| Pink slime and red meat — What's the takeaway? Apr 4th 2012, 05:00  - With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D. read biography
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Nutrition-wise blog -
April 4, 2012 By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
This past month has been especially noteworthy for meat news. First came the revelation that most ground beef contains a processed meat byproduct called "pink slime." More delicately known as "lean finely textured beef trimmings," this product is made from connective tissue (versus meat muscle) and fat, and is treated with ammonia hydroxide to kill salmonella and E. coli. Currently the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers this process safe enough to allow the resulting product to be added to ground beef. However, current regulations don't require that companies disclose use of this ingredient on meat labels. Speaking of meat labels, a new USDA rule requires that packages of ground or certain whole cuts of meat and poultry now carry Nutrition Facts panels on their labels. This means you'll be able to see the calories and the grams of total fat and saturated fat that a product contains. In addition, products that list a lean percentage will also have to list a fat percentage — for example 80/20. It's important to pay attention to the recommended serving size, usually 4 ounces raw (which cooks down to about 3 ounces). The other big story was the release of findings from a huge study on red meat published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Harvard researchers have been tracking 37,000 male and 83,000 female health care workers since the 1980s and have found that one serving (defined as 3 ounces) of red meat — whole or processed — was associated with increased risk of total, cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Red meat was defined as beef (including hamburger), pork and lamb. Processed red meat included sausage, salami, bacon and bologna. Substitution of other healthy proteins, such as fish, poultry, legumes and low-fat dairy, lowered the risk. Final estimates were that 9 percent of deaths in men and 7 percent of deaths in women could be prevented if individuals lowered their red meat consumption to no more than one-half serving (defined as 1.5 ounces) a day. Note that this is half of the serving size listed on the new Nutrition Facts label for meat. The meat controversy continues to sizzle. To me, though, the message is clear: We should eat less red meat, less often. Choose your motivation — the "ick" factor or the medical research. What's your take on it? - Jennifer blog index References - Pink slime and you. ABC News, March 7, 2012. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/pink-slime-15873068. Accessed April 2, 2012.
- Ammonium hydroxide. Database of Select Committee on GRAS Substances. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=27. Accessed April 2, 2012.
- Key nutrition information for most popular meat and poultry products coming to a store near you. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/NR_030112_01/index.asp. Accessed April 2, 2012.
- Pan A, et. al. Red meat consumption and mortality. Archives of Internal Medicine, March 12, 2012. http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archinternmed.2011.2287. Accessed April 2, 2012.
 | | Men respond more aggressively than women to stress Apr 4th 2012, 05:00 -
Stress blog -
April 4, 2012 By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
It's obvious that men and women respond differently to stress. The roots may lie in our genes and in our past. | Need more help? | | If the stress in your life is more than you can cope with, get help right away. - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255) - Go to the nearest hospital or emergency room
- Call your physician, health provider or clergy
- National Alliance on Mental Illness
www.nami.org
1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
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Historically as humans developed, the male was the hunter, often under dangerous conditions. When faced with adversity, such as a lion or a tiger, the male would experience the "fight or flight" response. The pulse quickens. The pupils dilate. The blood pressure increases and blood is forced into the muscles for strength. On the other hand, the female was the protector who stayed with and cared for the children. Typically, the female would have a "tend and befriend" response — a less aggressive response to stress. We now understand that a single gene, a piece of chromosome, may account for these differences. The SRY protein located on the Y chromosome, which determines maleness, seems to be a factor in regulating the release of chemicals and hormones directly related to the response to stress. So, the way we behave under stress may reflect some genetic differences. An experience I had this morning drove the point home to me. I was caught in traffic and noticed that the two adolescent males in cars next to me were not happy campers. They looked frustrated and they were not demonstrating mature coping skills. On the other hand, the women drivers around me didn't exhibit that sort of behavior. They seemed calm and even accepting, as if acknowledging that this is just the way it is. Perhaps this explains why women outlive men by an average of 8 to 10 years. What do you think? Are these differences real? What can we learn from them? blog index References - Men respond more aggressively than women to stress and it's all down to a single gene. http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/PressRelease/pressReleaseId-102717.html. Accessed April 2, 2012.
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