Diet Digest

Not All Antioxidants Are Created Equal

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:08:00 +0000

They've been said to stall aging, ward off disease and wage internal war against the harmful free radicals that pummel our bodies every day. But just how well do antioxidants—those all-powerful compounds often found in richly colored fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, blackberries and red cabbage—actually perform inside the human body?

Nutritionists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency, recently tackled this question. Their findings appear in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Led by Ronald Prior, an ARS chemist who works at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock, the researchers investigated how the consumption of different fruits affected volunteers' antioxidant status.

They did this by measuring the plasma (blood) antioxidant capacity (AOC) of volunteers who'd just ingested blueberries, cherries, dried plums, dried-plum juice, grapes, kiwis or strawberries.

The series of ARS studies confirmed what many antioxidant experts have long suspected: that the free-radical-busting compounds found in foods are quite complex, with some apparently being easier to absorb and utilize than others.

For instance, the researchers found that despite their high antioxidant content, plums did not raise plasma AOC levels in volunteers. According to Prior, one of the major phytochemicals in plums is chlorogenic acid, a compound not readily absorbed by humans.

As for the wild blueberry, a larger-than-average serving of this much-heralded antioxidant source was needed to boost plasma AOC levels. A noticeable climb in AOC wasn't detected until volunteers consumed at least a half-cup serving of the berries.

The volunteers' consumption of grapes and kiwifruit both led to noticeable spikes in plasma AOC. But it's not clear yet which compounds were responsible for the increased levels.

Alternatively, when volunteers were asked to consume a shake containing protein, carbohydrates and fat, with no antioxidants, their blood antioxidant levels dropped.

While additional research is needed to determine if elevated plasma AOC levels translate to a lower risk for chronic degenerative disease, the current ARS study is an important first step in efforts to establish recommendations for antioxidants in the diet.

[Source]

This can be interestnig for you:

What Is Baby Shower

How to Improve Digestion: 5 Simple Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 07:37:00 +0000

Do you inhale your food? Are you so busy that even chewing seems like a luxury? Here are some tips on improving digestion:

Tip #1: Cover the Basics

Chew, Chew, Chew

Take smaller bites.
Put your fork down in between meals.
Try using chopsticks - it forces you to slow down.
Thoroughly chew each bite of food.
Carbohydrate digestion begins in the mouth - chewing grains thoroughly allows amylase, the digestive enzyme present in saliva, to digest the grains.

Basic 2: Get Enough Water

Insufficient water intake is a primary cause of constipation. Constipation then causes an imbalance in bacteria, promotes inflammation of the intestinal lining, and can even lead to the absorption of larger molecules, a condition known as intestinal permeability.

Basic 3: Increase Your Dietary Fiber

Good sources of dietary fiber include:

Dried fruit, such as dates, figs, and prunes
Beans and legumes — if you don't have time to cook dried beans, buy canned, but make sure you rinse them thoroughly before cooking. Lentils and split peas are less gas-forming than other legumes.
Bring an apple with you to work as a snack
Ground flaxseeds are a gentle laxative. They can be useful for chronic constipation, damage to the intestine wall from laxative use, irritable bowel, and to soothe inflammation. Sprinkle ground flaxseeds on rice, grains, salads, or any other meal of your choice.

Tip #2: Practice Mindful Eating

A pilot study at Indiana State University found that mindfulness, including specific instructions to slowly savor the flavor of food and be aware of how much food is enough, helped to reduce eating binges from an average of four binges per week to one and a half.

Eat in the moment. Savor every bite, enjoying the flavors, textures, and smells of your meal.
Buy fresh flowers to put on the dining table.
Use smaller cutlery so that you eat less with each bite.
Create a beautiful atmosphere - dim the lights, play music and light candles.

Tip #3: Address Food Sensitivities and Allergies

Food sensitivities are behind many digestive disorders. For example, between 33% and 66% of IBS patients report having one or more food intolerances, resulting in bloating, gas, and pain. The most common culprits are milk and dairy (40-44%) and grains (40-60%).

A trained practitioner can supervise an elimination diet. Many foods are removed from the diet for a brief period of time, then re-introduced sequentially to isolate the body's reaction to the offending foods.

Tip #4: Increase Good Gut Bacteria

Not all bacteria is bad. There are over 400 different kinds of bacteria and yeasts in the digestive system. Of these, the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophillus and Bifidobacterium bifidum are considered good "probiotic" bacteria because they can help to maintain intestinal health.

Although good bacteria can be found in some yogurt, there is a wide variation in the quantity and quality. Look for good quality organic yogurt that add the active cultures after pasteurization, because this heat process destroys both good and bad bacteria.

Supplements containing acidophilus and bifidobacteria can be found in health food stores. They are especially helpful for the following conditions:

Irritable bowel syndrome
Diarrhea
Gas, bloating, flatulence
Recurring vaginal yeast infections
Bad breath

Tip #5: Supplement to Restore Digestive Health

# Enteric-Coated Peppermint Oil - Peppermint oil can reduce abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.
Digestive Enzymes - Enzyme supplements are believed to support the body's own digestive enzymes to aid digestion and help with other disorders stemming from poor digestion.

Eating Disorders

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 02:42:00 +0000

There are three recognised eating disorders:

Anorexia Nervosa,
Bulimia Nervosa and
binge eating disorder.

There is also

EDNOS (Eating Disorders Not otherwise Specified).

In some cases eating disorders can be combined — so someone can have Bulimia and Anorexia at the same time. Anorexia Nervosa causes severe weight loss and bulimia nervosa combines overeating with vomiting. People suffering from anorexia nervosa become obsessed with losing weight combined with a distorted self image; they are so concerned about it that they eat almost nothing and in severe cases the body can starve. Often sufferers reject help.

According to the Eating Disorders Association, eating disorders are really a way of not having to face up to painful problems in life and difficulties you can't solve. Eating (or not eating) is used as a way of showing deeper feelings of unhappiness.

Traditionally eating disorders have been seen as a condition suffered by young women, but they can affect people of all ages and increasingly young men are experiencing these difficulties too — approximately 10 per cent of anorexics are male. It has also been argued by some that the influence of the media on people's self image causes concern. Some surveys suggest that young people (young men and young women) feel encouraged to lose weight in order to be more like their celebrity idols.

Anorexia nervosa makes the sufferer believe that they are fat so in response they cut down on the food they eat. The symptoms of anorexia may include:

severe loss of weight
mistaken beliefs about actual body size, shape and weight
taking too much exercise
getting rid of the food they eat (by vomiting or using laxatives)
cutting themselves off from friends, family or carers
feeling moody and bad-tempered
having difficulty sleeping
periods may stop
feeling cold and having poor blood circulation
growth of downy hair all over the body and
low self-esteem.

The characteristics of bulimia nervosa mean that sufferers eat lots of food and then make themselves sick. There are times when they starve themselves or use laxatives. The symptoms may be:

bingeing on large quantities of food
getting rid of the food they eat by vomiting or using laxatives
feeling out of control, helpless and lonely
irregular periods
sore throat and loss of enamel on teeth
poor skin condition due to dehydration
tiredness
moodiness and self-hatred.

Dealing with eating disorders can be difficult because it can take a long time for people to admit that they have a problem. The sooner this happens the greater chance there is of recovery. It is important to get professional help. They may appreciate talking to someone they trust.

Side effects are suffered by people with both conditions. Damage may be caused to the heart and kidneys. If laxatives are used regularly there may also be significant bowel muscle damage. Gastric acid from the stomach is corrosive and will damage tooth enamel if vomiting is persistent.

Compulsive dieting

It is estimated that 50% of women in the UK are either dieting at the moment or thinking about it. Dieting has become an obsession in the UK over the past few years as we strive for the perfect body. Researchers also suggest that 96% of diets don't work. Many people get trapped into the 'yo-yo' dieting effect where crash diets initially cause the desired weight loss only for the pounds to return just as quickly.

Healthy eating is far safer and will help to maintain a stable weight, that is comfortable for a person's size and shape. It will also keep the necessary balance of minerals and fluids that the body needs.

