As the latest studies show, those who had the highest intake of animal-based omega-3 fats had a 60 PERCENT LOWER RISK OF ADVANCED AMD (AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION)COMPARED TO THOSE WHO CONSUMED THE LEAST. A 2009 study also found that those with the highest consumption of omega-3 fats were 30 percent less likely to progress to the advanced form of the disease over a 12 year period.
Adding further support for omega-3 fats, another 2009 study showed that participants with diets high in omega-3 fats, along with vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin, had a lower risk of AMD as well.
The best sources of omega-3 oil are fish oil and krill oil. Fish oil is the cheapest, but krill oil is the best.
You want to make sure you are getting plenty of lutein and zeaxanthin, two nurients found in eggs, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables. People who eat lots of vegetables and fruits have a 43 percent risk reduction of age-related macular degeneration.
Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness for people over the age of 50. Worldwide 60 million people suffer from AMD, including close to 2 million in the United States alone. Another 7.3 million Americans are currently at significant risk of losing their vision from AMD.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Natural Approach to a Healthy Thyroid
Most people know that an under active thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause weight gain and fatigue. But did you know that it can also trigger high cholesterol and triglycerides along with a host of other , less obvious symptoms? These include constipation, dry skin, hair loss, slow heartbeat, cold hands and feet, slow wound healing, depression, memory disturbances, and difficulty concentrating. Hypothyroidism can also contribute to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and osteoporosis.
This condition is more common than you might suspect. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), about 1 in 8 women ages 35 to 65 has low thyroid function, and 1 in 5 females over 65 are affected. (Although men are not immune to hypothyroidism, its incidence is about seven times greater in women.) If you're a woman over the age of 50, you may think fatigue, mood swings, and forgetfulness are the consequences of menopause. But many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism mimic those of the "change of life". As a result, this condition frequently goes undiagnosed in this subgroup of women.
The AACE estimates that half of the 13 million Americans who have thyroid disorders don't know it. Therefore, the routine blood tests should include screening for thyroid activity. The gold standard for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is the thyrotropin test, a highly sensitive test that measures blood levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). This pituitary hormone acts like an on/off switch, regulating the production and secretion of thyroid hormones. When thyroid function is low, levels of TSH are abnormally high. Other tests measure free or total T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine), which are hormones produced by the thyroid gland.
Thyroid replacement therapy usually returns thyroid activity to normal. The best selling brand is Synthroid, which is a synthetic hormone that contains only T4 (thyroxine). In a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine, natural thyroid replacement which contains both T4 and T3,
produced far superior results. The answer is simple, if you want to restore your thyroid to it's proper working order, then take natural thyroid hormones, not synthetic ones.
This condition is more common than you might suspect. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), about 1 in 8 women ages 35 to 65 has low thyroid function, and 1 in 5 females over 65 are affected. (Although men are not immune to hypothyroidism, its incidence is about seven times greater in women.) If you're a woman over the age of 50, you may think fatigue, mood swings, and forgetfulness are the consequences of menopause. But many of the symptoms of hypothyroidism mimic those of the "change of life". As a result, this condition frequently goes undiagnosed in this subgroup of women.
The AACE estimates that half of the 13 million Americans who have thyroid disorders don't know it. Therefore, the routine blood tests should include screening for thyroid activity. The gold standard for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism is the thyrotropin test, a highly sensitive test that measures blood levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). This pituitary hormone acts like an on/off switch, regulating the production and secretion of thyroid hormones. When thyroid function is low, levels of TSH are abnormally high. Other tests measure free or total T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine), which are hormones produced by the thyroid gland.
Thyroid replacement therapy usually returns thyroid activity to normal. The best selling brand is Synthroid, which is a synthetic hormone that contains only T4 (thyroxine). In a study published by The New England Journal of Medicine, natural thyroid replacement which contains both T4 and T3,
produced far superior results. The answer is simple, if you want to restore your thyroid to it's proper working order, then take natural thyroid hormones, not synthetic ones.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Important Tip on Increasing your Lifespan
Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into aging, has discovered that carbohydrates directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.
She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.
The Daily Mail reports that discovering the first gene has prompted the professor to dramatically alter her own diet, cutting right back on carbohydrates. That's because carbs make your body produce more insulin (to mop up the extra blood sugar carbs produce) so the vital second gene, the elixir one, won't get turned on.
Research confirms that an insulin-like growth factor is intricately linked to various diseases, and that RAISED INSULIN LEVELS, TRIGGERED BY HIGH CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION, COULD BE WHAT CONNECTS MANY OF OUR MAJOR DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER, HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES.
Insulin is in fact a MAJOR accelerant of the aging process, and also affects many bodily processes, all of which impact your longevity.
For example, insulin:
Alters the expression of numerous hormones
Stimulates your sympathetic nervous system
Promotes vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels)
Professor Kenyon found that carbohydrates directly affect two key genes in your body that govern longevity and youthfulness. This work has revolutionized our understanding of ageing, explains Jeff Holly, professor of Clinical sciences at Bristol University. Ten years ago we thought ageing was probably the result of a slow decay, a sort of rusting, but Professor Kenyon has shown that it's not about wear and tear, but instead it is controlled by genes.
THE SOLUTION TO LIVING LONGER: LIMIT YOUR INTAKE OF CARBS, PRIMARILY IN THE FORM OF FRUCTOSE AND GRAINS!
She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.
The Daily Mail reports that discovering the first gene has prompted the professor to dramatically alter her own diet, cutting right back on carbohydrates. That's because carbs make your body produce more insulin (to mop up the extra blood sugar carbs produce) so the vital second gene, the elixir one, won't get turned on.
Research confirms that an insulin-like growth factor is intricately linked to various diseases, and that RAISED INSULIN LEVELS, TRIGGERED BY HIGH CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION, COULD BE WHAT CONNECTS MANY OF OUR MAJOR DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER, HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES.
Insulin is in fact a MAJOR accelerant of the aging process, and also affects many bodily processes, all of which impact your longevity.
For example, insulin:
Alters the expression of numerous hormones
Stimulates your sympathetic nervous system
Promotes vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels)
Professor Kenyon found that carbohydrates directly affect two key genes in your body that govern longevity and youthfulness. This work has revolutionized our understanding of ageing, explains Jeff Holly, professor of Clinical sciences at Bristol University. Ten years ago we thought ageing was probably the result of a slow decay, a sort of rusting, but Professor Kenyon has shown that it's not about wear and tear, but instead it is controlled by genes.
THE SOLUTION TO LIVING LONGER: LIMIT YOUR INTAKE OF CARBS, PRIMARILY IN THE FORM OF FRUCTOSE AND GRAINS!
Major Tip to Increase How Long You Live
Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into aging, has discovered that carbohydrates directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity.
She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.
The Daily Mail reports that discovering the first gene has prompted the professor to dramatically alter her own diet, cutting right back on carbohydrates. That's because carbs make your body produce more insulin (to mop up the extra blood sugar carbs produce) so the vital second gene, the elixir one, won't get turned on.
Research confirms that a insulin-like growth factor is intricately linked to various diseases, and that RAISED INSULIN LEVELS, TRIGGERED BY HIGH CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION, COULD BE WHAT CONNECTS MANY OF OUR BIG KILLERS, SUCH AS HEART DISEASE, CANCER, AND DIABETES.
Insulin is in fact a MAJOR accelerant of the aging process, and also affects many bodily processes, all of which can impact your longevity.
For example, insulin:
Alters the expression of numerous hormones
Stimulates your sympathetic nervous system
Promotes vasoconstriction
She found that turning down the gene that controls insulin in turn switches on another gene which acts like an elixir of life.
The Daily Mail reports that discovering the first gene has prompted the professor to dramatically alter her own diet, cutting right back on carbohydrates. That's because carbs make your body produce more insulin (to mop up the extra blood sugar carbs produce) so the vital second gene, the elixir one, won't get turned on.
Research confirms that a insulin-like growth factor is intricately linked to various diseases, and that RAISED INSULIN LEVELS, TRIGGERED BY HIGH CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION, COULD BE WHAT CONNECTS MANY OF OUR BIG KILLERS, SUCH AS HEART DISEASE, CANCER, AND DIABETES.
Insulin is in fact a MAJOR accelerant of the aging process, and also affects many bodily processes, all of which can impact your longevity.
For example, insulin:
Alters the expression of numerous hormones
Stimulates your sympathetic nervous system
Promotes vasoconstriction
Monday, November 29, 2010
Eat Brightly Colored Fruits and Vegetables for Amazing Health
RED: Fruits and vegetables with the color red contain a super anti-oxidant in the carotenoid pigment lycopene. Lycopene is found in tomatoes, red and pink grapefruit, guava, watermelon, papaya, red bell peppers and gogi berries.
Lycopene is absorbed most effectively when it is combined with a fat source. Eating tomato sauces or tomatoes with olive oil is good. The body absorbs the most lycopene when the tomatoes are cooked.
ORANGE: Orange containing fruits and vegetables are rich in the potent anti-oxidant beta-carotene. Beta carotene is found in sweet potatoes, yams, mangoes, carrots, and apricots.
Beta carotene helps prevent night blindness and other eye problems while working to help improve eye function.
GREEN: Dark green fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids lutein and Zeaxanthin. They are also rich in folate, magnesium, copper, B6. Many green vegetables like kale and collard greens contain powerful glucosinolates and methyl cysteine sulfoxides. These super-nutrients help to activate detoxifying enzymes in the liver that play an important role in neutralizing carcinogenic substances.
BLUE/PURPLE These fruits and vegetables are rich in flavonoids, phytochemicals, and anti-oxidants. The phytochemical pigment responsible for the dark color is called anthocyanins. Foods that are rich in anthocyanins include blueberries, plums, red cabbage, eggplant, blackberries, raspberries and cranberries.
These super nutrients have an especially powerful ability to minimize cancer-induced DNA damage, stall the growth of pre-malignant cells, accelerate cancer cell death, and reduce inflammatory mediators that initiate cancer cell growth. Berries are one of the richest sources on anthocyanins.
WHITE: The onion family which includes leeks, scallions, onions and garlic all conttain the sulfur containing compound called allicin. This is a powerful anti-microbial that destroys bacteria, viruses and fungi. Allicin is also a powerful anti-inflammatory that many doctors think helps reduce cancer, lower cholesterol and reduce inflammatory damage to the heart.
Mushrooms contain beta-glucan, selenium, vitamin B6, and zinc that are critical for healthy immune functon and the formation of the cellular anti-oxidant glutathione. Cauliflower contains the phytochemicals Indole-3-carbonyl and sulforaphanes whaich are some of nature's most powerful cancer fighters.
Lycopene is absorbed most effectively when it is combined with a fat source. Eating tomato sauces or tomatoes with olive oil is good. The body absorbs the most lycopene when the tomatoes are cooked.
ORANGE: Orange containing fruits and vegetables are rich in the potent anti-oxidant beta-carotene. Beta carotene is found in sweet potatoes, yams, mangoes, carrots, and apricots.
Beta carotene helps prevent night blindness and other eye problems while working to help improve eye function.
GREEN: Dark green fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids lutein and Zeaxanthin. They are also rich in folate, magnesium, copper, B6. Many green vegetables like kale and collard greens contain powerful glucosinolates and methyl cysteine sulfoxides. These super-nutrients help to activate detoxifying enzymes in the liver that play an important role in neutralizing carcinogenic substances.
BLUE/PURPLE These fruits and vegetables are rich in flavonoids, phytochemicals, and anti-oxidants. The phytochemical pigment responsible for the dark color is called anthocyanins. Foods that are rich in anthocyanins include blueberries, plums, red cabbage, eggplant, blackberries, raspberries and cranberries.
These super nutrients have an especially powerful ability to minimize cancer-induced DNA damage, stall the growth of pre-malignant cells, accelerate cancer cell death, and reduce inflammatory mediators that initiate cancer cell growth. Berries are one of the richest sources on anthocyanins.
WHITE: The onion family which includes leeks, scallions, onions and garlic all conttain the sulfur containing compound called allicin. This is a powerful anti-microbial that destroys bacteria, viruses and fungi. Allicin is also a powerful anti-inflammatory that many doctors think helps reduce cancer, lower cholesterol and reduce inflammatory damage to the heart.
Mushrooms contain beta-glucan, selenium, vitamin B6, and zinc that are critical for healthy immune functon and the formation of the cellular anti-oxidant glutathione. Cauliflower contains the phytochemicals Indole-3-carbonyl and sulforaphanes whaich are some of nature's most powerful cancer fighters.
Monday, November 22, 2010
How to Cure Colds. Well, Most of Them Anyway
The best way to conquer a cold (or flu) is vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is an amazingly effective antimicrobial agent, producing 200 to 300 different antimicrobial peptides in you body that kill bacteria, viruses and fungi. So optimizing your levels will not only help end a cold virus packing...IT WILL HELP WARD OFF COLD VIRUSES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
The best source of vitamin D3 is direct sun exposure. But for many of us, this just isn't practical during the winter. The next best option to sunlight is taking vitamin D3 supplements. Based on the latest research, many experts now agree you need about 35 IU's of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight. This recommendation also includes children, the elderly and pregnant women.
