That Late-night Snack: Worse Than You Think: "Eat less, exercise more. Now there is new evidence to support adding another 'must' to the weight-loss mantra: eat at the right time of day. A study has found that eating at irregular times -- the equivalent of the middle of the night for humans, when the body wants to sleep -- influences weight gain. This is the first causal evidence linking meal timing and increased weight gain."
Researchers at Imperial College London have found evidence a chemical in broccoli and other green leafy vegetables could boost a natural defense mechanism that protects arteries from the clogging that can cause heart attacks.
In a study funded by the British Heart Foundation charity and conducted on mice, the researchers found that sulforaphane -- a compound occurring naturally in broccoli and other brassicas -- could 'switch on' a protective protein which is inactive in parts of the arteries vulnerable to clogging.
'We know that vegetables are clearly good for you, but surprisingly the molecular mechanisms of why they are good for you have remained unknown for many years,' said Paul Evans of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College.
How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?
How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?: "Scientists found the dose of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that is 'just right' for preventing cardiovascular disease in healthy men. In a new study, they show that 200 mg of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health."
In the waning months of the Bush Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a proposal to completely overhaul its regulation of genetically engineered crops, significantly weakening its oversight. The proposed rules would virtually ensure that contamination of organic and conventional crops will become even more frequent, and even excuses the Agency from taking any action to remedy such contamination. The rules would continue to allow the dangerous practice of producing drugs and industrial chemicals in food crops grown in the open environment, and in many cases even allow the biotechnology industry to decide whether their GE crops are regulated at all.
Over four years ago, USDA promised stricter oversight of genetically engineered crops; unfortunately, improvements considered early on have vanished and the regulations have instead become weaker. The proposed rule now has even more gaping holes than the regulations it is replacing, and creates a few new ones as well, resulting in more public exposure to untested and unlabeled genetically engineered foods. Instead of tightening controls to protect the public and the environment from contamination and harm, what USDA has offered further endangers your right to choose the foods you and your family eat and farmers’ right to their chosen livelihoods.
To make matters worse, USDA published the rules before publishing the full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as required by law, and in the absence of public review of the data needed to make regulatory recommendations. Clearly, there is something wrong with this picture. We are calling on the Obama Administration to reject the irresponsible Bush "anything goes" biotech policy, and to put in place rules that will create real change in the regulation and oversight of GE crops. And we are requesting a moratorium on commercial planting of any new GE crops until such comprehensive regulations are in place.
The comment period has been extended to June 29, 2009. Please send your comment to USDA today – the Agency is listening, let’s demand better oversight of GE crops to protect citizens, farmers, wildlife, and the environment!
This is an excellent site to find out what it is you are really using on your body. Simply type in the product or company and you will get a full description of what the ingredients are in the product, and an analysis of their relative danger. You will be surprised and perhaps even shocked.
For the past century, changes in the Western diet have altered the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids (w6, found in meat and vegetable oils) compared with omega-3 fatty acids (w3, found in flax and fish oil). Many studies seem to indicate this shift has brought about an increased risk of inflammation (associated with autoimmunity and allergy), and now using a controlled diet study with human volunteers, researchers may have teased out a biological basis for these reported changes.
Anthropological evidence suggests that human ancestors maintained a 2:1 w6/w3 ratio for much of history, but in Western countries today the ratio has spiked to as high as 10:1. Since these omega fatty acids can be converted into inflammatory molecules, this dietary change is believed to also disrupt the proper balance of pro- and anti- inflammatory agents, resulting in increased systemic inflammation and a higher incidence of problems including asthma, allergies, diabetes, and arthritis.
This study demonstrates, for the first time in humans, that large changes in gene expression are likely an important mechanism by which these omega fatty acids exert their potent clinical effects.
Use Of Acid-suppressive Medications Associated With Increased Risk Of Hospital-acquired Pneumonia
Proton pump inhibitors are bad news in several different ways. Here's a new one. For most people the need for PPI's can be eliminated simply by better food choices, food combining, under-eating (what a concept!), judicious use of digestive enzymes, elimination of excess fat and sugar from the diet, and taking time to really chew your food. A bit boring, yeah, but so is osteoporosis and pneumonia.
"Hospitalized patients who receive acid-suppressive medications such as a proton-pump inhibitor have a 30 percent increased odds of developing pneumonia while in the hospital, according to a new study.
With the introduction of proton-pump inhibitors, used primarily in the treatment of ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease, the use of acid-suppressive medications has increased significantly over the last several years, with estimates that between 40 percent and 70 percent of hospitalized patients receive some form of them. But this high use in the inpatient setting has been of concern for several reasons, including use for indications that are not supported by research and data suggesting an increased risk for community-acquired pneumonia with use in outpatient settings, according to background information in the article."
Try Thai Or Rosemary When Spicing The Meat To Curb Carcinogens
Summer is the time for gatherings that include grilled foods. If you are a meat eater, this information is important. But the really good thing is that if you use the spices mentioned, your food will taste great!
"Warm weather brings on the seasonal meat favorites that are barbecued, grilled, broiled or fried. That also means more potential exposure to carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs). There’s a way to reduce the risk significantly by just adding some spices – rosemary extracts or Thai spices.
“Just one of the spices would work,” said J. Scott Smith, a Kansas State University food chemistry professor who researched the issue for the Food Safety Consortium. “Rosemary would be fine or one of the Thai spices would be fine.”
The numbers from Smith’s research tell the story. Some commercial rosemary extracts can inhibit the formation of HCAs in cooked beef patties by 61 to 79 percent. Thai spices can inhibit the formation by about 40 to 43 percent. The key is the level of antioxidants present in each, and Thai spices have lower levels than rosemary."
Carbohydrate Restriction May Slow Prostate Tumor Growth
Just another example of the importance of diet in treating serious illnesses. My assumption will be that this information will be true for many types of malignant tumors, not just prostate cancer.
Carbohydrate Restriction May Slow Prostate Tumor Growth: "Restricting carbohydrates, regardless of weight loss, appears to slow the growth of prostate tumors, according to an animal study being published this week by researchers in the Duke Prostate Center.
'Previous work here and elsewhere has shown that a diet light in carbohydrates could slow tumor growth, but the animals in those studies also lost weight, and because we know that weight loss can restrict the amount of energy feeding tumors, we weren't able to tell just how big an impact the pure carbohydrate restriction was having, until now,' said Stephen Freedland, M.D., a urologist in the Duke Prostate Center and lead investigator on this study.
The researchers believe that insulin and insulin-like growth factor contribute to the growth and proliferation of prostate cancer, and that a diet devoid of carbohydrates lowers serum insulin levels in the bodies of the mice, thereby slowing tumor growth, Freedland said."
"Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting positive results in early leukemia clinical trials using the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea. The trial determined that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can tolerate the chemical fairly well when high doses are administered in capsule form and that lymphocyte count was reduced in one-third of participants."
"Doctors have issued a warning about excessive cola consumption after noticing an increase in the number of patients suffering from muscle problems, according to the June issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice."
We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralisation and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes” says Dr Moses Elisaf from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Ioannina, Greece.
“Evidence is increasing to suggest that excessive cola consumption can also lead to hypokalaemia, in which the blood potassium levels fall, causing an adverse effect on vital muscle functions.”
"Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in US women of childbearing age, and is common in pregnant women. BV occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Because having BV puts a woman at increased risk for a variety of complications, such as preterm delivery, there is great interest in understanding how it can be prevented."
Vitamin D may play a role in BV because it exerts influence over a number of aspects of the immune system.
This hypothesis is circumstantially supported by the fact that BV is far more common in black than white women, and vitamin D status is substantially lower in black than white women. This relation, however, has not been rigorously studied. To assess whether poor vitamin D status may play a role in predisposing a woman to BV, Bodnar and coworkers at the University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute studied 469 pregnant women.
"Vitamin D may slow the progressive decline in the ability to breathe that can occur in people with asthma as a result of human airway smooth muscle (HASM) proliferation, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania."
The group found that calcitriol, a form of vitamin D synthesized within the body, reduced growth-factor-induced HASM proliferation in cells isolated from both persons with asthma and from persons without the disease. The proliferation is a part of process called airway remodeling, which occurs in many people with asthma, and leads to reduced lung function over time.
The researchers believe that by slowing airway remodeling, they can prevent or forestall the irreversible decline in breathing that leaves many asthmatics even more vulnerable when they suffer an asthma attack.
"Today, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on “Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.”[i] They called for a moratorium on GM foods, long-term independent studies, and labeling.
AAEM’s position paper stated, “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. They conclude, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation,” as defined by recognized scientific criteria. “The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.”
More and more doctors are already prescribing GM-free diets. Dr. Amy Dean, a Michigan internal medicine specialist, and board member of AAEM says, “I strongly recommend patients eat strictly non-genetically modified foods.” Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it.
Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, President of AAEM, says, “Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions.” World renowned biologist Pushpa M. Bhargava goes one step further. After reviewing more than 600 scientific journals, he concludes that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a major contributor to the sharply deteriorating health of Americans.
Among the population, biologist David Schubert of the Salk Institute warns that “children are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems” related to GM foods. He says without adequate studies, the children become “the experimental animals.”
Note: It's old, very old, and it's almost a cliche, but we are not body, mind, and spirit. We are body-mind-spirit. Unfortunately, in most of the modern world, the spirit part has been relegated to being less important than the other two. What is it that exists when the mind is still? Who are you when not your job, family, personality, and hobbies? Ancient sages said that what that is can't be named or spoken of by words of the mouth. Yet it is something that can be experienced. This study shows that even bumping up against that experience can have profound physiological and health enhancing effects. And that it doesn't have to be unpleasant or a struggle. This is important.
Chinese researchers have unlocked the mechanism of an emerging mind-body technique that produces measurable changes in attention and stress reduction in just five days of practice.
. . . .
IBMT avoids struggles to control thought, relying instead on a state of restful alertness, allowing for a high degree of body-mind awareness while receiving instructions from a coach, who provides breath-adjustment guidance and mental imagery and other techniques., while soothing music plays in the background. Thought control is achieved gradually through posture, relaxation, body-mind harmony and balanced breathing. A good coach is critical, Tang said.
"Life is full of stress, and people need to learn methods to handle stress and improve their performance," Tang said. "There is physical training but we wanted to see about mental training. This method appears to have benefit for the modern society where the pace is fast."
Turmeric Extract Suppresses Fat Tissue Growth In Rodent Models
Note: There are no miracle cures, but Turmeric comes close. In addition to the new and important information in this article, turmeric also is a potent and safe anti-inflamatory agent, helps prevent Alzheimer's disease and some forms of cancer. My guess is we are just scratching the surface of this and other amazing plant medicines for the prevention of serious diseases.
Turmeric Extract Suppresses Fat Tissue Growth In Rodent Models: "Curcumin, the major polyphenol found in turmeric, appears to reduce weight gain in mice and suppress the growth of fat tissue in mice and cell models. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA) studied mice fed high fat diets supplemented with curcumin and cell cultures incubated with curcumin."
"Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue, which cannot happen unless new blood vessels form, a process known as angiogenesis." said senior author Mohsen Meydani, DVM, PhD, director of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the USDA HNRCA. "Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets."
Note: In my opinion, this, next to Global Climate Change, is one of the most critical issues facing the human (and many other) race. Seed diversity, family farms, and chemical free farming are critical for health and well being. The use of patented genetically modified seeds is the doom of the small farmer, and the small family farm is essential for the health of the planet. This is a long article, but every word in it is important.
"In June 2005 I attended the National Media Reform Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. While there I visited the historic St. Louis courthouse and the huge Gateway Arch by the Mississippi River that symbolizes St. Louis as the gateway to the west. It was here that US corporate agribusiness, the US occupation of Iraq and the Dred Scott decision intersected in reality as well as symbolically." . . .
Why would corporate agribusiness be salivating??? Some history here. It is thought that agriculture started 13,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent - in the area now called Iraq - where the Tigress and the Euphrates rivers intersect. The Iraqi ancestral farmers and this fertile land brought us major crops such as wheat, barley, dates and pulses (see Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies"). The area is hugely important in world history. Given they are considered the initiators, for thousands of years the contributions of the Iraqi farmers to the world's agriculture production system have been unquestionably profound.
It is also likely that women were the initiators of agriculture. Women were the gatherers in hunting and gathering pre-agricultural societies. As women were the ones gathering nuts and roots for their communities, they would have been the observers of seeds and their growth patterns. This is likely why the majority of the African farmers today are women and throughout our human history the world's farmers have largely been women.
Now comes the corporate connection. Food is something everyone needs. There is no question about this and no need for a survey - the market is a given. Huge profits are in the offing. Controlling all aspects of food its production, packaging, distribution and commodity markets - is the dream world of corporate agribusiness.
"Pregnant women who take probiotic supplements starting in the first trimester are less likely to develop central obesity after they've given birth, according to a new study.
Central obesity was defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher or a waist circumference greater than 80 centimeters, about 31-1/2 inches.
At 1 year after giving birth, 25 percent of women given probiotics along with dietary counseling had central obesity based on that definition, compared with 43 percent of women given diet advice alone.
The findings were reported Thursday at the European Congress on Obesity being held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands."
"Obese children and teens are at increased risk for allergies, especially food allergies, say U.S. researchers.
The study authors analyzed data from 4,111 participants, aged 2 to 19, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that obese children and teens were 26 percent more likely to have any kind of allergy, and 59 percent more likely to have a food allergy, than their normal-weight peers.
'We found a positive association between obesity and allergies,' senior author Dr. Darryl Zeldin, acting clinical director at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), said in an institute news release. 'While the results from this study are interesting, they do not prove that obesity causes allergies. More research is needed to further investigate this potential link.'"
Daily exercise provides cardiovascular benefits even during the preteen years, reveals a new German study.
It found that schoolchildren, who averaged 11 years old, lowered their blood pressure, improved their levels of HDL ('good') cholesterol and triglycerides and were less likely to be obese if they regularly participated in a supervised exercise program that included at least 15 minutes of endurance training. The research was conducted in the city of Leipzig.
'Even from these first-year results, we can say that regular physical activity has a significant beneficial effect on body composition, exercise capacity and cardiovascular risk markers in children,'"
"Stress may indeed be a direct contributor to childhood obesity. That's according to a new Iowa State University study finding that increased levels of stress in adolescents are associated with a greater likelihood of them being overweight or obese."
"We found that an adolescent or youth who's more stressed -- caused by such things as having poor grades, mental health problems, more aggressive behavior, or doing more drugs and alcohol -- is also more likely to be overweight or obese," said lead author Brenda Lohman, an Iowa State assistant professor of human development and family studies (HDFS).
High Blood Pressure Could Be Caused By A Common Virus, Study Suggests
A new study suggests for the first time that cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common viral infection affecting between 60 and 99 percent of adults worldwide, is a cause of high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and published in the May 15, 2009 issue of PLoS Pathogens, the findings further demonstrate that, when coupled with other risk factors for heart disease, the virus can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
\"CMV infects humans all over the world,\" explains co-senior author Clyde Crumpacker, MD, an investigator in the Division of Infectious Diseases at BIDMC and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. \"This new discovery may eventually provide doctors with a whole new approach to treating hypertension, with anti-viral therapies or vaccines becoming part of the prescription.\"
Glutamine Supplements Show Promise In Treating Stomach Ulcers
This is good news and is a very real alternative to the proton ion pumps. Another valuable addition would be DGL Licorice which effectively stops excess acid production. There are many reasons not to take pharmaceutical medications for ulcers and excess stomach acid.
"Nearly 20 years ago, it was discovered that bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori were responsible for stomach ulcers. Since then, antibiotics have become the primary therapy used to combat the H. pylori infection, which affects approximately six percent of the world population and is also a primary cause of stomach cancer. But today the bacteria is growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics."
. . .
"Our findings suggest that extra glutamine in the diet could protect against gastric damage caused by H. pylori," says senior author Susan Hagen, PhD, Associate Director of Research in the Department of Surgery at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Gastric damage develops when the bacteria weakens the stomach's protective mucous coating, damages cells and elicits a robust immune response that is ineffective at ridding the infection." Eventually, she notes, years of infection result in a combination of persistent gastritis, cell damage and an environment conducive to cancer development.
