Q: I’m wondering if the claims you hear about the so-called miracle antioxidants — including goji, acai and noni — are true. They’re not cheap! Should I splurge? – Lynn, via e-mail
A: These trendy fruits and the products and juices made with them are packed with disease-fighting flavonoids. But whether they truly lower rates of cancer, diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and other diseases is no more known than if you’ll win the lottery (assuming you’re at least buying a ticket).
What is clear is that if you want to try a new taste and have the extra cash to spend (one bottle of these juices, for instance, can run from $10 to more than $100), it’s fine to give them a go. But a healthy body doesn’t require a sip of goji, a nightly nip of noni or a cup of acai. You can get the flavonoids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients you need from regular healthy foods that are affordable, in season and local. Summer is the perfect time to fill up on fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and more.
Q: Can some heart attacks be caused by emotional stress? When I get really stressed, I feel a strong, dull ache and pressure in my chest. I also get a headache and feel super-fatigued, and my joints and muscles hurt. But it all goes away when I fall asleep. My doctors think it is just stress. How can I be sure that I’m not ignoring a heart attack? – Anonymous
A: If your doctors have run all the tests and are convinced that your heart is fine, then what you’re describing is likely to be a panic attack. The two are often confused because they share several symptoms, including shortness of breath, anxiety, heart palpitations and indigestion. One big difference: Heart attack symptoms usually don’t disappear when you go to sleep. But “just stress” isn’t OK and can predispose you to having a heart attack.
Both acute and chronic stress drive up your blood pressure and even your inflammatory reactions — that’s what causes plaque ruptures, like the one that killed journalist Tim Russert. Plus, it can send you to unhealthy behaviors like smoking, not exercising, and bingeing on Cheetos, Twinkies or other amalgams of sugar and fat. We’re not expecting you to eliminate stress, because no one can do that (unless you’re six feet under, and we know that’s not what you’re aiming for). But you can learn to manage it.
There are hundreds of ways, and two of our favorites are having a regular exercise routine and taking deep belly breaths when you feel your tension levels starting to go up. Deep breaths help you shift to slower breathing, and it can calm you and allow you to perform at higher levels. All that said, if you are getting return symptoms that last for more than two to three minutes, or if your chest pains leave and then return, get to the emergency room right away.
Q: My husband has been on a statin drug (Lipitor) for 11 years, and he’s asked his cardiologist several times about taking CoQ10 because we’ve read that it might be beneficial. The doctor says no. What’s your recommendation? – Anonymous
A: Tell your husband to keep on asking: Some research has found that Coenzyme Q10 may reduce some of the risks associated with statin therapy, such as serious muscle damage and muscle and joint aches. But some docs (not us, though) still think taking the enzyme is controversial. CoQ10 (as its nickname goes) is naturally produced in the body.
It may prevent inflammatory damage to the brain, decrease symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, lower blood pressure and minimize skin aging, and it may even protect vision. The average dose is 100 milligrams twice a day (some research for Parkinson’s says that 300 mg four times a day is even better). But be cautious: This is one supplement where many bottles don’t contain the real thing. Look for ones that have a U.S. Pharmacopeia seal on the label.
The YOU Docs, Mike Roizen and Mehmet Oz, are authors of “YOU: Being Beautiful — The Owner’s Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty.” To submit questions and find ways to grow younger and healthier, visit realage.com, the docs’ online home.