It is estimated that the average U.S. adult typically has two to four colds each year, while children may have up to 12! One reason for he widespread prevalence may be that vitamin D3 deficiency is incredibly common in the United States, especially during the winter months when cold (and flu) viruses are at their peak.
In the largest and most nationally representative study of its kind to date, involving about 19,000 Americans, people with the lowest vitamin D3 levels reported having SIGNIFICANTLY more recent colds or cases of the flu. The risk was even greater for those with chronic respiratory disorders like asthma.
At least five additional studies also show an inverse association between lower respiratory tract infections and vitamin D3 levels. But the research is very clear, the HIGHER your vitamin D3 level, the lower your risk of contracting colds, flu and other respiratory tract infections.
It is not surprising, then, that the average American gets so many colds each year, as current guidelines for optimal intake and normal vitamin D3 levels are far too low-and since most people do not get adequate sun exposure on a daily basis (which is what produces vitamin D3 in your skin) many are deficient .
The best source of vitamin D3 is direct sun exposure. But for many of us, this just isn't practical during the winter. The next best option to sunlight is taking vitamin D3 supplements. Based on the latest research, many experts now agree you need about 35 IU's of vitamin D3 per pound of body weight. This recommendation also includes children, the elderly and pregnant women.
It is estimated that the average U.S. adult typically has two to four colds each year, while children may have up to 12! One reason for he widespread prevalence may be that vitamin D3 deficiency is incredibly common in the United States, especially during the winter months when cold (and flu) viruses are at their peak.
In the largest and most nationally representative study of its kind to date, involving about 19,000 Americans, people with the lowest vitamin D3 levels reported having SIGNIFICANTLY more recent colds or cases of the flu. The risk was even greater for those with chronic respiratory disorders like asthma.
At least five additional studies also show an inverse association between lower respiratory tract infections and vitamin D3 levels. But the research is very clear, the HIGHER your vitamin D3 level, the lower your risk of contracting colds, flu and other respiratory tract infections.
It is not surprising, then, that the average American gets so many colds each year, as current guidelines for optimal intake and normal vitamin D3 levels are far too low-and since most people do not get adequate sun exposure on a daily basis (which is what produces vitamin D3 in your skin) many are deficient .
Thursday, November 11, 2010
The Amazing Egg
Years ago when I was living on five acres in Idaho with my parents we raised most of the things we ate. This included a milk cow for milk, butter and cheese. We raised a steer each year for meat and chickens for eggs. Each morning we had two eggs for breakfast.
We started reading in the newspapers that the doctors were saying that eggs were contributing to heart disease. I stopped eating eggs. I did not eat eggs for forty years.
Now the LATEST RESEARACH says that eggs are very good for you. They improve your eyes, they help clean the cholesterol buildup out of your arteries. The protein in eggs is low cost and the best that you can buy.
Eggs contain generous amounts of calcium, iron phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6,panthothenic acid. They also include all the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Maybe you have heard that eating eggs will skyrocket my cholesterol through the roof. When you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down regulates it's production of cholesterol to balance things out.
On the other hand, if you don't eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has dozens of important vital function in the body.
There have been plenty of studies lately that indicate that eating whole eggs actually raises your GOOD HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than bad LDL, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry.
A University of Connecticut study showed that a group of men in the study that ate 3 eggs per day for 12 weeks while on a reduced carb, higher fat diet increased their HDL good cholesterol by 20 per cent, while their LDL bad cholesterol stayed the same.
Eggs contain the antioxidant lutein as well as other antioxidants which can help protect you for inflammation within your body.
Eggs contain vitamin K. Vitamin K among other things, takes the calcium in the blood and the soft tissues and puts it in the bones where it belongs. The result is that the arteries are free from calcium buildup and your bones are stronger!
Lastly. A recent study that compared groups of people that ate eggs breakfasts vs groups of people that ate cereal or bagel-based breakfasts. The results of the study showed that the eggs eaters lost or maintained a healthier bodyweight, while the cereal/bagel eaters gained weight.
We started reading in the newspapers that the doctors were saying that eggs were contributing to heart disease. I stopped eating eggs. I did not eat eggs for forty years.
Now the LATEST RESEARACH says that eggs are very good for you. They improve your eyes, they help clean the cholesterol buildup out of your arteries. The protein in eggs is low cost and the best that you can buy.
Eggs contain generous amounts of calcium, iron phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6,panthothenic acid. They also include all the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Maybe you have heard that eating eggs will skyrocket my cholesterol through the roof. When you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down regulates it's production of cholesterol to balance things out.
On the other hand, if you don't eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more since cholesterol has dozens of important vital function in the body.
There have been plenty of studies lately that indicate that eating whole eggs actually raises your GOOD HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than bad LDL, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry.
A University of Connecticut study showed that a group of men in the study that ate 3 eggs per day for 12 weeks while on a reduced carb, higher fat diet increased their HDL good cholesterol by 20 per cent, while their LDL bad cholesterol stayed the same.
Eggs contain the antioxidant lutein as well as other antioxidants which can help protect you for inflammation within your body.
Eggs contain vitamin K. Vitamin K among other things, takes the calcium in the blood and the soft tissues and puts it in the bones where it belongs. The result is that the arteries are free from calcium buildup and your bones are stronger!
Lastly. A recent study that compared groups of people that ate eggs breakfasts vs groups of people that ate cereal or bagel-based breakfasts. The results of the study showed that the eggs eaters lost or maintained a healthier bodyweight, while the cereal/bagel eaters gained weight.
Monday, November 1, 2010
The Skinny on Fats, the Update
Multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60 per cent of their total caloric intake from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent rates of cardiovascular disease.
During this same time, the American levels of heart disease, obesity, elevated serum cholesterol and Alzheimer's have skyrocketed compared to our ancestors, and even compared to modern day primitive societies using saturated fat as a dietary staple.
The fact is, all saturated fats are not created equal.
The operative word is "created", because some saturated fats occur naturally, while other fats are artificially manipulated into a saturated state through the man made process called hydrogenation.
Hydrogenation manipulates vegetable and seed oils by adding hydrogen atoms while heating the oil, producing a rancid, thickened oil that really only benefits processed food shelf life and corporate profits.
THE MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES ARE NOW FAIRLY UNITED IN THE OPINION THAT HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE AND SEED OILS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
These unsaturated fats, artificially manipulated into saturated fats, are also called trans fats, and no doubt you've heard about them lately. Some cities and states have now outlawed their use.
These are the same damaged trans fats that have been touted as "healthy" and "heart-friendly" for the last 60 years by the vegetable and seed oil interests!
Unfortunately, this rightful vilification of hydrogenated saturated fats has created a lot of confusion regarding NATURALLY occurring saturated fats, including coconut oil.
Back in the 1930's, a dentist named Dr Weston Price traveled throughout the South Pacific, examining traditional diets and their effect on dental and overall health. He found that those eating diets high in coconut products were healthy and trim, despite the high fat concentration in their diet, and that heart disease was virtually non-existent.
Coconut oil and olive oil are the most healthy oils you can eat. Use coconut oil for cooking as it does not oxidize. Olive oil should not be used for cooking, but only be used cold, typically drizzled on salads and other foods.
Polyunsaturated fats are the absolute worst oils to use when cooking because these omega-6-rich oils are highly susceptible to heat damage. These oils include corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola oils.
Damaged omega-6-fats are disastrous to your health, and are responsible for far more health problems than natural saturated fats ever were.
Trans fat is the artery-clogging, highly damaged omega-6-polyunsaturated fat that is formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening or are USED IN COOKING.
Trans fat raises your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels while lowering your HDL (good cholesterol)levels, which of course in the complete opposite of what you want. In fact TRANS FATS AS OPPOSED TO SATURATED FATS-HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY LINKED TO HEART DISEASE. They can also cause major clogging of your arteries, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.
During this same time, the American levels of heart disease, obesity, elevated serum cholesterol and Alzheimer's have skyrocketed compared to our ancestors, and even compared to modern day primitive societies using saturated fat as a dietary staple.
The fact is, all saturated fats are not created equal.
The operative word is "created", because some saturated fats occur naturally, while other fats are artificially manipulated into a saturated state through the man made process called hydrogenation.
Hydrogenation manipulates vegetable and seed oils by adding hydrogen atoms while heating the oil, producing a rancid, thickened oil that really only benefits processed food shelf life and corporate profits.
THE MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITIES ARE NOW FAIRLY UNITED IN THE OPINION THAT HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE AND SEED OILS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
These unsaturated fats, artificially manipulated into saturated fats, are also called trans fats, and no doubt you've heard about them lately. Some cities and states have now outlawed their use.
These are the same damaged trans fats that have been touted as "healthy" and "heart-friendly" for the last 60 years by the vegetable and seed oil interests!
Unfortunately, this rightful vilification of hydrogenated saturated fats has created a lot of confusion regarding NATURALLY occurring saturated fats, including coconut oil.
Back in the 1930's, a dentist named Dr Weston Price traveled throughout the South Pacific, examining traditional diets and their effect on dental and overall health. He found that those eating diets high in coconut products were healthy and trim, despite the high fat concentration in their diet, and that heart disease was virtually non-existent.
Coconut oil and olive oil are the most healthy oils you can eat. Use coconut oil for cooking as it does not oxidize. Olive oil should not be used for cooking, but only be used cold, typically drizzled on salads and other foods.
Polyunsaturated fats are the absolute worst oils to use when cooking because these omega-6-rich oils are highly susceptible to heat damage. These oils include corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola oils.
Damaged omega-6-fats are disastrous to your health, and are responsible for far more health problems than natural saturated fats ever were.
Trans fat is the artery-clogging, highly damaged omega-6-polyunsaturated fat that is formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening or are USED IN COOKING.
Trans fat raises your LDL (bad cholesterol) levels while lowering your HDL (good cholesterol)levels, which of course in the complete opposite of what you want. In fact TRANS FATS AS OPPOSED TO SATURATED FATS-HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY LINKED TO HEART DISEASE. They can also cause major clogging of your arteries, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Natural Way to a Healthy Thyroid
Most people know that an under active thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause weight gain and fatigue, but it can also trigger high cholesterol and triglycerides along with a host of other less obvious symptoms. These include constipation, dry skin, hair loss, slow heartbeat, cold hands and feet, slow wound healing, depression, memory disturbances and difficulty concentrating. Hypothyroidism can also contribute to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and osteoporosis.
This condition is more common than most people think. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), about 1 in 8 women ages 35 to 65 has low thyroid function, and 1 in 5 women over 65 are affected.
Thyroid replacement therapy usually returns thyroid activity to normal. One should not use the best selling brand, Synthroid, as it only contains T4, and T4 is not the only hormone produced my the thyroid. T3 and other substances present in the thyroid should be replaced along with T4.
Clinical studies have shown that treatment with the gamut of thyroid hormones results in more dramatic improvement than treatment with isolated T4, particularly in measures of mood and brain function.
Talk to your doctor about a prescription for a therapeutic trial of low dose natural thyroid hormone.
This condition is more common than most people think. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), about 1 in 8 women ages 35 to 65 has low thyroid function, and 1 in 5 women over 65 are affected.
Thyroid replacement therapy usually returns thyroid activity to normal. One should not use the best selling brand, Synthroid, as it only contains T4, and T4 is not the only hormone produced my the thyroid. T3 and other substances present in the thyroid should be replaced along with T4.
Clinical studies have shown that treatment with the gamut of thyroid hormones results in more dramatic improvement than treatment with isolated T4, particularly in measures of mood and brain function.
Talk to your doctor about a prescription for a therapeutic trial of low dose natural thyroid hormone.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Low Saturated Fat Intake Associated With Higher Stroke Mortality
Very low intakes of saturated fats may be just as bad for you as very high intakes, and could lead to an increased risk of death from stroke-according to new Japanese research.
The study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that a very low dietary intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) is associated with an increase risk of stroke.
"SFA intake was inversely associated with mortality from stroke. This inverse association was similarly observed for intraparenchymal hemorrhage and ischemic stroke, " wrote the researchers.
Saturated fat intakes are known to correlate with blood cholesterol levels-a strong risk factor for heart disease. However, the associations between SFA intake and stroke are less clear. Ischemic stroke is considered to be an atherosclerotic disease in Western societies: however research suggests that other pathways, like arteriosclerosis, may also be implicated in ischemic stroke.
In discussing their results, the researchers speculate that saturated fats could have different impacts in larger arteries compared to small vessels-suggesting that although in larger vessels saturated fats can increase the risks of atherosclerotic plaques, but in smaller vessels low SFA levels could lead to angionecrosis through a reduction of smooth muscles cells and increased fragility of vascular walls.