Michael Pollan: "Don't Buy Any Food You've Ever Seen Advertised"
Note: This is an interview between Michael Pollan and Amy Goodman. It's well worth a read. It focuses on the differences between real food and the "food like substances" that most people consume. Real food is a major key to a good life.
"Amy Goodman: Energy, healthcare, agriculture, climate change, global outbreaks like swine flu—what do all these topics have in common? Food. That’s right, none of these issues can really be tackled without addressing some of the fundamental problems of the food system and the American diet.
Well, my next guest is one of the leading writers and thinkers in this country on food. Michael Pollan is a professor of science and environmental journalism at University of California, Berkeley, author of several books about food, including The Botany of Desire, The Omnivore’s Dilemma and his latest, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, which just came out in paperback. ... Let’s start with the latest news over the last month, swine flu. How is that connected to industrialized agriculture?
Michael Pollan: Well, we don’t know for sure yet. We’re still kind of investigating. But the best knowledge we have is that this outbreak came from a very large industrial pork operation, pork confinement operation, where, you know, tens of thousands of pigs live in filth and close contact. And this was in Mexico."
Studies find two new methods for curbing nausea of chemotherapy - Los Angeles Times
Note: This is good information for those who choose to pursue chemotherapy as a treatment for cancer. It is my strong opinion that there are other avenues that one could pursue either instead of chemo or concurrently with chemo.
Simply adding about half a teaspoon of ginger to food in the days before, during and after chemotherapy can reduce the often-debilitating side effects of nausea and vomiting, a large, randomized clinical trial has found. And a newer type of anti-nausea drug, when added to standard medications, can help prevent such side effects as well.
The ginger results will be presented this month at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting; the drug study was published this week in the Lancet Oncology journal.
The findings are significant, cancer experts say, because about 70% of chemotherapy patients experience nausea and vomiting -- often severe -- during treatment."
"Fear of swine flu is fading, but there are still plenty of reasons to wash your hands frequently.
The list of infections that can spread via unwashed hands reads like the Biblical plagues, including staph, strep, salmonella, E. coli, hepatitis, MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), colds, flu and norovirus -- the infamous cruise-ship bug.
The importance of hand washing has been known since 1847, when a doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis suspected that maternity patients were dying in his Vienna hospital because med students treated them right after working on cadavers. When he instituted hand-cleaning, the deaths fell sharply.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says hand washing is the most effective way to stay healthy. But many people don't do it often enough, or long enough, to be effective. Here's a guide: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124208945194709049.html"
"Regularly eating fish, nuts, olive oil and other foods containing omega-three fatty acids and avoiding trans fats appears to be associated with a lower risk for the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to two new reports."
After adjusting for age, sex and smoking, eating one serving of fish per week was associated with a 31 percent lower risk of developing early AMD. The association was stronger among individuals with a lower intake of linoleic acid, an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils. Eating one to two servings of nuts per week was associated with a 35 percent lower risk of early AMD.
"In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that increased intake of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and regular consumption of fish and/or nuts in the diet may protect against the development of early AMD," the authors write. These fatty acids may protect the eyes by preventing the buildup of plaque in the arteries or reducing inflammation, blood vessel formation and oxygen-related cell damage in the retina.
"A research group from Saudi Arabia studied the anti-ulcer properties of the salad herb Rocket, also known as Arugula, species name Eruca sativa. They found that Rocket extract possesses antisecretory, cytoprotective and anti-ulcer activities against experimentally-induced gastric lesions in rats. The anti-ulcer effect is possibly through prostaglandin mediated activity and/or through its anti-secretory and antioxidant properties."
Gastric ulcer is an illness that affects a considerable number of people worldwide. Although the introduction of proton-pump inhibitors to the classic anti-ulcer therapy has revolutionized treatment of peptic ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders, there is still no complete cure for this disease. It has been shown that long term use of these drugs leads to various adverse and side effects. Relapses of the malady, ineffectiveness of different drug regimens and even resistance to drugs are emerging. Thus, there is an urgent requirement to identify more effective and safe anti-ulcer agents. In recent years, Rocket "Eruca sativa L." (EER), a member of the Brassicacae family, has gained greater importance as a salad vegetable and spice, especially among Middle Eastern populations and Europeans. It is believed that plants belonging to the Brassicacae family possess diversified medicinal and therapeutic properties including inhibition of tumorigenesis, anti-ulcer, and hepatoprotective activities.
Ginseng: Nature's Anti-inflammatory?: "Laboratory experiments have demonstrated the immunological effects of ginseng. Researchers have now shown that the herb, much used in traditional Chinese and other Asian medicine, has anti-inflammatory effects.
Allan Lau led a team of researchers from the University of Hong Kong who identified seven ginseng constituents, ginsenosides, which showed immune-suppressive effects. He said, 'The anti-inflammatory role of ginseng may be due to the combined effects of these ginsenosides, targeting different levels of immunological activity, and so contributing to the diverse actions of ginseng in humans'.
The scientists treated human immune cells with different extracts of ginseng. They found that of the nine ginsenosides they identified, seven could selectively inhibit expression of the inflammatory gene CXCL-10. Lau concludes, "Further studies will be needed to examine the potential beneficial effects of ginsenosides in the management of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases in humans".
"When the Agriculture Department released its 2007 census recently, the news appeared surprisingly good: For the first time since World War II, the United States did not lose farms, it gained them -- 75,810, to be exact, for a total of 2.2 million."
But on closer inspection, the numbers aren't so hopeful. The discrepancy stems from this tricky question: What is a farm? The census has changed its definition nine times since 1850, most recently to "any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year."
This loose definition is meant to err on the side of inclusion, but ultimately it just errs. Take, for example, the four chickens I keep in my back yard. I sometimes sell eggs to neighbors, and at the going rate I could make $500 a year. If I got four more hens, my suburban home could qualify as a farm.
Silly, right? But where do you place the lower limit -- or the upper limit? The Cargill feedlot in Lockney, Texas, consists of 60,000 cattle kept in dirt yards and fattened on feed grown elsewhere. Is that a farm? While the census says yes, most Americans would say no.
So then, what is a farm? To answer that, we must first ask: Why do we care? Really, why is it good news when farms -- and, more importantly, the farmers who run them -- increase?
"A research team from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) has carried out a study entitled, “Hypericum perforatum. Possible option against Parkinson's disease”, which suggests that this plant with antidepressant properties has antioxidant active ingredients that could help reduce the neuronal degeneration caused by the disease."
In the last few years, the idea that the excessive numbers of free radicals has an important role in the complex etiology of Parkinson's disease has spread. Post-mortem investigations have revealed evidence of lipid peroxidation as well as oxidative damage to the DNA of brain proteins in patients suffering from the disease. The increase of oxidative stress is attributed, among other factors, to a less active mitochondrial complex I. Certain environmental contaminants such as pesticides, and in particular Rotenone, can cause Parkinson's. Nevertheless, the mechanism that causes Rotenone to have these effects is not yet fully understood. The hypothesis is that the increase in the production of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by the altered function of the mitochondrial complex I could be the cause of the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons through the apoptotic process.
"Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have found a traditional extract of Kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety."
To be published online this week in the Springer journal Psychopharmacology, the results of a world-first clinical trial which found that a water-soluble extract of Kava was effective in treating anxiety and improving mood. The Kava was prescribed in the form of tablets.
Lead researcher Jerome Sarris, a PhD candidate from UQ’s School of Medicine, said the placebo-controlled study found Kava to be an effective and safe treatment option for people with chronic anxiety and varying levels of depression.
“We’ve been able to show that Kava offers a natural alternative for the treatment of anxiety, and unlike some pharmaceutical options, has less risk of dependency and less potential of side effects,” Mr. Sarris said.
Order a meal in any fast-food restaurant, and you'll likely walk away with a sandwich, fries and a drink. If you had to identify the ingredients of this meal, you might list beef (or chicken), lettuce, tomato, cheese, ketchup, bread, potatoes and soda. Not complicated, right? Wrong.
Burger and chicken joints don't think of the building blocks of a menu item as ingredients. They think of them as components, which are made of ingredients. For example, McDonald's famous Big Mac jingle -- 'two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun' -- suggests the sandwich has seven components. Would you believe it has 67 ingredients?"
Clearly, fast food is more complicated than it looks. Many menu items contain processed foods, which have been modified from their natural state for safety or convenience. Processed foods tend to have multiple additives to keep them fresher longer. Across an entire fast-food menu, there are thousands of ingredients, ranging from the commonplace (water) to the exotic (xanthan gum).
Considering that some of these ingredients have been implicated in serious health issues, it would be good to know which are the most common. We've set out to answer that very question. We started with menus from five popular fast-food chains -- McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC and Arby's -- did some tallying, then cross-matched our findings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's list of common food ingredients and colors. The result is the top 10 most common ingredients in fast food, organized by the type of ingredient and what it does.
Note: So do young people. Sadly, we live in a world where sunshine has been demonized. Many slather themselves with (potentially toxic) sunscreens, wear hats, sunglasses, and long sleeves before spending more than a few moments in the sun. Yet the only way that our body can make active Vitamin D is through sun exposure. And vitamin D is vitally important, not just for bone health but for the health of our immune system and to help prevent certain cancers. So get some sun - but of course not too much. If you skin gets red, it's too much. For most people 15-20 minutes a day is sufficient.
"Spending more time in the sunshine could help older people to reduce their risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Exposure to sunlight stimulates vitamin D in the skin and older people are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency due to the natural aging process and changes in lifestyle.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have shown vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical and metabolic disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes."
There's more to climate change than temperature. It's easy to get caught up in which supplements to take or not to take, how to properly wash hands to prevent flu, just how many calories are in that supersized piece of pizza - yet climate change will be trumping all of those as a major health concern far sooner than we think. RG.
"Future Climate Change Likely To Cause More Respiratory Problems In Young Children
ScienceDaily (May 11, 2009) — More children will end up hospitalized over the next decade because of respiratory problems as a result of projected climate change, according to a new study from Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
The lead author of this research is Perry Elizabeth Sheffield, MD, Pediatric Environmental Health Fellow in the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.* Mount Sinai worked with Natural Resources Defense Council and the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health on this eye-opening research that finds a direct connection between air pollution and the health of children."
"Even if you're not trying to lose weight, chances are you've seen some ideas on how to do so:
'Eat what you want and lose weight!' 'Lose thirty pounds in thirty days!' 'Finally, a diet that really works!' 'Lose one jean size every seven days!' 'Top three fat burners revealed' 'Ten minutes to a tighter tummy!'
But these claims are readily rebuked by anyone who's tried to lose five, ten, or one hundred pounds. Losing weight ain't that easy. It's not in a pill, it doesn't (usually) happen in thirty days, and judging from the myriad plans out there, there is no one diet that works for everyone.
Looking past the outrageous claims, there are a few hard truths the diet/food industry isn't going to tell you, but might just help you take a more realistic approach to sustained weight loss.
1. You have to exercise more than you think. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week; this includes things like shoveling snow and gardening. And while this is great for improving heart health and staying active, research indicates that those looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss have to do more -- about twice as much."
White Tea: Solution To Obesity Epidemic?: "Possible anti-obesity effects of white tea have been demonstrated in a series of experiments on human fat cells (adipocytes). Researchers have now shown that an extract of the herbal brew effectively inhibits the generation of new adipocytes and stimulates fat mobilization from mature fat cells.
Marc Winnefeld led a team of researchers from Beiersdorf AG, Germany, who studied the biological effects of an extract of white tea – the least processed version of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. He said, 'In the industrialized countries, the rising incidence of obesity-associated disorders including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes constitutes a growing problem. We've shown that white tea may be an ideal natural source of slimming substances'."
African Tea Offers Promising Treatment For Type-2 Diabetes
African Tea Offers Promising Treatment For Type-2 Diabetes: "Researchers are attempting, with the help of a special African tea, to develop a new treatment for type-2 diabetics. The tea is used as a treatment in traditional Nigerian medicine and is produced from the extract of Rauvolfia Vomitoria leaves and the fruit of Citrus aurantium. The scientists have recently tested the tea on patients with type-2 diabetes and the results are promising."
Inspired by studies, doctors prescribing higher doses of Vitamin D
It could be a couple of years before formal recommendations are established for taking higher doses of vitamin D as a way to help prevent or treat heart disease, but some doctors aren\'t waiting.
This month, doctors at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee began giving a mega-dose of 100,000 international units of vitamin D to all patients with chest pains. After that, they are advised to take 2,000 IU a day, said John Whitcomb, an emergency room physician with the hospital.
Other Aurora hospitals are considering doing the same thing, he said.
Given that the current recommendation for adults is 600 IU a day, that\'s a considerable departure from the norm, although 2,000 IU a day is considered to be safe for adults.
More and more studies are linking vitamin D deficiency, which is common in large segments of the U.S. population, especially in the winter, to increased risk of heart disease and other ailments.
This month, a review article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology came to a similar conclusion.
It said heart patients who have insufficient vitamin D levels should be treated with one dose of 50,000 IU a week for eight weeks. Pills of 50,000 IU generally are available only as a prescription. After eight weeks, patients can take 50,000 IU every two weeks, or 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day.
The authors recommended vitamin D3, which can be found over the counter at drugstores.
\"Vitamin D supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive,\" the authors wrote.
A Japanese Town That Kicked the Oil Habit Shin Abe doesn\'t find it odd that the picturesque little Japanese town of Kuzumaki, where he has lived all his life, generates some of its electricity with cow dung. Nor is the 15-year-old middle school student blown away by the vista of a dozen wind turbines spinning atop the forested peak of nearby Mt. Kamisodegawa. And it\'s old news to Abe that his school gets 25% of its power from an array of 420 solar panels located near the campus. \"That\'s the way it\'s been,\" he shrugs. \"It\'s natural."
To Abe, it is. But the blase teen has grown up in an alternative universe — one that might be envisioned by Al Gore. That\'s because Kuzumaki (population 8,000) has over the past decade transformed itself into a living laboratory for the development of sustainable and diversified energy sources. \"When I was growing up, all we had [to generate power] was oil,\" says Kazunori Fukasawaguchi, a Kuzumaki native who now serves in local government. \"I never imagined this kind of change.\" (Read TIME\'s Top 10 Green Ideas of 2008.)
In resource-poor Japan, which imports 90% of its fuel, Kuzumaki is a marvel of energy self-sufficiency. Signs of the town\'s comprehensive focus on environmental sustainability are visible from its mountaintops to the pens of the dairy cows that once were the bedrock of local commerce. Atop Mt. Kamisodegawa, the 12 wind turbines, each 305 feet (93 m) tall, have the capacity to convert mountain gusts into 21,000 KW of electricity — more than enough to meet the needs of the town\'s residents. The excess is sold to neighboring communities.
Vitamin D Deficiency Associated With Greater Rates Of Cesarean Sections
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) found that pregnant women who are vitamin D deficient are also at an increased risk for delivering a baby by caesarean section as compared to pregnant women who are not vitamin D deficient. These findings currently appear on-line in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. At the turn of the 20th century, women commonly died in childbirth due to \"rachitic pelvis\" rickets of the pelvis. While rickets virtually disappeared with the discovery of vitamin D, recent reports suggest that vitamin D deficiency is widespread in industrialized nations.
Over a two-year period, the researchers analyzed the relationship between maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and the prevalence of primary caesarean section. In total, 253 women were enrolled in this study, of whom 43 (17 percent) had a caesarean section. The researchers found that 28 percent of women with serum 25(OH)D less than 37.5 nmol/L had a caesarean section, compared to only 14 percent of women with 25(OH)D greater than 37.5 nmol/L.
Women should go for the broccoli when the relish tray comes around during holiday celebrations this season. While it has been known for some time that eating cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, can help prevent breast cancer, the mechanism by which the active substances in these vegetables inhibit cell proliferation was unknown — until now.
Scientists in the UC Santa Barbara laboratories of Leslie Wilson, professor of biochemistry and pharmacology, and Mary Ann Jordan, adjunct professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, have shown how the healing power of these vegetables works at the cellular level. Their research is published in this month\'s journal Carcinogenesis.
