Well: Ask Well: The Nutrients in Fruits and Veggies

The colorful skin of an apple, grape or tomato is certainly chockfull of nutrients. But by no means are the outer layers of most fruits and vegetables the prime source of their nutrition.

Part of what makes some fruits and vegetables so rich with color – wax and pesticides notwithstanding – are pigments in the skin that have healthful antioxidant properties. Resveratrol, for example, is found in the skin of red grapes and other fruits. But lycopene, one of the pigments that gives tomatoes and bell peppers their deep red color, is distributed throughout.

Indeed, many vitamins and nutrients are found in the skin as well as the flesh. Take apples. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a large red apple with its skin intact contains about 5 grams of fiber, 13 milligrams of calcium, 239 milligrams of potassium, and 10 milligrams of vitamin C. But remove the skin, and it still contains about 3 grams of fiber, 11 milligrams of calcium, 194 milligrams of potassium, and plenty of its vitamin C and other nutrients.

Another example is the sweet potato. The U.S.D.A. says that a 100-gram serving of sweet potato cooked with its skin contains 2 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 20 milligrams of vitamin C. But the same sized serving of sweet potato without skin that has been boiled — a process that further leaches away some of its nutrients — still boasts 1.4 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fiber, and 13 milligrams of vitamin C.

You can lose the skin, in other words, without losing all the benefits.

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Stocks open higher following a two-day decline

Strong earnings results from big U.S. companies offered investors a whiff of hope Friday. Stocks rose after a two-day slump, but remained on track for their worst week this year.

Hewlett-Packard drove the Dow Jones industrial average higher a day posting fiscal first-quarter earnings that beat the forecasts of analysts and the company itself. The results came as relief after months of bad news for the computer maker. Its stock rose $1.36, or 8 percent, to $18.46.

American International Group Inc. helped boost the Standard & Poor's 500 index after saying its fourth-quarter operating results exceeded forecasts. The company's net loss was $4 billion, mainly because of claims related to Superstorm Sandy, in the first full quarter after it finished repaying its $182 billion government bailout. Its stock rose $1.39, or 4 percent, to $38.67.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 42 points at 13,922 in the first 45 minutes of trading. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose six to 1,508. The Nasdaq composite index rose 14 to 3,145.

All three indexes remain down for the week. The S&P 500 is on track for its first weekly loss of the year.

Stocks plunged Wednesday afternoon after minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting spooked investors. The minutes revealed disagreement at the Fed about how long to keep buying bonds in an effort to boost the economy. The slide continued Thursday.

Many analysts believe that the Fed's bond-buying and resulting low interest rates have driven this year's stock rally, which has lifted indexes to their highest levels since the 2008 financial crisis.

Among the other corporate news moving markets:

— Abercrombie & Fitch sank after a key sales metric declined in the all-important holiday quarter. Its stock fell $2.27, or 5 percent, to $46.78.

— WebMD Health Corp. soared after the health website operator reported better-than-expected revenue and an optimistic outlook for 2013. The stock rose $3.85, or 24 percent, to $20.15.

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Bulgari shows off Liz Taylor's gems

It isn't easy sometimes to be an ordinary person in Los Angeles, so near to and yet so far from the city's glamorous events.

You hear about the grand Oscar parties, but you will never be invited. The award ceremony may be taking place minutes from where you live, but you watch it at home, on TV, in your sweat pants — and you might as well be in Dubuque.

Rodeo Drive too can make you feel like a scrap on the cutting room floor. As you stroll the wide and immaculate sidewalks of Beverly Hills' iconic shopping street, you pass by boutiques you'd feel self-conscious walking into. In the windows are baubles and trinkets you could never in three lifetimes afford.

Which is why it is rather nice to be invited to make a private appointment at the house of Bulgari, the fine Italian jeweler that opened its doors in 1884.

Elizabeth Taylor loved Bulgari jewels. Richard Burton, whose torrid affair with her began during the filming of "Cleopatra" in Rome, accompanied her often to the flagship shop on the Via Condotti. He liked to joke that the name Bulgari was all the Italian she knew.

So it is fitting that starting Oscar week, the jeweler is celebrating the Oscar-winning star with an exhibit of eight of her most treasured Bulgari pieces.