Binge Eating

Like bulimia, binge eating has only recently been recognised as a distinct condition. The essential difference is that these people binge uncontrollably but do not purge themselves. It is believed that many more people suffer from binge eating disorder than either anorexia or bulimia nervosa. It is estimated that approximately ten per cent of people with binge-eating disorder are obese.

Signs of binge eating include:

Eating much more rapidly than usual
Eating until feeling uncomfortably full
Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
Eating alone because of their embarrassment at the quantities of food consumed
Feeling ashamed, depressed or guilty after bingeing
Being unable to purge themselves of the food eaten.

Other Eating Disorders

Conditions as complex as eating disorders inevitably mean that there are variations in the typical signs described in these web pages, and not all symptoms will apply to all people. For instance, a woman with anorexia may have irregular or normal periods; bulimic episodes may be very infrequent. These cases will be classified as 'partial syndrome' eating disorders.

Some variations are much more distinct, such as 'chew and spit' behaviour, when a person chews food and spits it out — rather than swallowing — large amounts of food. Another example is regurgitation when food is swallowed and is then brought back up into the mouth for re-chewing. Some people eat non-foods, such as paper tissues, to fill themselves up without the calorific intake.

[Source]

Soy and Fish Oil Supplements May Help Prevent Heart Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:09:00 +0000

Taking daily supplements of fish or soy oil may protect against heart attacks and improve cardiac function in the short-term. Study results published in CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, are the first to show that soy oil increases heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of cardiac autonomic function.

“Our findings contradict the current belief in the medical community that increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids produces only long-term cardiac benefits,” said the study’s lead author, Fernando Holguin, MD, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. “In fact, our study group showed improvements in heart function in as little as two weeks.”

Researchers from Atlanta, GA, Boston, MA, and Cuernavaca, Mexico, took the HRV of 58 elderly patients every other day for two months to establish an HRV baseline for each participant. For 11 weeks, half of the study participants took a daily two gram supplement of fish oil, which contains marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids, and the other half took a daily two gram supplement of soy oil, which contains plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids improve heart function by providing greater variability between beats, therefore reducing the risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden death. Heart rate variability is measured by high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) domain components and standard deviation of normal RR intervals (SDNN). Those who received fish oil experienced a significant increase in total HF and LF domain components and SDNN. Patients who received soy oil experienced a marginally significant increase in HF and LF domain components and a significant increase in SDNN.

"Reduced HRV predicts mortality and arrhythmic complications in patients who have had a heart attack, as well as those who are considered healthy," said Dr. Holguin. "Taking a daily supplement of fish or soy oil may help reduce the risk of suffering an adverse cardiovascular event, such as arrhythmia or sudden death, specially in persons with known cardiovascular disease or at increased risk for it, such as those with lipid disorders, advanced age, hypertension, a history of smoking, and family history of heart disease."

Researchers also discovered that while patients in both groups experienced a significant increase in HRV, those who took the fish oil supplements achieved a greater increase in a shorter time period. Patients who received fish oil experienced increased HRV within the first 2.7 weeks, whereas it took 8.1 weeks for a significant increase in HRV to be seen in the group taking soy oil. None of the study participants experienced significant negative side effects, but 41 percent of participants in the fish oil group reported belching, compared to 16 percent in the soy oil group.

"Studies like this demonstrate that there are additional approaches we can take to protect ourselves from heart attacks," said Paul A. Kvale, MD, FCCP, President of the American College of Chest Physicians. "It's exciting to see the potential for omega-3 fatty acids in improving heart function when it complements a healthy lifestyle of exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting eight hours of sleep."

Related Topics:

Everything About Bilberry Foods

How Spinach Helps To Improve Eyesight

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Warning: milk eliminates health benefits of tea

The Cretan Diet: Uncovering Its Heart Health Secrets Through the Ages

Fruit Pomelit Helps to Prevent Heart Attacks

[Source]

Vitamins That Will Save Your Eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:16:00 +0000

Introduction

There has been a lot of interest in the role of nutrition and nutritional supplements, such as vitamin tablets, and their effect on vision. The main focus has been on how vitamins and minerals might affect age-related eye conditions such as age-related macular-degeneration (AMD) and cataracts. This page explores these issues and looks at the importance of good nutrition and how the eye can be affected by it.

The importance of good nutrition

Good nutrition is very important for both your general and eye health. Good nutrition helps our body to grow, repair wear and tear, protect against infection and to function properly. An eye condition called ‘xerophthalmia’, which is a common cause of childhood blindness in developing countries, is a good example of how nutrition and eye health go hand in hand. This condition is caused by a lack of vitamin A in a person’s diet and could be prevented by eating fresh vegetables, fat (animal and plant) and protein (eg meat, eggs, cheese, fish, poultry, milk, yoghurt, dairy products, nuts, seeds, pulses and grains).

What might cause age-related eye disease?

There are many causes for the various different eye conditions.

Sometimes an eye condition can be related to another medical condition, and some are inherited. Much research is being carried out in various areas of eye health. Often there is no known cause for the development of an eye condition - these conditions are often known as ‘idiopathic’.

A few possible risk factors of eye disease are:

Age

Although it may sound obvious, age is the biggest risk factor in age-related eye disease. As we get older the changes in our body processes also affect our eyes.

Oxygen is essential for the human body, but it can also be harmful. Oxygen can produce “free-radicals” which damage cells or prevent them from regenerating as they used to. This cell regeneration process is affected as we get older due to free radicals and other factors.

Our bodies do have a natural protection against the effect of free radicals but under certain conditions this protection is not good enough.

Free radicals damage the retina, a light sensitive layer at the back of the eye. They also affect the lens, a clear tissue found behind the coloured part of the eye known as the iris. The lens helps to focus light onto the retina which then sends an image of what we are looking at to our brain. This is how we see. Mostly, these free radicals are neutralised by the body’s defences. Most vitamins and minerals can help the body and our eyes to combat the effects of free radicals. These vitamins and micronutrients are known as antioxidants and their role in maintaining eye health will be explored in this leaflet.

Smoking

Smoking causes harm to the tissues of the eye. Research has confirmed the direct, harmful effects of smoking on eyesight, particularly in the development of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We also know that smoking can make diabetes-related sight problems worse. Cigarette smoking increases free radicals which accelerate ageing and alters the body’s ability to absorb or extract necessary vitamins and minerals from food. Smoking reduces appetite which may result in a poor diet. Poor nutrition also has an adverse effect on eye health. Passive smoking, that is not smoking yourself but breathing in other people’s smoke, is almost as harmful as smoking yourself.

While cataracts are treatable and therefore do not lead to blindness, they remain a major cause of sight loss in the UK. Treatment options for AMD are limited and smokers do not only double their risk of developing AMD, they also tend to develop it earlier than non-smokers.

It has been shown that stopping smoking can reduce the risk of macular degeneration developing. Your GP can tell you about NHS stop smoking services in your area.

Diet

A balanced diet, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is good for your eye health. Eating a diet low in saturated fats but rich in omega 3 fats and micronutrients derived from green leafy vegetables, fruit, fish and nuts may help prevent and slow down the progression of AMD and age-related cataracts.

Obesity

Obesity is increasingly being discussed as a risk factor for sight loss. Recent research suggests that obesity may put someone more at risk of developing an eye condition which can cause sight loss, including AMD, cataracts and retinal vein occlusion. In addition, obesity significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes and with it, diabetic retinopathy. Further research is now needed to gain better understanding of the links between obesity and these eye conditions.

Sunlight

It has been suggested that eyes can be damaged by continuous exposure to intense sunlight. Many studies show that prolonged periods of sunlight exposure are a risk factor for the development of AMD. The sun’s rays have been linked to the development of cataracts.

For this reason it is very important to reduce exposure of the eye to sunlight. Sunglasses that offer good protection from all angles, are recommended. These not only protect the eye from direct sunlight but also from scattered or reflected light that can enter the eye from above, the sides or below. Wearing a hat with a good brim can decrease eye exposure to light by 30-50 per cent. Sunglasses and hats are, therefore, also recommended for children.