Sixty per cent of women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer experience a range of significant short term side effects. These include nausea, vomiting and fatigue, as well as inflammation of the gut lining, decreased numbers of red and white blood cells and decreased numbers of blood platelets.
Chinese medicinal herbs include mixtures of herbal compounds or extracts from herbs, and they are prescribed to counteract the side effects of chemotherapy. This Cochrane Systematic Review set out to see if there is conventional evidence indicating that these medicines are safe and whether there is evidence that the medicines are effective.
The researchers identified seven randomised studies involving 542 patients with breast cancer. By analysing these data, the researchers concluded that there was no evidence that the Chinese medicinal herbal treatment caused harm, and some evidence that it might reduce side effects."
Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Brain Lesions
Omega-3 Fatty Acid May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Brain Lesions: "A type of omega-3 fatty acid may slow the growth of two brain lesions that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, UC Irvine scientists have discovered. The finding suggests that diets rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can help prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease later in life.
This study with genetically modified mice is the first to show that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, can slow the accumulation of tau, a protein that leads to the development of neurofibrillary tangles. Such tangles are one of two signature brain lesions of Alzheimer's disease. DHA also was found to reduce levels of the protein beta amyloid, which can clump in the brain and form plaques, the other Alzheimer's lesion.
Previous studies have shown that DHA may have therapeutic value for Alzheimer's patients, but this research is among the first to show that it may delay the onset of the disease. DHA is found in fish, eggs, organ meats, micro-algae, fortified foods and food supplements."
Popular Herbal Supplement Hinders Growth Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Herbal Supplement Hinders Growth Of Pancreatic Cancer Cells: "A new study from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute suggests that a commonly used herbal supplement, triphala, has cancer-fighting properties that prevent or slow the growth of pancreatic cancer tumors implanted in mice. The study found that an extract of triphala, the dried and powdered fruits of three plants, caused pancreatic cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis -- the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted or unneeded cells. This process often is faulty in cancer cells. Results of the study, are being presented in a late-breaking session at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, April 14-18, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Triphala, one of the most popular herbal preparations in the world, is used for the treatment of intestinal-related disorders. It is typically taken with water and thought to promote appetite and digestion and to increase the number of red blood cells.
'We discovered that triphala fed orally to mice with human pancreatic tumors was an extremely effective inhibitor of the cancer process, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells,' said Sanjay K. Srivastava, Ph.D., lead investigator and assistant professor, department of pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 'Triphala triggered the cancerous cells to die off . . . "
Breastfeeding Reduces Risk Of Breast Cancer For Women Who Delay Childbirth
Breastfeeding Reduces Risk Of Breast Cancer For Women Who Delay Childbirth: "Breastfeeding can offset the increased risk of invasive breast cancer for women who had their first full-term pregnancy after the age of 25, a study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) suggests.
'Breastfeeding may have a protective effect that negates the increased risk of breast cancer associated with late pregnancies,' says Giske Ursin, M.D., Ph.D, associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. 'As more women may choose to delay pregnancy until after 25, it is important to note that breastfeeding provides protection against both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive and negative tumors.'
Breastfeeding appears to have a protective effect regardless of when women started giving birth, Ursin says. This is important since having many children was only protective among women who gave birth early, she says. Giving birth after age 25--the average age that women in the U.S. first give birth, according to Census data--was associated with increased risk of hormone receptor negative breast cancer."
Red Meat Linked To Breast Cancer: "Eating red meat increases a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer, according to new research from the University of Leeds.
The findings are most striking for post-menopausal women – those with the highest intake of red meat, the equivalent to one portion a day (more than 57 grams) - run a 56 per cent greater risk of breast cancer than those who eat none.
Women who eat the most processed meat, such as bacon, sausages, ham or pies, run a 64 per cent greater risk of breast cancer than those who eat none.
Researchers at the University’s Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics have been tracking the eating habits and health of more than 35,000 women for the past seven years, and their latest findings are published in the British Journal of Cancer. Earlier findings, widely reported in January, showed that pre-menopausal women who have the greatest intake of fibre have cut their risk of breast cancer in half.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Leeds."
Red Meat Linked To Breast Cancer: "Eating red meat increases a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer, according to new research from the University of Leeds.
The findings are most striking for post-menopausal women – those with the highest intake of red meat, the equivalent to one portion a day (more than 57 grams) - run a 56 per cent greater risk of breast cancer than those who eat none.
Women who eat the most processed meat, such as bacon, sausages, ham or pies, run a 64 per cent greater risk of breast cancer than those who eat none.
Researchers at the University’s Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics have been tracking the eating habits and health of more than 35,000 women for the past seven years, and their latest findings are published in the British Journal of Cancer. Earlier findings, widely reported in January, showed that pre-menopausal women who have the greatest intake of fibre have cut their risk of breast cancer in half.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Leeds."
Treatment may fuel cancer's spread: "Treating cancer with surgery, chemotherapy or radiation may sometimes cause tumors to spread and U.S. researchers said on Thursday they may have nailed down one of the causes -- a compound called TGF-beta.
Tests in mice show that using the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin or radiation both raised levels of TGF-beta, which in turn helped breast cancer tumors spread to the lung.
But using an antibody to block TGF-beta stopped the process, Dr. Carlos Arteaga and colleagues at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee reported."
Violent Video Games And Hostile Personalities Go Together
Violent Video Games And Hostile Personalities Go Together: "New research by Iowa State University psychologists provides more concrete evidence of the adverse effects of violent video game exposure on the behavior of children and adolescents.
ISU Distinguished Professor of Psychology Craig Anderson, Assistant Professor of Psychology Douglas Gentile, and doctoral student Katherine Buckley share the results of three new studies in their book, 'Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents' (Oxford University Press, 2007). It is the first book to unite empirical research and public policy related to violent video games."
Mediterranean Diet Wards Off Childhood Respiratory Allergies
Mediterranean Diet Wards Off Childhood Respiratory Allergies: "A 'Mediterranean' diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nuts protects against allergic rhinitis and asthma symptoms, suggests research published ahead of print in Thorax. The researchers assessed the dietary habits, respiratory symptoms, and allergic reactions of almost 700 children living in four rural areas on the Greek island of Crete.
The children were all aged between 7 and 18 years of age. Skin allergies are relatively common in Crete, but respiratory allergies, such as asthma and allergic rhinitis are relatively rare. Parents completed detailed questionnaires on their children's allergic and respiratory symptoms and dietary habits.
Whether the children ate a 'Mediterranean' diet was measured against a set of 12 foodstuffs, including fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil. Eight out of 10 children ate fresh fruit, and over two thirds of them ate fresh vegetables, at least twice a day."
New Sustainable Plant Source Of Omega-3: "A study by scientists from King's College London has found that relatively small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from algae can lower blood pressure and could ultimately reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This form of omega-3, unlike fish oil, has the advantage of being both sustainable and acceptable to vegetarians.
The research, which is published in the April issue of the Journal of Nutrition, made measurements of cardiovascular function in healthy middle-aged men and women before and after three months supplementation with a placebo or a purified oil rich in the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The DHA was extracted from the marine algae crypthecodinium cohnii. Each subject received both DHA and placebo with a four month break between treatments. The study was conducted ‘double-blind' so that neither the investigators nor the subjects knew which treatment was which.
Results showed that a daily intake of 0.7g DHA lowered diastolic blood pressure by 3mm of Hg. Diastolic blood pressure (resting or background pressure) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular events. A 3mm reduction in the average population blood pressure could help to prevent thousands of heart attacks and strokes.
Previous studies which have used fish oil have found in excess of 2-3g of omega-3 fatty acids are needed to lower blood pressure; fish"
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk Of Depression, Inflammation
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Affect Risk Of Depression, Inflammation: "A new study suggests that people whose diets contain dramatically more of one kind of polyunsaturated fatty acid than another may be at greater risk for both clinical depression and certain inflammatory diseases.
The report, published online in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, suggests that we need to balance out our intake of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The current typical American diet contains 20 times more omega-6 than omega-3, a ratio that researchers say should be lowered to 4-to-1, or even 2-to-1.
This is the most recent in a long series of experiments Ohio State University researchers have conducted on the links between psychological stress and immunity. The addition of dietary questions to studies that have previously focused solely on emotional and biochemical markers may yield important new clues about the immune system.
'In this study, we're looking at the intersection of behavior, immune function and diet. In past experiments, we concentrated only on the first two,' explained Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, professor of psychiatry and psychology at Ohio State and lead author on the paper.
'It now appears that diet is a very important variable in the equation as to how people respond to depression and stress.'"
Fruit Juice/Drink Link To Children's Weight Gain: "In a study of children aged four to 12 years from the Barwon South Western region researchers Andrea Sanigorski, Colin Bell and Boyd Swinburn from the University's Faculty of Health, Medicine, Nursing and Behavioural Sciences found that children who had drank more than two glasses (500ml) of fruit juice/drink per day were more likely to be overweight or obese.
'These odds increased as the amounts of fruit juice/drink consumed increased,' Dr Sanigorski said.
'Children who drank more than three glasses of soft drink (three quarters of a litre/750ml) or 4 glasses of fruit juice/drinks (1 litre) on the day in question were more than twice as likely to be overweight or obese compared with children who did not drink these drinks.'"
Higher Trans Fat Levels In Blood Associated With Elevated Risk Of Heart Disease
Higher Trans Fat Levels In Blood Associated With Elevated Risk Of Heart Disease: "High consumption of trans fat, found mainly in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and widely used by the food industry, has been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). New York and Philadelphia have passed measures eliminating its use in restaurants, and other cities are considering similar bans. A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) provides the strongest association to date between trans fat and heart disease. It found that women in the U.S. with the highest levels of trans fat in their blood had three times the risk of CHD as those with the lowest levels. The study will appear in the April 10, 2007 print issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
“The strength of this study is that the amount of trans fatty acid levels was measured in blood samples from the study population. Because humans cannot synthesize trans fatty acids, the amount of trans fat in red blood cells is an excellent biomarker of trans fat intake,” said senior author Frank Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH."
Owner says dog saved her with 'Heimlich': "Toby, a 2-year-old golden retriever, saw his owner choking on a piece of fruit and began jumping up and down on the woman's chest. The dog's owner believes the dog was trying to perform the Heimlich maneuver and saved her life.
Debbie Parkhurst, 45, of Calvert told the Cecil Whig she was eating an apple at her home Friday when a piece lodged in her throat. She attempted to perform the Heimlich maneuver on herself but it didn't work. After she began beating on her chest, she said Toby noticed and got involved.
'The next think I know, Toby's up on his hind feet and he's got his front paws on my shoulders,' she recalled. 'He pushed me to the ground, and once I was on my back, he began jumping up and down on my chest.'
That's when the apple dislodged and Toby started licking her face to keep her from passing out, she said.
'I literally have pawprint-shaped bruises on my chest. I'm still a little hoarse, but otherwise, I'm OK,' Parkhurst said.
'The doctor said I probably wouldn't be here without Toby,' said Parkhurst, a jewelry artist. 'I keep looking at him and saying 'You're amazing.''"
Herbal Extract Extends Life For Heart Failure Patients
Herbal Extract Extends Life For Heart Failure Patients: "An herbal medicinal substance, Crataegus Extract WS?1442, safely extends the lives of congestive heart failure patients already receiving pharmacological treatment for the disease, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 56th Annual Scientific Session. Crataegus Extract WS?1442 is an extract of leaves of the Crataegus tree, and is a natural antioxidant. The herb is currently approved for use in some European countries to treat early congestive heart failure, a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the body's other organs."
ScienceDaily: Zinc Supplementation Found To Reduce Mortality In Older Children
Note: Far better to give children a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement that contains zinc than to just give zinc.
Zinc Supplementation Found To Reduce Mortality In Older Children: "A clinical trial conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public concluded that daily zinc supplements reduced the risk of death among children aged 12 to 48 months by 18 percent. However, the researchers did not find any significant reduction in mortality among children 1 to 11 months of age. The study is published in the March 17, 2007, edition of The Lancet.
Zinc is one of the most plentiful trace elements in the body, second only to iron. It mediates many physiological functions and is believed to be essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. The trial examined whether zinc supplementation would benefit children living in areas where malaria is prevalent. Pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria account for 45 percent of the 10 million child deaths worldwide each year.
“This large trial demonstrates that the benefits of zinc supplementation include mortality reduction in addition to the reduction in cases of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria that we found in previous trials,” said Robert Black, MD, the study’s senior author and professor and chair of the Bloomberg School’s Department of International Health."
Increased Breast Cancer Risk Associated With Greater Fat Intake
Increased Breast Cancer Risk Associated With Greater Fat Intake: "Eating a high-fat diet may lead to an increased risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women, according to a study in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Although environmental and animal studies have suggested that greater fat consumption may increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer, the results of epidemiologic studies have been inconclusive.
The researchers found that doubling fat intake, from 20 percent to 40 percent, was associated with a 15 percent increase in breast cancer risk. The increase in risk was similar for all types of fat—saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated."
Tea Reduces Bacteria In Meats: "Take a serving of extracts from green tea or Jasmine tea, mix in some wildflower dark honey and you have something more useful than a drink. It’s actually a scientific mixture that can be used to reduce pathogenic bacteria in meats.
“Our results indicated that Jasmine tea with honey and green tea with honey had the highest antimicrobial activity,” said Daniel Fung, the Kansas State University food science professor who supervised the research for the Food Safety Consortium.
The tests were first conducted in a liquid medium and found that the tea extract and honey treatments caused significant reductions of Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. “That’s not surprising,” Fung said. “In liquid medium, it’s easier for the compounds to interact with the organisms in liquid.”"
Quick walks may help smokers quit: "As little as five minutes of exercise could help smokers quit, says a new study. Research published in the international medical journal Addiction showed that moderate exercise, such as walking, significantly reduced the intensity of smokers' nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
'If we found the same effects in a drug, it would immediately be sold as an aid to help people quit smoking,' said Dr. Adrian Taylor, the study's lead author and professor of exercise and health psychology at the University of Exeter.
Taylor and colleagues reviewed 12 papers looking at the connection between exercise and nicotine deprivation. They focused on exercises that could be done outside a gym, such as walking and isometrics, or the flexing and tensing of muscles. According to their research, just five-minutes of exercise was often enough to help smokers overcome their immediate need for a nicotine fix.
After various types of moderate physical exertion, researchers asked people to rate their need for a cigarette. People who had exercised reported reduced a desire.
'What's surprising is the strength of the effect,' said Dr. Robert West, professor of health psychology at University College London. West was not involved in the review. 'They found that the acute effects of exercise were as effective"
Belly Fat May Drive Inflammatory Processes Associated With Disease
Belly Fat May Drive Inflammatory Processes Associated With Disease: "As scientists learn more about the key role of inflammation in diabetes, heart disease and other disorders, new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that fat in the belly may be an important promoter of that inflammation.
In this abdominal MRI scan, it is possible to see subcutaneous fat around the abdomen, surrounding abdominal muscles. Visceral fat is deeper inside the abdomen, surrounding internal organs.It is the visceral fat that secretes IL-6, strongly suggesting a mechanistic link to systemic inflammation. (Credit: Image courtesy of Washington University School of Medicine)
Excess fat is known to be associated with disease, but now the researchers have confirmed that fat cells inside the abdomen are secreting molecules that increase inflammation. It's the first evidence of a potential mechanistic link between abdominal fat and systemic inflammation.
For years, scientists have been aware of a relationship between disease risk and excess belly fat. 'Apple-shaped' people, who carry fat in the abdomen, have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes and other problems than 'pear-shaped' people, who tend to store fat in the hips and thighs. Too much abdominal fat is associated with a defect in the body's response to insulin. During medical exams, some physicians measure"
Sleep Disorders Can Impair Children's IQs As Much As Lead Exposure
Sleep Disorders Can Impair Children's IQs As Much As Lead Exposure: "Three decades ago, medical investigators began sounding the alarm about how lead exposure causes IQ deficits in children. Today, researchers at the University of Virginia Health System say children with sleep disorders can face similar risks of intellectual impairment.
UVa researchers have been studying sleep disturbances in children with enlarged tonsils and adenoids for the past seven years. In a recent study, they discovered that youngsters who snore nightly scored significantly lower on vocabulary tests than those who snore less often.