They are heavy on diamonds and emeralds — of rare size, gleam and value.

And Bulgari knows their value well.

After Taylor's death, it reacquired some of the gems at a Christie's auction. One piece, an emerald-and-diamond brooch that also can be worn as a pendant, sold for $6,578,500 — breaking records both for sales price of an emerald and for emerald price per carat ($280,000).

That brooch, whose centerpiece is an octagonal step-cut emerald weighing 23.44 carats, was Burton's engagement present to Taylor. He followed it upon their marriage (his second, her fifth) with a matching necklace whose 16 Colombian emeralds weigh in at 60.5 carats. Bulgari bought the necklace back too, for $6,130,500.

They are in the exhibit, along with Burton's engagement ring to Taylor and a delicate brooch — given to her by husband No. 4, Eddie Fisher — whose emerald and diamond flowers were set en tremblant so that they gently fluttered as Taylor moved.

The jewels are not for sale.

On Tuesday night, actress Julianne Moore wore the Burton necklace, with pendant attached, at a gala for Bulgari's top clients. At the dinner hour, guests were escorted along a lavender-colored carpet to a nearby rooftop that had been transformed into a Roman terrace.

Those honored guests, of course, got private viewings of Taylor's jewels.

But so did Amanda Perry, a healer from West Hollywood who arrived the next morning for one of the first appointments available to the public.

Someone had emailed news of the collection to the 35-year-old Taylor fan. She walked in off the street Tuesday, when the exhibit was open only to press — and Sabina Pelli, Bulgari's glamorous executive vice president, fresh from Rome, was taking sips of San Pellegrino brought to her on a silver tray between back-to-back interviews that started at 5 a.m.

The camera crews were long gone when Perry came back Wednesday. She had the exhibit, and handsome sales associate Timothy Morzenti of Milan, entirely to herself.

In a black suit, still wearing on his left hand the black glove he dons to handle fine jewels, Morzenti whisked Perry off via a private elevator to the exhibit on the second floor. The jewels stood in vitrines mounted high off the ground. Behind them were photos and a slide show of Taylor, bejeweled.

"Which piece would you like to see first?" Morzenti asked her as a security guard stood by. "I personally love the emerald ring."

Then he proceeded at leisure to explain Bulgari-signature sugar-loaf cuts and trombino ring settings, while tossing in occasional Taylor stories.

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Lady Gaga says she's had hip surgery

NEW YORK (AP) — Lady Gaga says she's had surgery to fix her hip.

The 26-year-old singer posted on her blog late Wednesday that she had hip surgery and it "happened so fast." She canceled her "Born This Way Ball" tour last week.

She thanked her fans in the post, saying they gave her "a lot of strength." Lady Gaga said that as she was wheeled to surgery, she reflected on her fans. She wrote: "Sometimes you are so brave that it terrifies me. I wonder how it's even possible."

Lady Gaga canceled more than 20 dates on the remainder of her tour, which began last April. She originally postponed four dates last week after experiencing difficulties during her concert in Montreal. She explained to fans on Twitter that she'd hurt herself while performing some time ago.

___

Online:

http://littlemonsters.com/post/5125a616222766643e00019f

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Well: The Benefits of Exercising Outdoors

While the allure of the gym — climate-controlled, convenient and predictable — is obvious, especially in winter, emerging science suggests there are benefits to exercising outdoors that can’t be replicated on a treadmill, a recumbent bicycle or a track.

You stride differently when running outdoors, for one thing. Generally, studies find, people flex their ankles more when they run outside. They also, at least occasionally, run downhill, a movement that isn’t easily done on a treadmill and that stresses muscles differently than running on flat or uphill terrain. Outdoor exercise tends, too, to be more strenuous than the indoor version. In studies comparing the exertion of running on a treadmill and the exertion of running outside, treadmill runners expended less energy to cover the same distance as those striding across the ground outside, primarily because indoor exercisers face no wind resistance or changes in terrain, no matter how subtle.

The same dynamic has been shown to apply to cycling, where wind drag can result in much greater energy demands during 25 miles of outdoor cycling than the same distance on a stationary bike. That means if you have limited time and want to burn as many calories as possible, you should hit the road instead of the gym.