The study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that a very low dietary intake of saturated fatty acids (SFA) is associated with an increase risk of stroke.
"SFA intake was inversely associated with mortality from stroke. This inverse association was similarly observed for intraparenchymal hemorrhage and ischemic stroke, " wrote the researchers.
Saturated fat intakes are known to correlate with blood cholesterol levels-a strong risk factor for heart disease. However, the associations between SFA intake and stroke are less clear. Ischemic stroke is considered to be an atherosclerotic disease in Western societies: however research suggests that other pathways, like arteriosclerosis, may also be implicated in ischemic stroke.
In discussing their results, the researchers speculate that saturated fats could have different impacts in larger arteries compared to small vessels-suggesting that although in larger vessels saturated fats can increase the risks of atherosclerotic plaques, but in smaller vessels low SFA levels could lead to angionecrosis through a reduction of smooth muscles cells and increased fragility of vascular walls.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Increasing Selenium Intake Decreases Cancer Risk
Selenium is a trace mineral that is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which act as strong antioxidants to help prevent free radical damage to your cells. It is because of its potent antioxidant properties that selenium may benefit cancer, heart disease, cognitive decline, cataracts, macular degeneration, cold sores, shingles and osteoarthritis.
According to the latest research, people with higher selenium intakes had a 39 percent reduced risk of bladder cancer, which is right in line with prior studies that have linked the mineral to lower rates of breast, prostate, lung, colorectal and skin cancer as well.
A 1996 study by Dr. Larry Clark of the University of Arizona also showed just how effective selenium can be in protecting against cancer. In the study of 1,300 older people, the occurrence of cancer among those who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for about seven years was reduced by 42 percent compared to those given a placebo.
Cancer deaths for those taking the selenium were cut almost in half, according to the study. In addition, the men who took selenium had 63 percent fewer prostate cancers, 58 percent fewer colorectal cancers, 46 percent fewer lung cancers.
With selenium, the dose makes all the difference. A daily dose of between 150-300 micrograms is generally safe for the average adult.
According to the latest research, people with higher selenium intakes had a 39 percent reduced risk of bladder cancer, which is right in line with prior studies that have linked the mineral to lower rates of breast, prostate, lung, colorectal and skin cancer as well.
A 1996 study by Dr. Larry Clark of the University of Arizona also showed just how effective selenium can be in protecting against cancer. In the study of 1,300 older people, the occurrence of cancer among those who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for about seven years was reduced by 42 percent compared to those given a placebo.
Cancer deaths for those taking the selenium were cut almost in half, according to the study. In addition, the men who took selenium had 63 percent fewer prostate cancers, 58 percent fewer colorectal cancers, 46 percent fewer lung cancers.
With selenium, the dose makes all the difference. A daily dose of between 150-300 micrograms is generally safe for the average adult.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Low-Carb, High Meat Diet has High risks
Consumers eating low carbodydrate diets based on meat are at much greater risk of all-cause mortality than those on diets based on low carbs with more fruits and vegetables.
Comparing the health effects of the two diets over more than two decades, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Singapore found consumption of a low-carbohydrate, vegetable-based plan resulted in reduced rates of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, and a lower rate of all-cause death overall, whereas animal-based low-carbohydrates diet were associated with a higher risk for overall mortality.
"You can have the initial Atkins-type of low-carb diet, which is loaded with sausages, bacon, steaks, and you can have a healty versions of low-carb diet with more vegetable or plant-based protein and fat," said Dr Frank Hu, lead author of the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"We looked at these two versions of low-carb diets and found that the impact of the two are drastically different," he added.
A direct association was observed between an animal based, low-carbohydrate diet and colorectal cancer death.
"Those who follow the animal-based low-carb diet have a increased risk of total mortality and cancer mortality in particular," noted Hu.
Comparing the health effects of the two diets over more than two decades, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Singapore found consumption of a low-carbohydrate, vegetable-based plan resulted in reduced rates of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, and a lower rate of all-cause death overall, whereas animal-based low-carbohydrates diet were associated with a higher risk for overall mortality.
"You can have the initial Atkins-type of low-carb diet, which is loaded with sausages, bacon, steaks, and you can have a healty versions of low-carb diet with more vegetable or plant-based protein and fat," said Dr Frank Hu, lead author of the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"We looked at these two versions of low-carb diets and found that the impact of the two are drastically different," he added.
A direct association was observed between an animal based, low-carbohydrate diet and colorectal cancer death.
"Those who follow the animal-based low-carb diet have a increased risk of total mortality and cancer mortality in particular," noted Hu.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Healthy Diet Cuts Colorectal Cancer Risk up to 65%
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, and fish will reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new study.
"We found that eating a largely plant-based diet with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and low-fat dairy in women and fish in men was associated with a reduced risk of colorecal cancer,"says Paige Miller, PhD, a researcher at Pennsylvania State university.
Eating in this healthful way reduced the risk of colon cancer by 65% in women and by 62% in men, she days. "Why fish was a part of the protective dietary pattern only in men and low-fat dairy only in women is not know at this time," says Miller.
Miller and her team evaluated the diets of 431 men and women with colorectal cancer and the diets of 726 healthy men and women who didn't have colon cancer.
They categorized the participants into a fruits-and-vegetables diet pattern and a meat-potatoes-refined grains pattern. In men, a third pattern--a diet rich in alcohol and sweetened beverages--was found.
In addition to finding the reduced risk of colorectal cancer for people eating the diet heavy in fruits and vegetables--62% reduced risk for men and 65% for women--Miller found that the more closely men and women adhered to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the MyPyramid recommendations, the lower the cancer risk.
The diet pattern associated with higher cancer risk in her study included greater intakes of red and processed meat, poultry, fried and white potatoes, high-fat diary, sweets, salty snacks, butter, mayonnaise, gravy, and refined grains.
Experts speculate that a diet emphasizing fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains moves waste through the colon more quickly, giving harmful substances less time to damage cells there.
Smoking, being very overweight, and excessive alcohol use have also been linked to a higher colorectal cancer risk.
"We found that eating a largely plant-based diet with higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and low-fat dairy in women and fish in men was associated with a reduced risk of colorecal cancer,"says Paige Miller, PhD, a researcher at Pennsylvania State university.
Eating in this healthful way reduced the risk of colon cancer by 65% in women and by 62% in men, she days. "Why fish was a part of the protective dietary pattern only in men and low-fat dairy only in women is not know at this time," says Miller.
Miller and her team evaluated the diets of 431 men and women with colorectal cancer and the diets of 726 healthy men and women who didn't have colon cancer.
They categorized the participants into a fruits-and-vegetables diet pattern and a meat-potatoes-refined grains pattern. In men, a third pattern--a diet rich in alcohol and sweetened beverages--was found.
In addition to finding the reduced risk of colorectal cancer for people eating the diet heavy in fruits and vegetables--62% reduced risk for men and 65% for women--Miller found that the more closely men and women adhered to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the MyPyramid recommendations, the lower the cancer risk.
The diet pattern associated with higher cancer risk in her study included greater intakes of red and processed meat, poultry, fried and white potatoes, high-fat diary, sweets, salty snacks, butter, mayonnaise, gravy, and refined grains.
Experts speculate that a diet emphasizing fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains moves waste through the colon more quickly, giving harmful substances less time to damage cells there.
Smoking, being very overweight, and excessive alcohol use have also been linked to a higher colorectal cancer risk.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Sugar is Cancer's Favorite Food
Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, according to a study that challenges the notion that all sugars are the same.
Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways. This could explain why other studies have previously linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
According to MSNBC: "Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods. Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy."
This study confirms the old adage that sugar feeds cancer because they found that tumor cells do thrive on sugar (glucose). However, the cells used fructose for cell division, speeding up the growth and spread of the cancer.
Controlling your blood-glucose and insulin levels through diet, exercise and emotional stress relief can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer recovery program. These factors are also crucial in order to prevent cancer in the first place.
It may surprise you, but the theory that sugar feeds cancer was born nearly 80 years ago. Even more shocking, most conventional cancer programs STILL do not adequately address diet and the need to avoid sugars.
In 1931 the Nobel Prize was awarded to German researcher Dr. Otto Warburg, who first discoverd tha cancer cells have a fundamentally different enery metabolism compared to healthy cells.
Malignant tumors tend to use a process where glucose is used as a fuel by the cancer cells, creating lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation of glucose from cancer cells is then transported to your liver. This conversion of glucose to lactic acid generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue from lactic buldup.
This is a very inefficent pathway for energy metabolism, which extracts only about 5 percent of the available energy in your food supply. In simplistic terms, the cancer is "wasting" energy, which leads you to become both tied and undernurished, and as the vicious cycle continues, will lead to the body wasting so may cancer patients experience.
Additionally, carbohydrates from glucose and sucrose significantly decrease the capacity of neutrophils to do their job. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that help to envelop and destroy invaders, such as cancer.
In a nutshell, ALL forms of sugar are detrimental to health in general and promote cancer, but in slightly different ways, and to a different extent. Fructose, however, clearly seems to be one of the overall most harmful.
Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways. This could explain why other studies have previously linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
According to MSNBC: "Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods. Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy."
This study confirms the old adage that sugar feeds cancer because they found that tumor cells do thrive on sugar (glucose). However, the cells used fructose for cell division, speeding up the growth and spread of the cancer.
Controlling your blood-glucose and insulin levels through diet, exercise and emotional stress relief can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer recovery program. These factors are also crucial in order to prevent cancer in the first place.
It may surprise you, but the theory that sugar feeds cancer was born nearly 80 years ago. Even more shocking, most conventional cancer programs STILL do not adequately address diet and the need to avoid sugars.
In 1931 the Nobel Prize was awarded to German researcher Dr. Otto Warburg, who first discoverd tha cancer cells have a fundamentally different enery metabolism compared to healthy cells.
Malignant tumors tend to use a process where glucose is used as a fuel by the cancer cells, creating lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation of glucose from cancer cells is then transported to your liver. This conversion of glucose to lactic acid generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue from lactic buldup.
This is a very inefficent pathway for energy metabolism, which extracts only about 5 percent of the available energy in your food supply. In simplistic terms, the cancer is "wasting" energy, which leads you to become both tied and undernurished, and as the vicious cycle continues, will lead to the body wasting so may cancer patients experience.
Additionally, carbohydrates from glucose and sucrose significantly decrease the capacity of neutrophils to do their job. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that help to envelop and destroy invaders, such as cancer.
In a nutshell, ALL forms of sugar are detrimental to health in general and promote cancer, but in slightly different ways, and to a different extent. Fructose, however, clearly seems to be one of the overall most harmful.
Cancer's Favorite Food-Found in Everything you Eat?
Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, according to a study that challenges the notion that all sugars are the same.
Tumor cell fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways. This could explain why other studies have previously linked fructose intake with pancratic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
According to MSNBC: " Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods. Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high furctose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy."
The study confirms the old adage that sugar feeds cancer because they found that tumor cells do thrive on sugar (glucose. However, the cells used fructose for cell division, speeding up the growth and spread of the cancer.
Controlling your blood-glucose and insulin levels through diet, exercise and emotional stress relief can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer recovery program. These factors are also crucial in order to prevent cancer in the first place.
It may suprise you, but the theory that sugar feeds cancer was born nearly 80 years ago. Even more shocking, most conventional cancer programs STILL do not adequately address diet and the need to avoid sugars.
In 1931 the Nobel Prize was awarded to German researcher Dr. Otto Warburg, who first discovered that cancer cells have a fundamentallty different energy metabolism compared to healty cells.
Malignant tumors tend to use a process where glucose is used as a fuel by the cancer cells, creating lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation of glucose from cancer cells is then transported to your liver. This conversion of glucose to lactic acid generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue from lactic acid buildup.
This is a very inefficient pathway for energy metabolism, which extracts only about 5 percent of the available energy in your food supply. In simplistic terms, the cancer is "wasting energy", which leads you to become both tired and undernurished, and as the vicious cycle continues, will lead to the body wasting so many cancer patients experience.
Additionally, carbohydrates from gucose and sucrose significantly decreases the capacity of neutrophils to do their job. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that help cells to envelop and destroy invaders, such as cancer.
In a nutshell, ALL forms of sugar are detrimental to health in general and promote cancer, but in slightly different ways, and to a different extent. Fructose, however, clearly seems to be one of the overall most harmful.
Tumor cell fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways. This could explain why other studies have previously linked fructose intake with pancratic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
According to MSNBC: " Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods. Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high furctose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy."
The study confirms the old adage that sugar feeds cancer because they found that tumor cells do thrive on sugar (glucose. However, the cells used fructose for cell division, speeding up the growth and spread of the cancer.
Controlling your blood-glucose and insulin levels through diet, exercise and emotional stress relief can be one of the most crucial components to a cancer recovery program. These factors are also crucial in order to prevent cancer in the first place.
