That's Fit

I've often said that I could be a vegetarian. While I like meat, I just don't crave it. And the health and ethical reasons for going veg are tempting. Yet, knowing everything that I know, I still haven't made the leap. But I do cut down on my family's overall meat intake. For example, this week we only have three dinners that contain meat -- the rest of our dinners will be vegetarian. And, when I do purchase meat, I make sure it's lean.

John's Hopkins has some good tips on how to choose lean meats. Their picks for the leanest choices in each category are:

• Beef: Round steaks, roasts, top loin, top sirloin, chuck shoulder, arm roasts, ground round, and ground sirloin (at least 90% lean).
• Poultry. Chicken, turkey, and Cornish hen without skin.
• Pork. Tenderloin, center loin, pork loin, sausage with 1 gram of fat per ounce or less, and Canadian bacon.
• Lamb and Veal. Chop or roast.
• Sandwich meats. Lean turkey and lean ham.

As if being pimply-faced during high school isn't punishment for some guys, it actually may be an indicator of elevated prostate cancer risk, say researchers from Johns Hopkins.

In an analysis of existing data on the matter, scientists discovered that men with a history of acne outbreaks are at a greater risk of developing this disease than men with clear complexions. This comes on the heels of a separate study, wherein it was found that acne-related bacteria existed in over 30 percent of prostate glands removed from cancer patients.

While the cause of this acne/prostate link remains unknown, researchers posit that the acne-related bacteria may cause inflammation in the prostate gland, which, in turn, may boost the risk of cancerous forming and possibly metastasizing.

10 hours. Six operating rooms. Nine surgical teams. And six new kidneys.

Johns Hopkins surgeons performed six simultaneous kidney transplants -- a surgery believed to be the first of its kind. Five of the six transplant candidates had family members willing to donate a kidney, but were incompatible for their family member. When a sixth donor -- an altruistic donor who was willing to donate to anyone in need -- stepped in, the final necessary piece of the puzzle was found. The others who were willing to donate may not have been a match for their family member, but they were matches for others who were waiting for a transplant. The surgeries were successful, and the lead surgeon reports that all donors and transplant recipients are doing well.

While most donated kidneys come from deceased donors, live donors are preferred because the success rates are higher. The six patients in this series of operations were matched through a live donor matching system created by Johns Hopkins.

Looking back on some of my recent posts, I realized that there has been too much negativity going on. While I do feel it is important to pass along research related to health complications and dangers, I sometimes feel like a purveyor of doom. So, in efforts to inject some positivity to my ramblings, I thought I'd mention something sweet. Well, semi-sweet, anyway.

Yet another study -- this time conducted at Johns Hopkins Univeristy -- found dark chocolate to be highly beneficial to circulation and overall heart health. The research, which was presented several months ago at the American Heart Association meeting, revealed a clear connection between the consumption of chocolate and the reduced risk of blood clots.

The flavonoids in chocolate affect how effectively platelets clump, thereby lowering an individual's risk of developing a clot. It also seems that the darker the chocolate, the higher the amount of flavonoids. Doctors suggest dark chocolate that contains at least 70% Cacao (it will say so on the packaging).

Getting old is inevitable. Try as we might to find some sort of fountain of youth, the battle against time is a losing one. Hair will gray, wrinkles will form, and muscle loss will occur. But, insofar as that last one is concerned, there may be a way to slow down at least this part of the aging process.

A study from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine points to selenium deficiency as a possible contributor to accelerated muscle loss. Selenium plays a role in protein synthesis, maintaining muscle mass, immune function and neutralizing free radicals. Because many old people fail to consume adequate amounts of this mineral, it may contribute to a decrease in strength, muscle balance and overall mobility.

Most multi-vitamins contain selenium, and it of course can also be sourced from protein-rich foods. However, it is important to note that consuming too much selenium can actually be deadly, which is why you should speak to a doctor before changing your diet to purposely include more of this mineral.

Here's a scary bit of information I just came across ...

Based on a recent survey by experts at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown University, 99 percent (yes, that's 99 percent) of surgeons in training inadvertently stick themselves with needles and other sharp instruments an average of 8 times in their first five years. Considering that it is very possible that these skin-piercing items could potentially spread such dangerous infections as hepatitis and HIV, it's a good thing these doctors are reporting these incidents. Guess again.

It turns out that many of these same doctors admitted in the survey that they were oftentimes too busy to file a report, leaving these incidents unrecorded.