Mayo Clinic Health Letter - June 2003

Monday, June 02, 2003

Here are highlights from the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Also, you may reprint up to four articles annually without cost. More frequent reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Call toll free for subscription information, 800-333-9037, extension 9PR1.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter Tip of the Month: The feel of a swollen lymph node may help your doctor determine its cause. Nodes that are firm but not hard may be the results of infection or inflammation. Nodes that are hard like stones may be a sign of a cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes, especially if the swollen nodes and the nodes around it move as a unit. Nodes that are rubbery and matted together may be a sign of lymphoma.

Cheaper May Be Better at Controlling Blood Pressure

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — If you have high blood pressure and haven't been able to manage it with lifestyle or diet changes, your doctor will likely recommend one or more medications.

For many people, the best option may be a class of antihypertensive drugs called thiazide diuretics, according to the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. A recent large study confirms that thiazide diuretics, also called water pills, may control hypertension effectively with a significantly reduced risk of complications. Because they are also typically much less expensive than other, newer classes of blood-pressure drugs, thiazide diuretics may be preferred as the first-line drugs to treat hypertension.

But thiazide diuretics aren't effective for everyone, and some people can't take them because of allergies or other medical reasons. There are many others to choose from, including diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, alpha blockers and angiotensin receptor blockers. Talk with your doctor about which blood-pressure medications would work best for you.

Think Twice Before You Nix Nuts From Your Diet.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It's true that nuts are generally high in calories and fat, but eaten in moderation as part of a healthy diet, these nutrient-dense nuggets offer potential health benefits, according to the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter.

Nuts have a lot of nutrients in relation to calories. Some nuts are good sources of thiamin, niacin, phosphorus and folate. Others are excellent sources of selenium, copper, magnesium and manganese. They are also rich in flavonoids. These antioxidants help reduce by-products in the body that may contribute to cancer and cardiovascular disease. For their size, nuts are one of the best plant sources of protein.

In general, nuts are high in fat — in most cases, more than 75 percent of their calories are from fat. But most of the fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, the fats that don't appear to increase blood cholesterol.

Several studies suggest that when substituted for saturated fat, nuts may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol. And a number of studies report that people who eat nuts regularly have a lower risk of heart disease than people who don't eat nuts.

To eat nuts healthfully, try substituting an ounce of nuts for an ounce of meat. Instead of roast beef on whole wheat bread for lunch, try a natural nut butter on bread. Add crunch to salad by sprinkling on nuts instead of croutons. Chopped nuts add crunch and flavor to yogurts, cereals and even the tops of casseroles.

Swollen Lymph Nodes: Causes Range from Strep Throat to Cancer

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — You have a marble-sized lump in your armpit. It's been there a week and doesn't hurt. What is it, and should you be concerned?

You may have a swollen lymph node. Lymph nodes are tiny glands throughout your body, clustered under your arms and in the groin, pelvis, neck, chest and abdomen. The lymphatic system also includes the spleen, thymus, tonsils, adenoids, bone marrow and liver. Lymph nodes help to filter out disease-causing organisms and fight infection.

If one or more lymph nodes are swollen, it may indicate an underlying disease, according to the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. There are many causes of swollen lymph nodes, including viral infections; bacterial infections such as strep throat; connective-tissue disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus; drug reactions, for example, to penicillin or quinidine; and cancer. Among all the underlying conditions, cancer is relatively uncommon.

Swollen lymph nodes may go away on their own in a matter of days. However, if you have a swollen lymph node that has been present a week or longer, is expanding or is associated with signs and symptoms such as a high fever, night sweats or unexplained weight loss, see your doctor.

Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today's health and medical news. To subscribe, please call toll free 800-333-9037, extension 9PR1.

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