Minneapolis-based United Health Foundation announced its commitment to American Indian education and desire to help solve health issues in Indian Country by donating $45,000 for nine $5,000 scholarships to the American Indian College Fund in support of Arizona students pursuing careers in the health sciences.

The scholarship recipients were chosen based on their academic achievement, financial need, education enrollment status, and American Indian community involvement. Scholarship recipients include five tribal college students at Dine College, including Melissa Clark, a pre-medicine major from Shiprock, New Mexico; Alison Dedman, a nursing major from Nazlini, Arizona; Danielle Goldman, a pre-medicine major from Farmington, New Mexico; Danelle Jishie, a pre-medicine major from Tsaile, Arizona; and Thomasita Kinsel, a health occupations major from Lukachukai, Arizona. Mainstream college scholarship recipients include Rachelle Hovel, a social work major from Phoenix, Arizona and Tenai Roan, a nursing major from St. Michaels, Arizona, both studying at Arizona State University; and Kelly Saganey, a biology major from Flagstaff, Arizona and Belinda Style, a social work major from Tuba City, Arizona, both studying at Northern Arizona University.

Richard B. Williams, President and CEO of the American Indian College Fund, said, “We are honored that United Health Foundation is working to solve the health issues in Indian Country by helping to educate aspiring American Indian health care workers. Our research has shown that the majority of our tribal college graduates return to their communities with the desire to improve the lives of their people. What better way to do so than to use a scholarship to earn an education to help solve the disproportionate health care issues affecting Native people, such as diabetes.”

The United Health Foundation’s mission led it to support the American Indian College Fund. “The United Health Foundation is proud to work with the American Indian College Fund to encourage American Indian students to pursue careers in health and health care. It is now more important than ever to increase the number of diverse health professionals as a bridge between the mainstream medical profession and the growing number of patients from diverse backgrounds,” said Daniel Johnson, president and executive director, United Health Foundation.

The American Indian College Fund supports qualified American Indian scholars by providing financial support to encourage students to remain in college and complete a college degree and build a better future for themselves, their families, and their communities.

American Indian College Fund

With its credo “Educating the Mind and Spirit,” the Denver-based American Indian College Fund is the nation’s largest provider of private scholarships for American Indian students for students seeking to better their lives and communities through education at the nation’s 32 accredited tribal colleges and universities. For more information about the American Indian College Fund or to make a donation, visit www.collegefund.org.

United Health Foundation

Guided by a passion to help people live healthier lives, United Health Foundation provides helpful information to support decisions that lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities. The Foundation also supports activities that expand access to quality health care services for those in challenging circumstances and partners with others to improve the well being of communities. Since established by UnitedHealth Group [NYSE: UNH] in 1999 as a not for profit private foundation, the Foundation has committed more than $160 million to improve health and health care. For more information, visit www.unitedhealthfoundation.org.

Source: American Indian College Fund


Give Your Heart a Holiday: Eating Almonds Helps Support Healthy Fat Levels

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Dec 17,2008

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Reports Almonds’ Impact on Triglycerides

The Almond Board of California maintains that simple changes in one’s diet can help overcome dietary challenges, especially during the holiday season. Resolutions for healthier eating habits during this festive time should be maintained throughout the year, as heart disease takes 17.5 million lives worldwide annually, according to the World Health Organization report (2004). One way to improve heart health is to make dietary choices that reduce triglyceride levels, an established risk factor for developing heart disease.

With an invested interest in heart health over the course of nearly two decades, the Almond Board funded its most recent study to investigate heart health risk factors, namely high triglyceride levels. During the study, human subjects consumed muffin products made with pieces of whole almonds, compared to those made with oil. Researchers witnessed a delayed release of fats from the almonds into the body, which resulted in a lower rise in triglyceride levels.

“This new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, expands upon previous cardiovascular research by investigating not only how the plant cell wall may impact how fats are absorbed into the body, but also the potential impact on acute changes in triglyceride levels,” noted Dr. Sarah Berry, Nutritional Sciences Division, Kings College London, United Kingdom. “The data suggest that an intact plant cell wall, as found in whole almonds, may impact on how much and how quickly fat is released into the blood, contributing to a lower acute rise in blood triglyceride levels.”

Researchers at King’s College in London discovered that the increase in plasma triglycerides levels was lower after eating a meal that included muffins made with pieces of whole almonds than muffins made with oil-based fat sources, like almond oil and sunflower oil.