'Vocabulary scores are known to be the best single predictor of a child's IQ and the strongest predictor of academic success,' explains Dr. Paul M. Suratt, a pulmonologist who directs the UVa Sleep Laboratory.
According to Dr. Suratt, the vocabulary differences associated with nightly snoring are equivalent to the IQ dissimilarities attributed to lead exposure. 'Studies show that, even at nontoxic levels, lead exposure can reduce a child's IQ by more than seven points,' he notes."
Obesity Surgery Can Lead To Memory Loss, Other Problems
Obesity Surgery Can Lead To Memory Loss, Other Problems: "Weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery, can lead to a vitamin deficiency that can cause memory loss and confusion, inability to coordinate movement, and other problems, according to a study published in the March 13, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The syndrome, called Wernicke encephalopathy, affects the brain and nervous system when the body doesn't get enough vitamin B1, or thiamine. It can also cause vision problems, such as rapid eye movements.
The study found that the syndrome occurs most often in people who have frequent vomiting after the surgery. It usually occurs within one to three months after the surgery, although one case occurred 18 months after surgery.
The study reviewed the scientific literature for all reported cases of the syndrome occurring after obesity surgery. A total of 32 cases had been reported. Many of the people also had neurological symptoms that are not typical of Wernicke encephalopathy, such as seizures, deafness, psychosis, muscle weakness, and pain or numbness in the feet or hands."
Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin
Cocoa 'Vitamin' Health Benefits Could Outshine Penicillin: "The health benefits of epicatechin, a compound found in cocoa, are so striking that it may rival penicillin and anaesthesia in terms of importance to public health, reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. Norman Hollenberg, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, told C&I that epicatechin is so important that it should be considered a vitamin.
Hollenberg has spent years studying the benefits of cocoa drinking on the Kuna people in Panama. He found that the risk of 4 of the 5 most common killer diseases: stroke, heart failure, cancer and diabetes, is reduced to less then 10% in the Kuna. They can drink up to 40 cups of cocoa a week. Natural cocoa has high levels of epicatechin.
'If these observations predict the future, then we can say without blushing that they are among the most important observations in the history of medicine,' Hollenberg says. 'We all agree that penicillin and anaesthesia are enormously important. But epicatechin could potentially get rid of 4 of the 5 most common diseases in the western world, how important does that make epicatechin?... I would say very important'"
Research Strengthens Link Between Smoking, Pancreatic Cancer
Research Strengthens Link Between Smoking, Pancreatic Cancer: "Researchers at Michigan State University have added yet another piece to the puzzle that links cigarette smoking with cancer of the pancreas, one of the deadliest forms of cancer.
In research published in the recent issue of the International Journal of Cancer, MSU’s James Trosko and colleagues zeroed in on the mechanism by which a healthy cell turns cancerous.
Specifically, they found that the chemicals produced by the burning of tobacco products – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs – interfere with communication between the body’s cells. More importantly, the work showed that some of these chemicals don’t necessarily initiate the cancer, but rather contribute to the promotion of it."
Vitamin D Deficiency Widespread During Pregnancy: "Even regular use of prenatal multivitamin supplements is not adequate to prevent vitamin D insufficiency, University of Pittsburgh researchers report in the current issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the publication of the American Society for Nutrition. A condition linked to rickets and other musculoskeletal and health complications, vitamin D insufficiency was found to be widespread among women during pregnancy, particularly in the northern latitudes.
'In our study, more than 80 percent of African-American women and nearly half of white women tested at delivery had levels of vitamin D that were too low, even though more than 90 percent of them used prenatal vitamins during pregnancy,' said Lisa Bodnar, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and lead author of the study. 'The numbers also were striking for their newborns -- 92.4 percent of African-American babies and 66.1 percent of white infants were found to have insufficient vitamin D at birth.'
A vitamin closely associated with bone health, vitamin D deficiency early in life is associated with rickets -- a disorder characterized by soft bones and thought to have been eradicated in the United States more than 50 years ago -- as well as increased risk for type 1 diabetes, asthma and s"
Can Ecology and Commerce Coexist?: "Our small boat bobs along the unimaginably wide Amazon River, then heads up a fast-flowing tributary the colour of tea with cream, and finally turns onto a stream leading into the heart of the rainforest. Monkeys scamper in the trees above us as the motorboat chugs more and more slowly until the stream becomes too narrow to travel. This is where José Luiz de Oliveira and his 17-year-old son Alex live on a small farmstead alive with bird calls. Piglets frolic in the cool mud below their dock while ducks march in formation.
In many ways this boat ride feels like a trip into the past. The forest is largely untouched here except for the sunny clearing around the house (although we did spot an illegal lumber operation downriver). The de Oliveiras live as people have for centuries -- drawing their daily meals and livelihood from the land, the river and the livestock. It's an enchanting place if you can get used to the mosquitoes. Yet beauty and peace do not translate into prosperity. The tiny house has no electricity, no telephone, no fans, no screens in the windows.
The great debates about sustainable development being waged in government assemblies and at environmental institutes, corporate headquarters and street protests around the world are really about this place. Is it possible to bring the de Oliveiras some of the advantages of"
Link Between Obesity And Environmental Chemicals?: "A team of researchers at UNH is investigating whether the increasing ubiquity of chemical flame retardants found in foam furniture, carpeting, microwaves and computers might be related to the climbing rate of obesity in the United States.
“Environmental chemicals are a possible third component to the obesity epidemic, along with diet and exercise,” says Gale Carey, professor of nutrition and a leader of the research project, along with professor of nutrition Anthony Tagliaferro and Deena Small, assistant professor of molecular biology and biochemistry. The trio received funding for the project from the President’s Excellence Initiative Awards, which provide support for interdisciplinary research.
The flame retardants, called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been produced since the 1960s; they’re now found in consumer products like carpeting, upholstered furniture, computers and hair dryers, where they retard the combustibility of these products. It’s estimated that American consumers come into contact with up to 100 products containing PBDEs per day."
In Obesity, Brain Becomes 'Unaware' Of Fat: "Critical portions of the brain in those who are obese don't really know they are overweight, researchers have reported in the March issue of the journal Cell Metabolism, published by Cell Press. These findings in obese mice show that a sensor in the brain that normally detects a critical fat hormone--causing a cascade of events that keeps energy balance in check--fails to engage. Meanwhile, the rest of the metabolic pathway remains ready to respond.
'Obesity is not a failure of will power, it is a biological failure,' said Michael Cowley of Oregon Health & Science University of his group's findings in the mice. 'The brain is not aware that the body is obese.'
If the same is true in humans, he added, people may be consciously aware that they are overweight, but 'that's different from the homeostatic circuitry being aware.'"
Stress-signaling Fat Is A Culprit Behind Insulin Resistance
Stress-signaling Fat Is A Culprit Behind Insulin Resistance: "A new study in the March issue of the journal Cell Metabolism, published by Cell Press, has identified a common link between multiple assaults on the body, including saturated fats, obesity, and certain types of drugs, all of which can lead to insulin resistance. The researchers found that these metabolic stresses lead to an upswing in production of a particular kind of fat molecule, known as ceramide.
Moreover, the researchers show, a treatment that blocks ceramide's synthesis markedly improves insulin response and prevents the onset of diabetes in obese rodents. The findings therefore identify ceramide as a target for therapies aimed at improving insulin response and blood sugar control, the researchers said.
'A collision of genetic and environmental factors has produced an epidemic growth of obesity and insulin-resistance rates during the last decade,' said Scott Summers of the University of Utah. As a result, he noted, some have even suggested that life expectancies may soon start to decline."
Diet Study Tips Scale In Favor Of Atkins Plan: "The case for low-carbohydrate diets is gaining weight. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have completed the largest and longest-ever comparison of four popular diets, and the lowest-carbohydrate Atkins diet came out on top.
'Many health professionals, including us, have either dismissed the value of very-low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss or been very skeptical of them,' said lead researcher Christopher Gardner, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. 'But it seems to be a viable alternative for dieters.'
Of the more than 300 women in the study, those randomly assigned to follow the Atkins diet for a year not only lost more weight than the other participants, but also experienced the most benefits in terms of cholesterol and blood pressure.
'Many health professionals, including us, have either dismissed the value of very-low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss or been very skeptical of them,' said lead researcher Christopher Gardner, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. 'But it seems to be a viable alternative for dieters"
Children Under Stress Develop More Fevers: "Children whose parents and families are under ongoing stress have more fevers with illness than other children. Published this month in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, the study also shows the unanticipated conclusion that children's natural killer cell function, part of the body's innate immune system, increases under chronic stress, unlike adults, whose function is decreased.
'These findings are somewhat surprising to me but also exciting because they show us possible new avenues for improving children's health,' said Mary Caserta, M.D., principal investigator of the study and associate professor of Pediatrics in the division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Rochester Medical Center. 'I figured families under stress might think their children were sick more often when they actually weren't, but fevers are not subjective. These kids living with chronic stress in their families really were sick more often.'
While an illness with a fever isn't necessarily any worse than an illness without one, it does point to an objective sign of illness, often an infection, Caserta said. This suggests an association between family stress and susceptibility to infectious diseases."
Link Found Between Teens' Stress Levels And Acne Severity
Link Found Between Teens' Stress Levels And Acne Severity: "The largest study ever conducted on acne and stress reveals that teenagers who were under high levels of stress were 23 percent more likely to have increased acne severity, according to researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.
'Acne significantly affects physical and psychosocial well-being, so it is important to understand the interplay between the factors that exacerbate acne,' said Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., lead author and a professor of dermatology. 'Our study suggests a significant association between stress and severity of acne.'
The results of the study, which involved 94 adolescents from Singapore, are reported today in Acta Derm Venereol, a Swedish medical journal.
While psychological stress had been identified among many factors that can worsen acne, there has been little research to understand the mechanisms behind this relationship. The current study looked at whether levels of sebum, the oily substance that coats the skin and protects the hair, increase in times of stress and are related to acne severity. Hormone levels, sebum production and bacteria are all known to play major roles in acne."
Red Pepper: Hot Stuff For Fighting Fat?: "Food scientists in Taiwan are reporting new evidence from laboratory experiments that capsaicin — the natural compound that gives red pepper that spicy hot kick — can reduce the growth of fat cells. The study is scheduled for the March 21 issue of the ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
In the report, Gow-Chin Yen and Chin-Lin Hsu cite previous research suggesting that obesity can be reduced by preventing immature fat cells (adipocytes) from developing into mature cells.
Past research also linked capsaicin to a decrease in the amount of fat tissue and decreased blood-fat levels. With that knowledge, the researchers tested capsaicin’s effects on pre-adipocytes and adipocytes growing in laboratory cultures.
They found that capsaicin prevented pre-adipocytes from filling with fat and becoming full-fledged fat cells. The effects occurred at levels just slightly greater than those found in the stomach fluid of an individual eating a typical Indian or Thai diet, the researchers noted. Capsaicin worked by providing a biochemical signal that made fat cells undergo apoptosis, a mechanism in which cells self-destruct."
Exercise Reduces Risk Of Developing Invasive Breast Cancer
Exercise Reduces Risk Of Developing Invasive Breast Cancer: "Significant findings have emerged from the California Teachers Study (CTS) that suggest long-term recreational physical activity plays a protective role against invasive and in situ breast cancer.
'Previous studies have linked physical activity with a reduction in breast cancer, but few studies have examined risk separately for in situ and invasive breast cancers or have characterized risk by hormone receptor status,' said Leslie Bernstein, professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and primary investigator of the CTS. 'This study is unique because it provides the first prospective study data documenting that a woman's long-term exercise habits are important in determining her future breast cancer risk.'
In a study to be published in the February 26 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed data collected from a cohort of 110,599 women who were current or former California teachers and public school professionals with no prior history of breast cancer, and who were between the ages of 22 and 79 years at the start of the study. The study was initiated in 1995 with detailed collection of information on women's exercise histories and current exercise habits."
Light Wine Intake Is Associated With Longer Life Expectancy In Men
Light Wine Intake Is Associated With Longer Life Expectancy In Men: "Drinking a little alcohol every day, especially wine, may be associated with an increase in life expectancy. That's the conclusion of Dutch researchers who reported the findings of their study today at the American Heart Association's 47th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention. The researchers found that a light intake of alcohol (on average less than one glass per day) was associated with a lower rate of cardiovascular death and death from all causes. When compared to spirits and beer, consumption of small amounts of wine, about a half a glass a day, was associated with the lowest levels of all-cause and cardiovascular deaths.
'Our study showed that long-term, light alcohol intake among middle-aged men was associated not only with lower cardiovascular and all-cause death risk, but also with longer life expectancy at age 50,' said Martinette T. Streppel, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student in the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University and National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in Bilthoven, The Netherlands. 'Furthermore, long-term light wine consumption is associated with a further protective effect when compared to that of light-to-moderate alcohol intake of other types.'"
ScienceDaily: Overly Anxious And Driven People Prone To Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Stress kills, so does being a overly driven. We live with insane levels of unrealistic expectations and greed. It's bad for us and bad for the planet. Time to start slowing down. Really.
The researchers studied 620 people who had confirmed gastroenteritis caused by a bacterial infection. None had had IBS before, or indeed any serious bowel disorder.
Each participant completed a detailed questionnaire when their infection was confirmed. This included questions about mood, perceived stress levels, perfectionism and illness beliefs and behaviours.
They were then monitored three and six months later to see whether they had developed the typical symptoms of IBS, which include diarrhoea and/or constipation, abdominal pain and bloating.
In all, 49 people had IBS at both time points. Women were more than twice as likely to have IBS as the men.
Those with IBS were significantly more likely to have reported high levels of stress and anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms than those who did not develop the condition"
Magic Beans: Anti-obesity Soya Could Help Prevent Diabetes
Remember: Beans, beans, good for the heart . . .
Magic Beans: Anti-obesity Soya Could Help Prevent Diabetes: "A diet rich in black soya beans could help control weight, lower fat and cholesterol levels, and aid in the prevention of diabetes, reports Lisa Richards in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI.
Yellow soya has already been hailed for its cholesterol lowering capabilities; this is one of the reasons why frozen food manufacturer Birds Eye has added the beans to its range. However, a team of Korean researchers has shown that black soya may be even more potent in rats, and also prevents weight gain (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, February 2007 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa2808).
The researchers, led by Shin Joung Rho at Hanyang University, Seoul, allowed 32 rats to gorge on a fatty diet, supplemented with various levels of black soya. The results showed that, after two weeks, those getting 10% of their energy from black soya had gained half as much weight as those in the control group. Total blood cholesterol fell by 25% and LDL (so-called 'bad') cholesterol fell by 60% in the rats in the 10% group."
The low-tech solution could help prevent the spread of airborne infections such as tuberculosis -- and ironically, old-fashioned hospitals with high ceilings and big windows may offer the best design for this, they reported.
They worked better than modern 'negative pressure' rooms, with expensive design aimed at pumping out infected air, the researchers report in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.
'Opening windows and doors maximizes natural ventilation so that the risk of airborne contagion is much lower than with costly, maintenance-requiring mechanical ventilation systems,' wrote Rod Escombe of Imperial College London and colleagues in their report."
There are numerous safe and natural alternatives to these dangerous pain killers. High blood pressure is just one of the potentially deadly side effects of these drugs.
Common painkillers raise heart risk: "Popular painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen can raise blood pressure and thus the risk of heart disease among men, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
Men who took such drugs for most days in a week were about one-third more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than men not taking them, the researchers found.
Their findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, reinforce a study published in 2002 that these commonly used drugs raise blood pressure in women.
'This is a potentially preventable cause of high blood pressure,' Dr. John Forman of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who led the study, said in a statement."
In Presence Of Fragrant Cleaning Products, Air Purifiers That Emit Ozone Can Dirty The Air
These are the type of air purifiers you see at health fairs and conventions. They also may contribute to lung irritation and asthma if they are set too high and put too much ozone into the household environment.