Gender

There is a higher rate of AMD and cataracts among women, possibly because they tend to live longer than men. There also seems to be a hormonal influence and it is reported that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can reduce these risks.

Nutrition for the eye

Vitamins and the eye

In various studies and clinical trials antioxidant vitamins found in certain foods have been linked with eye health. They help to maintain healthy cells and tissues in the eye.

The main focus has been on the anti-oxidant vitamins A, C and E. These vitamins can be found in many different sources of fruit and vegetables such as oranges, kiwis, grapefruit, dried apricots, tomatoes, peppers, raw carrots, green leafy vegetables including kale and spinach, green peas, green beans and brussel sprouts. They can also be found in nuts, seeds, dairy products and eggs. These are only a few of the food types in which antioxidant vitamins can be found. The British Nutrition Foundation can provide you with further information on this. Their contact details are at the end of this leaflet.

Lutein and eye health

More recently it has been suggested that two types of antioxidants, known as ‘carotenoids’, called Lutein (pronounced Loo-teen) and Zeaxanthin (pronounced Zay-a-za-thin) may also help with eye health. Some studies have found that people who have a good diet rich in carotenoids, particularly lutein and zeaxanthin, have a lower risk of developing AMD. Lutein and Zeaxanthin can be found naturally in vegetables and fruit. For example, Lutein can be found in yellow peppers, mango, bilberries, and green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard and broccoli. Zeaxanthin can be found in orange sweet peppers, broccoli, corn, lettuce (not iceberg), spinach, tangerines, oranges and eggs. Many of these overlap with food types in which vitamins A, E and C are present.

Vitamins supplements and diet
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

A large research trial, called the ‘Age-Related Eye Disease Study’ (AREDS), showed that high quantities of the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene and the minerals zinc as zinc oxide, and copper as cupric oxide, can help to slow down the progression of AMD. It would be very hard to obtain the large quantity of vitamins used in the trial from your diet. Therefore some people who have AMD may consider supplementation with vitamins and anti-oxidants. Such high dosages of vitamins and minerals might have possible side effects on the body.

For this reason it is very important to consult your doctor first before taking a supplement.

Eye health

Following the AREDS research trial there have been over 150 smaller scale studies looking at how vitamins and minerals, both from food and in a vitamin supplement, can help eye health in general, and in particular AMD and cataracts. A number of these studies have looked specifically at the carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin which have been particularly associated with healthy eyes.

Some of these studies have shown how certain vitamin and mineral supplements can have a positive effect on eyes and sight. Others have shown there to be no or little benefit. For this reason various organisations are calling for further, larger scale research.

As a result of these studies there are now a number of different supplements for eye health on the market. There is still divided medical opinion on the use of supplements for both eye health and for preventing, or slowing down, the progression of AMD and cataracts in particular.

The general consensus of opinion is that with a good balanced diet that includes sufficient fresh fruits and vegetables there should be no need to use supplements.

However, research has shown that many people in the UK do not get enough vitamins and minerals from their diet. Some people might consider taking a supplement for their general and eye health when :

their diet does not include enough fresh fruit and vegetable
diet does not include enough vitamins and minerals
vitamins and minerals from food are not adequately absorbed by the body
it is hard to obtain or prepare fresh fruit and vegetables
they have been told to take a supplement by their doctor or nutritionist.

However, experts agree that taking supplements is not a substitute for a healthy diet

Conclusion

Evidence regarding the benefits of nutritional supplements against eye disease is conflicting and there is no real agreement among researchers on this subject at present. However, a consensus has been reached on the importance of a healthy, balanced diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach.

Key points to remember:

Eat a good, balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Discuss changing your diet or taking vitamin supplements with your GP.
Discuss your diet or taking a vitamin supplement with your GP if you believe that your diet may be inadequate.
The biggest avoidable risk is smoking.
Protect your eyes from sunlight. Use good quality sunglasses, ie those that have the ‘CE’ mark, which means they meet the European Union Quality Standards. Wearing a brimmed hat also offers very good protection.
Get your eyes tested at least every two years and more frequently if necessary.

Was Interested In Ocular Nutrition?

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:48:00 +0000

Several vitamins, minerals (green leafy vegetable ingredients) and herbs have used in an attempt to treat or prevent the development of cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Although anecdotal evidence abounds, the lack of large scale controlled trials make definite recommendations difficult. This is not surprising since most of the aging eye diseases progress slowly and a multitude of factors (genetic and environmental) affect their development and progression, so that it becomes very difficult to isolate the influence of a specific vitamin or mineral on this process. On this page we discuss the nutrients that over time have been suggested to play a possible role.

In the absence of specific contraindications and side effects, most physicians seem it reasonable to use these nutrients as an adjunct to specific medical therapy - i.e. "can't hurt and might help" approach. Perhaps the most reasonable recommendation would be to increase the dietary intake of green leafy vegetables (for Carotenoids) and fruits & vegetables like carrots and cantaloupe which have reddish pigment (for beta-Carotene). There is a risk however. Patients affected by these diseases are willing to grasp at any straw in desperation, because in advanced disease medical therapy seems to offer so little hope. This is especially true for macular degeneration and glaucoma. Therefore, despite claims of cure with expensive alternative treatments, refrain from unreasonable expectations is prudent.

There is concern about eating green leafy vegetables if you are on Warfarin (Coumadin), a blood thinner. Warfarin reduces the ability of blood to clot by blocking Vitamin K; however, large amounts of Vitamin K can overcome the effects of warfarin. Green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin K. According to the National Stroke Association, patients taking Warfarin do not need to avoid foods that are high in vitamin K-- rather, they should avoid against abruptly changing the amount of vitamin K-rich foods consumed since the changes in vitamin K intake can alter the effect of warfarin, making warfarin ineffective (too much vitamin K in the diet) or causing bleeding (too little vitamin K in the diet). If you eat a relatively constant amount of green vegetables then Warfarin levels would be unlikely to fluctuate.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, beta-Carotene (pro-Vitamin A) and Carotenoids (Lutein & Zeaxanthin) are strong antioxidants i.e. they protect the eye against free radical damage. It seems reasonable to assume that strengthening of the eye defences by increasing the intake of these vitamins would be helpful in preventing the chronic AgingEye diseases. Recent well designed and controlled studies seem to support this assumption. Lycopene (a different type of carotenoid found in tomatoes) protects against prostate cancer and heart disease — therefore the protective effect of these vitamins is not just restricted to the eye.

Nutritional supplements and Macular Degeneration

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was a major study sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI). In the study, scientists looked at the effects of zinc and antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E & beta carotene i.e. provitamin-A), on patients with cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Lutein was not part of this study because during the planning stages in the early 1990s, lutein and zeaxanthin were not commercially available.

The study reported a beneficial effect of antioxidants + zinc in patients who have moderate to advanced macular degeneration (i.e. those who have extensive intermediate size drusen or at least 1 large drusen or geographic atrophy in 1 or both eyes, or visual acuity worse than 20/32 attributable to macular degeneration). The study showed that treatment with antioxidants + zinc reduced the risk of progression of moderate macular degeneration to advanced macular degeneration by 25%. (see graph). Vitamin supplements do not provide as much benefit to patients with minimal macular degeneration. These nutritional supplements do not prevent the development of macular degeneration, nor can one recover vision already lost to macular degeneration. In this study, nutritional supplements do not seem to prevent cataracts, or to keep them from getting worse over time, although other studies have shown such a beneficial affects. The dose of vitamin C used was about 5 times what the general population receives from diet alone. The dose of vitamin E was about 13 times the recommended daily allowance and the dose of zinc was about 5 times the recommended daily allowance. These levels of zinc and vitamins C and E generally can be obtained only by supplementation.

While most patients in the study experienced no serious side effects from the doses of zinc and antioxidants used, a few taking zinc alone had urinary tract problems that required hospitalization. Some patients taking large doses of antioxidants experienced some yellowing of the skin. The long-term effects of taking large doses of these supplements are still unknown.

