Las Vegas NowPaula's Health Notes: Milk Does a Body Good

Paula's Health Notes: Milk Does a Body Good

Milk Does a Body Good, and a Mind!

The latest news on prevention of Alzheimer's provides an easy choice. Vitamin B-12 seems to protect the brain from shrinking, and the researchers say just two glasses of milk provides enough B-12 to make a difference.

Meat and fish provide more B-12, but as we age, our stomachs make less acid, and it's harder to digest those foods. The milk, which comes in third in its supply of B-12, comes in first for absorption. Developing a milk-drinking habit early in life could keep memories alive longer late in life.

It also won't hurt to be taking in more calcium.  The epidemic of teens imbibing soft drinks has so many ill effects, it's best to just avoid soda, and if you can manage it, get your teenager to give it up too. It hurts your teeth, it leeches calcium from your bones, and it robs you of the calcium you can get if you drink milk instead of soda.  And now

That we think milk can help prevent Alzheimer's, it seems like a no-brainier to give up the carbonated drinks and get into dairy. Make it skim.

I'm including a link to the original article that I found, about B-12 preventing Alzheimer's, and the article has a great selection of other links to Alzheimer's news.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4883744/Milk-could-help-prevent-Alzheimers-Disease.html

And here's an interesting article about which foods provide B-12.  The author also gets into the stomach acid issue, and mentions that overuse of antacids can inhibit your ability to absorb B-12.

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/natural-health/vitamin-boutique/vvitamins/vitaminB12

But I don't want to forget the most important health news this week:  President Obama intends to enact health care reform by the end of this year. It's been promised before, but the difference this time is the amount of insurers who are willing to come to the table. And the President said he's willing to compromise, so the process shouldn't be one-sided.

Don't mistake this effort for a rehash of the Clinton Plan in 1993.  That was created in secrecy, without diversity of viewpoints, and it was radical.  The Obama Plan, once it's

Ready, will not be a rebuilding of the system.

Here are two viewpoints, from the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/white-house-health-care-summit/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123627593496542123.html

Your health is in your own hands!

Til next week,

Paula Francis'
KLAS-TV Newscaster