It may suprise you, but the theory that sugar feeds cancer was born nearly 80 years ago. Even more shocking, most conventional cancer programs STILL do not adequately address diet and the need to avoid sugars.
In 1931 the Nobel Prize was awarded to German researcher Dr. Otto Warburg, who first discovered that cancer cells have a fundamentallty different energy metabolism compared to healty cells.
Malignant tumors tend to use a process where glucose is used as a fuel by the cancer cells, creating lactic acid as a byproduct. The large amount of lactic acid produced by this fermentation of glucose from cancer cells is then transported to your liver. This conversion of glucose to lactic acid generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as overall physical fatigue from lactic acid buildup.
This is a very inefficient pathway for energy metabolism, which extracts only about 5 percent of the available energy in your food supply. In simplistic terms, the cancer is "wasting energy", which leads you to become both tired and undernurished, and as the vicious cycle continues, will lead to the body wasting so many cancer patients experience.
Additionally, carbohydrates from gucose and sucrose significantly decreases the capacity of neutrophils to do their job. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that help cells to envelop and destroy invaders, such as cancer.
In a nutshell, ALL forms of sugar are detrimental to health in general and promote cancer, but in slightly different ways, and to a different extent. Fructose, however, clearly seems to be one of the overall most harmful.
Friday, August 20, 2010
E-Nose Sniffs Out Cancer for Quick, Painless Detection
A team of Israeli scientists has developed a breathalyzer that can diagnose and diffrentiate between at least four different common types of cancer. The devise, which uses nanotechnology, could revolutionize the detection and treatment of cancer.
According to the team's paper published this month in The British Journal of Cancer, cancer kills more than 7 million people annually worldwide. The most common cancers in the developed world, which cause half of all cancer deaths, are lung, colorectal, prostate and breast cancers. When cancer is localized and detected early, a patient's prognosis greatly impoves. Unfortunately, the symptoms of cancer often go unnoticed and the disease frequently is diagonosed at late or often fatal stages.
The new device, nicknamed an "electronic nose," is capable of distinguishing between the breath of a healthy person and a person with cancer. It can even distinguish between lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. The devise is especially promising because it is able to detect cancer before tumors become visible in X-rays.
The e-nose is equipped with cross-reactive nanosensors, made from an array of gold nanoparticles and gas chromatography. The nanosensor array is able to detect volatile organic compounds, gases emitted from cells due to the genetic and protein changes that cancer cause. "The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are linked to cancer," the scientists write, "is a new frontier in medical diagnostics because it is non-invasive and potentially inexpensive."
In the study, researchers tested the breath of 177 participants, ranging in age from 20 to 75 and including both cancer patients and healthy volunteers. The results revealed that the e-nose is successful in diagnosing the presence of cancer and determining its type
According to the team's paper published this month in The British Journal of Cancer, cancer kills more than 7 million people annually worldwide. The most common cancers in the developed world, which cause half of all cancer deaths, are lung, colorectal, prostate and breast cancers. When cancer is localized and detected early, a patient's prognosis greatly impoves. Unfortunately, the symptoms of cancer often go unnoticed and the disease frequently is diagonosed at late or often fatal stages.
The new device, nicknamed an "electronic nose," is capable of distinguishing between the breath of a healthy person and a person with cancer. It can even distinguish between lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. The devise is especially promising because it is able to detect cancer before tumors become visible in X-rays.
The e-nose is equipped with cross-reactive nanosensors, made from an array of gold nanoparticles and gas chromatography. The nanosensor array is able to detect volatile organic compounds, gases emitted from cells due to the genetic and protein changes that cancer cause. "The analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are linked to cancer," the scientists write, "is a new frontier in medical diagnostics because it is non-invasive and potentially inexpensive."
In the study, researchers tested the breath of 177 participants, ranging in age from 20 to 75 and including both cancer patients and healthy volunteers. The results revealed that the e-nose is successful in diagnosing the presence of cancer and determining its type
Monday, August 9, 2010
Waist Size Linked With Longevity
Even if you don't need to watch your weight, you still need to watch your waist. That's the conclusion of a new study from the American Cancer Society, which tracked the health of more than 100,000 people over nine years. Having a large waist size doubled the risk of dying from any cause during the study period compared to those with smaller waists, according to the report, which was published in The Archives of Internal Medicine. Having a larger waist was associated with a higher risk of death whether the person was normal weight, overweight or obese.
The researchers reported a particularly striking finding for women. They noted that the association between waist size and mortality risk was stongest among women who were at a normal weight.
"The take-home is that it's important to watch your waist as well as your weight," said Eric J. Jacobs, an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. "Even if your weight is normal for your height, if your waist size is increasing, if you're moving to a bigger pant size, that's a warning sign that it's time to start eating better and exercising more."
A thick waist has long been considered a risk factor for heart disease, but the new study found it also increases risk for dying from cancer, respiratory failure and other causes. Having a large waist is associated with large amounts of visceral fat around the abdominal organs, which cause inflammation, high cholesterol, insulin resistance and other problems linked with poor health.
In the study, Dr Jacobs and colleagues tracked 48,500 men and 56,343 women over 50 from 1997 to 2006. A total of 9,315 men and 5,332 women died during the study period.
A waist size of 47 inches or larger for men and 42 inches or larger for women doubled the risk of dying during the study period, compared to those with smaller waists (35.4 inches for men and 29.5 inches for women). Among normal-weight women, the risk of dying increased about 25 percent for each additional four inches of waist size.
For the study, waist size was measured by taking a tape measure and running it around the waist just abouve the navel.
Dr Jacobs notes that while it can be difficult to reduce waist size, small changes can have a meaningful effect on health. "There is clear evidence that eating better and exercising more will reduce waist size and burn off belly fat," he said, "Even a modest reduction in waist size, an inch or two could be quite helpful."
The researchers reported a particularly striking finding for women. They noted that the association between waist size and mortality risk was stongest among women who were at a normal weight.
"The take-home is that it's important to watch your waist as well as your weight," said Eric J. Jacobs, an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society in Atlanta. "Even if your weight is normal for your height, if your waist size is increasing, if you're moving to a bigger pant size, that's a warning sign that it's time to start eating better and exercising more."
A thick waist has long been considered a risk factor for heart disease, but the new study found it also increases risk for dying from cancer, respiratory failure and other causes. Having a large waist is associated with large amounts of visceral fat around the abdominal organs, which cause inflammation, high cholesterol, insulin resistance and other problems linked with poor health.
In the study, Dr Jacobs and colleagues tracked 48,500 men and 56,343 women over 50 from 1997 to 2006. A total of 9,315 men and 5,332 women died during the study period.
A waist size of 47 inches or larger for men and 42 inches or larger for women doubled the risk of dying during the study period, compared to those with smaller waists (35.4 inches for men and 29.5 inches for women). Among normal-weight women, the risk of dying increased about 25 percent for each additional four inches of waist size.
For the study, waist size was measured by taking a tape measure and running it around the waist just abouve the navel.
Dr Jacobs notes that while it can be difficult to reduce waist size, small changes can have a meaningful effect on health. "There is clear evidence that eating better and exercising more will reduce waist size and burn off belly fat," he said, "Even a modest reduction in waist size, an inch or two could be quite helpful."
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
12 Rules to Reduce Heart Attacks by 92 Per Cent!
The latest study in Archives of Internal Medicine shows that women who eat loads of veggies, fruit, whole grains, fish and legumes, exercise; maintain a healthy weight; and don't smoke have a whopping 92 per cent DECREASE risk of having a heart attack compared wih women with less healthy diets and habits.
KNOW YOUR HEART HEALTH NUMBERS
Establish a baseline to help plan every preventive step for the rest of the year. "You need to know if you are at risk before you can take action to lower your risk," says Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and author of Heart to Heart: A personal Plan for Creating a Heart-Healthy Family. Know your HDL or "good" cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressue, weight, and body mass index (BMI) numbers.
TARGET YOUR TRIGLYCERIDES
Shoot for a level of 150 or lower, says Peter H Jones, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "Doctors usually talk about good and bad cholesterol and most folks will have that down, but triglyceries are a better marker for for high risk of diabetes and heart disease," says Jones. Triglycerides are also much more responsive to lifestyle changes than other types of blood fats. "Your triglycerides can drop 30% to 50% just by reducing saturated fats and reducing your weight," Jones says.
GO FOR NUTS AND PLANT STEROLS
Your heart will love you if you eat six walnuts before lunch and dinner, according to Michael Roizen, MD, the chief wellness officer for Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the clinic's Wellness Institute. Why? Because "walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to decrease inflammation in the arteries surrounding your heart, so they keep your heart functioning longer and better," promises Roizen, co-author of the best-selling You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending your Warranty. "Walnuts will also make you feel fuller faster so you are less likely to overeat at meals." Other nuts such as peanuts, macadamia nuts, and almonds are a rich source of plant sterols, which block chelesterol absorption in the intestines. Studies have shown that eating foods enriched with plant sterols lowers LDL cholesterol. Eating 2-3 grams a day lowers LDL cholesterol by 6-15 %, without affecting HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. Sterols are found in all plant foods, but the highest concentrations are found in unrefined oils, such as vegetable, nut and olive oil. Some foods have also been fortified with plant sterols, including milk, juices and spreads.
DE-STRESS YOUR HEART
Stress raises blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Learn ways to relax and take it easy during the day
VOLUNTEER TO FIGHT HEART DIEASE
People who volunteer tend to live longer than people who don't. It's that simple, Mosca says. "We think this is because volunteering reduces isolation and increses social connectivity." Find a charity that means something to you and donate your time
DO NOT SMOKE
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disese. Secondhand smoke counts too. A recent study found that people who are exposed to other people's smoke increased their risk of heart attacks by 69%, strokes by 56% and peripheral artery disease (PAD)by 67%.
STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART WITH WEIGHT TRAINING
"Strength training reduces your percentage of body fat, keeps your weight down, and increase your muscle mass and endurance for aerobic exercise." says Goldberg. "Do some weight training with free weights twice a week, making sure to focus on both your upper and lower body," she says. "As your aerobic capacity improves through strength training, your HDL cholesterol levels will increase."
MEASURE YOUR WAIST SIZE TO GAUGE YOUR HEART HEALTH
"Take a tape measure and measure your middle," Goldberg says. "If your waist size is more than 35 inches in women or more than 40 inches in men, this tells you that you are at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes." The best way to reduce your waist size is to get active and reduce the amount of sugars and carbs in your diet.
REDUCE YOU BLOOD PRESSUE BY RDUCING YOUR SALT
High blood pressue is a major risk factor for heart disease, and reducing salt intake can help lower blood pressue. Cook with herbs in place of salt, and make sure you read food labels to see just how much salt is in prepared foods. Aim for less than 2.3 grams (about a teaspoon) of salt per day.
SLEEP TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT
People who sleep fewer than seven hours a night have higher blood pressure and higher levels of the stress harmone cortisol, making the arteries more vulnerable to plaque buildup. In fact, the latest research shows that people who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely as others to die of hear disease
KNOW YOUR HEART HEALTH NUMBERS
Establish a baseline to help plan every preventive step for the rest of the year. "You need to know if you are at risk before you can take action to lower your risk," says Lori Mosca, MD, PhD, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and author of Heart to Heart: A personal Plan for Creating a Heart-Healthy Family. Know your HDL or "good" cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressue, weight, and body mass index (BMI) numbers.
TARGET YOUR TRIGLYCERIDES
Shoot for a level of 150 or lower, says Peter H Jones, MD, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "Doctors usually talk about good and bad cholesterol and most folks will have that down, but triglyceries are a better marker for for high risk of diabetes and heart disease," says Jones. Triglycerides are also much more responsive to lifestyle changes than other types of blood fats. "Your triglycerides can drop 30% to 50% just by reducing saturated fats and reducing your weight," Jones says.
GO FOR NUTS AND PLANT STEROLS
Your heart will love you if you eat six walnuts before lunch and dinner, according to Michael Roizen, MD, the chief wellness officer for Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the clinic's Wellness Institute. Why? Because "walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to decrease inflammation in the arteries surrounding your heart, so they keep your heart functioning longer and better," promises Roizen, co-author of the best-selling You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending your Warranty. "Walnuts will also make you feel fuller faster so you are less likely to overeat at meals." Other nuts such as peanuts, macadamia nuts, and almonds are a rich source of plant sterols, which block chelesterol absorption in the intestines. Studies have shown that eating foods enriched with plant sterols lowers LDL cholesterol. Eating 2-3 grams a day lowers LDL cholesterol by 6-15 %, without affecting HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. Sterols are found in all plant foods, but the highest concentrations are found in unrefined oils, such as vegetable, nut and olive oil. Some foods have also been fortified with plant sterols, including milk, juices and spreads.