If you have intermediate (or advanced macular degeneration in one eye only), talk to your physician about taking nutritional supplements. Your doctor can help you determine if they may be beneficial-and safe-for you, and what types and doses of supplements to take. The doses used in the study were: Vitamin C 500 mg, Vitamin E 400 IU, Beta-carotene 15 mg, Zinc 80 mg, as zinc oxide, Copper 2 mg, as cupric oxide (copper should be taken with zinc, because high-dose zinc is associated with copper deficiency). Ophthalmologists and others prescribing the AREDS formula to their patients should recognize that this is not a multivitamin; if the patient needs additional vitamins (e.g., B vitamins or vitamin D), other products must be used. To know more about the NEI macular degeneration study read or print the NIH News Release about this study or view the video.

It is very important to talk with your physician before taking large-dose supplements, and to follow the dosage recommendations carefully. Megadoses of vitamins have well defined health risks. Some supplements may interfere with each other or other medications. Smokers and ex-smokers probably should not take beta-carotene, as studies have shown a link between beta-carotene use and lung cancer among smokers.An estimated 8 million persons at least 55 years old in the United States have intermediate or advanced macular degeneration. Of these 8 million, 1.3 million would develop advanced macular degeneration if no treatment were given to reduce their risk. If all of these people at risk received supplements such as those used in AREDS, more than 300 000 of them would avoid advanced macular degeneration and any associated vision loss during the next 5 years.

Aging Eye Times recommendation:

We urge clinicians to be cautious when advising patients with macular degeneration regarding the benefits of ocular vitamin/mineral supplements. These nutrients are not a cure for macular degeneration, nor will they restore vision already lost from the disease, but they may help some people at high risk for developing advanced macular degeneration keep their vision. Based on data from AREDS, persons older than 55 years should have dilated eye examinations to determine their risk of developing advanced macular degeneration. Patients who have moderately advanced macular degeneration and are not current or past smokers, should consider taking a supplement of antioxidants plus zinc. In patients who have early macular degeneration, it seems reasonable to defer consideration of supplementation. If patients with early macular degeneration choose to take the supplements, then they must understand that their decision to do so is not supported by a demonstrated benefit and any presumed beneficial effect on preventing the progression of macular degeneration is mere speculation. Approximately 80% of Americans older than age 70 will fall in the low-risk group of early or no macular degeneration.
All patients should be encouraged to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and in particular they should be informed by they clinician on the dietary sources rich in these carotenoids. We further recommend patients to wear UV protective lenses and a hat or cap when outdoors and suggest they see their primary care physician to treat any hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or potentially compromising vascular disease.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin role in Eye Disease Prevention

The macula is yellow in color due to the presence of pigment, which is composed of two dietary carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. By absorbing blue-light, lutein and zeaxanthin pigments protect the photoreceptor cells of the retina from light damage. In addition, lutein & zeaxanthin are antioxidants, able to prevent free-radical damage to the macula. If the macula has more lutein and zeaxanthin, the protection against light damage is also greater. The macular pigment can be increased in by either increasing the intake of foods that are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, such as dark-green leafy vegetable, or by supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin.

While the assumption that increasing the intake of lutein or zeaxanthin may protect against the development of age-related macular degeneration has a strong scientific basis, a causative relationship has yet to be unequivocally demonstrated in rigorous controlled studies. Given the evidence to date, the advice to increase the intake of lutein & zeaxanthin seems reasonable.

A number of studies intended to examine trends in a population suggest a link between lutein and decreased risk of eye disease:

In 1994, a National Eye Institute (NEI)-supported study indicated that consumption of foods rich in carotenoids — particularly green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, kale and spinach — was associated with a reduced risk of developing macular degeneration.

In 1999, data from the Nurses Health Study showed a reduced likelihood of cataract surgery with increasing intakes of lutein and another carotenoid --zeaxanthin.

In 1999, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study found a trend toward a lower risk of cataract extraction with higher intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin.

In 1999, a follow-up to an NEI-supported population-based study -- called the Beaver Dam Study -- concluded that people with diets higher in lutein and zeaxanthin had a lower risk of developing cataract.

In 2001, data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that higher intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin among people ages 40-59 may be associated with a reduced risk of advanced macular degeneration.

Lutein & Zeaxanthin were not part of this AREDS (macular degeneration study) because during the planning stages in the early 1990s, lutein and zeaxanthin were not commercially available. Therefore, the recently released results of the macular degeneration study could not advice on lutein.

It seems reasonable to conclude that the trends and available evidence to date supports a beneficial affect for lutein in preventing eye diseases.

Nutritional supplements and Cataracts

Compared with nonusers, the risk for cataract is 60% lower among persons who use multivitamins or any supplement containing vitamin C or E for more than 10 years. Use of vitamins for shorter duration is not associated with reduced risk for cataract (Arch Ophthalmol 2000;118:1556-63). Vitamin C reduces the risk of cortical cataracts in women aged 60 years or less & carotenoids reduce the risk of posterior subcapsular cataract (PSC) in women who have never smoked (Am J Clin Nutr 2002;75:540-9). A recent research report also suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin (the only carotenoids found in the lens) may retard aging of the lens (Arch Ophthalmol 2002;120:1732-7). Higher intakes of protein, vitamin A, niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin (i.e. vitamin B-complex) are associated with reduced prevalence of nuclear cataract (Ophthalmology 2000;107:450-6).

The combined weight of the evidence suggests that long-term use of vitamin supplements (containing vitamin-C, E and carotenoids) may be of value in delaying cataract development.

Years ago, Nobel laureate Linus Pauling advocated megadoses (1,000 to 2,000 mg per day) of Vitamin C to fend off colds and prevent cancer. Studies have found no benefit from such massive doses of vitamin C, but a different line of research suggests that just a little extra might be a good thing for women's eyes. Any protective effect of vitamin C probably occurs well above the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 75 mg/day for women, about the amount in an orange (Women who smoke need more vitamin C 110 mg/day).

Research by the Nutrition and Vision Project (NVP), a cooperative effort of Harvard and Tufts University scientists, has found that women who consume higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin C may lower their risk for more than one type of cataract (Harv Womens Health Watch 2002;9:1). Boosting the vitamin C intake from both food and supplements to around 500 mg/day is probably a good idea, however discuss it with your doctor, especially if you have an increased risk for kidney stones.

Herbs and AgingEye Diseases

The use of herbal supplements in the US has become increasingly popular in recent years. In a survey conducted in 1999, about 49% of adult Americans were estimated to have used herbal products during the previous year (Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics 2002:27;391-401). Contributing to their increased use is the perception that herbs are safer, gentler and represent a more 'natural' way of curing disease than conventional drugs, which are viewed as chemicals.

These medications fall into the category of alternative/complementary medicines and, as such, are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the same scrutiny as conventional drugs. There is no pre-marketing review and post-marketing surveillance requirements for herbal supplements in the US. Their regulation by the FDA is restricted as a result of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed by US Congress in 1994. These products are freely available to consumers as over-the-counter (OTC) items. The FDA has now established standards to ensure that dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are not adulterated with contaminants or impurities, and are labeled to accurately to reflect the ingredients in the product (News Release). There is still no requirement to show that dietary supplements are safe or effective.

As the use of herbal supplements in the US continues to grow under the prevailing scenario, some concerns have become apparent regarding the safety of these products. Of particular safety concern is potential interactions of these products with conventional drugs. It has been documented that as many as 31% of the patients who use herbal supplements do so in conjunction with prescribed drugs and about 70% of these patients do not regularly report the use of these products to their health care providers (Journal of Clinical Pharmacy & Therapeutics 2002:27;391-401). Of most concern is the bleeding tendency when herbs like Gingko are taken along with aspirin or other blood thinner.

Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Bilberry has a long history of use for various eye conditions. The active components, flavonoid anthocyanosides, are potent antioxidants with a particular affinity for the eye and vascular tissues. Interest in bilberry was first aroused during World War II when British Royal Air Force pilots reported improved night visual acuity on bombing raids after consuming bilberries. Subsequent claims have been made that the administration of bilberry extracts results in improved night visual acuity, quicker adjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare. In a report of 50 patients with age-related cataracts, a combination of bilberry and vitamin E delayed the progression of cataracts (Head K. Altern Med Rev 2001;6:141-166).