The Facts on Fats:

Triglycerides are the primary form of fat in foods, regardless of the type of fat i.e., unsaturated or saturated. Blood triglycerides normally increase after eating a meal containing dietary fat. Elevated blood triglyceride levels are a risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease.

In both in vitro and human studies, researchers explored how the fiber plant cell wall of almonds impacts the accessibility of nutrients, and in both types of studies, researchers found that the plant cell wall of almonds appears to hinder the ability to absorb all of the fat. For example, in one study using a model gut, research also found indications that the cell walls of almonds swell during digestion, becoming permeable, allowing the fat in almonds to be slowly released throughout the digestive tract.(1)

The Study at a Glance:

The People: Twenty healthy male subjects were recruited from King’s College London, University of London to participate in the study.(2) The average age of the subjects was about 25 years old.

The Diet: Subjects received three experimental meals. Experimental meals consisted of custard and muffins; muffins were made with whole almond seeds, almond oil plus defatted almond flour or sunflower oil, made to provide 50g of fat. Fasting and postprandial (after meal blood) samples were obtained from subjects to measure changes in plasma triglycerides.

The Results: Researchers found that the postprandial increase in triglycerides was significantly lower (p=0.002) after the whole almond meal than after the almond oil or sunflower oil muffin meals. It appears that the fat found in whole almonds is not as quickly absorbed by the body as that found in almond oil or sunflower oil, which researchers attributed to the plant cell walls found in the whole almond nut. Researchers believe that the plant cell walls found in almonds, act as a physical barrier hindering the rate and release of the lipid during digestion.

This study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition complements the nine clinical studies on almonds already in existence, demonstrating how almonds, as part of a diet low in saturated fat, can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Do your research for the New Year, and find out how almonds can be a part of your eating plan for heart health. Visit www.AlmondsAreIn.com/9studies.

One ounce of almonds, about a handful, offers: Fiber (3g); Calcium (75mg); Protein (6g); Iron (1.0mg); Potassium (200 mg); Saturated Fat (1g); Unsaturated Fat (13g).

Summary of Published Study:
Journal: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2008
Research Organization: Kings College London

Study Title: “Manipulation of lipid bioaccessibility of almond seeds influences postprandial lipemia in healthy human subjects.”

Authors: Sarah EE Berry, Elizabeth A Tydeman, Hannah B Lewis, Ravneet Phalora, Jennifer Rosborough, David R Picout, and Peter R Ellis

Objective: Investigated the effects of lipid release (bioaccessibility) on postprandial lipemia by comparing lipid encapsulated by cell walls with lipid present as free oil.

Subjects: Twenty healthy men. The mean age of the subjects was 25.8 +/- 4.3 years

Study description: A randomized crossover trial (n 20 men) compared the effects of 3 meals containing 54 g fat provided as whole almond seed macroparticles (WA), almond oil and defatted almond flour (AO), or a sunflower oil blend as control (CO) on postprandial changes in oxidative stress (8-isoprostane F2 concentrations), vascular tone (peripheral augmentation index), and plasma triacylglycerol, glucose, and insulin concentrations.

Results: The postprandial increase in plasma triacylglycerol was lower [74% and 58% lower incremental area under curve (iAUC)] after the WA meal than after the AO and CO meals (P 0.001). Increases in plasma glucose concentrations (0-180 min) were significantly higher after the WA meal (iAUC: 114; 95% CI: 76, 153) than after the AO meal (iAUC: 74; 95% CI: 48, 99) (P 0.05), but no significant differences from the CO meal were observed (iAUC: 88; 95% CI: 66, 109). The peak reductions in peripheral augmentation index after the WA, AO, and CO meals (9.5%, 10.1%, and 12.6%, respectively, at 2 h) were not significantly different between meals. Plasma 8-isoprostane F2 and insulin concentrations did not differ significantly between meals.

Endnotes:

(1) Mandalari, G. Faulk, RM, Rich GT, Lo Turco V, Picout DR, Lo Curto RB, Bisignano G, Dugo P, Dugo G, Waldron KW, Ellis PR, Wickham M.S.J. Release of protein, lipid, and vitamin E from almond seeds during digestion. J Agric Food Chem 2008 May 14;56(9):3409-16. Epub 2008 Apr 17. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/jf073393v

(2) Sarah EE Berry, Elizabeth A Tydeman, Hannah B Lewis, Ravneet Phalora, Jennifer Rosborough, David R Picout, and Peter R Ellis. Manipulation of lipid bioaccessibility of almond seeds influences postprandial lipemia in healthy human subjects. Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, Oct 2008; 88: 922 – 929.

