL levels in 79 men with prediabetic symptoms, whereas diets high in either high- or lowfatty fish did not, according to the University of Eastern Finland. The men consumed 30 milliliters of the oil for 90 days.

 

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Health Briefs
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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