Bilberry has been used in the treatment of glaucoma as well.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba extract is freely available and popular. An extract of Ginkgo leaves is commonly used for conditions associated with cerebral and peripheral ischaemia (e.g. dementia, impotency, claudication). Gingko has several biological actions which combine to make it a potentially useful agent in the treatment of glaucoma: improvement of central and peripheral blood flow, reduction of vasospasm, reduction of serum viscosity, antioxidant activity, platelet activating factor inhibitory activity, inhibition of apoptosis, and inhibition of excitotoxicity. The effect of Ginkgo biloba extract as a potential antiglaucoma therapy is undergoing scrutiny.

Bleeding may occur inside the eye in patients taking Gingko (N Engl J Med 1997 10;336:1108). One of its components, ginkgolide B, is a potent inhibitor of platelet-activating factor, which is essential for the induction of arachidonate-independent platelet aggregation. Bledding complications in the brain have also been reported.

A recent research article suggests that Ginkgo biloba extract (40 mg, orally, administered three times daily for 4 weeks) improves preexisting visual field damage in some patients with Normal Tension Glaucoma (Ophthalmology 2003;110:359-362). Visual field improvement theoretically could result from improved retinal ganglion cell function or improved cognitive abilities. Either of these effects could occur secondary to improved blood flow to the eye, the brain, or both to a neuroprotective effect of Gingko Biloba. Further studies are needed to determine by what mechanisms Gingko may benefit patients with glaucoma.

Coleus Forskohlii

The triterpene forskolin from the plant Coleus forskohlii stimulates the enzyme adenylate cyclase. Adenylate cyclase then stimulates the ciliary epithelium to produce cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which in turn decreases eye pressure by decreasing aqueous humor inflow.

Results of studies using topical forskolin applications to decrease eye pressure have been mixed. To date, human studies on forskolin's effect on eye pressure have been limited to healthy volunteers. Several studies have found it effective at lowering eye pressure and decreasing aqueous outflow in healthy volunteers.

Salvia Miltiorrhiza

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a commonly used botanical in Chinese medicine. Injected intravenously, this botanical appears to improve microcirculation of the retinal ganglion cells.

In a human study, 121 patients with mid- or late-stage glaucoma with medication-controlled eye pressure received daily intramuscular injections of a 2 g/mL solution of Salvia miltiorrhiza alone or in combination with other Chinese herbs (four different groups). The results suggest a possible benefit from this herbal treatment. Double-blind evaluations of oral administration of Salvia seem warranted.

Wine and Macular Degeneration

Researchers reported in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that people who drink wine in moderation may be less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This finding was based on an analysis of data collected between 1971 and 1975 for the National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES-1) from 3,072 adults 45 to 74 years of age with eye-related changes that indicated AMD.
The National Eye Institute (NEI) believes that it would be premature to make any recommendations based on this single study. While this is an interesting finding that bears further investigation, the authors warn that the study should not be used to "draw inferences about a cause and effect relationship." It also should be noted that later studies have found no such relationship between AMD and wine drinking, and that the findings reported are of borderline significance.

The NEI agreed with the author's concerns about the reliability of the data indicating the amount of alcohol consumed, as these data are often subject to recall bias. In addition, the study did not completely take into account possible confounding factors, especially smoking. Many studies show that smoking is a risk factor for AMD. Since there is generally more smoking among alcohol users, smoking status should be taken into account in the analyses. NEI questioned, too, the reliability of the diagnosis of AMD in those surveyed. The methods used now to diagnose AMD in large studies have been improved and are quite different than those used in the early 1970's.

Related Topics:

How To Maintain And Improve Vision

Everything About Bilberry Foods

Improve Your Retina and Macula Health with Foods and Vitamins

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit Helps Prevent Eye Disease

[Source]

How Much Sugar Must You Eat Too Kill Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:33:00 +0000

The BBC broadcast the following "Discovery" program on the 31 meter shortwave band, October 10th, 1989.

DISCOVERY, EDITION 785

STEPHEN HEDGES: Hello and welcome to Discovery. Today we discuss some ideas about the causes of ageing. I hope you're not enjoying a sticky bun or drinking a cup of sugary hot chocolate as you listen. If it's a between-meals snack, you could be in for a shock. Writing in a recent issue of the New Scientist, researchers based at the University of Oxford and at the Open University, report that taking sugary snacks between meals may damage vital body proteins and cause premature ageing. Their experiments suggest that high levels of sugars in the blood cause proteins to stick together. Normally special enzymes unstick the glycated proteins, but if sugar levels are raised between meals the enzymes can't cope, and the proteins become permanently damaged. Being partial to the occasional Chelsea bun myself, I took the train to Oxford and found Dr Anna Furth in her laboratory at the Open University's research unit. She explained why they think high levels of sugar damage proteins.

DR ANNA FURTH: Well the damage to the protein takes place in 2 stages because the first product that's formed by glucose attacking the protein is called a Schiffs base and that, within a matter of days, will slowly convert to the next product which is called an Amadory product and these 2 modified forms of the protein are known as the early glycation products and there's a lot of discussion as to how debilitating they are. But, as any protein chemist will tell you, you've only got to modify the surface of a protein very slightly and you are likely to alter its reactions with other molecules in the body because protein reactions are in essence controlled by their surface shape. So what it could well add up to is a series of minor disabilities rather than a specific illness. And with short-lived proteins you do get replacement molecules within a matter of weeks so you can get fresh molecules that are not glycated. Albumin, once it's glycated - and 1 in 3 molecules of albumin are glycated, even in normal people - is much less efficient at carrying long chain fatty acids, and this you'd expect to have some effect on fat metabolism, however minor. And there's another protein in the serum, a lipo- protein which is used to carry cholesterol and if you glycate that in a test tube to the same extent as you can find it in the body, then it's not picked up by cells and that is bound to have some effect on the metabolism and the transport of cholesterol.

HEDGES: Now I believe from what you were saying that diabetics have more of these glycated proteins. Is there any indication of the sort of long-term damage that high levels might cause?

FURTH: Most of the interest in long-term damage has been directed at the long-lived proteins which are there long enough for the final stages of glycation to take place and that's collagen and crystallin in the eye lens. It's well known that diabetics are more likely to have cataracts than non-diabetics. Even short-term damage may be caused by glycation of basement membrane components. Now, the basement membrane is a lining underneath capillaries and it's also part of the kidney filtration mechanism and its function seems to be to filter out large molecules from the nutrient fluid that comes out of capillaries and nourishes tissues like the retina and muscles and lots of other tissues. An unfortunate characteristic of diabetic tissue is that the basement membrane does get very thick, and that obviously upsets its filtration properties, and several of the components, notably a specialised collagen which is used to make a filtration network, and fibronectin, both of these proteins are more heavily glycated in diabetics and if you glycate them to the same amount in a test tube, you can impair their filtration mechanisms and they certainly don't form a nice network as they would otherwise do.

HEDGES: Are there any ways of preventing this damage? I'm thinking perhaps of drugs that you might use.

FURTH: The only drug that's been, as it were, designed to prevent glycation has been developed by Professor Cerami's group at the Rockefeller Institute in the States, and this is called amino- guanidin, and it was aimed to block the most reactive glucose modified protein called the Amadory product and it is said that if you feed it to diabetic rats, it does stop their basement membranes from thickening but that takes 5 months of feeding and it stops their aortic collagen from getting cross-linked. It has been tried on humans for 2 weeks with apparently no ill effects but there has been no large-scale clinical trial and at the moment they have taken out a patent to use it for preventing ageing in food proteins and in animals. So that's amino-guanidin. Surprisingly, the most effective drug seems to be aspirin - I say surprisingly because it wasn't intended as an anti-glycation drug, but studies by John Harding in Oxford, and his collaborators, have shown that if you take a group of people who have got cataracts and another group of comparable age, and ask them if they have taken any drug for more than 4 months continuously at any time in their life, you find that if they've taken aspirin or Paracetamol or Neurofen, there's a distinct so-called protective effect against cataracts. In other words, statistically they are less likely to develop cataracts than if they haven't taken these drugs over this period. And there's not been a deliberate clinical trial but it seems that if you take even just 1 aspirin a day for 18 months, you might protect against cataract. But cataract is largely due to glycation of the eye lens protein which is unusual in that it's never replaced, or virtually never - it's a very long-lived protein. And the big question is, of course, whether aspirin will have a similar protective effect against other proteins, particularly, say, the basement membrane proteins.