DE-STRESS YOUR HEART
Stress raises blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Learn ways to relax and take it easy during the day
VOLUNTEER TO FIGHT HEART DIEASE
People who volunteer tend to live longer than people who don't. It's that simple, Mosca says. "We think this is because volunteering reduces isolation and increses social connectivity." Find a charity that means something to you and donate your time
DO NOT SMOKE
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disese. Secondhand smoke counts too. A recent study found that people who are exposed to other people's smoke increased their risk of heart attacks by 69%, strokes by 56% and peripheral artery disease (PAD)by 67%.
STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART WITH WEIGHT TRAINING
"Strength training reduces your percentage of body fat, keeps your weight down, and increase your muscle mass and endurance for aerobic exercise." says Goldberg. "Do some weight training with free weights twice a week, making sure to focus on both your upper and lower body," she says. "As your aerobic capacity improves through strength training, your HDL cholesterol levels will increase."
MEASURE YOUR WAIST SIZE TO GAUGE YOUR HEART HEALTH
"Take a tape measure and measure your middle," Goldberg says. "If your waist size is more than 35 inches in women or more than 40 inches in men, this tells you that you are at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes." The best way to reduce your waist size is to get active and reduce the amount of sugars and carbs in your diet.
REDUCE YOU BLOOD PRESSUE BY RDUCING YOUR SALT
High blood pressue is a major risk factor for heart disease, and reducing salt intake can help lower blood pressue. Cook with herbs in place of salt, and make sure you read food labels to see just how much salt is in prepared foods. Aim for less than 2.3 grams (about a teaspoon) of salt per day.
SLEEP TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT
People who sleep fewer than seven hours a night have higher blood pressure and higher levels of the stress harmone cortisol, making the arteries more vulnerable to plaque buildup. In fact, the latest research shows that people who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely as others to die of hear disease
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Coconut Oil reduces Diabetes
A diet including coconut oil, a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA), helps combat insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the inability of cells to respond to insulin and take in glucose for energy. The pancreas tries to compensate for insulin resistance by producing even more insulin, but eventually glucose accomulates in the bloodstream. Over time, insulin resistance and obesity can lead to pre-diabetes or full-blown type 2 diabetes.
Dr Nigel Turner and colleagues at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Darlinghurst, Australia, compared fat metabolism and insulin resistance in mice and rats fed diets rich in coconut oil (a medium chain fatty acid) or lard (a long chain fatty acid). (The lard-based diet was similar to the diet eaten by people in the Western world.)The findings were published in the journal Diabetes.
MCFAs, like coconut oil, were found to reduce fat accumulation while maintaining insulin action in muscle and fat tissue. "Dietary supplementation with MCFAs may therefore be beneficial for preventing obesity and peripheral insulin resistance', said Dr Turner in the study conclusions.
American farmers several years ago tried to put fat on their beef cattle by feeding them coconut oil, but to their dismay the cattle did not gain weight and in many cases lost weight.
The saturated fats present in coconut oil also have antimicrobial properties that help combat various bacteria, fungi, and parasites that cause indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in the absorption of other nutrients such a vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
The MCFAs in coconut oil are more like carbohydrates than other fats. They are more water soluble and are broken down more quickly. THEY ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM FASTER AND ARE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO THE LIVER, WHERE THEY ARE USED AS AN IMMEDIATE SOURCE OF ENERGY.Medium chain fatty acids, unlike long chain fatty acids, are small enough to enter the cells' energy powerhouses, the mitochondria, directly, where they can be conveted to energy. Be warned, however, that medium chain fatty acids can also lead to fat build-up in the liver.
Fat storage is balanced by how much fat is taken in by cells and how much is burned for energy,. When people eat a high fat diet, their bodies attempt to compensate by increasing their capacity to oxidize fat. THE MEDIUM CHAIN FATTY ACID (COCONUT OIL) DIET WAS MORE EFFECTIVE AT INCREASING THE OXIDATIVE CAPACITY OF MUSCLE THAN THE LONG CHAIN FATTY ACIDS, LEADING TO LESS FAT STORAGE IN MUSCLE AND BETTER INSULIN ACTION.
Keeping in mind the potential for excess fat accumulation in the liver, substituting oils containing medium chain fatty acids for other oils in the diet may be beneficial. But make sure to include other fats as well. The fatty acids in fish oil, for example, are thought to improve fat oxidation in the liver.
Dr Nigel Turner and colleagues at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Darlinghurst, Australia, compared fat metabolism and insulin resistance in mice and rats fed diets rich in coconut oil (a medium chain fatty acid) or lard (a long chain fatty acid). (The lard-based diet was similar to the diet eaten by people in the Western world.)The findings were published in the journal Diabetes.
MCFAs, like coconut oil, were found to reduce fat accumulation while maintaining insulin action in muscle and fat tissue. "Dietary supplementation with MCFAs may therefore be beneficial for preventing obesity and peripheral insulin resistance', said Dr Turner in the study conclusions.
American farmers several years ago tried to put fat on their beef cattle by feeding them coconut oil, but to their dismay the cattle did not gain weight and in many cases lost weight.
The saturated fats present in coconut oil also have antimicrobial properties that help combat various bacteria, fungi, and parasites that cause indigestion. Coconut oil also helps in the absorption of other nutrients such a vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
The MCFAs in coconut oil are more like carbohydrates than other fats. They are more water soluble and are broken down more quickly. THEY ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM FASTER AND ARE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO THE LIVER, WHERE THEY ARE USED AS AN IMMEDIATE SOURCE OF ENERGY.Medium chain fatty acids, unlike long chain fatty acids, are small enough to enter the cells' energy powerhouses, the mitochondria, directly, where they can be conveted to energy. Be warned, however, that medium chain fatty acids can also lead to fat build-up in the liver.
Fat storage is balanced by how much fat is taken in by cells and how much is burned for energy,. When people eat a high fat diet, their bodies attempt to compensate by increasing their capacity to oxidize fat. THE MEDIUM CHAIN FATTY ACID (COCONUT OIL) DIET WAS MORE EFFECTIVE AT INCREASING THE OXIDATIVE CAPACITY OF MUSCLE THAN THE LONG CHAIN FATTY ACIDS, LEADING TO LESS FAT STORAGE IN MUSCLE AND BETTER INSULIN ACTION.
Keeping in mind the potential for excess fat accumulation in the liver, substituting oils containing medium chain fatty acids for other oils in the diet may be beneficial. But make sure to include other fats as well. The fatty acids in fish oil, for example, are thought to improve fat oxidation in the liver.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Diabetes Doubles the Risk of Heart Disease
Diabetes doubles the risk of developing serious blood vessel diseases and life threatening events such as strokes and heart attacks, a new study show.
The findings emphasize the need to increase efforts to prevent diabetes, researchers report in a study published in The Lancet.
The results of the study are also being presented at the American Diabetes Association's 70th annual scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla.
British scientists analyzed data on nearly 700,000 people, each of whom had been monitored for about 10 years in 102 surveys in 25 countries.
One suprising finding: Only a small part of the effects of diabetes on heart disease and stroke can be explained by blood fats, blood pressure, and obesity.
Other findings include:
Blood glucose levels alone should not be used to help indentify people at increased risk of heart disease or stroke.
Diabetes may cause damage through additional routes than obesity, blood fats, and blood pressure.
Higher than average fasting blood glucose levels are only weakly related to later development of hear attacks or storkes.
"Our findings highlight the need for better prevetion of diabetes coupled with greater investigation of the mechanisms by which diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease," Nadeem Sarwar, PhD, of the University of Cambridge, says in a news release.
"Information on age, sex, smoking habits, blood pressue and blood fats is routinely collected to assess risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Our findings indicate that adding information on fasting blood glucose levels in people without diabetes does not provide significant extra help in assessing cardiovascular risk."
The study also shows that:
Cardiovascular disease is responsible for some 17 million deaths annually, worldwide
Coronary heart disease risks were higher in women than in men 40-49 than at age 70 and older.
The researchers write that the findings were consistent across all groups of people in the 25 countries for which data was analyzed.
The findings emphasize the need to increase efforts to prevent diabetes, researchers report in a study published in The Lancet.
The results of the study are also being presented at the American Diabetes Association's 70th annual scientific sessions in Orlando, Fla.
British scientists analyzed data on nearly 700,000 people, each of whom had been monitored for about 10 years in 102 surveys in 25 countries.
One suprising finding: Only a small part of the effects of diabetes on heart disease and stroke can be explained by blood fats, blood pressure, and obesity.
Other findings include:
Blood glucose levels alone should not be used to help indentify people at increased risk of heart disease or stroke.
Diabetes may cause damage through additional routes than obesity, blood fats, and blood pressure.
Higher than average fasting blood glucose levels are only weakly related to later development of hear attacks or storkes.
"Our findings highlight the need for better prevetion of diabetes coupled with greater investigation of the mechanisms by which diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease," Nadeem Sarwar, PhD, of the University of Cambridge, says in a news release.
"Information on age, sex, smoking habits, blood pressue and blood fats is routinely collected to assess risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Our findings indicate that adding information on fasting blood glucose levels in people without diabetes does not provide significant extra help in assessing cardiovascular risk."
The study also shows that:
Cardiovascular disease is responsible for some 17 million deaths annually, worldwide
Coronary heart disease risks were higher in women than in men 40-49 than at age 70 and older.
The researchers write that the findings were consistent across all groups of people in the 25 countries for which data was analyzed.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Heart Health
As everyone knows the best way to have good heart health is to maintain the proper weight, get plenty of exercise and eat healthy food. Are there any shortcuts to this? In a word, no.
There are some additional things that will help your heart health. From the well known studies on the Eskimos who ate a very high meat diet, we learn that they had little or no heart problems. The reason was the very high level of omega-3 oil in the fish and seals that they ate. You can buy omega-3 fish oil pills at a very low cost. Another low cost supplement that really helps your heart is one of the B vitamins, vitamin B3, also called niacin. Niacin will help clean out the buildup in the arteries.
The key to good heart health is prevention. Most people get lazy, fat and avoid exercise and that increases the risk of getting heart disease. If you want to go that route then read how doctors deal with heart disease for their overweight, non exercising patients with bad eating habits.
Thirty years ago, Eugene Braunwald, MD, Chief of Cardiology at Harvard Medical School, stated in the New England Journal of Medicine, "An industry is being built around this operation (bypass)...(It) is developing a momentum of its own, and as time passses it will be progressively more difficult and costly to curtail it..."
He was right. Between 1979 and 1998, the number of cardiovascular procedures grew by 38%! Yet study after study shows that surgery yields no better benefit than alternative treatments. NONE. But with cardiac procedures making up roughly 45% of the total revenue generated by most hospitals, and bypass surgery starting at $85,000 a pop, it's no wonder doctors and hospitals continue to push patients down this unnecessary, often ineffective, and sometimes very dangerous road.
1998: VEterans Affairs Non-Q-Wave Infarction Strategies in Hostital (VANQWISH) study published. This was designed to determine the best treatment for patients who have had non-Qwave mycardial infarctions (the msot common type of heart attack). It was found that patients who underwent surgery fared more poorly and had increased death rates.
2001: Study related to the VANQWISH study published similar findings, "routine invasive management may be associated with an increased risk of death."
2006: Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that angioplasty done 3 to 28 days after a heart attack did not reduce the rates of death, heart attack, or heart failure, compared to conservative treatment with medications. Worse, during 4 years of follow-up, these PATIENTS HAD AN INCREASE IN REPEAT HEART ATTACKS!
There are some additional things that will help your heart health. From the well known studies on the Eskimos who ate a very high meat diet, we learn that they had little or no heart problems. The reason was the very high level of omega-3 oil in the fish and seals that they ate. You can buy omega-3 fish oil pills at a very low cost. Another low cost supplement that really helps your heart is one of the B vitamins, vitamin B3, also called niacin. Niacin will help clean out the buildup in the arteries.
The key to good heart health is prevention. Most people get lazy, fat and avoid exercise and that increases the risk of getting heart disease. If you want to go that route then read how doctors deal with heart disease for their overweight, non exercising patients with bad eating habits.
Thirty years ago, Eugene Braunwald, MD, Chief of Cardiology at Harvard Medical School, stated in the New England Journal of Medicine, "An industry is being built around this operation (bypass)...(It) is developing a momentum of its own, and as time passses it will be progressively more difficult and costly to curtail it..."
He was right. Between 1979 and 1998, the number of cardiovascular procedures grew by 38%! Yet study after study shows that surgery yields no better benefit than alternative treatments. NONE. But with cardiac procedures making up roughly 45% of the total revenue generated by most hospitals, and bypass surgery starting at $85,000 a pop, it's no wonder doctors and hospitals continue to push patients down this unnecessary, often ineffective, and sometimes very dangerous road.
1998: VEterans Affairs Non-Q-Wave Infarction Strategies in Hostital (VANQWISH) study published. This was designed to determine the best treatment for patients who have had non-Qwave mycardial infarctions (the msot common type of heart attack). It was found that patients who underwent surgery fared more poorly and had increased death rates.