'The public needs to be aware that every air purification approach has its limitation, and ionization air purifiers are no exception,' said Sergey Nizkorodov, assistant professor of chemistry at UCI and co-author of the study. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of California - Irvine)
Ozone emitted by purifiers reacts in the air with unsaturated volatile organic compounds such as limonene – a chemical added to cleaning supplies that gives them a lemon fragrance – to create additional microscopic particles, scientists found. Certain ionic purifiers emit ozone as a byproduct of ionization used for charging airborne particles and electrostatically attracting them to metal electrodes. Ozonolysis purifiers emit ozone at higher levels on purpose with the ostensible goal of oxidizing volatile organic compounds in the air."
Vitamin D May Reduce Falls In Elderly Nursing Home Residents
Vitamin D May Reduce Falls In Elderly Nursing Home Residents: "New research suggests that reducing the number of falls suffered by seniors in nursing homes may be helped by taking a vitamin, along with other measures known to decrease falls. According to a study in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, seniors taking a high daily dose of vitamin D experienced 72 percent fewer falls compared to those taking a placebo.
Approximately 50 percent of nursing home residents fall every year, and those who are injured become even more prone to future falls. According to study authors Kerry Broe and Douglas Kiel, 'lowering the risk of falls with a simple vitamin D supplement could improve the quality of life for nursing home residents by reducing the incidence of falls.'
“Past studies have shown that vitamin D could help prevent falls in seniors, and may be due to a possible strengthening effect the vitamin has on the musculoskeletal system. Until now, we didn’t know what dosage amount would be effective,” say Broe and Kiel. The dose that was most effective, 800 International Units per day, is higher than the dose typically prescribed to seniors. Taking this dose of vitamin D should be done only through the approval of a patient's doctor and certain conditions, such as high blood calcium levels, need to be considered by a physician."
Large-scale livestock operations provide most of the meat and meat products consumed around the world--consumption that is growing at a record pace and is projected to double by 2050, said symposium organizer Harold A. Mooney, professor of biological sciences at Stanford. 'We are seeing tremendous environmental problems with these operations, from land degradation and air and water pollution to loss of biodiversity,' he said, noting that the developing world is especially vulnerable to the effects of these operations.
You heard about it in Healing Points close to a decade ago!
Sugar Substitute Xylitol Reduces Risk Of Cavities: "he sugar substitute xylitol affects the bacterial composition of the oral cavity even in low doses. On the other hand, a relatively high intake is needed to counteract the production of acid between the teeth, according to Pernilla Lif Holgerson in the dissertation she will defend at Umeĺ University in Sweden on February 23.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that is produced by reduction of the sugar xylose, or wood sugar. Xylitol occurs naturally in fruits and berries, such as pears and strawberries. It is used in sugarless sweets, above all in chewing gum and lozenges. The dissertation studies what effects the substance has on the ecology of the oral cavity and its role in preventing tooth decay (caries). In a series of studies on children and adolescents, samples of saliva and plaque were examined. Among other findings, it was determined that a daily intake of 3.4 grams of xylitol was sufficient to change the consistency of the bacteria, but this did not lead to a lower production of lactic acid in plaque. In another study it was shown that a single higher intake of xylitol for a limited time reduced the degree of acidity in plaque between teeth."
Crush Garlic Before Cooking: "'Stop and smell the garlic — that's all you have to do,' advised William Shatner, whose starring roles ranged from Captain Kirk in Star Trek to himself in Iron Chef USA. New scientific research is editing Shatner's advice for the millions of people seeking garlic's fabulous flavor and its reputed health benefits. Make it read: Stop and crush the garlic.
Claudio R. Galmarini and colleagues in Argentina and the United States are reporting new evidence that crushing garlic before cooking can reduce the loss of garlic's healthful properties.
In a report scheduled for the March 7 edition of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication, they note that many past studies of garlic and health used raw garlic. The new study joins a handful or others to examine how the heat of cooking affects the chemical compounds associated with garlic's beneficial health effects."
Plastics In Common Household Items May Cause Fertility Defects
Remember: Plastic=bad, plastic=bad. Even plastic water bottles. Especially plastic water bottles. And plastic wrap and containers in microwaves. Bad. Cancer. Avoid. Remember. Even Nalgene.
Plastics In Common Household Items May Cause Fertility Defects: "The contaminant bisphenol-A (BPA)--widely used to make many plastics found in food storage containers and dental products--can have long-term effects in female development, according to a recent study by Yale School of Medicine researchers.
Lead investigator Hugh S. Taylor, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences (Ob/Gyn) at Yale, said the study shows that BPA changes the expression of key developmental genes that form the uterus. Taylor explained that if pregnant women are exposed to the estrogen-like properties found in BPA, it may impact female reproductive tract development and the future fertility of female fetuses the mother is carrying.
The study was conducted on pregnant female mice by administering a range of doses of BPA on days 9-16 of their pregnancies. The aim was to see what interaction BPA would have with the HOXA10 gene, which is necessary for uterine development."
Genetic modification of food is simply insane. It's the epitome of the old saying: Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should do it.
GM Potatoes linked to Cancer: "Campaigners against genetically modified crops in Britain last are calling for trials of GM potatoes this spring to be halted after releasing more evidence of links with cancers in laboratory rats.
UK Greenpeace activists said the findings, obtained from Russian trials after an eight-year court battle with the biotech industry, vindicated research by Dr Arpad Pusztai, whose work was criticised by the Royal Society and the Netherlands State Institute for Quality Control.
The disclosure last night of the Russian study on the GM Watch website led to calls for David Miliband, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to withdraw permission for new trials on GM potatoes to go ahead at secret sites in the UK this spring. Alan Simpson, a Labour MP and green campaigner, said: 'These trials should be stopped. The research backs up the work of Arpad Pusztai and it shows that he was the victim of a smear campaign by the biotech industry. There has been a cover-up over these findings and the Government should not be a party to that.'
Mr Simpson said the findings, which showed that lab rats developed tumours, were released by anti-GM campaigners in Wales. Dr Pusztai and a colleague used potatoes that had been genetically modified to produce a protein, lectin. They found cell damage in the rats' stomachs, and i"
Plant-derived Omega-3s May Aid In Bone Health: "Plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may have a protective effect on bone health, according to a team of Penn State researchers who carried out the first controlled diet study of these fatty acids contained in such foods as flaxseed and walnuts.
Normally, most of the omega-3 fatty acids in the diet are plant-derived and come mainly from soybean and canola oil. Other sources are flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts and walnut oil. Smaller amounts also come from marine sources, mainly fish, but also algae. Omega-3s are thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect and may play an important part in heart and bone health.
'The unique thing about this study is that we know exactly what the participants ate because we closely controlled their food,' says Dr. Rebecca Corwin, associate professor of nutrition. 'These people are really dedicated to spend a total of 24 weeks in the study with 18 weeks eating only what was supplied to them.'
Previous studies of omega-3s on bone health used oil supplements rather than whole food sources. The researchers note in a recent issue of Nutrition Journal, that 'supplement studies typically do not involve control of the background diet, and it is possible that differences across studies could be explained by failure to control for other nutrients that affect bones.'"
Good Vibrations: Aging Bones May Benefit From A Good Shaking
Aging Bones May Benefit From A Good Shaking: "While running and jumping are some of the best ways to maintain or improve bone strength and help prevent fractures, they aren't the safest activities for the frail, elderly or physically impaired.
Dr Belinda Beck, senior lecturer at Griffith University's School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, said there was some evidence that low intensity loading performed at a sufficiently high frequency may also improve bone mass.
She has recently received funding to test the effects of a whole body vibration device -- a platform that participants stand on while it vibrates at up to 30 cycles per second. 'Bone generally responds to exercise that is high intensity but older people can't do that without the risk of hurting themselves. We need a stimulus that is effective on bone but does not cause damage.'"
One could say that this isn't a health issue and doesn't belong in HealingPoints, but it does. The health of the society affects the health of the individuals. Executions solve nothing and only further barbarize an already barbaric world. How can this be healthy?
Executions Create Generations of Victims: "'They're going to kill him because he killed somebody, so when they kill him, who do we get to kill?' asked the 10-year-old daughter of Christina Lawson at the time of her father's execution by the U.S. state of Texas in 2005.
State executions leave such children confused and traumatised -- and entire families, too. Some are so affected that they are driven to the brink of insanity, a groundbreaking report entitled 'Creating More Victims: How Executions Hurt the Families left Behind' graphically illustrates.
It has been published by Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights (MVFHR), a Massachusetts-based organisation representing the family members of the victims of murder and state executions.
'Families of the executed are victims too,' the report stresses.
The pain of one group of survivors should not be redressed by causing pain to another group of survivors. Society needs to address the emotional and physical harm that is being done. "
This is so logical and apparent given just a moment of thought. An effective shower filter can be putrchased for not much money that will remove chlorine. Chlorine is also absorbed directly into the lungs via steam generated in the shower. Even though municipal tap water is considered "safe", it's not, and should never be used for drinking, bathing, cooking, teeth brushing, etc. without first being filtered to remove chlorine and other toxins.
Scientists found chemical by-products from mains water containing the disinfectant can be absorbed through the skin in the bath or shower and accumulate in the bladder.
Swimming in public pools can also present a risk because chlorine levels are much higher.
The risk is caused by chemical by-products called THMs which are produced when chlorine is added to water."
Siesta Sense: Midday Napping Associated With Reduced Risk Of Heart-related Death
Naps are just good sense. You'll live longer and healthier by taking just a few minutes in the middle of the day or in the early afternoon by taking a quick snooze. 5-10 minutes is probably enough and can be managed during a lunch or coffee break. It's like starting the day fresh as well.
Siesta Sense: Midday Napping Associated With Reduced Risk Of Heart-related Death: "Among Greek adults, taking regular midday naps is associated with reduced risk of death from heart disease over a six-year period, especially among working men, according to a report in the February 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Some evidence suggests that in countries where siestas are common, rates of death from heart disease tend to be lower. However, the few studies that have assessed the potential relationship have not controlled for other factors that may influence heart disease risk, such as physical activity and age, according to background information in the article."
Proton-pump inhibitors are bad news and should rarely if ever be used. Heartburn is a symptom of digestive problems or bad food choices. Taking a PPI simply masks the problem. Eating slowly, chewing food very well, eating simply, and possibly taking digestive aids and herbs will deal with most heartburn without masking symptoms. Long-term use of PPI's may lead to malabsorption of important minerals, including calcium, which can then lead to other conditions such as osteoporosis. Plus, stomach acid is the body's first defense against food-borne pathogens.
Heartburn Treatment May Increase Bile Reflux: "A new study may explain why individuals treated for acid reflux with proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) still experience reflux symptoms.
Researchers from the Lynn Health Science Institute in Oklahoma City, OK, treated 15 individuals with significant complaints of heartburn, with either a PPI or with a placebo. After one week, all participants underwent monitoring and polysomnography, both of which were done after participants were given an acid-inducing meal to raise the baseline occurrence of reflux.
Researchers found that, while total reflux events and acid reflux events decreased considerably with PPI treatment, nonacidic reflux events, such as stomach bile regurgitation, were significantly greater with PPI treatment. Researchers suggest that this increase in nonacid reflux events may explain persistent symptoms in some patients, despite being treated with PPIs.
This study appears in the February issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians."
Do you know where your flowers have been?: "It's probably the last thing most people think about when buying roses - by the time the bright, velvety flowers reach your Valentine, they will have been sprayed, rinsed and dipped in a battery of potentially lethal chemicals.
Most of the toxic assault takes place in the waterlogged savannah surrounding the capital of Colombia, the world's second-largest cut-flower producer after the Netherlands. It produces 62 percent of all flowers sold in the United States.
With 110,000 employees - many of them single mothers - and annual exports of $1 billion, the industry provides an important alternative to growing coca, the source crop of the Andean nation's better known illegal export: cocaine. But these economic gains come at a cost to workers' health and Colombia's environment, according to consumer advocates.
The U.S. requires imported flowers to be bug-free, but unlike edible fruits and vegetables they are not tested for chemical residues."
In most indigenous cultures the time of the woman's menstrual cycle is set aside for rest, reflection, and ceremony. Perhaps our culture needs to learn something from the more "primitive" ones.
Menstrual cycle injury risk link: "Women are more likely to injure themselves at specific times in their menstrual cycle, research suggests.
London's Portland Hospital surveyed 1,000 osteopaths, and studied 17 women with a regular menstrual cycle. The study suggests the risk of injury is linked to fluctuating hormone levels which affect the muscles and ligaments. Both tissues appear to be vulnerable midway through the menstrual cycle, while the ligaments are at greater risk at the end."
Unhealthy Flowers: Why Buying Organic Should Not End With Your Food
Unhealthy Flowers: Why Buying Organic Should Not End With Your Food: "In recent years conscious consumers have enjoyed a spike in the availability of socially and environmentally responsible products. Worried about sweatshop shoes? Try on a pair of Adbusters' Blackspot sneakers. Concerned that your clothes were made in a dismal factory where the workers are paid starvation wages? Go with an American Apparel T-shirt or a No Sweat hoodie. If pesticide residues on your vegetables and hormone-laced meat are your worry, then head for the organic section at the supermarket. Your morning coffee can easily be fair trade-certified, as can the bananas that you put on your cereal.
But what about the flowers on the coffee table, or the bouquet you were going to buy for Valentine's Day? Where were those stems grown, by whom and under what conditions? What are the sustainable and socially responsible options when buying flowers?
Until now, there haven't been encouraging answers to those questions. Conventionally grown cut flowers are most often raised in chemical-intensive systems that expose workers to toxins that can make them sick -- sweatshops in the greenhouses, you could say. Responsible alternatives have been difficult, if not impossible, to find."
Vitamin D3 Provides Skin With Protection From Harmful Microbes
Yet more on Vitamin D, a nutrient that I think will be the vitamin of the decade in discoveries regarding both it's importance to health and to the understanding that the recommended daily doses are just way too low.
Vitamin D3 Provides Skin With Protection From Harmful Microbes: "A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine shows that fluctuations in Vitamin D3 levels control the body's innate immune response, affecting a skin wound's ability to heal.
Richard L. Gallo, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and chief of UCSD's Division of Dermatology and the Dermatology section of the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, says that several unexpected associations between fluctuations of the body's vitamin D3 and infectious disease have emerged in recent investigations.
In a study appearing online February 8 in advance of publication in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Gallo and his colleagues look at how the innate immune system is controlled in the skin, and find that genes controlled by active vitamin D3 play an essential role in the process."
Folate And B12 May Influence Cognition In Seniors: "'People with normal vitamin B12 status performed better if their serum folate was high,' explains Morris, corresponding author of the study. 'But for people with low vitamin B12 status, high serum folate was associated with poor performance on the cognitive test.' Seniors with low vitamin B12 status and high serum folate were also significantly more likely than seniors in other categories to have anemia, a condition caused by reduced amounts of hemoglobin in oxygen-carrying red blood cells, or by a deficiency in the number or volume of such cells.
'For seniors, low vitamin B12 status and high serum folate was the worst combination,' says Morris. 'Specifically, anemia and cognitive impairment were observed nearly five times as often for people with this combination than among people with normal vitamin B12 and normal folate.' Vitamin B12 deficiency, which affects many seniors due to age-related decreases in absorption, can impact the production of DNA needed for new cells, as well as neurological function."
Drugmakers Hurry Sales, Delay Safety Studies: "The federal government has admitted that pharmaceutical companies it is supposed to regulate have not yet made good on hundreds of promises to test the safety of drugs already approved for the market.
According to a notice published Friday by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), from October 2005 through September 2006, companies had yet to initiate 71 percent of outstanding 'post-market' safety evaluations that companies have promised to undertake for currently approved products they are already selling to consumers.
Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the FDA can approve drugs despite unresolved safety concerns, but it can also require further studies by the manufacturer once a drug is released onto the market.
The FDA reported that of the 1,259 'open post-marketing commitments' tied to already-approved drugs, 899 were still 'pending,' meaning the studies had not yet begun. Only 15 percent of the studies were currently underway. Another 3 percent were officially behind schedule."
Smoking-gun Proof That Misuse of Antibiotics Breeds Superbugs
Smoking-gun Proof That Misuse of Antibiotics Breeds Superbugs: "Medical experts have long assumed that misuse of antibiotics breeds drug-resistant superbugs, but a newly released study has finally provided smoking-gun proof as to how this occurs.
