Issue Date: May 15, 2005
Keep taking your E
Those studies you've heard about are badly flawed.
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After two recent studies claimed that 400 IU or more of vitamin E daily boosted risk of heart failure and of death from any cause, some doctors now advise against taking vitamin E. But many leading experts disagree.
Antioxidant authority Jeffrey Blumberg of Tufts University says the alarming studies apply only to elderly people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or Alzheimer's disease, not younger, healthy people. Even so, the studies are so statistically flawed as to be meaningless, he says. He sees no reason to stop taking vitamin E, but he thinks it is more likely to help prevent rather than treat heart disease. Several studies conclude that E is not a magic bullet against cardiovascular disease.
Nor is vitamin E apt to hasten your death, says Oregon State University's Maret Traber, a world authority on vitamin E. She notes the statistics actually suggest an increased risk only from a high daily dose of 2,000 IU; she finds no compelling evidence that up to 800 IU daily boosts your risk of dying from anything. Should people take vitamin E? "Absolutely, yes," Traber says.
Indeed, new results from a major National Institutes of Health study find vitamin E safe. In the study, 40,000 healthy women took either 600 IU of vitamin E or a placebo every other day for 10 years. The vitamin did not cause harm, nor did it reduce risk of heart attack and stroke. But it did cut odds of heart-related death, including cardiac arrest, by an "unexpected" 24%, Harvard's Julie Buring reports.
Vitamin E has other benefits. In new studies, longtime use cut prostate cancer risk 50% and risk of ALS (Lou Gehrig's) deaths 62%. In older studies, E helped fight cataracts, Alzheimer's, macular degeneration, infections, colds, flu and low immunity.
Bottom line: Vitamin E may benefit some people; 400 to 800 IU daily is unlikely to harm anyone. The Institute of Medicine puts the safety limit at 1,500 IU daily.
Editor's note: Jean Carper distributes a line of vitamins. For information, call 800-627-9721 or visit jeancarper.com.
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One missed bill saps your credit
How much can one late credit card payment really hurt? A recent survey by Experian, the national credit reporting agency, found more than half of U.S. consumers have a delinquent payment on their credit card. More than a third have fallen off the wagon in the past year alone.
The impact? People with one late or missed payment in the past year have average credit scores about 160 points lower than those with clean records: 598 for one late payment vs. 759 for no late payments.
Lower scores can cost you more for loans and insurance and even hurt your chances of getting some jobs. In addition, many credit card companies will raise your interest rate if you slip up with another creditor.
That's why it's critical to follow the payment guidelines printed on the back of your credit card bills. Make at least the minimum payment on the day or week the bill arrives, or sign up for automatic bill paying.
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Banish mold
I get a ton of questions about mold in homes -- and it's not about the aging cheese in the fridge.
If you see mold or mildew (on walls and ceilings, or near doors and windows), chances are moisture is trapped nearby. First wash the surface clean with a 50-50 mix of household bleach and water.
If the mold or mildew returns in a couple of weeks, you'll need to investigate by opening up the wall or ceiling to find the leak.
You also can use an in-home mold test, like the one by Pro-Lab (prolabinc.com). It costs about $10 (or $40 total with lab analysis) -- a cheap price for peace of mind.
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Take perfect pictures
Your vacation photos will last a whole lot longer than the trip itself. Following these basics will help you avoid common pitfalls and maximize the memories:
know your camera. "Many photo opportunities don't repeat themselves," says photographer Richard I'Anson, author of "Travel Photography," "and missing the moment because you are trying to figure out how the camera works is frustrating and avoidable."
Don't be stingy. It's better to take too many than not enough, especially if you're shooting with a digital camera and don't have to pay for prints of every shot.
Pack a spare battery, plus plenty of film or memory cards. You can prevent the heartache of lost or damaged film by getting it developed on the road. Many photo shops now offer backup CD storage for digital photographs.
Fill your entire frame. "If you have to explain that the gray blob is an elephant, then the picture has failed," I'Anson says. Also, be sure the background isn't too distracting or bright.
Have a straight horizon. The image will appear lopsided unless the skyline parallels the top of the frame.
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