2001: Study related to the VANQWISH study published similar findings, "routine invasive management may be associated with an increased risk of death."
2006: Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that angioplasty done 3 to 28 days after a heart attack did not reduce the rates of death, heart attack, or heart failure, compared to conservative treatment with medications. Worse, during 4 years of follow-up, these PATIENTS HAD AN INCREASE IN REPEAT HEART ATTACKS!
Monday, May 31, 2010
99,000 DIE YEARLY FROM PREVENTABLE HOSPITAL INFECTIONS
As many as 99,000 Ameicans die yearly from hospital-acquired infections, state laws are finally forcing hospitals to report the infections.
Early data released by CDC today suggest this is cutting infection rates. But the data paint a bigger picture. Despite the huge size of the problem, most hospitals in most states still haven't come to grips with it.
That's going to change, says Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
"All 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico recently published state action plans to reduce hospital-acquired infections," Sebelius says in a news release.
Its a good start. But it's been a struggle just to get the starting line, says Lisa McGiffert, who as campaign manager for Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project, lobbies states to pass laws requiring public reporting of in-hospital infections.
"When we started, we thought hospitals knew their infection rates and were keeping them secret," McGiffert tell WebMD. "But they were not tracking them at all. If you are not aware of somethig you can't stop it. Where hospitals have been forced to face this and count it, it has created a sea change. The main thing this means is that the CDC has finally embraced public reporting as a component of prevention Strategies."
Early data released by CDC today suggest this is cutting infection rates. But the data paint a bigger picture. Despite the huge size of the problem, most hospitals in most states still haven't come to grips with it.
That's going to change, says Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
"All 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico recently published state action plans to reduce hospital-acquired infections," Sebelius says in a news release.
Its a good start. But it's been a struggle just to get the starting line, says Lisa McGiffert, who as campaign manager for Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project, lobbies states to pass laws requiring public reporting of in-hospital infections.
"When we started, we thought hospitals knew their infection rates and were keeping them secret," McGiffert tell WebMD. "But they were not tracking them at all. If you are not aware of somethig you can't stop it. Where hospitals have been forced to face this and count it, it has created a sea change. The main thing this means is that the CDC has finally embraced public reporting as a component of prevention Strategies."
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Carbs Against Cardio
More evidence that refined carbohydrates, not fats, threaten the heart. Eat less saturated fat: that has been the take home message from the U S government for the past 30 years. But while Americans have dutifully reduced the percentage of daily calories from saturated fat since 1970, the obesity rate during that time has more than doubled, diabetes has tripled, and heart disease is still the country's biggest killer. Now a spate of new research, including a meta analysis of nearly two dozen studies, suggest a reason why: investigators may have picked the wrong culpit. Processed carbohydrates, which many Americans eat today in place of fat, may increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease more than fat does-a finding that has serious implication for new dietary guidelines expected this year.
In March the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a meta-analysis-which combines data from several studies-that compared the reported daily food intake of nearly 350,000 people against their risk of developing cardiovascular disease over a period of five to 23 years. The analysis, overseen by Ronald M Krauss, director of atherosclerosis research at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Insitute, found NO ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF SATURATED FAT CONSUMED AND THE RISK OF HEAR DISEASE.
The findings joins other conclusions of the past few years that run counter to the conventional wisdom that saturated fat is bad for the heart because it increases total cholesterol levels. That idea is "based in large measure on extrapolations, which are not supported by the data," Krauss says.
One problem with the old ligic is that "total cholesterol is not a great predictor of risk," says Meir Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidermiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Although saturated fat boosts blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, it also increases "good" HDL cholesterol. In 2008 Stampfer co-authored a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed 322 moderastely obese individuals for two years as they adopted one of three diets: a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet based on American Heart Association guidelines; a Mediterranean, restricted-calorie diet rich in vegetables and low in red meat: and a low carbohydrate, nonrestricted-calorie diet. ALTHOUGTH THE SUBJECTS ON THE LOW-CARB DIET ATE THE MOST SATURATED FAT, THEY ENDED UP WITH THE HEALTHIEST RATIO OF HDL TO LDS CHOLESTEROL AND LOST TWICE AS MUCH WEIGHT AS THEIR LOW FAT EATING COUNTERPARTS.
In March the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a meta-analysis-which combines data from several studies-that compared the reported daily food intake of nearly 350,000 people against their risk of developing cardiovascular disease over a period of five to 23 years. The analysis, overseen by Ronald M Krauss, director of atherosclerosis research at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Insitute, found NO ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE AMOUNT OF SATURATED FAT CONSUMED AND THE RISK OF HEAR DISEASE.
The findings joins other conclusions of the past few years that run counter to the conventional wisdom that saturated fat is bad for the heart because it increases total cholesterol levels. That idea is "based in large measure on extrapolations, which are not supported by the data," Krauss says.
One problem with the old ligic is that "total cholesterol is not a great predictor of risk," says Meir Stampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidermiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. Although saturated fat boosts blood levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol, it also increases "good" HDL cholesterol. In 2008 Stampfer co-authored a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed 322 moderastely obese individuals for two years as they adopted one of three diets: a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet based on American Heart Association guidelines; a Mediterranean, restricted-calorie diet rich in vegetables and low in red meat: and a low carbohydrate, nonrestricted-calorie diet. ALTHOUGTH THE SUBJECTS ON THE LOW-CARB DIET ATE THE MOST SATURATED FAT, THEY ENDED UP WITH THE HEALTHIEST RATIO OF HDL TO LDS CHOLESTEROL AND LOST TWICE AS MUCH WEIGHT AS THEIR LOW FAT EATING COUNTERPARTS.
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Cancer Fighting Potential of Flaxseed
Flaxseed lignans might offer protection against breast, prostate, colon, and skin cancers while the soluble fiber they contain could help maintain steady blood sugar levels, found a review of research into the seed.
An article, published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, evaluated current research on flaxseed and any poential benefits it may have against diabetes and certain cancers.
Flaxseed has been the focus of increased interest in the field of diet and disease research due to the potential health benefits associated with some of its biologically active components: oil containing approximately 59 per cent a-linolenic acid (ALA) and the presence of plant lignan secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG).
SDG once ingested, is conveted in the colon into active mammalian lignans, entreodiol (END) and enterolactone (ENL)which have show promise in reducing gtrowth of cancerous tumors, especially hormone sensitive one such as those of the breast, endometrium, and prostate.
The best way to take flaxseed is to grind it up with a coffee grinder such as one that can be purchased at Walmart.
An article, published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, evaluated current research on flaxseed and any poential benefits it may have against diabetes and certain cancers.
Flaxseed has been the focus of increased interest in the field of diet and disease research due to the potential health benefits associated with some of its biologically active components: oil containing approximately 59 per cent a-linolenic acid (ALA) and the presence of plant lignan secoisolariciresinol diglycoside (SDG).
SDG once ingested, is conveted in the colon into active mammalian lignans, entreodiol (END) and enterolactone (ENL)which have show promise in reducing gtrowth of cancerous tumors, especially hormone sensitive one such as those of the breast, endometrium, and prostate.
The best way to take flaxseed is to grind it up with a coffee grinder such as one that can be purchased at Walmart.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Weight Gain Increases Breast Cancer Risk
Women who put on weight as they age are almost twice as likely to develop breast cancer later in life. There is a directly link between obesity and breast cancer.
Fat stored in the body produces hormones and chemicals which can fuel the development of abnormal cells that can lead to cancer.
In research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research found that a five point increase in a woman's Body Mass Index increased the likelihood of breast cancer.
Body Mass Index can calculated quickly by going to the internet and entering in BMI and then enter your height and weight.
Fat stored in the body produces hormones and chemicals which can fuel the development of abnormal cells that can lead to cancer.
In research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research found that a five point increase in a woman's Body Mass Index increased the likelihood of breast cancer.
Body Mass Index can calculated quickly by going to the internet and entering in BMI and then enter your height and weight.
Monday, April 12, 2010
White Bread, Rice, and Other Carbs Boost Heart Disease in Women
Women who eat more white bread, white rice, pizza and other carbohydrate rich foods that cause blood sugar to spike are more than TWICE AS LIKELY TO DEVELOP HEART DISEASE than women who eat less of these foods a new study suggests.
Men who eat lots of these carbohydrates-which have what's known as a high glycemic index-do not have the same increased risk, however, perhaps because their bodies process the carbs differently, the researchers found.
Only carbohydrates with a high glycemic index appear to hurt the heart. Carbs with a low glycemic index-such as fruit and pasta-were not associated with an increased risk of heart disease, which suggest that the increased risk is caused "not by a diet high in carbohydrates, but by a diet rich in rapidly absorbed carbodydrates," says the lead author of the study, Sabina Sieri,of the Fondiazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tunori, a national institute for cancer.
The glycemic index ranks on a scale from 1 to 100 how quickly (or slowly) carbohydrates affect your blood sugar levels. (White bread scores 100) Foods that rank below 55 are considered to have a low glycemic index and produce only small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels: foods that rank above 70 are said to have a high glycemic index and tend to cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar.
There are many benefits to limiting foods with a high glycemic index, Price adds. People who do so "will find their appetite easier to control, making weight control easier in turn", she says. "They will help to keep energy and mood steady over the day, and they reduce their risk of several chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and cetain cancers."
According to Price, the best low glycemic index foods are whole grain breads, barley, quinoa, beans and chickpeas, low fat dairy products, fruit and sweet potatoes.
Men who eat lots of these carbohydrates-which have what's known as a high glycemic index-do not have the same increased risk, however, perhaps because their bodies process the carbs differently, the researchers found.
Only carbohydrates with a high glycemic index appear to hurt the heart. Carbs with a low glycemic index-such as fruit and pasta-were not associated with an increased risk of heart disease, which suggest that the increased risk is caused "not by a diet high in carbohydrates, but by a diet rich in rapidly absorbed carbodydrates," says the lead author of the study, Sabina Sieri,of the Fondiazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tunori, a national institute for cancer.
The glycemic index ranks on a scale from 1 to 100 how quickly (or slowly) carbohydrates affect your blood sugar levels. (White bread scores 100) Foods that rank below 55 are considered to have a low glycemic index and produce only small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels: foods that rank above 70 are said to have a high glycemic index and tend to cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar.
There are many benefits to limiting foods with a high glycemic index, Price adds. People who do so "will find their appetite easier to control, making weight control easier in turn", she says. "They will help to keep energy and mood steady over the day, and they reduce their risk of several chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and cetain cancers."
According to Price, the best low glycemic index foods are whole grain breads, barley, quinoa, beans and chickpeas, low fat dairy products, fruit and sweet potatoes.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Seven Foods That Help Prevent Cancer
Before we talk about the seven foods we need to talk about weight. Being overweight not only causes heart disease and diabetes, but it also causes cancer such as breast cancer, edometrial cancer and colon cancer.
GARLIC: STINKY BREATH, BUT SUPER HEALTHY
The same sulfur compounds causing that odor may also stop cancer causing substances from forming in your body, speed DNA repair, and kill cancer Cells. Garlic also battles bacteria, including H. pylori (the one connected to some ulcers and stomach cancer), and it reduces the risk of colon cancer. To get the most benefit, peel and chop the cloves and let them sit 15 or 20 minutes before cooking. That activates enzymes and releases the sulfur containing compounds that have the most protective effect.
BROCCOLI: PHYTOCHEMICAL POWERHOUSE
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, kale and cauliflower contain photochemicals called glucosinolates, which produce protective enzymes that are released when you chew the raw veggie, rupturing the cell walls. Broccoli and its cousins are most protective against cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, according to a review of hundreds of clinical studies conducted for the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research.
TOMATOES:POTENTIAL WEAPONS AGAINST PROSTATE CANCER
The red color of tomatoes comes from a phytochemical called lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. To get the most benefit from lycopene, eat cooked or processed tomatoes, including tomato juice and pizza sauce.
STRAWBERIES: RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Research shows that all berries especially strawberries and black rasberries protect against heart disease, memory decline as well as cancer. Blueberries, blackberries and cranberries are top cancer fighters and should be included in the diet.
CARROTS: BEST EATEN COOKED
Carrots contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant scientists believe protects cell membranes from toxin damage and slow the growth of cancer cells. Some studies suggest carrots protect against cervical cancer, perhaps because they supply antioxidants that battle HPV (human papilloma virus), the major cause of cervical cancer.
SPINACH: A SUPER CAROTENOID COURCE
Spinach is rich in lutein and zdaxanthin, carotenoids that remove unstable molecules called free radicals from your body before they damage it. You can substitute kale, collard greens, swiss chard or romaine lettuce, but spinach is the best.
WHOLE GRAINS: GOOD FOR THE WHOLE BODY
Whole grains are much superior in preventing disease than white or more processed grains. Whole grains contain more fiber and thus take longer to digest, thus lowering your blood sugar level.