Bacterial diseases that were once easy to treat, such as tuberculosis, gonorrhoea, typhus and pneumonia, are becoming ever-tougher challenges as germs evolve into strains that outstrip science's ability to keep up.
The new research provides hard evidence that antibiotics which are mismatched to the type of bacteria being targeted can hike this worsening resistance problem."
Lavender And Tea Tree Oils May Cause Breast Growth In Boys
Lavender And Tea Tree Oils May Cause Breast Growth In Boys: "A study published in this week's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that repeated topical use of products containing lavender oil and/or tea tree oil may cause prepubertal gynecomastia, a rare condition resulting in enlarged breast tissue in boys prior to puberty, and for which a cause is seldom identified.
Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), confirmed in laboratory studies what a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Science Center's School of Medicine suspected after diagnosing three of his young male patients with prepubertal gynecomastia. The researchers found an association between the use of products containing these oils and the rare disorder, but cautioned more research is needed. At this point, the findings are only applicable to young males with unexplainable enlarged breasts who are regularly using products containing these essential oils."
After following 8,000 children from kindergarten to third grade, researchers concluded that kids who watched the most TV were at the greatest risk of being or becoming overweight. Children who ate fewer meals with their families also were at risk for becoming overweight.
'Other research has shown that children who eat meals with their families eat more healthy foods than children who don't eat as many meals with their families,' said Sara Gable, associate professor of human development and family studies in the MU College of Human Environmental Studies. 'I suspect there are other benefits of family meal times that protect children from developing some of the habits that could lead to weight problems.'"
Reimer and her colleagues are launching the first human trials anywhere to assess a promising natural fiber, which has already been shown to be effective in tests involving genetically obese rats.
'It may not be the magic bullet,' Reimer says, 'but in all likelihood this will likely be one factor that people can change in their life to help achieve a healthy body weight. It won't cure obesity or cause people to drop half their body weight -- not even our strongest obesity drugs can do that -- but we believe it could help.'"
Men Warned Of Osteoporosis Problems: "A McMaster University researcher is alerting men and their doctors that osteoporosis isn't just a woman's problem but that the bone-wasting disease can severely afflict them, too.
To overcome this common perception, Dr. Aliya A. Khan, a professor of clinical medicine, led a group of five Canadian experts in the development of guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and management of osteoporosis in men. Their paper appears in the January 30 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).
Dr. Khan said the CMAJ paper is intended to make physicians aware of the fact that they can no longer overlook diagnosing osteoporosis in their male patients. 'That's the bottom line. We want to bring all the research we have to the forefront and we want to bring it to the desk of Canadian physicians.'"
Agribusiness' Endless Appetite for Profit: "In recent years, the United States of America has morphed into what one writer calls 'the United States of Arugula.' The rise of the celebrity chef, of the 24-hour Food Network, and Martha Stewart's do-it-all perfectionism has brought on a similar yearning for all things gourmet, for fine cooking and finer dining, mache and foie gras alike.
During the same time, a number of notable books have shined a light on the darker side of our new food obsession. Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and Peter Singer's The Way We Eat, among many others, showcase how the decisions we make at grocery stores or restaurants affect us and the planet. But very few books address the policies that shape the food supply and influence eating habits in this country, policies that make some foods cheap or expensive, that bring us 'fresh' asparagus from Argentina, and that arguably have led to our current epidemics of obesity, diabetes and other health problems brought on by our food choices.
Michele Simon's new book, Appetite for Profit aims to address this oversight. Simon is the founder of the Center for Informed Food Choices and Research and Policy Director for the Marin Institute, and Appetite for Profit helps illuminate the many ways that food companies -- from agribusiness giants like Archer Daniels Midland to General"
Folic Acid May Prevent Cleft Lip And Palate: "A new study finds that women who take folic acid supplements early in their pregnancy can substantially reduce their baby's chances of being born with a facial cleft.
Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, found that 0.4 milligrams (mg) a day of folic acid reduced by one third the baby's risk of isolated cleft lip (with or without cleft palate). Folic acid is a B vitamin found in leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, beans, and whole grains. It can also be taken as a vitamin supplement, and it is added to flour and other fortified foods. The recommended daily dietary allowance for folate for adults is 400 micrograms or 0.4 mg.
'These findings provide further evidence of the benefits of folic acid for women,' said Allen J. Wilcox, M.D. Ph.D., lead NIEHS author on the new study published online in the British Medical Journal. 'We already know that folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Our research suggests that folic acid also helps prevent facial clefts, another common birth defect.' In the United States, about one in every 750 babies is born with cleft lip and/or palate."
Snakes help soothe the joints at Israeli spa: "TALMEY EL'AZAR, Israel, Jan 25 (Reuters Life!) - Hold the Dead Sea salts and tea-tree oil. An Israeli health and beauty spa has introduced a new treatment to its menu -- snake massage.
For 300 shekels ($70), clients at Ada Barak's spa in northern Israel can add a wild twist to their treatment by having six non-venomous but very lively serpents slither and hiss a path across their aching muscles and stiff joints.
'I'm actually afraid of snakes, but the therapeutic effects are really good,' customer Liz Cohen told Reuters Television as Barak let the snakes loose on her body.
Barak uses California and Florida king snakes, corn snakes and milk snakes in her treatments, which she said were inspired by her belief that once people get over any initial misgivings, they find physical contact with the creatures to be soothing."
Molecular Link Between Inflammation And Cancer Discovered
Molecular Link Between Inflammation And Cancer Discovered: "A team led by biochemists at the University of California, San Diego has found what could be a long-elusive mechanism through which inflammation can promote cancer. The findings may provide a new approach for developing cancer therapies.
Normal dialogue between cell defense and development (left) and chronic inflammation leading to hyperactive developmental signaling that may promote cancer (right). (Credit: Alexander Hoffmann, UCSD)
The study, published in the January 26 issue of the journal Cell, shows that what scientists thought were two distinct processes in cells—the cells’ normal development and the cells’ response to dangers such as invading organisms—are actually linked. The researchers, who were also from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, say that the linkage of these two processes may explain why cancer, which is normal growth and development gone awry, can result from chronic inflammation, which is an out-of-control response to danger.
“Although there is plenty of evidence that chronic inflammation can promote cancer, the cause of this relationship is not understood,” said Alexander Hoffmann, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at U.C. San Diego, who led the study. “We have identified a basic cellula"
Selenium Supplements May Contribute To Reduced HIV Viral Load
Selenium Supplements May Contribute To Reduced HIV Viral Load: "Taking daily selenium supplements appears to increase the level of the essential mineral in the blood and may suppress the progression of viral load in patients with HIV infection, according to an article in the January 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Advances in antiretroviral therapy (ART) have given HIV patients a longer life expectancy, according to background information in the article. However, strict adherence to the therapy is required to keep HIV viral counts low, and there is a risk of toxic effects and metabolic dysfunction. 'Thus, complete control of HIV over time using ART is unlikely, and pharmacotherapeutic limitations leave a significant void in the treatment arsenal,' the authors write. Selenium deficiencies have been observed in patients with HIV spectrum disease and evidence suggests that selenium supplements can improve immune functioning."
Psychosocial Factors Associated With Higher Levels Of Inflammatory Markers
Psychosocial Factors Associated With Higher Levels Of Inflammatory Markers: "Psychosocial factors, such as cynical distrust, chronic stress and depression, may be associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers measured in the blood, which in turn are related to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a report in the January 22 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A number of studies have linked psychosocial characteristics with cardiovascular disease and death, according to background information in the article. However, the mechanisms by which they are related are unclear. 'Research has highlighted the importance of inflammation in the initiation and development of atherosclerosis and in the precipitation of cardiovascular events,' the authors write. 'Inflammation may be a mechanistic pathway linking psychosocial factors to cardiovascular disease.'"
Researchers at the National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan found that providing 15-minute treatment sessions twice a day for five days a week yielded considerable benefits, including reductions in verbal and physical attacks and wandering.
But once the four-week treatment period ended, agitation levels started to rise again, suggesting that acupressure needs to be provided on an ongoing basis."
Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem -- in England around 1.3 million people have diabetes and around 5% of total NHS resources are used for the care of people with diabetes.
Researchers from Leicester reviewed studies which measured the effects of different interventions -- lifestyle, diabetes drug and anti-obesity drug -- on people with impaired glucose tolerance. (People with impaired glucose tolerance have a high risk of developing type II diabetes.)
They found that lifestyle changes, e.g. switching to a healthier diet and increasing exercise to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs. On average, lifestyle changes helped to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by around half. Lifestyle changes were also less likely to have adverse side-effects."
Active Ingredient In Common Chinese Herb Shown To Reduce Hypertension
Active Ingredient In Common Chinese Herb Shown To Reduce Hypertension: "Some 50 million Americans have hypertension, that is, blood pressure measuring above the normal range (less than 120/80 mmHg). If untreated, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, or kidney disease. Lifestyle changes are the first-stage treatment for the disease, but if they fail, medications are prescribed.
Many patients with high blood pressure have sought relief from complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In so doing, many have consumed danshen, a Chinese herb used in Oriental medicine that promotes blood flow and treats cardiovascular disease.
Tanshinone IIA is an active ingredient of danshen. Since tanshinone IIA is widely available, a team of researchers has used it to investigate if this active ingredient can reduce blood pressure. In a soon-to-be-released study, using an animal model, the scientists have found that tanshinone IIA does reduce blood pressure."
Cup Of Green Tea To Keep The Bacteria Away: "Beneficial effects of green tea have been known for millenia, particularly in Asian cultures. An ancient Chinese proverb says: 'Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one'. A cup of green tea contains up to 200 mg of catechins, whose biological activity has been mainly attributed to its antioxidant activity. Efficiency of green tea extract in oral hygiene has been known for centuries and this gave researchers a clue that antibacterial activity might be involved.
Now researchers from the National institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana, Slovenia discovered that the main ingredients of green tea are able to perform other tricks. They found out that green tea catechins inhibit essential bacterial enzyme DNA gyrase, which is the target of several existing clinically used drugs. By the use of NMR spectroscopy, researchers from Slovenia have now pinpointed the ATP-binding site of DNA gyrase as target of EGCG, the most abundant catechin from the green tea extract. Up to now several compounds targeted against the ATP-binding site of bacteria gyrase have been known but couldn't be used as drugs due to their side effects on mammalian cells.
Lead researcher Roman Jerala, the head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology at NIC explains: 'We can anticipate to avoid the problem of toxicity using the compounds based on the gree"
Among nearly 3,400 young adults participating in a long-term study, every additional fast food meal they consumed each week correlated with a substantial increase in body mass index (BMI), Dr. Barry M. Popkin of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and colleagues found.
'It's a large effect,' Popkin told Reuters Health in an interview. 'That's enough of an effect to take you from being non-diabetic to diabetic.'
Food eaten away from home now accounts for up to 42 percent of Americans' calorie intake, Popkin and his team note in their report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. While the increase in restaurant and fast food consumption has occurred at the same time as the rise in obesity, they add, it's not clear if it's a contributing factor."
Jan Oszmianski, leading a team at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw, Poland, compared clear and cloudy varieties of apple juice, and found that cloudy juice contains four times the concentration of polyphenols. Polyophenols are also found in dark chocolate, red wine and are widely reported to have anti-caner activity. The research published this month in the SCI's Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture (DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.2707).
Lucy Ede, Head of Products at the juice company Innocent, said they already use cloudy apple juice in their products. 'Cloudy juices taste better and have amazing body, which is important for us,' she said. 'But the fact that cloudy juices have more health benefits is extra exciting and definitely encourages us to use them.'"
Worried About Prostate Cancer? Tomato-broccoli Combo Shown To Be Effective
Worried About Prostate Cancer? Tomato-broccoli Combo Shown To Be Effective: "A new University of Illinois study shows that tomatoes and broccoli--two vegetables known for their cancer-fighting qualities--are better at shrinking prostate tumors when both are part of the daily diet than when they're eaten alone.
'When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it's because different bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways,' said University of Illinois food science and human nutrition professor John Erdman.
In a study published in the January 15 issue of Cancer Research, Erdman and doctoral candidate Kirstie Canene-Adams fed a diet containing 10 percent tomato powder and 10 percent broccoli powder to laboratory rats that had been implanted with prostate cancer cells. The powders were made from whole foods so the effects of eating the entire vegetable could be compared with consuming individual parts of them as a nutritional supplement."
Heartburn drugs raise risk of hip fractures: "Long-term use of popular anti-heartburn drugs that block stomach acid production increases the risk of hip fractures in adults over 50, perhaps because the drugs inhibit calcium absorption, researchers said on Tuesday.
The drug class, called proton pump inhibitors because they shut down stomach acid production, are used by millions who suffer from acid-related stomach problems including ulcers and gastro-esophageal reflux."
Note: This is another duh. The body needs stomach acid to absorb calcium. People in the natural health field have been saying that for a long time. For the same reason, Calcium supplements made from Calcium Carbonate are far less efficient (but a lot cheaper) than those made from more absorbable forms of Calcium, such as amino acid chelates and calcium lactate.
High Levels Of Vitamin D In Body May Decrease Risk Of Multiple Sclerosis
High Levels Of Vitamin D In Body May Decrease Risk Of Multiple Sclerosis: "The possibility that vitamin D could help protect people from developing multiple sclerosis (MS) has been posited by researchers in recent decades, but evidence to support that link has been scant. In the first large-scale, prospective study to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels and MS, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) have found an association between higher levels of vitamin D in the body and a lower risk of MS. The study appears in the December 20, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association."
Is Your Lipstick Safe?: That lipstick or nail polish you may be wearing -- are they a danger to your health? How about your deodorant, toothpaste, body lotion, soap?
Seemingly innocuous personal-care products contain a host of largely unregulated chemicals and toxic ingredients. Some of those chemicals -- phthalates, formaldehyde, petroleum, parabens, benzene and lead -- have been variously linked to breast cancer, endometriosis, reproductive disorders, birth defects and developmental disabilities in children.
Women and girls should be particularly concerned, as our bodies are uniquely susceptible to certain environmental chemicals.
"Obesity and insulin resistance are strongly associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and confer a greater risk of advanced liver disease. Researchers tested a long-held suspicion that consuming refined carbohydrates such as high fructose corn syrup and sucrose, products found in soft drinks, is a key factor in developing NAFLD, as the mechanisms involved in fructose-induced NAFLD are unclear. “It has been discussed before that besides high dietary intake of fat, a diet high in refined carbohydrates and herein especially fructose might be critically involved in the pathogenesis of NAFLD” said Dr. Bergheim, lead author of the study. “As simple steatosis is the earliest and most common type of liver disease, we wanted to test the effect of chronic intake of refined sugars on hepatic lipid accumulation.”
Mice were given access to different sugars – glucose, fructose, and sucrose – and artificial sweetener in drinking water. Hepatic lipid accumulation, weight gain, liver to body weight ratios, and serum liver enzymes were measured in the four groups. Mice exposed to sugar-sweetened beverages experienced a decrease in caloric intake from chow but a greater weight gain than the group exposed to artificial sweetener.
The research team concluded that consumption of high fructose can have negative effects on li"
"Those in their 50s and 60s who want to lose weight might consider heading to the cardio workout room instead of counting calories, suggests new research out this month.
Both those who dieted and those who exercised lost a significant amount of weight, according to findings from an NIH-funded study on whether a calorie-restriction diet can extend lifespan. However, while exercisers maintained their strength and muscle mass and increased aerobic capacity, those who dieted lost muscle mass, strength and aerobic capacity.
'Exercise-induced weight loss provides the additional benefit of improving physical performance capacity,' says Edward Weiss, Ph.D., lead author and assistant professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis University's Doisy College of Health Sciences."
"A new stretch is proving quite effective to help treat and potentially cure plantar fasciitis, a condition that affects nearly 2.5 million Americans each year. In a study recently published in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, researchers found that patients suffering from the painful heel spur syndrome had a 75 percent chance of having no pain and returning to full activity within three to six months of performing the stretch. In addition, patients have about a 75 percent chance of needing no further treatment."
A study published in the journal 'Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases' refutes the frequently repeated claims that a comprehensive salt reduction would not produce any overall health benefits, or would even increase diseases and shorten the life-span.