HEDGES: Is it known how these anti-inflamatory drugs like aspirin and Neurofen might be having this effect?

FURTH: Well it's originally thought with aspirin that it reacted itself with the protein at the same site that would otherwise be attacked by glucose. But then it was realised that some of these other anti-inflamatory drugs don't have quite the same structure as aspirin so they couldn't affect the proteins in the same way. So I think the answer is that no-one is very clear how the drugs work and maybe it is simply an effect through a rather complex series of reactions that actually lower the blood glucose.

HEDGES: Does the body itself have any way of preventing the cross- linking of these glucose modified proteins?

FURTH: Well it used to be thought not, but fairly recently a group in South Carolina, led by John Baines, have found a derivative of proteins called carboxylmethyl lysine which is much more pronounced in diabetics and has come from the breakdown of products that have been modified glucose, but have then oxidised to convert the glucose, add-up to something which is comparatively harmless because it can't cross-link. And the nice thing would be, of course, if you could encourage this oxidation reaction but at the moment naturally it only breaks down about 10% of the glucose modified proteins so on its own it doesn't help you very much.

HEDGES: Are all researchers agreed about the way that sugar damages proteins, or are there some scientists who have rather different ideas?

FURTH: I think most people agree that the route for the damage is that a glucose molecule attaches to a protein and then becomes irreversibly attached through an internal re-arrangement and may then go on to cross-linking. But there is a group at University College in London, led by Simon Wolff, who feel that it is not so much the glucose itself that attacks the protein but the oxidation products of glucose and that this can actually fragment proteins and therefore conditions which enhance oxidation are the ones to be avoided.

HEDGES: Now if Dr Wolff is right, what can you actually do about it? Is there some other way of preventing the damage?

FURTH: Well, there's a lot of interest in taking anti-oxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E, and if he's right that this oxidative fragmentation is the major route by which glucose damages proteins then possibly vitamin C or vitamin E would help but I have to point out that the body's own mechanism for getting rid of glucose- damaged protein seems to be the route discovered by John Baines which is an oxidation in itself. So if you go around taking a lot of vitamin C you would be tending to depress that reaction maybe. It's far more complicated than that. I would also point out that vitamin C in the test tube, if you leave it sitting with a protein, it will cross- link it and form the same sort of undesirable products very nicely.

HEDGES: Finally, what would your advice to people be to avoid this long-term protein damage? Do we have to take drugs or are there other things that we might do?

FURTH: Well there is a much simpler method which is to avoid taking glucose in the first place and obviously one can't be too glib about this because we rely on glucose for food and energy. I think it's important to point out that the body has no means of controlling this particular reaction unlike all the other reactions that go on, and are controlled by enzymes, and the only controls are the concentration of glucose that the protein is exposed to, and the length of time it's exposed. And obviously both those things tend to be greater in diabetics but I think that what people have not emphasised is that as you get older, every time you take a carbohydrate-containing meal, your blood glucose does go up and it's a perfectly normal phenomenon, but the older you get, the higher it goes and the longer it takes to come down. And if you're looking for small cumulative changes in your proteins, which is exactly what we think happens in ageing, this glycation after a meal could contribute and so if you wanted to reduce the likelihood of glycation, you clearly can't stop eating, but I think you can minimise the exposure by perhaps cutting down on snacks that contain carbohydrate.

HEDGES: Dr Anna Furth of the Open University. And the message would clearly seem to be, cut out those sugary between-meals snacks, even when you're list- ening to Discovery in the World Service of the BBC.

STILL LIKE SUGAR? WELL HERE'S A PARAGRAPH OF WHOLESALE NUTRITION'S MAY '84 NEWSLETTER #18:

VITAMIN C AND SUGAR: Ascorbic Acid (AA) and Dehydroascorbic Acid (DHA) are on opposite sides of a chemical equation that expresses an important reaction that's continually going on in our body. Depending on conditions, the reaction can go from left to right or from right to left, that is, AA and DHA are two forms of the same chemical that are constantly being transformed back and forth. Now we all know that AA (vitamin C) is extremely important to our health, but few of us know that DHA can be deadly. DHA, for instance, is thought to be involved in deterioration of the circulatory system, heart attacks, cancer, and birth defects. Also, and what may be most important, DHA has a lympholytic effect which reversibly atrophies the thymus and thus suppresses the immune system. It's known that stress will cause AA to convert into DHA and may be the reason why stress is implicated in all of the above conditions. It's very important, therefore, to maintain a high AA/DHA ratio (of at least 10/1). It's thought that the body may have developed a method of doing this for us by taking a certain amino acid precursor (found in high levels in raw or lightly cooked broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage) and using it to make a tri-peptide amino acid, called glutathione, which then, inside every cell of our body, and as soon as the DHA enters the cell, converts the DHA back to AA. Unfortunately, when you eat sugar, you interfere with this whole delicate process by inhibiting the transport of DHA through the cell wall. Whatever type or form of sugar (including honey and fructose) or rapidly hydrolyzable starches (such as white rice, bread and potatoes) we eat, it's all converted by our body into glucose, and, since it's our only source of energy, is given 1st priority by the cells. The glucose then proceeds to occupy all of a cell's receptor sites and prevents the entrance into the cell of DHA, and, as a result, the DHA doesn't get converted back to AA by the glutathione in the cell. The best method of determining whether your average sugar intake is excessive is to test (for about $20) your blood for glycosylated hemoglobin A1C ("A-one-C"). Although the "normal" range is said to be from 5 to 9, Dr John Ely, of the Univ. of Washington in Seattle, strongly suggests your A1C must be less than 7. For instance, in a study of 114 pregnant women, those having an A1C greater than 8.5 during early pregnancy showed a 22% chance of giving birth to a markedly abnormal baby (malformed body, undeveloped brain). But it dropped to 0% for those whose A1C was less than 7.

So, the bottom line is, in addition to taking your normal vitamin C, to eat plenty of those vegetables mentioned above, avoid stress, and above all, TO AVOID SUGAR!! I want to thank Dr Ely for all of the above, since much of it is proprietary pre-publication information that he's allowing me to break to you first.

Related Topics:

Top 12 Foods To Break Down Fat Deposits

A Candy That Won't make You Guilty For A Snack

Top 10 Low Calorie Food

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

The Awful Truth About Kids & Obesity

[Source]

Top 12 Foods To Break Down Fat Deposits

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:14:00 +0000

by Brenda Bunney

In your struggle to lose weight, eating foods that burn fat in your body more efficiently is an important factor. Here is a list of top fat burning foods that you should include in your diet.

These foods help break down fatty deposits and make it easier for your body to flush out the fat.

1. Asparagus - Contains the chemical asparagine, which is an alkaloid that stimulates the kidneys and improves the circulatory process. These alkaloids break down oxalic acid, which tends to glue fat to cells. Breaking down this acid helps to reduce fat levels.

2. Beets - A strong diuretic that focuses on the liver and kidneys. Beets flush out floating body fats and cleanses blood corpuscles that can contain fat deposits. Beets also contain chlorine that stimulates the lymph, which helps flush out fatty deposits.

3. Brussel Sprouts - Stimulates the pancreas, which releases hormones that will have a cleansing effect on cells. Brussel sprouts also contain minerals that stimulate the kidneys so that waste is released quicker.

4. Cabbage - This is a great food if you have a potbelly or middle age spread on your waistline, as it helps break up fat in this area. Cabbage contains sulphur and iodine, which helps to cleanse the gastric intestinal mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines and helps break up fat.

5. Carrots - Carrots contains carotene, a form of Vitamin A, this carotene will start a fat flushing reaction in your system. This reaction will literally wash out fat and waste quickly. The carotene will be transformed into vitamin A in the intestines and this process will cause your metabolism to speed up and create a reaction in your cells to remove fat deposits.