GARLIC: STINKY BREATH, BUT SUPER HEALTHY
The same sulfur compounds causing that odor may also stop cancer causing substances from forming in your body, speed DNA repair, and kill cancer Cells. Garlic also battles bacteria, including H. pylori (the one connected to some ulcers and stomach cancer), and it reduces the risk of colon cancer. To get the most benefit, peel and chop the cloves and let them sit 15 or 20 minutes before cooking. That activates enzymes and releases the sulfur containing compounds that have the most protective effect.
BROCCOLI: PHYTOCHEMICAL POWERHOUSE
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, kale and cauliflower contain photochemicals called glucosinolates, which produce protective enzymes that are released when you chew the raw veggie, rupturing the cell walls. Broccoli and its cousins are most protective against cancers of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, according to a review of hundreds of clinical studies conducted for the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research.
TOMATOES:POTENTIAL WEAPONS AGAINST PROSTATE CANCER
The red color of tomatoes comes from a phytochemical called lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. To get the most benefit from lycopene, eat cooked or processed tomatoes, including tomato juice and pizza sauce.
STRAWBERIES: RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Research shows that all berries especially strawberries and black rasberries protect against heart disease, memory decline as well as cancer. Blueberries, blackberries and cranberries are top cancer fighters and should be included in the diet.
CARROTS: BEST EATEN COOKED
Carrots contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant scientists believe protects cell membranes from toxin damage and slow the growth of cancer cells. Some studies suggest carrots protect against cervical cancer, perhaps because they supply antioxidants that battle HPV (human papilloma virus), the major cause of cervical cancer.
SPINACH: A SUPER CAROTENOID COURCE
Spinach is rich in lutein and zdaxanthin, carotenoids that remove unstable molecules called free radicals from your body before they damage it. You can substitute kale, collard greens, swiss chard or romaine lettuce, but spinach is the best.
WHOLE GRAINS: GOOD FOR THE WHOLE BODY
Whole grains are much superior in preventing disease than white or more processed grains. Whole grains contain more fiber and thus take longer to digest, thus lowering your blood sugar level.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Cheap Vitamin B (Niacin) Beats Cholesterol Drug in Clearing Arteies
In a study reported by the New England Journal of Medicine, Niacin reduced the plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries. Those using the drug Zetia has a 20 percent reduction in LDL, but a slight worsening of the plaque build up in the arteries. Niacin is available at Walmart and other stores for a modest price and has been shown to be effective in reducing the buildup of plaque in the arteries that leads to heart attacks.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Fasting Could REduce Risk of Heart Disease
A study at Intermountain Medical Center shows a link between fasting and a lower rate of heart disease. Researchers are now conducting another study to determine why.
The first study was conducted to find out why people who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have a lower risk of heart disease. Initially, researchers believed it was because of their non-smoking lifstyle. But upon closer examination they learned there was another factor, fasting. Dr Benjamin Horne, the director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at IMC says "there was something else and we deduced from potential factors that were shared by Ladder Day Saints that it was probably fasting.
Members of the LDS faith fast once a month. More research showed fasting has a dramitic impact on the heart. Those who fast have a 40 to 45 percent lower risk of coronary disease, and doctors think thay know why. "When you are in a fasting state, the cells in your body go into a self protection mode to survive until foods starts coming again. They produce these proteins to protect themselves."
The proteins released when people do not eat change and regulate the metabolism, also controlling diabetes. "In our initial study we not only found that fasting was assoaciates with lower coronary risk but also lower prevalence of diabetes."
Scientists also want to measure the impact of fasting on other risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, diabetes and obesity. The results of fasting will be measured with blood tests over a two day period. Researchers hope fasting is another tool to prevent the number one killer in the United STates.
The first study was conducted to find out why people who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have a lower risk of heart disease. Initially, researchers believed it was because of their non-smoking lifstyle. But upon closer examination they learned there was another factor, fasting. Dr Benjamin Horne, the director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at IMC says "there was something else and we deduced from potential factors that were shared by Ladder Day Saints that it was probably fasting.
Members of the LDS faith fast once a month. More research showed fasting has a dramitic impact on the heart. Those who fast have a 40 to 45 percent lower risk of coronary disease, and doctors think thay know why. "When you are in a fasting state, the cells in your body go into a self protection mode to survive until foods starts coming again. They produce these proteins to protect themselves."
The proteins released when people do not eat change and regulate the metabolism, also controlling diabetes. "In our initial study we not only found that fasting was assoaciates with lower coronary risk but also lower prevalence of diabetes."
Scientists also want to measure the impact of fasting on other risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, diabetes and obesity. The results of fasting will be measured with blood tests over a two day period. Researchers hope fasting is another tool to prevent the number one killer in the United STates.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
How to Live Longer
Common denominators among the people who've lived the longest include:
Eating a plant-based diet. Eating foods that give you a low blood sugar level.
Getting regular physical activity such as walking.
Living in societies where friends and family encourage a healthy, natural, active lifestyle.
Having effective stategies for coping with stress, such as prayer, meditation, strong social networks, and napping daily.
Take your antioxidants from foods. Antioxidants have been shown to have anti-aging effects. Good sources include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberies, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes.
Use coconut oil. Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil. It can be used in place of other oils, margarine, butter or shortening and can be used for all your cooking needs. It can help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and lower your cholesterol among other things.
Get your resveratrol naturally such as grape juice, raspberries, mulberries and peanuts.
Take your animal based omega-3 fats. Krill or fish oil is a strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet.
Maintain the proper weight. Most people who live the longest keep themselves slim and trim.
Eating a plant-based diet. Eating foods that give you a low blood sugar level.
Getting regular physical activity such as walking.
Living in societies where friends and family encourage a healthy, natural, active lifestyle.
Having effective stategies for coping with stress, such as prayer, meditation, strong social networks, and napping daily.
Take your antioxidants from foods. Antioxidants have been shown to have anti-aging effects. Good sources include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberies, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes.
Use coconut oil. Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil. It can be used in place of other oils, margarine, butter or shortening and can be used for all your cooking needs. It can help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and lower your cholesterol among other things.
Get your resveratrol naturally such as grape juice, raspberries, mulberries and peanuts.
Take your animal based omega-3 fats. Krill or fish oil is a strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet.
Maintain the proper weight. Most people who live the longest keep themselves slim and trim.
Friday, March 12, 2010
More Health Benefits of Vitamin D
59 percent of the population is vitamin D deficient. In additon, nearly 25 percent of the population has extremely low levels of vitamin D.
There is a clear relationship between vitamin D deficiency and THE AMOUNT OF STORED BODY FAT.
Recent research carried out at the University of Copenhagen has revealed that vitamin D activates the immune system by "arming" T cells to fight off infections.
This new research, led by Professor Carsten Geisler from the Department of Internatioanl Health, Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen, found that without vitamin D, the immune system's T cells remain dormant, offering little or no protection against invading microorganisms and viruses. But with vitamin D in the bloodstream, T cells become "armed" and begin seeking out invaders that are then destroyed and carried out of the body.
Vitamin D, in other words, acts a bit like the ignition key to your car: The car won't run unless you turn the key and ignite the engine. Likewise, you immune system won't function unless it is biochemically activated with vitamin D. If you're facing the winter flu season in a state of vitamin D deficiency, your immune system is essentially defenseless against seasonal flu. That's why all the people who get sick are the ones who live indoors, work indoors and exist in a chronic state of vitamin D deficiency.
That's also why virtually all the people who died of H1N1 were chronically deficient in vitamin D. They had virtually no immune system protection at all and were thus easy targets for the swine flu.
The only significant "side effect" of a proper level of vitamin D is that it PREVENTS 77 percent of all cancers.
What's becoming increasingly clear from all the new research is that vitamin D deficiency may be the common denominator behind our most devastating modern degenerative diseases. Kidney failure patients are almost universally deficient in vitamin D and diabetes patients are usually in the same category. People suffering from cancer ALMOST ALWAYS demonstrate severe vitamin D deficiency, as do people with osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis.
NINE BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
1. The vast majority of the western population is deficient in vitamin D.
2. Vitamin D deficiencies promote cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney disease, depression, obesity and heart disease.
3. Vitamin D deficiencies can be corrected with vitamin D supplementation or through sensible sunligh exposure.
4. Sunscreen products block the production of vitamin D in the skin, causing further vitamin D deficiencies.
5. Correcting widespread vitamin D deficiencies would greatly reduce degenerative disease across the population.
6. Vitamin supplements are extremely affordable. Preventing diseas through vitamin D supplementation is a low cost investment in heath.
7. Vitamin D is extremely safe. There is vitually no negative side effects from deficient peiple taking vitamin D supplements, even at the seemingly high doses such as 4000-8000 international units (IU) per day.
8. Vitamin D deficiency is caused, in a large part, by modern society's indoor lifstyle. People live, work, and play indoors under artificial light. This causes severe deficiencies in exposure to natural light (sunlight) through which vitamin D is usually generated.
9. Vitamin D dramatically reduces susceptibility to infectious desease such as seasonal flu and H1N1. It "activates" the immune system and allows it to function more aggressively in defending against viral invasions.
There is a clear relationship between vitamin D deficiency and THE AMOUNT OF STORED BODY FAT.
Recent research carried out at the University of Copenhagen has revealed that vitamin D activates the immune system by "arming" T cells to fight off infections.
This new research, led by Professor Carsten Geisler from the Department of Internatioanl Health, Immunology and Microbiology at the University of Copenhagen, found that without vitamin D, the immune system's T cells remain dormant, offering little or no protection against invading microorganisms and viruses. But with vitamin D in the bloodstream, T cells become "armed" and begin seeking out invaders that are then destroyed and carried out of the body.
Vitamin D, in other words, acts a bit like the ignition key to your car: The car won't run unless you turn the key and ignite the engine. Likewise, you immune system won't function unless it is biochemically activated with vitamin D. If you're facing the winter flu season in a state of vitamin D deficiency, your immune system is essentially defenseless against seasonal flu. That's why all the people who get sick are the ones who live indoors, work indoors and exist in a chronic state of vitamin D deficiency.
That's also why virtually all the people who died of H1N1 were chronically deficient in vitamin D. They had virtually no immune system protection at all and were thus easy targets for the swine flu.
The only significant "side effect" of a proper level of vitamin D is that it PREVENTS 77 percent of all cancers.
What's becoming increasingly clear from all the new research is that vitamin D deficiency may be the common denominator behind our most devastating modern degenerative diseases. Kidney failure patients are almost universally deficient in vitamin D and diabetes patients are usually in the same category. People suffering from cancer ALMOST ALWAYS demonstrate severe vitamin D deficiency, as do people with osteoporosis and multiple sclerosis.
NINE BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
1. The vast majority of the western population is deficient in vitamin D.
2. Vitamin D deficiencies promote cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, kidney disease, depression, obesity and heart disease.
3. Vitamin D deficiencies can be corrected with vitamin D supplementation or through sensible sunligh exposure.
4. Sunscreen products block the production of vitamin D in the skin, causing further vitamin D deficiencies.
5. Correcting widespread vitamin D deficiencies would greatly reduce degenerative disease across the population.
6. Vitamin supplements are extremely affordable. Preventing diseas through vitamin D supplementation is a low cost investment in heath.
7. Vitamin D is extremely safe. There is vitually no negative side effects from deficient peiple taking vitamin D supplements, even at the seemingly high doses such as 4000-8000 international units (IU) per day.
8. Vitamin D deficiency is caused, in a large part, by modern society's indoor lifstyle. People live, work, and play indoors under artificial light. This causes severe deficiencies in exposure to natural light (sunlight) through which vitamin D is usually generated.
9. Vitamin D dramatically reduces susceptibility to infectious desease such as seasonal flu and H1N1. It "activates" the immune system and allows it to function more aggressively in defending against viral invasions.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Omega-3 May Boost Brain Function
Supplements of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)may alter the function of the brain associated with working memory, according to results of a new study with healthy boys.
Scientists from the Unversity of Cincinnati showed for the first time using neuro-imaging that supplementation with DHA alters the functional activity in cortical attention networks in humans.
"The present findings add to an emerging body of evidence from preclinical and clinical imaging studies that suggest that dietary DHA intake is a robust modulator of functional cortical activity," wrote lead author Robert McNamara in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study follows hot on the heels of, and vindicates, backing from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for DHA related brain and eye health claims for infants.
EFSA's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allegries (NDA) said DHA levels of 100 mg per day were appropriate for 7-24 month-old infants along with 200 mg per day for pregnant and lactating women.
Another shorter chain, omega-3 fatty acid, ALA (alpha linolenic acid), was affirmed as important for the normal brain development of children up to the age of 18, but no levels were specified.
Scientists from the Unversity of Cincinnati showed for the first time using neuro-imaging that supplementation with DHA alters the functional activity in cortical attention networks in humans.
"The present findings add to an emerging body of evidence from preclinical and clinical imaging studies that suggest that dietary DHA intake is a robust modulator of functional cortical activity," wrote lead author Robert McNamara in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The study follows hot on the heels of, and vindicates, backing from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for DHA related brain and eye health claims for infants.