Professors, Dr. Heikki Karppanen of the University of Helsinki and Dr. Eero Mervaala of the University of Kuopio report that an average 30-35 % reduction in salt intake during 30 years in Finland was associated with a dramatic 75 % to 80 % decrease in both stroke and coronary heart disease mortality in the population under 65 years. During the same period the life expectancy of both male and female Finns increased by 6 to 7 years.
The most powerful explaining factor for the favorable changes was the more than 10 mmHg ('point') decrease in the average blood pressure of the population. A marked decrease in the average cholesterol levels of the population also remarkably contributed to the decrease of heart diseases. The extensive use of drugs contributed less than 10 % of the observed decreases in blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases."
Higher Red Meat Intake May Increase Risk For Certain Breast Cancers
Higher Red Meat Intake May Increase Risk For Certain Breast Cancers: "Eating more red meat may be associated with a higher risk for hormone receptor--positive breast cancers in premenopausal women, according to a report in the November 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
'Breast tumors are often characterized by hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptor status,' the authors write as background information in the article, meaning that the cancer is classified by whether these hormones can bind to proteins on the surface of the tumor. 'Although the incidence rates of hormone receptor--negative tumors have remained relatively constant, the incidence of hormone receptor--positive tumors has been increasing in the United States, especially among middle-aged women.' The diets of American women may be linked to this increase, since some foods--including certain components of red meat--can contain hormones or hormone-like compounds that influence tumors through their hormone receptors."
A new study by scientists at the MUHC has revealed that a diet low in folate may increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Published in the scientific journal Cancer Research today, the study not only illustrates a way to prevent the disease but also provides further insight into the mechanisms of the disease, which could lead to novel therapies. Using animal models, the MUHC study is the first to demonstrate directly that diets low in folate cause colorectal cancer, and follows on the heels of earlier research by the same team that revealed how high folate diets can protect against heart disease."
Feeding babies alcoholic milk may help to protect against some food allergies. Kefir, a traditional fermented drink, is consumed in Eastern Europe as a health food, and is often used to wean babies, as it is easily digested. Food allergy prevalence is especially high in children under the age of three, with around 5-8% of infants at risk. Currently the only treatment is avoidance of the problematic food."
Vitamins may lower brain tumor risk in offspring: "NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who take vitamin supplements during pregnancy appear to have infants with a reduced risk of brain tumors, according to researchers.
In addition, 'taking vitamin supplements very early in pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant, prevents spina bifida and other neural tube defects,' lead investigator Dr. Greta R. Bunin told Reuters Health.
The researchers studied mothers of 315 children who had brain tumors add were younger than 6 years old at diagnosis. These women (cases) were compared with a group of 315 similar mothers (controls) without children with brain tumors."
Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Slow Down Early Alzheimer's In Some Cases
Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Slow Down Early Alzheimer's In Some Cases: "Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may slow cognitive decline in some patients with very mild Alzheimer's disease, according to new findings from Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Sweden. However, the positive affect of Omega-3 do not appear in cases with more advanced Alzheimer's. This is the first clinical trial ever made in the field and the result is published in the October issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Alzheimer's disease is a severely debilitating condition that affects thinking, learning and memory, beginning with declines in episodic memory. Medications are available to treat the symptoms, but these drugs do not affect the underlying cause and progression of the disease. Several studies have shown that eating fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids, may protect against Alzheimer's disease, leading researchers to question whether supplements could have similar effects."
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, approximately 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk of developing osteoporosis, a disease of porous and brittle bones that causes higher susceptibility to bone fractures. Now, Katherine Tucker, PhD, director of the Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Program at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, and colleagues have reported findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that cola, a popular beverage for many Americans, may contribute to lower bone mineral density in older women, a condition which increases risk for osteoporosis." (Note: I've been telling people this for around a decade.)
Daily cups of tea can help you recover more quickly from the stresses of everyday life, according to a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers. New scientific evidence shows that black tea has an effect on stress hormone levels in the body.
The study, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, found that people who drank tea were able to de-stress more quickly than those who drank a fake tea substitute. Furthermore, the study participants – who drank a black tea concoction four times a day for six weeks – were found to have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood after a stressful event, compared with a control group who drank the fake or placebo tea for the same period of time."
Americans have been trying to get their cholesterol levels down for decades, ever since studies showed a strong link between high cholesterol and heart disease. But in recent years, experts have suggested that some people should aim even lower, recently recommending very low levels of the type of cholesterol called low-density lipoprotein for some high-risk people -- even if it means they had to take multiple medications to get there.
Not so fast, says a team of researchers from the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Health System in a new paper in the October Annals of Internal Medicine.
After performing an exhaustive review of existing research on LDL cholesterol and heart health, they conclude that there is no scientifically valid evidence to support the ultra-low LDL target of 70 milligrams/deciliter for very high-risk patients that has been advocated by some members of the federal government's National Cholesterol Education Program. Further, they suggest that the evidence previously cited to support an LDL goal of less than 100mg/dL for high risk patients also has major flaws."
Antioxidant-rich Pecans Can Protect Against Unhealthy Oxidation
ScienceDaily: Antioxidant-rich Pecans Can Protect Against Unhealthy Oxidation: "A new research study from Loma Linda University (LLU) shows that adding just a handful of pecans to your diet each day may inhibit unwanted oxidation of blood lipids, thus helping reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers suggest that this positive effect was in part due to the pecan's significant content of vitamin E.
'Plant foods, including pecans, are rich sources of phytochemicals that can have a unique effect on the body,' says LLU researcher Ella Haddad, DrPH, associate professor, department of nutrition, School of Public Health.
Pecans contain different forms of vitamin E -- known as tocopherols -- which protects fats from oxidation. Pecans are especially rich in one form of vitamin E -- gamma tocopherol."
Published in the Oct. 9 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, the early laboratory findings may lead to a new approach in treating Alzheimer's disease by enhancing the natural function of the immune system using curcumin, known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties."
"Acupuncture can be effective in treating patients with low back pain and the benefits seem to improve with time, according to research published on Friday.
The ancient Chinese treatment, which involves inserting fine needles at specific meridians of the body, is a popular complementary therapy for a variety of ailments.
Hugh MacPherson and scientists at the University of York in England said the benefits of a short course of acupuncture were evident in their study of 241 back pain sufferers.
'If you offer acupuncture to someone with back pain on average it is expected you are likely to benefit, not just in the short term but particularly in the longer-term of 12 and especially 24 months,' he said in an interview.
'That's a remarkable finding in that normally you would expect the benefit of the treatment to wear off,' MacPherson added."
Whole-grain diets may help reduce blood pressure - Yahoo! News
Whole-grain diets may help reduce blood pressure "Diets with increases whole-grain foods, high in soluble or insoluble fiber, are associated with a reduction in blood pressure in individuals with slightly elevated cholesterol, according to researchers in Maryland.
Dr. Kay M. Behall and colleagues from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, examined the effects on blood pressure of whole-grain diets containing insoluble fiber (whole wheat and brown rice) and soluble fiber (barley)."
Vitamin D halves pancreatic cancer risk - Yahoo! News
Vitamin D halves pancreatic cancer risk "People who take vitamin D tablets are half as likely to get deadly pancreatic cancer as people who do not, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.
Now they are checking to see if getting the vitamin from food or sunlight also cuts the risk.
The study suggests one easy way to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, the fourth-leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. This year, the American Cancer Society estimates that 32,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed, and only 5 percent of patients will survive more than five years."
ScienceDaily: Regular Aerobic Exercise Significantly Reduces Markers Of Increased Colon-cancer Risk In Men
ScienceDaily: Regular Aerobic Exercise Significantly Reduces Markers Of Increased Colon-cancer Risk In Men: "Regular, moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise significantly reduces a risk factor associated with the formation of colon polyps and colon cancer in men, according to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The findings, from the first randomized clinical trial to test the effect of exercise on colon-cancer biomarkers in colon tissue, appear in the September issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.
'In men who met the study's exercise prescription of an hour of aerobic activity per day, six days a week for a year, we saw a substantial decrease in the amount of cellular proliferation in the areas of the colon that are most vulnerable to colon cancer,' said lead author Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., an internist and epidemiologist who directs the Hutchinson Center's Prevention Center. 'However, we found that even four hours or more of exercise weekly was enough to produce a significant benefit,' she said."
Women who reported the highest levels of physical activity in the year before they were diagnosed with breast cancer may have higher survival, according to a new study. Published in the October 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study found that obese and overweight women who had higher levels of moderate or vigorous recreational physical activity within one year before diagnosis tended to have better five-year survival patterns compared to other groups. Women of ideal body weight did not experience survival benefits from exercise; more remote histories of physical activity also had no impact on survival."
Anti-obesity compound found in brown seaweed - Yahoo! News
Anti-obesity compound found in brown seaweed: "NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Studies in animals suggest that brown seaweed, also known as wakame -- commonly used to flavor Asian soups and salads, contains a compound that promotes weight loss. The compound, called fucoxanthin, also has anti-diabetes effects.
At the 232nd American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Francisco today, Dr. Kazuo Miyashita from Hokkaido University reported seeing significant reductions in fat tissue in rats and obese mice fed the edible seaweed carotenoid fucoxanthin.
'The mechanism for this effect is a new one,' Dr. Miyashita points out in a statement, explaining that fucoxanthin induces expression of the fat-burning protein UCP1 that accumulates in fat tissue around the internal organs. Mice fed fucoxanthin showed clear signs of UCP1 expression in fat tissue, whereas mice fed a control diet showed little expression of this protein.
The studies suggest that fucoxanthin-induced expression of UCP1 in fat tissue fuels the oxidation of fatty acids and production of heat energy in fat tissue mitochondria. Mitochondria, found in every cell, convert sugar and fatty acids into energy and play a key role in regulating metabolism.
Miyashita and colleagues also found that fucoxanthin has 'strong' anti-diabetes effects by promoting the synthesis of DHA in the liver. DHA is an important fat"
Compounds in cranberry juice have the ability to change E. coli bacteria, a class of microorganisms responsible for a host of human illnesses (everything from kidney infections to gastroenteritis to tooth decay), in ways that render them unable to initiate an infection. The results of this new research by scientists at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) suggest that the cranberry may provide an alternative to antibiotics, particularly for combating E. coli bacteria that have become resistant to conventional treatment.
The new findings, which will be presented on Sunday, Sept. 10, at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco, for the first time begin to paint a detailed picture of the biochemical mechanisms that may underlie a number of beneficial health effects of cranberry juice that have been reported in other studies over the years."
ScienceDaily: Health Effects Of 'Functional Foods' Featured During Four-day Symposium
ScienceDaily: Health Effects Of 'Functional Foods' Featured During Four-day Symposium: "Scientists worldwide are discovering new and unexpected benefits from a wide variety of foods that go beyond their basic nutritional value. These so-called 'functional foods' contain natural or modified compounds that have been shown to help fight some of the most challenging health problems, including cancer and heart disease.
A pair of studies from Japan suggests that eating mandarin oranges may cut your risk of developing liver cancer as well as other diseases, including atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. (Photo courtesy of Minoru Sugiura, Ph.D., National Institute of Fruit Tree Science, Japan)
More than 50 research papers on these and other topics will be presented during a four-day symposium, 'Functional Foods and Health,' from Sunday, Sept. 10, through Wednesday, Sept. 13, at the 232nd national meeting of the American Chemical Society."
ScienceDaily: Probiotics Ease Gut Problems Caused By Long Term Stress
Probiotics may help to reduce gut symptoms caused by long term stress, indicates research published ahead of print in the journal Gut.
The researchers base their findings on analysis of gut tissue taken from rats subjected to either water avoidance stress, which involves placing the rat on a small platform surrounded by water, or sham stress for one hour a day for 10 consecutive days. ScienceDaily: Probiotics Ease Gut Problems Caused By Long Term Stress
ScienceDaily: Fish Oil May Help Protect Against Retinal Degenerative Diseases
A invited paper published in Trends in Neuroscience this week by Nicolas G. Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, reports on the role that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil play in protecting cells in the retina from degenerative diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of loss of vision in those older than 65. The paper is titled, Cell survival matters: docosahexaenoic acid signaling, neuroprotection and photoreceptors. ScienceDaily: Fish Oil May Help Protect Against Retinal Degenerative Diseases
ScienceDaily: More Evidence Of Cancer Fighting Benefit From Nutrients In Certain Vegetables
Chemicals in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, watercress, cabbage and cauliflower, appear to stop human prostate cancer cells from growing in mice by affecting the expression of proteins, says a University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute study, abstract number 5601, being presented today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. ScienceDaily: More Evidence Of Cancer Fighting Benefit From Nutrients In Certain Vegetables
ScienceDaily: Charred Meat Chemical May Lead To Prostate Cancer
The compound PhIP (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine), formed by cooking meats at very high temperatures, acts as both an initiator and promoter of prostate cancer in rats, according to a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center study, presented at the 97th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C. ScienceDaily: Charred Meat Chemical May Lead To Prostate Cancer
ScienceDaily: Vitamin D And Flavonoids Examined For Impact On Breast And Ovarian Cancers
While risk factors for breast and ovarian cancers include menopause, obesity, family history and specific genetic mutations, researchers also are looking at the role of diet in the development, as well as the treatment and prevention of these tumors. At the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, two groups of scientists using sophisticated statistical techniques report their findings of possible preventive properties of Vitamin D against breast cancer. Two other groups of scientists present their work analyzing the possibility that natural antioxidants found in plants, substances called flavonoids, could play a powerful role in preventing both breast and ovarian cancer. ScienceDaily: Vitamin D And Flavonoids Examined For Impact On Breast And Ovarian Cancers
ScienceDaily: Healing Honey: The Sweet Evidence Revealed
Substantial evidence demonstrates that honey, one of the oldest healing remedies known to medicine, produces effective results when used as a wound dressing. A review article in the most recent issue of SAGE Publications' International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds summarizes the data. ScienceDaily: Healing Honey: The Sweet Evidence Revealed
To head off allergies, expose your kids to pets and dirt early
To head off allergies, expose your kids to pets and dirt early. Here's the conventional wisdom: Pets promote allergy, kids shouldn't eat peanuts until they're at least 3, and intestinal worms are nothing more than an icky reminder of life before flush toilets.
Here's the new wisdom: Early exposure to pets, peanuts and intestinal worms might actually be good for you, because they program the developing immune system to know the difference between real threats, such as germs, and Aunt Millie's cat. (Graphic: Short-circuiting a cat allergy)
Evidence to support this view has been mounting for more than a decade. But now, for the first time, researchers are beginning to test remedies based on these theories in patients. Other doctors are trying to make use of novel approaches to retrain the immune system once it's too late and allergies set in. To head off allergies, expose your kids to pets and dirt early.
New calculations suggest children today can be exposed to more than half the mercury that was in vaccines in the 1990s, even though manufacturers began phasing it out in 1999.
Adjusted for a child's body weight at the time of the shots, there's virtually no reduction at all, according to this analysis.
The source: Flu vaccines, which have been recommended for millions more kids over 6 months old and pregnant women in the past few years. Most of those shots still contain the mercury-based preservative called thimerosal that some fear is behind a huge rise in autism diagnoses. The Age of Autism: Mercury creeps back in
Smoking Interferes With Brain's Recovery From Alcoholism
Smoking appears to interfere with the brain's ability to recover from the effects of chronic alcohol abuse, according to a study conducted by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.
After one month of sobriety, recovering alcoholics who smoked showed significantly less improvement than those who did not smoke in both brain function and neurochemical markers of brain cell health.
'This study suggests that for better brain recovery, it may be beneficial for alcoholics in early abstinence to stop smoking as well,' concludes Dieter Meyerhoff, Dr.rer.nat., a radiology researcher at SFVAMC and the senior author of the study. Meyerhoff is also a professor of radiology at the University of California, San Francisco. Smoking Interferes With Brain's Recovery From Alcoholism
Ginseng, one of the most widely used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, may improve survival and quality of life after a diagnosis of breast cancer, according to a recent study by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center researchers.