6. Celery - Raw celery has a high concentration of Calcium in a ready to use form, so when you eat it, the calcium is sent directly to work. This pure form of calcium will ignite your endocrine system. The hormones in your body will break up the accumulated fat build up. Celery also has a high level of magnesium and iron, which will clean out your system.

7. Cucumbers - Contains sulfur and silicon content that stimulate the kidneys to wash up uric acid and loosen fat from cells.

8. Garlic - A natural diuretic containing mustard oils that create a cleansing action in the body. They promote a vigorous action of Peristalsis. Peristalsis is a muscular contraction that helps to break down clumps of fat and wash it out.

9. Horseradish - It has an amazing effect of dissolving fat in cells (no side effects) and also as a cleansing effect on the body.

10. Lettuce - Contains iron and magnesium, which enters your spleen, to boost your immunity and protects the body from illness. Lettuce also helps the liver as it increases your metabolism and washes out fatty cells.

11. Radishes - Contains high levels of Iron and Magnesium which scrub the mucous membrane of the body and helps to dissolve fat in the cells.

12. Tomatoes - Contains Vitamin C and Citricmalic-oxalic acids. The acid will accelerate metabolism and help the kidneys filter out large quantities of fatty deposits and wash away fat from your system.

Related Topics:

Top 10 Low Calorie Food

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

[Source]

A Candy That Won't Make You Guilty For A Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:47:00 +0000

10 Ways to Have That Snack and Lose Weight

Got cookies? How about chips? Chips, cookies, ice cream, candy bars, and crackers are the most popular snack foods. It comes as no surprise that they are generally our higher calorie, higher fat or sugar snack choices.

Do you feel guilty when you get a snack attack? You are not alone. Snacking has gotten a bad rap in the past but it isn't the act of snacking that gets us into trouble, it's the type of foods we tend to snack on that quickly puts us into fat and calorie overload.

Actually, eating smaller, more frequent meals/snacks can be particularly helpful. Small meals/snacks eaten about every 2 1/2 to 3 hours tend to translate into more stable blood sugars throughout the day. When you graze instead of gorge, you avoid extreme hunger and tend not to overeat at any one meal.

Our 2 Biggest Snack Mistakes

Mistake #1

We choose calorie dense, high-fat/sugar snacks that, while they have a lot of calories for a relatively small amount of food, aren't satisfying in the long run (such as candy bars and chips). Aren't we still hungry after we eat a small bag of chips or a 2 ounce candy bar? Was that 320 calories well spent?

Mistake #2

We choose high-carbohydrate snack foods (such as pretzels, bagels, or apples) that go through the digestive tract fairly quickly, staving off hunger for only a short amount of time. If we balance our quick carbs with some protein and some fat, the snack will be more filling and satisfying and will take longer to get through the digestive tract.

To snack and lose weight, it's important to choose snacks that:

are higher in fiber and important nutrients. Whole grains, beans, and fruits and vegetables contain fiber plus nutrients, and low-fat dairy and lean meats contain important nutrients, so your snacks aren't just contributing "empty" calories (calories without nutritional value)
include carbohydrates with lower glycemic indexes (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts) so the energy from the snack won't hit your blood stream quickly and all at once, thus triggering another craving when it wears off
are balanced with small amounts of protein and some of the more heart-helpful fats such as monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These more balanced snacks tend to feel more satisfying and filling, take longer to digest, and supply energy over a longer period of time. Plant foods such as nuts and seeds, soy foods, avocados, and olive and canola oils offer these helpful fats, and the nuts and soy also offer protein to balance carbohydrate-rich foods

The Snack Attack Plan

So, let's make a new Snack Attack Plan, shall we? To do this, we don't necessarily need to trade all of our Chips Ahoys in for carrot sticks or our carton of ice cream for a carton of yogurt. We can start by making smarter snack choices most of the time. Here are my 10 tips on how you can do this each day:

Tip 1: Soluble Fiber to The Rescue!

Foods rich in soluble fiber make for great snacks because soluble fiber leaves the stomach slowly, encouraging better blood sugars and making you feel satisfied longer. Here are some possible snack ingredients that are high in soluble fiber:

peas and beans (make a quick bean dip in the microwave with some vegetarian refried beans or have some cooked "edamame" soybean pods ready in the refrigerator)
oats and oat bran (make a batch of oatmeal flavored with low-fat milk, a little vanilla extract and cinnamon in the microwave -- or freeze a batch of blueberry oat bran muffins so you can grab one when you need a quick afternoon pickup!)

"We don't necessarily need to trade all of our Chips Ahoys in for carrot sticks or our carton of ice cream for a carton of yogurt. We can start by making smarter snack choices most of the time."

some fruits (apples, peaches, citrus, mango, plums, kiwi, pears, berries)
some vegetables (artichokes, celery root, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, acorn squash, brussels sprouts, cabbage, green peas, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, beets)

Tip 2: Eat Slow-Release Snack Foods

The following foods, even in large amounts and if eaten alone, are not likely to result in a big rise in blood sugar. (Remember, we don't want food to hit your blood stream quickly, otherwise you're just going to feel hungry again shortly after.)

These are based on the American Journal of Nutrition's international table of glycemic index and glycemic load values. (Glycemic load considers the glycemic index of a food and the grams of carbohydrate that a reasonable serving size of that particular food contains)

meat
poultry
fish
avocados
salad
vegetables
cheese
eggs

Tip 3: Go Nuts!

An ounce of nuts is a perfect healthy snack. An ounce of most nuts will add about 170 calories, 7 grams of carbs, 6 grams of protein, and 15 grams fat. (The higher amount of fat in nuts will take longer to digest and will help the snack seem more satisfying.)

hazelnuts and almonds are lowest in saturated fat
macadamia and hazelnuts are highest in monounsaturated fat (this is a very good thing)
pistachios and macadamia nuts are highest in fiber (about 3 grams per ounce)
walnuts have the most omega-3 fatty acids (also a very good thing).

Tip 4: Calling All Yogurt Fans

A container of light fruit yogurt (low fat and with artificial sweeteners) is a great snack at work or on the go. A 7-ounce container has about 13 grams of available carbohydrate and a glycemic index of 20, adding up to a glycemic load of only 2! Remember Tip #2 about the benefits of slow-release foods? Add some fresh fruit, ground flaxseed, or reduced-fat granola to yogurt to make a fun snack parfait!

Tip 5: Portable Fruit

Fruit can travel well in your car or briefcase and come in handy for a quick pick-me-up, many offering just enough carbohydrates with a nice dose of fiber. You can make a more balanced snack by enjoying your fruit with cottage cheese, yogurt, or some cereal and milk.

The following fruits have a low glycemic load (5 or less per serving):

Cherries, glycemic load of 3 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Grapefruit, glycemic load of 3 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Kiwi fruit, glycemic load of 5 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Oranges, glycemic load of 5 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Peaches (fresh or canned in juice), glycemic load of 4 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Pears, glycemic load of 4 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Plums, glycemic load of 3 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Cantaloupe, glycemic load of 4 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving
Strawberries, glycemic load of 1 per (4 1/4 ounce) serving

Tip 6: Get Your Whole Grain Snacks

The latest research suggests that people who eat whole grains have the lowest incidence of diabetes. They appear to increase the efficiency of insulin so that less is required to metabolize the sugar. (Lower levels of circulating insulin are believed to help discourage weight gain.) Use snack time as a time to work in some whole grains!

Tip 7: Eat Your Veggies

Cut up fresh, raw vegetables and serve them with a light ranch dressing, or with peanut butter, reduced fat cheese, or cottage cheese. Look past the basic salad greens and baby carrots and try jicama sticks (a refreshing, crispy white root), zucchini coins, bell pepper rings, or lightly cooked and chilled snow pea pods or green beans.

Tip 8: Try Trail Mix

The dried fruits in trail mix give you some fiber and carbohydrate calories, but the nuts help round the snack off with protein, fat, and some more fiber. (Tip: Stay away from those that include ingredients such as sesame sticks or dried banana chips that may contain trans-containing hydrogenated oils. If you choose a trail mix with chocolate chips or M&Ms, just make sure there is just a sprinkling).