EFSA's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allegries (NDA) said DHA levels of 100 mg per day were appropriate for 7-24 month-old infants along with 200 mg per day for pregnant and lactating women.
Another shorter chain, omega-3 fatty acid, ALA (alpha linolenic acid), was affirmed as important for the normal brain development of children up to the age of 18, but no levels were specified.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Very High Omega-3 Intakes Linked to Big Health Benefits
Intakes of omega-3 exceeding levels consumed by the gemeral US population may significantly reduce the risk of chronic disease, suggests a new study with Yup'ik Eskimos.
High levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) were associated with lower levels of triglycerides, as well as higher levels of HDL cholesterol, according to data from 257 Yup'ik Eskimos published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Raised levels of the fatty acids were also associated with decreased levels of markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein(CRP), which is produced in the liver and is a known marker for inflammation. Increased levels of CRP are a good predictor for the onset of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. CVD causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy an estimated $202 billion per year.
High levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) were associated with lower levels of triglycerides, as well as higher levels of HDL cholesterol, according to data from 257 Yup'ik Eskimos published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Raised levels of the fatty acids were also associated with decreased levels of markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein(CRP), which is produced in the liver and is a known marker for inflammation. Increased levels of CRP are a good predictor for the onset of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. CVD causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy an estimated $202 billion per year.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Health Secrets For A Long Life
The residents of Okinawa, an island chain of Japan, are among the healthiest and longest-lved people of the world. Okinawa has more 100-year-olds than anywhere else-33.6 per 100,000, compared with approximately 10 per 100,000 in the US.
The 25-year Okinawa Centenarian Study discovered that, compared with Americans, Okinawans have:
80% lower risk of breast and prostate cancers.
50% lower risk of colon and ovarian cancers.
40% fewer hip fracures.
Minimal risk of heart disease.
What is the secret to the Okinawans' longevity-and what can you do to achieve the same health?
Healthly weight. The traditional Okinawan diet is low in fat and processed foods, as well as calories-so obesity is rare in Okinawans.
Plant based diet. About 98% fo ther Okinawan diet consists of sweet potatoes, soy-based foods, grains, fruits and vegetables. This is supplemented by a small amount of fish and lean meat.
Not smoking. Few Okinawans smoke. In the US hundreds of thousands of people die from smoking-related diseases annually.
Exercise. You look at the places around he world where people live the longest and they all get plenty of exercise. You can't expect to live a long life sitting on the couch watching TV and eating potato chips.
Social links. People who maintain active social networks live longer and are less likely to get sick. When they do get sick, they recover more quickly if they have the support of friends.
People who have spiritual or religious beliefs live longer than those who don't. They look out for each other.
Control worry and stress. While many Americans have Type A personalities, Okinawans believe that life's travails will work themselves out. The average American might be said to suffer from hurry sickness. Okinawans prefer to work at their own pace, referred to locally as Okinawa Time. They don't ingnore stress...but they rarely internalize it.
The 25-year Okinawa Centenarian Study discovered that, compared with Americans, Okinawans have:
80% lower risk of breast and prostate cancers.
50% lower risk of colon and ovarian cancers.
40% fewer hip fracures.
Minimal risk of heart disease.
What is the secret to the Okinawans' longevity-and what can you do to achieve the same health?
Healthly weight. The traditional Okinawan diet is low in fat and processed foods, as well as calories-so obesity is rare in Okinawans.
Plant based diet. About 98% fo ther Okinawan diet consists of sweet potatoes, soy-based foods, grains, fruits and vegetables. This is supplemented by a small amount of fish and lean meat.
Not smoking. Few Okinawans smoke. In the US hundreds of thousands of people die from smoking-related diseases annually.
Exercise. You look at the places around he world where people live the longest and they all get plenty of exercise. You can't expect to live a long life sitting on the couch watching TV and eating potato chips.
Social links. People who maintain active social networks live longer and are less likely to get sick. When they do get sick, they recover more quickly if they have the support of friends.
People who have spiritual or religious beliefs live longer than those who don't. They look out for each other.
Control worry and stress. While many Americans have Type A personalities, Okinawans believe that life's travails will work themselves out. The average American might be said to suffer from hurry sickness. Okinawans prefer to work at their own pace, referred to locally as Okinawa Time. They don't ingnore stress...but they rarely internalize it.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
An Apple Peel A Day Might Keep Cancer At Bay
An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Or, what appears to be more accurate: An apple peel a day might help keep cancer at bay, according to a new Cornell study.
Cornell researchers have identified a dozen compounds--triterpenoids--in apple peel that either inhibit or kill cancer cells in laboratory cultures. Three of the compounds have not previously been described in the literature.
"We found that several compounds have potent antiproliferative activities agains human liver, colon and breast cancer cells and may be partially responsible for the anticancer activities of whole apples," says Rui Hai Lie, Cornell associate professor of food science. Liu is affliated with Cornell's Institute of Comparative and Environmental Toxicoloty and is senior author of the study, which is online and published this month in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Cemistry.
"We believe that a recommendation that consumers to eat five to 12 servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily is appropriate to reduce the risks of chronic diseases, including cancer, and to meet nutrient requirement for optimum health," said Liu.
Cornell researchers have identified a dozen compounds--triterpenoids--in apple peel that either inhibit or kill cancer cells in laboratory cultures. Three of the compounds have not previously been described in the literature.
"We found that several compounds have potent antiproliferative activities agains human liver, colon and breast cancer cells and may be partially responsible for the anticancer activities of whole apples," says Rui Hai Lie, Cornell associate professor of food science. Liu is affliated with Cornell's Institute of Comparative and Environmental Toxicoloty and is senior author of the study, which is online and published this month in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Cemistry.
"We believe that a recommendation that consumers to eat five to 12 servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables daily is appropriate to reduce the risks of chronic diseases, including cancer, and to meet nutrient requirement for optimum health," said Liu.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Stress Linked to Cancer
Scientists have discovered that everyday emotional stress is a trigger for the growth of tumors. Any sort of trauma, emotional or physical, can act as a "pathway" between cancerous mutations, bringing them together in a potentially deadly mix.
The findings seem to show for the first time that the conditions for developing the disease can be affected by your emotional environment, including everyday work and family stress.
Until now, scientists believed more than one cancer causing mutation needed to take place in a single cell in order for tumors to grow.
But researcher showed that mutations can promote cancer even when they are located in different cells, because stress opens up "pathways" between them.
The study by Yale Univesity researchrs found that stress, even the normal everyday variety, can act as a pathway between cancerous mutation, potentially triggering the growth of tumors.
The National Cancer Institute has said that research with animal models suggests that "your body's neuroendocrine response (release of hormones into your blood in response to stimulation of your nervous system) can directly alter important processes in cells that help protect against the formation of cancer, such as DNA repair or the regulation of cell growth."
Other research has shown that norepinephrine, a hormone produced during periods of stress, may INCREASE THE GROWTH RATE OF CANCER.
Norepinephrine can stimulate tumor cells to produce two compounds (matrix metalloproteinases called MMP-2 and MMP-9) that break down the tissue around the tumor cells and allow the cells to more easily move into your bloodstream.
Once there, they can travel to other organs and tissues and form additonal tumors, a process called metastasis.
Norepinephrine may also stimulate the tumor cells to release a chemical (vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF) that can aid in the growth of the blood vessels that feed cancer cells. This can increase the growth and spread of the cancer.
The stress hormone epinephrine has also been found to cause changes in prostate and breast cancer cells in way that may make them resistant to cell death. This means that emotional stress could both CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER AND REDUCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENTS.
The findings seem to show for the first time that the conditions for developing the disease can be affected by your emotional environment, including everyday work and family stress.
Until now, scientists believed more than one cancer causing mutation needed to take place in a single cell in order for tumors to grow.
But researcher showed that mutations can promote cancer even when they are located in different cells, because stress opens up "pathways" between them.
The study by Yale Univesity researchrs found that stress, even the normal everyday variety, can act as a pathway between cancerous mutation, potentially triggering the growth of tumors.
The National Cancer Institute has said that research with animal models suggests that "your body's neuroendocrine response (release of hormones into your blood in response to stimulation of your nervous system) can directly alter important processes in cells that help protect against the formation of cancer, such as DNA repair or the regulation of cell growth."
Other research has shown that norepinephrine, a hormone produced during periods of stress, may INCREASE THE GROWTH RATE OF CANCER.
Norepinephrine can stimulate tumor cells to produce two compounds (matrix metalloproteinases called MMP-2 and MMP-9) that break down the tissue around the tumor cells and allow the cells to more easily move into your bloodstream.
Once there, they can travel to other organs and tissues and form additonal tumors, a process called metastasis.
Norepinephrine may also stimulate the tumor cells to release a chemical (vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF) that can aid in the growth of the blood vessels that feed cancer cells. This can increase the growth and spread of the cancer.
The stress hormone epinephrine has also been found to cause changes in prostate and breast cancer cells in way that may make them resistant to cell death. This means that emotional stress could both CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER AND REDUCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENTS.
Monday, February 1, 2010
More Information on Vitamin D
Need another reason to keep you vitamin D intake up? New research suggests that low levels of this essential nutrient can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Researchers in Utah followed 27,000 men and women over the age of 50 who had no history of heart disease. After a year, they found those with the LOWEST levels of vitamin D were:
1. 77% more likely to die than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
2. 45% more likely to develop coronary artery disease.
3. 78% more likely to develop a stroke.
4. Twice as likely to develop heart failure.
The study, from the Intermountain Medical Center, Was presented at the November 16, 2009, session of the American Heart Association's Scientific Conference.
1. 77% more likely to die than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
2. 45% more likely to develop coronary artery disease.
3. 78% more likely to develop a stroke.
4. Twice as likely to develop heart failure.
The study, from the Intermountain Medical Center, Was presented at the November 16, 2009, session of the American Heart Association's Scientific Conference.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance is an inherited autoimmune disorder characterized by a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found primarily in wheat, rye and barley.(Oats used to be considered a culprit, but no longer are.) When people with this condition eat gluten, their immune systems are activated and the resulting inflammatory response damages or destroys the villi that line the small intestines and allow nutrients to be absorbed. Affected individuals may have neurological problems such as numbness, depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, even seizures, dementia and psychotic episodes. Children especially can have bloating, abdominal pain, canker sores, diarrhea, or constipation. Whatever the reason, people who get off gluten often have remarkable improvements. You can test yourself by simply stop eating all wheat, rye and barley for four weeks, then slowly add each of them back into your diet and see how your body reacts.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Seven Secrets For a Long Life
Here are the seven secrets to a long life: Stay away from cigarettes. Keep a slender physique. Get some exercise. Eat a healthy diet and keep your choleterol, blood pressure and blood sugar in check. Research shows that most 50-year-olds who do that can live another 40 years free of stroke and heart disease, two of the most common killers, says Dr. Clyde Yancy, President of the American Heart Association. This should be your goal: fasting blood glucose less than 100, blood pressure below 120/80, total cholesterol of less than 200, body mass index less than 25, get at last 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week, meet at least 4 of these dietary recommendations: 4 1/2 cups of fruit and vegetables a day; 2 more 3.5-ounce servings a week of fish; drink no more than 36 ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages a week; 3 or more 1-ounce servings of whole grains a day; 1500 or less milligrams of salt a day.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Some Health Problems with eating Grains
Gluten, a protein most commonly found in wheat, rye and barley. Celiac disease if often referred to as wheat or gluten intolerance and occurs when your body cannot digest gluten. The undigested gluten then triggers your immune system to attack the lining of your small intestine, which can cause symptoms like diarrhea or constipation, nausea and abdominal pain. Over time, your small intestine becomes increasingly damaged and less able to absorb nutrients such as iron and calcium. This in tern can lead to anemia, osteoprosis and other health problems. Lectin is a protein produced by wheat to ward off its natural enemies such as fungi and insects.Lectin also called WGA is attracted to the small intestines. Lectin or WGA attaches itself to the protective coatings of nerves called myelin sheath and inhibits the growth, maintenance and survival of the myelin sheath and nerves. This is perhaps one of the causes of MS.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Sluggist Thyroid-Do you have any of these?
Did you know that depression, heart disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, PMS, menopausal symptoms, muscle and joint pains, irritable bowel syndrome,or autoimmune disease could actually indicate a problem with your thyroid? The classis signs of a sluggish thyroid gland include weight gain, lethargy, poor quality hair and nails, hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, cold hands and feed, and constipation. More than 10 percent of the general population in the US, and 20 percent of women over 60 have subclinical hypothyroidism. But only a small percentage of these people are being treated.Some of the family history that suggests you could have a higher risk of hypothyroidism include: goiter, prematurely gray hair, left-handedness, diabetes, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sarclidosis.Gluten is one of the most common causes of thyroid dysfunction because it causes inflammation.
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