The Almond Board of California administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Established in 1950, the Board’s charge is to promote the best quality almonds, California’s largest tree nut crop. For more information on the Almond Board of California or almonds, visit www.AlmondsAreIn.com.

Source: Almond Board of California


Report: Hospitals Pump $18 Billion Into N.J. Economy

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Dec 17,2008

Data Also Shows Nearly 145,000 Total Hospital Jobs

New Jersey hospitals are a key economic engine for the state, providing more than 113,000 full-time jobs, $7 billion in employee salaries and more than $18 billion in total spending, according to the New Jersey Hospitals 2008 Economic Impact Report.

Hospitals have long been known for their societal contributions, including $1.3 billion in annual charity care services. But the new report from the New Jersey Hospital Association details the many economic contributions of New Jersey’s hospitals and their employees. Those contributions are critical in a sagging economy.

“Hospitals are dependable sources of jobs, income taxes and spending through good times and bad,” said NJHA President and CEO Betsy Ryan. “Even in a recession, individuals continue to depend on their community hospitals — perhaps even more so as rising unemployment claims more individuals’ health insurance.”

The report’s findings are based on 2007 hospital cost reports filed with the State of New Jersey. The report shows that New Jersey’s acute care hospitals delivered:

  • $18 billion in total expenditures
  • $2.2 billion in purchased services
  • More than 113,000 full-time jobs and total employment of 145,000 full-and part-time positions.
  • More than $7 billion in total employee salaries
  • Nearly $400 million in state income taxes paid by hospital employees.
  • More than $72 million in state taxes and fees to support various health programs.

The report examines both hospitals’ statewide contributions, as well as the economic contributions of individual hospitals to their local communities. A third analysis examines the data for New Jersey’s 21 counties.

“This data paints a compelling picture of the compassionate care and economic stability delivered by New Jersey’s hospital community,” said Sean Hopkins, NJHA’s senior vice president of health economics.

New Jersey is home to 74 acute care hospitals, but those numbers are dwindling. Eight N.J. hospitals have closed in the last two years, and half of the remaining hospitals are losing money.

Source: New Jersey Hospital Association


The American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) today issued a statement in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s Report to Congress about labeling information on the relationship between the use of indoor tanning devices and development of skin cancer or other skin damage. The FDA report was submitted pursuant to Section 230 of the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007.

“The American Academy of Dermatology is pleased that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a closer look at the warning label on indoor tanning beds as required by the Tanning Accountability and Notification Act of 2007 (TAN Act),” said dermatologist C. William Hanke, MD, MPH, FAAD, president of the American Academy of Dermatology. “Tanning bed use is known to contribute to the development of skin cancer, especially among young adults. The Academy aims to lead the charge to reduce the incidence of and mortality from skin cancer by raising awareness about the dangers of indoor tanning equipment use and promoting stricter regulation of indoor tanning facilities, particularly restricting access by children under 18.

“The FDA’s review of the tanning bed label and its subsequent report to Congress, as well as the FDA’s public Web site outlining the consequences of indoor tanning, are helpful in raising awareness about the dangers of tanning. However, based on published research studies, the Academy strongly believes that a warning label on the tanning equipment simply is not enough to influence an individual’s decision to forego tanning. We hope that the TAN Act is a first step that will lead to more impactful legislation and regulation at the state and federal levels, which will restrict access to indoor tanning facilities for at least minors, and ultimately significantly reduce the incidence of skin cancer,” Dr. Hanke said.

For more information about skin cancer, please visit the SkinCancerNet section on http://www.skincarephysicians.com/, a Web site developed by dermatologists that provides the public with up-to-date information on the treatment and management of disorders of the skin, hair and nails.

Headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy), founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. A sister organization to the Academy, the American Academy of Dermatology Association is the resource for government affairs, health policy and practice information for dermatologists, and plays a major role in formulating policies that can enhance the quality of dermatologic care. With a membership of more than 15,000 physicians worldwide, the Academy is committed to: advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education, and research in dermatology; and supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin, hair and nails. For more information, contact the Academy at 1-888-462-DERM (3376) or http://www.aad.org/.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology


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