European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                To Brur health cholesterol More news on Hal by Karen Klinger United press International Levels of a beneficial form of cholesterol appear to be such a Quot powerful predictor Quot of heart attack risk that doctors should pay More attention to them researchers said. Data drawn from a nationwide study of physicians found new evidence that High density Lipoprotein or Hal the so called Quot Good cholesterol plays a key role in determining a persons heart attack risk said or. Meir Stampfer of Brigham and women s Hospital in Boston. The study found the ratio of Hal to total cholesterol was Quot a More powerful predictor of heart attack risk than the level of either Type of cholesterol alone Quot Stampfer and colleagues reported recently in the new England journal of Medicine. Stampfer said the results indicate that doctors should conduct More tests to determine Hal Levels and individuals. Should be made More aware of their Hal Levels As Well As their Overall cholesterol Quot if someone knows his Hal level hopefully it will stimulate him to go out and make lifestyle changes that will make a heart attack less Likely Quot Stampfer said. Lipoproteins Are protein covered packages that carry cholesterol a a fatty substance needed to build cell membranes a in the bloodstream. Researchers say two types of lipoproteins play particularly important roles in heart disease. One Type is Low density Lipoprotein or Bdl known As the Quot bad cholesterol Quot because it carries much of the potentially artery clogging cholesterol in the blood. In general the higher a person s Bdl Levels the greater the heart attack risk. On the flip Side is Hal called the a Good cholesterol Quot because it helps the body get rid of excess cholesterol by carrying it away from the heart and Back to the liver where it can be broken Down. Stampfer said Hal acts As a kind of vacuum cleaner for arteries. When Hal is measured in milligrams per tenth of a liter of blood he said the new study found that for each Milligram Hal increases the heart attack risk drops 3.5 percent. Thus in someone whose Hal increases from a Low Reading of 35 to a relatively High Reading of 50, the heart attack risk is Cut in half Stampfer said. Quot when we re talking about the nations no. 1 killer that a a big difference in risk a he said. Stampfer said people can increase their Hal Levels through exercise weight loss smoking cessation and moderate alcohol consumption. Women tend to have higher Hal counts than men possibly because of the influence of the hormone oestrogen he  wine and Bdl by Jane e. Brody the new York times t last science has come up with a possible Way to help lower cholesterol that is More an indulgence than a dietary hardship modest consumption of red wine. Inspired by a French research report last year that drinking red wine seemed to lower cholesterol Levels in people Plant scientists at Cornell University have isolated a natural chemical in grapes that they believe is the actual cholesterol lowering substance in red wine. The chemical Reeve patrol is produced by various plants to Ward off fungal infections said Leroy Creasy a fruit scientist at Cornellus College of agriculture and life sciences Quot in new York and his assistant Evan Sieanh. This natural pesticide was identified almost a decade ago by japanese researchers As the probable Active a ingredient in an ancient chinese and japanese Folk remedy used to treat a variety of blood problems. The Cornell scientists emphasized that regardless of How effective Reeve patrol might turn out to be it was not a substitute for adopting a Low fat diet to lower blood cholesterol. Nor did they recommend self prescribed wine drinking As an alternative to prescribe cholesterol lowering medication. The japanese researchers had isolated reaver Atrul from the medicinal Plant japanese knotweed and shown that it could inhibit the formation of fatty deposits in the livers of rats. The French researchers reported that red wine significantly lowered the amount of artery clogging Bdl Low density Lipoprotein cholesterol in people s blood at the same time that it raised the protective Hal High density Lipoprotein cholesterol thought to cleanse arteries of fatty deposits. The French researchers found no Benefit from White wine or Plain alcohol the reason the Cornell scientists said is simple Reeve patrol is primarily in grape skins and the skins Are removed when grapes Are fermented to produce White wine readers action Lin who can Wear the combat medic badge a i am a medic currently serving in the persian Gulf. My platoon and i were recently awarded the combat medic badge in a battalion awards ceremony. Two weeks later during a redeployment inspection by our battalion commander i was told to remove my badge because it was Only for infantry medics and that 1 did t qualify because i was in a tank battalion. I feel the cab should be awarded to any medic whose unit received Contact and who had to treat patients under hostile conditions. I think the fact that i m in a tank a battalion is irrelevant. Most of the time the tanks were in front of the Bradley that were carrying the infantry men. There Are a lot of us who Leel cheated. Spec. Timothy Spenny operation desert storm a maj. Francis Komar Chiel person Psi operations division he 7th medical come replies the combat medic badge cab is one of the highest honors that medical personnel can receive. It represents the culmination of military medical training and tests an. Individuals ability to deliver Quality medical care under Adverse conditions As Well As the individual s personal courage and dedication to Tellow soldiers. The cab currently May be awarded to medical personnel who accompanied infantry or special forces soldiers in Active ground combat. The criteria for awarding the badge Are found in a 672-5-1, Para 5-8, and commander per com message dog 171228z Jan 91, subject delegation c5f wartime award approval authority the department of defense message authorizing the awarding of fhe cab is currently under review and discussion by representatives of the army surgeon general a military personnel management office and the department of the army. It is the intention of the medical department to recognize All medical personnel who met the requirements of the message As Well As the spirit inherent in the cab. Any future changes to the current policy will be immediately forwarded to the Field for implementation.,. A your dedication to the soldiers you served during combat operations in Southwest Asia during the recent conflict was both admirable and appreciated paperwork problems and pay entitlements it l be been in saudi Arabia since Early february. I m very glad that i had this Opportunity to serve my country however Ever since i be been Here my unit in Germany and the unit in a presently with have been trying to Correct a pay problem. They have submitted the Correct paperwork to finance. According to my Les i m just getting base pay. In be been patient until now. I went to finance with All the paperwork myself Only so they could Teli me Quot you la have to wait 45 Days Quot i did. Still not getting paid i went Back. Only so they could Tell me again Quot you la have to wait 45 More  Why the army spends million of our tax dollars on computers and telecommunication systems each year to Speed up the process of paperwork and it still takes forever. I came to saudi Arabia on one Day notice not 45. When i got Here the army did t give me 45 Days to acclimatize myself and get ready. I was sent to the combat zone the same Day. I be been sitting in the desert since Day one but i m not getting paid for it. Back pay is not the answer. Who s going to pay me Back All the interest and what about All the frustrations i went through because of it spec. Adam j. Lesniewski operation desert storm master sgt. Robert Johns Stafl finance no office of the Deputy chief of staff resource management he Usa eur replies we must agree that finance input for entitlements of pay from Southwest Asia Swa was not nearly As timely As the he Usa eur of Corm would have preferred. All documentation for input of entitlements for soldiers deployed from Usa eur were transported Back to Usa eur by courier for input. Telecommunications for direct input of pay entitlements for Swa to the defense finance and accounting Center were not available. The reasons for All the delays can not be determined but As noted on your May 1991 leave and earning statements payment for imminent danger pay and foreign duty pay for the period february through May 1991 were paid. There Are no provisions for payment of interest for late payment of entitlements. A new army pay system jumps ass will be. Implemented Between september and March that will allow for direct input of pay documents from the Heaters of operation. The new system will Speed up the processing of pay changes and other pay entitlements. I to write us _ readers action line is the readers Quot court of last resort Quot striving to answer som of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available if you have a question and done to know where to turn for the answer write to readers action line co the stars and stripes Apo 09211-4211. All letters must be signed and preference will be Given to those seeking information of general interest to our readers. Page 16 a the stars and stripes tuesday August 20, 1991