But there seem to be other, more ineffable advantages to getting outside to work out. In a number of recent studies, volunteers have been asked to go for two walks for the same time or distance — one inside, usually on a treadmill or around a track, the other outdoors. In virtually all of the studies, the volunteers reported enjoying the outside activity more and, on subsequent psychological tests, scored significantly higher on measures of vitality, enthusiasm, pleasure and self-esteem and lower on tension, depression and fatigue after they walked outside.

Of course, those studies were small-scale, short-term — only two walks — and squishy in their scientific parameters, relying heavily on subjective responses. But a study last year of older adults found, objectively, that those who exercised outside exercised longer and more often than those working out indoors. Specifically, the researchers asked men and women 66 or older about their exercise habits and then fitted them all with electronic gadgets that measured their activity levels for a week. The gadgets and the survey showed that the volunteers who exercised outside, usually by walking, were significantly more physically active than those who exercised indoors, completing, on average, about 30 minutes more exercise each week than those who walked or otherwise exercised indoors.

Studies haven’t yet established why, physiologically, exercising outside might improve dispositions or inspire greater commitment to an exercise program. A few small studies have found that people have lower blood levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress, after exerting themselves outside as compared with inside. There’s speculation, too, that exposure to direct sunlight, known to affect mood, plays a role.

But the take-away seems to be that moving their routines outside could help reluctant or inconsistent exercisers. “If outdoor activity encourages more activity, then it is a good thing,” says Jacqueline Kerr, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, who led the study of older adults. After all, “despite the fitness industry boom,” she continues, “we are not seeing changes in national physical activity levels, so gyms are not the answer.”

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Inflation remains tame, but so do gains in earnings

WASHINGTON -- Despite worry in some corners about the Federal Reserve's stimulus efforts stoking inflation, there continues to be little indication that consumer prices are heading higher.

The consumer price index was flat in January for the second month in a row, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday. A drop in gas prices and a halt to recent gains in food prices held down the overall index. Compared with a year ago, the consumer price measure for January was up a mild 1.6%.

But that moderate inflation rate will provide little comfort to most consumers. Not only have gas prices jumped in recent weeks, the end of the payroll tax holiday at the start of this year has clipped about $40 from the biweekly paycheck for the average worker.

With that, inflation-adjusted average hourly earnings in January were up just 0.6% from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

Excluding energy and food, the so-called core measure of consumer prices, which is more closely tracked by the Fed, rose 0.3% in January from December, the highest in 20 months. Higher prices for clothes and shelter accounted for much of that increase, although consumers also paid more for airline fares, medical services and school tuitions in January.

Still, the annual core inflation rate in January held at 1.9% for the third straight month. That is just a notch below the 2% inflation target set by the Fed, which has been pumping money into the financial system to stimulate economic growth and help bring down the high jobless rate.

The Fed's stimulus efforts include the purchase of $85 billion worth of government and mortgage bonds a month, aimed at holding down long-term interest rates to spur investment, spending and hiring. Many economists and policymakers, including some Fed members, are concerned that the central bank's easy-money policies will lead to spiraling inflation down the road.

So far, there’s little sign of that.

"Consumer inflation remains relatively tame, mostly because of persistently subdued economic growth," said Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial in Chicago. "Ongoing constraints on consumer budgets, however, will force a reallocation away from discretionary purchases toward necessities. This will hold overall inflation in check, but remain extremely uncomfortable."

ALSO:

Consumer sentiment bounces back in February

Retail sales growth slows as higher payroll tax resumes

More Fed officials worry about negative effects of stimulus

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Grapevine on Interstate 5 closed due to ice

By Hailey Branson-Potts

February 20, 2013, 7:19 a.m.

The California Highway Patrol shut down a stretch of Interstate 5 through the Grapevine early Wednesday because of ice.

The freeway was closed about 6:35 a.m. between Castaic and Grapevine Road, said CHP Officer Ed Jacobs. No motorists were stranded, he said.

“Until further notice, it’s Mother Nature’s call” on when to reopen the highway, Jacobs said.