Ginseng is a slow-growing perennial herb whose roots have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. The two main classes of ginseng -- red and white -- have different biological effects, according to traditional Chinese medicine theory. White, or unprocessed, ginseng is used over long periods to promote general health, vitality and longevity. Red, or processed, ginseng provides a much stronger effect and is used for short periods to aid in disease recovery. Ginseng May Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes
When small amounts of benzene, a cancer-causing chemical, were found in some soft drinks 16 years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) never told the public.
That's because the beverage industry told the government it would handle the problem and the FDA thought the problem was solved.
But benzene has turned up again. The FDA found levels in some soft drinks higher than what it found in 1990 and two to four times higher than what's considered safe for drinking water. The FDA again finds benzene in sodas
Organic foods protect children from the toxins in pesticides, while foods grown using modern, intensive agricultural techniques contain fewer nutrients and minerals than they did 60 years ago, according to two new scientific studies.
A U.S. research team from Emory University in Atlanta analyzed urine samples from children ages three to 11 who ate only organic foods and found that they contained virtually no metabolites of two common pesticides, malathion and chlorpyrifos.
However, once the children returned to eating conventionally grown foods, concentrations of these pesticide metabolites quickly climbed as high as 263 parts per billion, says the study published Feb. 21." New Studies Back Benefits of Organic Diet
Acupuncture, one of the most popular complementary treatments, works as well as standard drugs for migraines, German researchers said on Thursday.
They compared the effects of real and fake acupuncture with drug treatments for migraine and found all equally effective.
'The main finding is that Chinese acupuncture is as effective as drug treatment for the prophylaxis of migraine,' said Hans-Christoph Diener, a neurologist at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. Acupuncture shown to relieve migraines
Scientists may have found meat link to colon cancer
Scientists said on Tuesday they may have found a reason why eating too much red meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer.
By studying cells from volunteers eating different diets, they discovered that red meat raises levels of compounds in the large bowel, which can alter DNA and increase the likelihood of cancer.
'It is the first definite link between red meat and the very first stage in cancer,' said Professor Sheila Bingham, of the Medical Research Council Dunn Nutrition Unit in Cambridge, England.
In earlier research, Bingham and her team showed there was a strong correlation between eating red and processed meat and the risk of colon cancer.
The chance of developing colorectal cancer was a third higher in people who regularly ate more than two portions of red or processed meat a day compared to someone who ate less than one portion a week. Scientists may have found meat link to colon cancer:
Note: Again, Vitamin D. This is going to be the nutrient of the decade.
A daily dose of vitamin D could cut the risk of cancers of the breast, colon and ovary by up to a half, a 40-year review of research has found. The evidence for the protective effect of the 'sunshine vitamin' is so overwhelming that urgent action must be taken by public health authorities to boost blood levels, say cancer specialists.
A growing body of evidence in recent years has shown that lack of vitamin D may have lethal effects. Heart disease, lung disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis are among the conditions in which it is believed to play a vital role. The vitamin is also essential for bone health and protects against rickets in children and osteoporosis in the elderly.
Independent Online Edition > Science & Technology
LONDON (Reuters) - Kept awake at night by a snoring partner? The answer to your woes could lie -- believe it or not -- with the Australian didgeridoo
Researchers in Switzerland examined 25 patients who suffered from snoring and moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, both common sleep disorders.
Half the group were given daily lessons in playing the didgeridoo, a wind instrument about 1.5 meters (yards) long which originated in northern Australia and is traditionally made from the trunk of a tree hollowed out by termites.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal's online edition on Friday, found that those who played the unusual instrument over a four-month trial period saw a significant improvement in their daytime sleepiness and apnea.
Their partners also reported less disturbance from snoring.
The researchers said training the upper airways through the breathing techniques required to play the didgeridoo was behind the improvement.
'Our results may give hope to many people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and snoring, as well as their partners,' the report's authors said.
Want to stop snoring? Try the didgeridoo
Could Alzheimer's be a form of diabetes?
That's the tantalizing suggestion from a new study that finds insulin production in the brain declines as Alzheimer's disease advances.
'Insulin disappears early and dramatically in Alzheimer's disease,' senior researcher Suzanne M. de la Monte, a neuropathologist at Rhode Island Hospital and a professor of pathology at Brown University Medical School, said in a prepared statement.
'And many of the unexplained features of Alzheimer's, such as cell death and tangles in the brain, appear to be linked to abnormalities in insulin signaling. This demonstrates that the disease is most likely a neuroendocrine disorder, or another type of diabetes,' she added.
Alzheimer's Could Be Diabetes-like Illness
Low doses of aspirin increase chance of developing ulcers
Aspirin has long been hailed as one of the most effective, low-cost ways to help guard against a heart attack or stroke. However, international medical researchers caution that low doses of aspirin also increase a patient's chance of developing an ulcer, often without warning signs.
Low doses of aspirin increase chance of developing ulcers
Breastfeeding may protect children against gluten intolerance
Breastfeeding may protect children against gluten intolerance otherwise known as coeliac disease, suggests research published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
People with coeliac disease develop a permanent sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in cereals such as wheat, rye, and barley. An estimated 1% of the UK population is affected. And infants who were being regularly breastfed when they were first introduced to foods containing gluten cut their risk of developing coeliac disease by 52% compared with those who were not being breastfed. It may be that a child is simply exposed to less gluten during weaning if s/he is being breastfed, suggest the authors. But breastfeeding might also cut the number of gastrointestinal infections, thereby reducing the potential to weaken the lining of the bowel, or it may curb the immune response to gluten.
Breastfeeding may protect children against gluten intolerance
Over-the-Counter Arthritis Drug Might Also Help Against MS
Glucosamine, the over-the counter natural product that has been touted to help with joint and cartilage problems associated with arthritis, may also provide some relief to individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative, nervous system disease with no known cure.
Using a mouse model of MS, neurologists at Jefferson Medical College found that doses of glucosamine similar to those taken for osteoarthritis dramatically delayed the onset of symptoms and improved the animals' ability to move and walk.
Over-the-Counter Arthritis Drug Might Also Help Against MS
Pets help your health, especially if you are older or recovering from a major illness
Owning a pet is linked to health and wellbeing, particularly for older people and patients recovering from major illness, say researchers in this week's BMJ. About half of households in the United Kingdom own pets and over 90% of pet owners regard their pet as a valued family member. Research has suggested that pet ownership is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, lower use of family doctor services, and a reduced risk of asthma and allergies in young children.
Pets help your health, especially if you are older or recovering from a major illness
Connecting with nature can improve your health and wellbeing
Note: We "civilized people" have no idea how disconnected we are from nature. We have forgotten how to listen to animals, how to find the food that nature provides, and how to hear the subtle movements of the Universe flowing through space and time. Wonder why so many are medicated with psychiatric medicines?
Connecting with nature can improve your health and wellbeing. The theory is known as ecotherapy: restoring health through contact with nature. Use of wildlife in some therapies is reported to improve quality of life. Smaller animals (for example, squirrels, owls, and raccoons) have been used successfully in therapies for children with emotional and behavioural problems. Connecting with nature can improve your health and wellbeing
Aspartame Causes Cancer in Rats at Levels Currently Approved for Humans
Note: I knew this one would come sooner or later. Now that the cat is out of the bag, watch for the possibility of many more conditions linked to aspartame. Parkinson's may be one.
Statistically significant increase in the incidence of malignant tumors, lymphomas and leukemias in rats exposed to varying doses of aspartame appears to link the artificial sweetener to a high carcinogenicity rate, according to a study accepted for publication today by the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). The authors of the study, the first to demonstrate multipotential carcinogenic effects of aspartame administered to rats in feed, called for an 'urgent reevaluation' of the current guidelines for the use and consumption of this compound.
Aspartame Causes Cancer in Rats at Levels Currently Approved for Humans
Note: Have I mentioned recently how important Vitamin D is? It's also one of the cheapest of supplements. A two month supply should cost no more than ten dollars.
Periodontal diseases are bacterial infections that, if left untreated, may cause damage to the bone and even tooth loss. A number of infectious diseases have been linked with low levels of vitamin D, and it has been demonstrated that vitamin D can suppress proinflammatory cytokine production. (Proinflammatory cytokines are molecules that have destructive effects throughout the body.)
Periodontal disease increases the production of cytokines, but it has been demonstrated that vitamin D can suppress cytokine production, and possibly decrease the risk of periodontal disease, explains Hildebolt.
Effect of Vitamin D and Calcium on Periodontitis
Periodontal Therapy May Reduce Incidence of Preterm Births
Study shows that women with gingivitis who received periodontal therapy before 28 weeks of gestation had a significantly lower incidence of preterm low-birthweight babies than women who did not receive periodontal therapy.
Periodontal Therapy May Reduce Incidence of Preterm Births
Role of Vitamin D in Bone Health in Americans Over 50
Note: Why wait till 50? Vitamin D is a critical nutrient. Were we living in an environment that was more like that of our remote ancestors our bodies would make sufficient Vitamin D from exposure to the UVB rays from the sun. As it is, we wear clothes, spend much of the sunny hours of the day indoors, and live in locations that do not receive enough sun to produce vitamin D in the darker months. The new recommendation for prevention of osteoporosis will be 800-1000 IU's of vitamin D a day. We need twice that to bring the blood levels of Vitamin D up to what they would be if we were living a natural life.
Vitamin D, an essential component in bone health, helps ensure that the body absorbs and retains calcium, which is critical for building strong, healthy bones. Vitamin D deficiency has often been linked to osteoporosis, a condition that affects more than 10 million Americans and threatens 34 million others.
Role of Vitamin D in Bone Health in Americans Over 50
Note: This may be a promising tool in preventing lung cancer.
Treatment with deguelin, a chemical found in various plants, may help prevent lung cancer caused by cigarette smoking, the results of an animal study suggest.
Plant product may help prevent lung cancer
Note: We live in a culture where we are largely unconscious of the prevailing soundscape. The condition of most of nature is quietness. Loud sounds were signals that something was wrong or danger was approaching. So now we live in a world of loud sounds, some of which are specifically designed to trigger the alarm mechanism. How could this not negatively affect our state of health. This study will, in my opinion, be one of many that will show the negative effects of our auditory milieu.
Exposure to chronic noise on the street and at work can increase the risk of a heart attack, German researchers said on Thursday.
Scientists at the Charite University Medical Center in Berlin who studied the impact of noise on health said it can increase stress levels which may set off changes in the body that can trigger a heart attack.
Chronic noise linked to heart attack risk
Certain micronutrients contained in olive oil and other foods could be responsible for the Mediterranean diet's well known heart-healthy effects, Spanish researchers report. These compounds, known as phenols, have been shown in laboratory studies to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and blood clot preventing powers, Dr. Francisco Perez Jimenez of the Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia in Cordoba and colleagues write. Their study is the first to show a benefit for phenol-rich olive oils on blood vessel function. Olive oil ingredient may improve circulation
As Americans tuck into their Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, they can take heart that new research shows a generous helping of cranberry sauce may actually offer benefits for their teeth. Cranberries may help prevent cavities
Mental Stress May Be Another Culprit In Raising Cholesterol Levels In Healthy Adults
Our study found that individuals vary in their cholesterol responses to stress, said Dr. Steptoe. 'Some of the participants show large increases even in the short term, while others show very little response. The cholesterol responses that we measured in the lab probably reflect the way people react to challenges in everyday life as well. So the larger cholesterol responders to stress tasks will be large responders to emotional situations in their lives. It is these responses in everyday life that accumulate to lead to an increase in fasting cholesterol or lipid levels three years later. It appears that a person's reaction to stress is one mechanism through which higher lipid levels may develop.'
Mental Stress May Be Another Culprit In Raising Cholesterol Levels In Healthy Adults
Note: This is a very serious problem. More junk food, supersized meals, and computer games are the culprits. My sympathy for parents who have to deal with these issues.
This year's test found that just 25 percent of fifth-graders achieved fitness standards for all six of the test's measurements, the same percentage as last year. Just 29 percent of seventh graders and 27 percent of ninth-grade students achieved the performance goal for the six areas."
Report: Most Calif. Students Too Fat
Note: Sort of in the "well duh" catagory. More weight means less exercise hense weaker bones. More weight equals greater force on the body with falls and jars, hense more broken bones and joint problems.
Children who are overweight face more than future health problems. They appear to have broken bones and joint problems more often during childhood than kids of normal weight, research suggests.
Overweight Kids at Risk for Broken Bones
Note: Another important study about Vitamin D. Falls were cut by 27-37 percent. By the way, it's also a good supplement for almost everyone to be taking, especially in the autumn and winter.
Taking vitamin D supplements may reduce the risk of falls in elderly people in residential care facilities, results of a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggest. Vitamin D may reduce risk of falls in the elderly
It appears that breast-feeding lowers the risk of developing celiac disease, a common gastrointestinal problem caused by intolerance to a grain protein called gluten, according to a report in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Breast-feeding reduces risk of celiac disease
Breast-feeding is thought to protect babies from developing diabetes. Now research suggests it might even help keep their mothers from getting the disease, too. A study found that the longer women nursed, the lower their risks of developing diabetes.
Study: Nursing May Prevent Moms' Diabetes
Note: Once again, mom was right. Of course this isn't enough, but with the dangers of Tamiflu and the possible ineffectiveness of flu vaccines, it's good to take all of the precautions possible during flu season, whether bird flu or the ordinary variety of flu, which still is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year.
While governments fret over antiviral drugs and elaborate plans to ward off a looming flu pandemic, an expert said on Monday that the best prevention is simple: wash your hands and cover your mouth when you sneeze.
Hygiene reduces risk of flu pandemic
Note: This study is totally counter-intuitive. I'll be quite interested in finding out what the mechanism that gives these results turns out to be.
The study found that people who drank no coffee had the biggest ratio of high blood pressure, with the lowest risk of high blood pressure in the category drinking three cups or more, it said.
Cup of coffee a day prevents high blood pressure
Note: There are many good reasons for avoiding the use of antibiotics. Here is another very good one. They are simply bad medicine unless used in a life-or-death situation.
Using antibiotics more than 10 times in childhood increases the likelihood of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), a cancer that affects the body's lymphatic system, new research suggests.
Heavy antibiotic use may raise lymphoma risk
Meditation Associated With Increased Grey Matter In The Brain
Note: What this is showing is that meditation actually makes physical changes to the brain. How amazing is that, but how logical. I wonder if these changes are handed down in some way to the children of meditators. Probably not, but if so would have tremendous ramifications on human evolution.
Meditation is known to alter resting brain patterns, suggesting long lasting brain changes, but a new study by researchers from Yale, Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows meditation also is associated with increased cortical thickness.
Meditation Associated With Increased Grey Matter In The Brain
Note: More on the benefits of natural anti-inflamatories. Zyflamend contains herbs such as ginger, tumeric, holy basil, and others known for their Cox-1 and Cox-2 inhibition.
Data from the Columbia University Department of Urology demonstrates that Zyflamend?, a unique herbal extract preparation, suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cells and induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct via a process called apoptosis.
The data, published in the October edition of Nutrition and Cancer, showed Zyflamend, a patented formulation from New Chapter, has the ability, in vitro, to reduce prostate cancer cell proliferation by as much as 78 percent and to induce cancer cell death or apoptosis.
The research confirms Zyflamend has COX-1 and COX-2 anti-inflammatory effects, although its anti-cancer affects against prostate cancer were independent of COX-2 inhibition, supporting the postulation that some prostate cancer cells are not affected by COX-2 inflammation.
Herbal remedy surpresses prostate cancer
Note: Traditional Asian Medicine has books written about the progression of cold in the body. I've always found it counter-intuitive that Western research was so intent on disproving this piece of common-sense wisdom. I'm glad to see this study.
Since the early 1960s, doctors generally doubted the stereotypical mother's advice that bundling up helps avoid a cold - saying the cold virus causes a cold, not going out in the winter without a hat or with wet hair.
But now, some doctors say mom's conventional wisdom was right. "
Mom May Have Been Right, So Bundle Up
A Fatty Acid Found In Milk May Help Control Inflammatory Diseases
One of the isomers of conjugated linoleic acid, a group of fatty acids found in milk, is a natural regulator of the COX-2 protein, which plays a significant role in inflammatory disease such as arthritis and cancer, according to a study published by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.
A Fatty Acid Found In Milk May Help Control Inflammatory Diseases
