Issue Date: March 21, 2004
EatSmart by Jean Carper
Food folklore come true
Folklore: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Fact: Apples can combat cancer, stroke and heart disease and help lungs. New Harvard research finds 20% less heart disease in apple eaters. In test tubes, apple antioxidants slowed the growth of human cancer cells 50%. The peel has the most antioxidants.
Folklore: Fish is brain food.
Fact: Omega-3 fats in sardines, herring, salmon and tuna make brains smarter, happier and less diseased. In new research, young adults who ate fatty fish were 20% less hostile than non-eaters. Older people who ate fatty fish at least monthly had 60% less Alzheimer's disease than non-fish eaters.
Folklore: Cherries cure gout.
Fact: Eating 45 Bing cherries cut blood urate levels (a sign of gout) 15% in women, says University of California, Davis, research. Other signs of inflammation (including blood C-reactive protein) also sank.
Folklore: Eggplant helps hearts.
Fact: In studies, eggplant cuts cholesterol and discourages artery clogs. Now USDA scientists find eggplant flesh is packed with a potent antioxidant, chlorogenic acid, which fights bacteria, viruses, cancer and cholesterol. Eat the skin; it has antioxidants, too.
Folklore: Cranberries prevent bladder infection.
Fact: Research says drinking 1 cup of cranberry juice three times a day for a year cut repeated urinary tract infections in women up to 50%. Concentrate tablets also work but may increase the risk of kidney stones, Stanford University researchers say. Sorry, but in existing infections, cranberries may not help much.
Jean Carper is a nutrition authority. Sign up for a free newsletter at JeanCarper.com.
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MoneySmart by Jean Chatzky
Tax write-offs for first-time home buyers
I'm hopping into the housing market for the first time. I recall hearing about some tax credits available only to first-time buyers. Can you help?
Jeremy Dillard, Pasadena, Calif.
Perhaps. For several years, for example, tax credits were available to first-time home buyers in Washington, D.C., to help rejuvenate tired neighborhoods. That program is now expired (although Congress is considering an extension).
You also may have heard about the American Dream Downpayment Initiative, signed into law last December. That national program provides up to $10,000 or 6% of the home's purchase price -- whichever is greater -- in down-payment and closing-cost assistance for low-income buyers. What's low-income? That differs from region to region. To see if you qualify, go to www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing, click on "Programs" and follow the breadcrumbs.
Keep in mind that, even if you don't qualify, becoming a homeowner will do great things for your tax situation. The deduction for mortgage interest and taxes is still one of the best tax breaks going. So by all means, get your feet wet.
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HealthSmart by Tedd Mitchell, M.D.
Put down the ipecac
For generations, parents have gone by this rule: If children swallow something they shouldn't, give them ipecac syrup, let them throw up, and things will be better. But years of research suggests ipecac's benefits are, at best, overstated. Now, in a recent national study published in the journal "Pediatrics," more than 700,000 poisoning cases were studied to see if using ipecac improved outcomes or decreased the need for trips to the ER.
The answer: no.
Parents, rather than reach for a bottle of ipecac, immediately contact your local poison control center. To be connected, call the national poison center hotline, 800-222-1222. Post this number where everyone sees it, and make sure everyone knows what it's for.
Additionally, make your house kid-friendly. Put medicine, cleaning solutions and poisons in secure containers where children can't get to them. That way, it'll be less likely you'll need to use that poison control number.
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TravelSmart by Everett Potter
8 Web sites to save time and money
Expedia.com. One-stop shopping for airfares, cruises, hotels and car rentals (but compare prices on Orbitz.com to be sure).
Google.com. Looking for national park camping info? A fishing guide in Key West? A museum in Seattle? Google does it better than any other search engine.
Hotels.com. This site promises discounts at more than 9,000 hotels in more than 400 major destinations.
Magellans.com. A virtual mall for travelers. This site has everything from earplugs and money belts to headphones and pocket-sized short-wave radios.
Mapquest.com. If you need driving directions to Las Vegas or a map of Orlando, this is where you can find it.
Orbitz.com. Apart from Expedia, this is the only site that anyone really needs for airfares, hotels, cruises and car rentals.
Priceline.com. If you're flexible and willing to gamble that they'll get you the lowest price, come here. Submit a bid for an airfare or hotel room, then wait for the results. But try this only after comparing fares and prices on Expedia and Orbitz.
Quikbook.com. A consumer-friendly hotel broker that discounts rooms in dozens of cities in the United States (including Puerto Rico) and Canada.
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