Lingering rain, snow showers and gusty winds were expected to affect mountain regions until midday, according to the National Weather Service. Up to three inches of snow could fall Wednesday at elevations as low as 2,000 feet.

The additional precipitation could create hazardous icy roadways, the National Weather Service said. Snowfall, coupled with heavy winds, could reduce visibility to zero.

A stretch of California 58 in Kern County, which was shut down Tuesday night because of snow, remained closed, according to the California Highway Patrol.

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Robin Roberts returns to 'Good Morning America'

NEW YORK (AP) — Five months after undergoing a bone marrow transplant, Robin Roberts is back on television in the morning.

Roberts said Wednesday she'd been waiting 174 days "to say this, good morning America."

The morning-show host is recovering from MDS, a blood and bone marrow disease. She looked thin with close-cropped hair but was smiling broadly, back at work on "Good Morning America" at ABC's studio in New York.

Roberts was welcomed back in a taped message from President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, former ESPN colleagues and Magic Johnson.

ABC announced Roberts will interview the first lady later this week, to be shown next Tuesday.

ABC News President Ben Sherwood came into the studio to give fist bumps to the anchors at the 7:25 a.m. EST break. He said Roberts' health will be closely monitored to make sure she doesn't overdo it at the beginning.

"This was up to Robin, her doctors and God," Sherwood said. "It's a day that we all rejoice."

ABC didn't miss a beat with her absence, continuing in first place in the ratings after first overcoming NBC's "Today" show last spring. Sherwood said the success with Roberts' absence surprised him.

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Ask an Expert: Questions About Hearing Loss? A Help Desk

This week’s Ask the Expert features Neil J. DiSarno, who will answer questions about hearing loss. Dr. DiSarno is the chief staff officer for audiology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. From 1998 to 2012 he was chairman of the department of communication sciences and disorders at Missouri State University. Following are the types of questions that Dr. DiSarno is prepared to answer.

Neil J. DiSarno of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

¶My wife has told me she believes I’m not hearing as well as I used to. What sort of specialist should I see and what can I expect?

¶I’ve been told that I should consider using hearing aids. If I decide to, how much better am I likely to hear?

¶I’ve noticed that my 2-year-old granddaughter’s speech is not developing properly. Neither her mother or the pediatrician seem to be concerned, but I suspect there is a problem. What do you suggest?

¶I use hearing aids, but still have great difficulty hearing conversation in restaurants and in large group settings. Is this common and is there something more that I can do to improve my ability to function in those settings?

Please leave your questions in the comments section. Answers will be posted on Wednesday, Feb. 27. (Unfortunately, not all questions may be answered.)

Booming: Living Through the Middle Ages offers news and commentary about baby boomers, anchored by Michael Winerip. You can connect with Michael Winerip on Facebook here. You can follow Booming via RSS here or visit nytimes.com/booming and reach us by e-mail at booming@nytimes.com.

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2 fugitives accused of Medicare fraud may be in Glendale, U.S. says

Federal investigators say Anush Sahakyan, above, and Karo Gotti Blkhoyan fraudulently billed Medicare for $1.3 million. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)

By Chad Terhune

February 20, 2013, 7:52 a.m.

Federal authorities say two of Medicare's most-wanted fugitives may be hiding out in Glendale.

Healthcare investigators say Karo Gotti Blkhoyan, 32, and Anush Sahakyan, 29, set up a phony medical clinic in South Carolina from 2009 to 2010 and billed for $1.3 million in false claims. Medicare paid out more than $300,000.

The pair, indicted last year on charges including healthcare fraud and money laundering, used the stolen identities of Medicare patients in California and New York, officials said.

"We have information through witnesses that they are in the Glendale area," said Su Kim, a special agent in South Carolina with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' inspector general.

The inspector general's office launched its most-wanted list in 2011, and 41 fugitives have been captured thus far. There are more than 170 fugitives on the list, officials said.

The giant healthcare program has been a tempting target for criminals for years. Medicare processes about 2.9 million claims daily and 10,000 seniors join the rolls every day.

ALSO:

Small surgeries, huge markups

Tax help comes with health insurance advice

Former L.A. clinic owner makes Medicare's most-wanted list

Follow Chad Terhune on Twitter

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