Tip 9: Don't Shovel Down Your Snack

Snacks need to be eaten slowly, too, just like meals. Don't forget that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that you are full. Give that message time to work before you decide the snack didn't do the trick. Make a point of enjoying a flavored mineral water (the unsweetened, no-calorie kind) at the same time. This will help you eat the snack slower, too.

Tip 10: Don't Make Your Snack a Meal

Snacks should be around 150-200 calories -- just enough energy to tide you over until your next meal but not so much that it contributes as many calories as a meal.

Try half of a whole-wheat bagel toasted with a slice of reduced fat cheddar instead of the whole bagel (160 calories vs. 300). Or try a cup of minestrone soup instead of a big bowl for a snack (150 calories vs. 300).

And Finally

Be sure to join me on my Snack Attack message board. Every week, we have a new set of snack attack ideas for you, with such fun titles as Microwave Snack Mondays, Wacky Snack Wednesdays, and my favorite -- Sinful Snack Saturday!

©1996-2005 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

Related Topics:

Top 10 Low Calorie Food

Best Food To Improve Appetite

Good Nutrition Needed for Good Sex

Protein Hazard: How to Save Your Liver When You Are on a Diet

Extra Fatty Diet Could Harm Female Fertility

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

[Source]

How Long Does Food Stay In My Gut

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 14:38:00 +0000

Imagine this: You attend your nephew's wedding. It's great to see the family, but later that night you can't get rid of that gnawing, burning feeling behind your breastbone. Or you eat some fresh fruit in a foreign country. For the next few days you pay the price with bouts of diarrhea and gas. Maybe you're anxiously planning a big dinner party, and by the day of the event, your stomach feels sour and your intestines are churning.

For most people, such episodes of gastrointestinal upset are infrequent and relatively tolerable, the consequence of an intestinal bug, a trip to a foreign land, or excessive holiday feasting. But one in four people has frequent gastrointestinal (GI) problems that can severely disrupt a normal lifestyle. These sufferers may endure any combination of symptoms such as painful stomach cramps, a gnawing discomfort in the abdomen, a burning sensation behind the breastbone, an uncomfortable feeling of fullness, belching, bloating, nausea, gas, diarrhea, or constipation, on and off for months or even years at a time. Such people often undergo unpleasant and sometimes unnecessary medical tests, spend a king's ransom on questionable cures, and miss countless days of work.

Though the misery that such problems inflict is real, they aren't usually the product of an illness. Rather, they are functional gastrointestinal disorders. That means, unlike ulcers or stomach cancer, they can't be attributed to an infection or physical abnormality. More than 20% of people who consult a gastroenterologist learn that there's no medical explanation for their complaints.

Just because doctors may not be able to pin down an organic cause — meaning that there's no evidence of a structural, biochemical, or infectious basis for the symptoms — patients shouldn't blame themselves for their problems. The symptoms — stomach discomfort, bloating, fullness, belching, or burning — are real.

Despite the limits of medical treatment in this area, people plagued by GI distress can definitely be helped. This report focuses on a number of disorders considered functional: gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), functional dyspepsia (FD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation, diarrhea, and excessive gas.

Although these maladies sound different, they cause similar problems and overlapping symptoms. Despite the sometimes imposing names, they usually aren't serious or life-threatening. But they can cause pain, discomfort, and disruption in lifestyle. If the symptoms occur frequently or last more than a month, it's advisable to seek help.

While there is, unfortunately, no tried-and-true cure for a sensitive gut, help is available. In particular, people plagued by GI distress can benefit from a better understanding of their symptoms. With proper knowledge they can worry less and focus on changes in diet or lifestyle that ease the discomfort and make it easier to cope. A good working relationship with your doctor is important too. He or she can help you identify the lifestyle changes and management options that make the most sense for you.

Red Kidney Beans Will Kill You If Not Cooked

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 13:56:00 +0000

Red Kidney Bean Poisoning is an illness caused by a toxic agent, Phytohaemagglutnin (Kidney Bean Lectin). This toxic agent is found in many species of beans, but it is in highest concentration in red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). The unit of toxin measure is the hemagglutinating unit (hau). Raw kidney beans contain from 20,000 to 70,000 hau, while fully cooked beans contain from 200 to 400 hau. White kidney beans, another variety of Phaseolus vulgaris, contain about one-third the amount of toxin as the red variety; broad beans (Vicia faba) contain 5 to 10% the amount that red kidney beans contain.

As few as 4 or 5 beans can bring on symptoms. Onset of symptoms varies from between 1 to 3 hours. Onset is usually marked by extreme nausea, followed by vomiting, which may be very severe. Diarrhea develops somewhat later (from one to a few hours), and some persons report abdominal pain. Some persons have been hospitalized, but recovery is usually rapid (3—4 h after onset of symptoms) and spontaneous.

The syndrome is usually caused by the ingestion of raw, soaked kidney beans, either alone or in salads or casseroles. As few as four or five raw beans can trigger symptoms. Several outbreaks have been associated with "slow cookers" or crock pots, or in casseroles which had not reached a high enough internal temperature to destroy the glycoprotein lectin. It has been shown that heating to 80°C. may potentiate the toxicity five-fold, so that these beans are more toxic than if eaten raw. In studies of casseroles cooked in slow cookers, internal temperatures often did not exceed 75°C.

All persons, regardless of age or gender, appear to be equally susceptible; the severity is related only to the dose ingested.

No major outbreaks have occurred in the U.S. Outbreaks in the U.K. are far more common, and may be attributed to greater use of dried kidney beans in the U.K., or better physician awareness and reporting.

NOTE: The following procedure has been recommended by the PHLS (Public Health Laboratory Services, Colindale, U.K.) to render kidney, and other, beans safe for consumption:

Soak in water for at least 5 hours.
Pour away the water.
Boil briskly in fresh water for at least 10 minutes.
Undercooked beans may be more toxic than raw beans.

[Source]

Kidney Stone Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:52:00 +0000

Most kidney stones are made up of calcium and oxalate. Information about the causes, symptoms and treatment of kidney stones can be found at The Kidney Stone Web Site, Kidney Stones, and other web sites. Kidney stones occur in men more than women, and may have a variety of causes including your diet, your family genes, and other factors.

Doctors used to prescribe a low calcium diet for preventing kidney stones. This approach makes little sense if you understand how calcium is managed in the body. Calcium levels in the blood are kept pretty steady by balancing the absorption of calcium from diet and taking calcium from bones when needed. Changing the amount of calcium in the diet causes very little change in the blood level of calcium The kidney filters substances from the blood, so changing the dietary intake of calcium does not change the amount of calcium that is filtered by the kidneys.

Perhaps the most important step you can take towards preventing kidney stones is drinking 8 to 10 8 oz. Glasses of water every day. Having enough water in your body will help to reduce the concentration of calcium in the fluid that your kidney filters. High concentrations of calcium and oxalate, phosphate or other minerals are needed to form stones.

Another approach to preventing kidney stones in adults is to eat calcium rich foods and avoid oxalates. This works in two ways:
1) reducing the amount of oxalate available, and
2) if calcium is present in the diet with oxalate, then calcium and oxalate bind in the intestine.

This way, less calcium and oxalate enter the blood so that oxalates are not available to bind with calcium in the kidney. You should not use calcium supplements unless you talk to your doctor.

Very high intakes of sodium and protein may cause kidney stones. You should use little salt in cooking or at the table and avoid many high sodium processed foods. See the low-sodium diet section for more details. Most people should have 2 portions of protein foods per day. The portions should be about the size of a deck of cards or a quarter-pound hamburger after it is cooked.

High Oxalate Foods to Avoid

If you avoid the foods listed below you can reduce your oxalate intake. If you eat a large amount of foods on this other list, eating less may be helpful.

Chocolate
Tea
Spinach
Beet tops
Peanuts
Almonds
Pecans

High Calcium Foods to Choose

Many other foods may be good sources of calcium, but those listed below are sources that are commonly available and many people may like to use.

Dairy Products

For adults and children over 5

Skim or 1% milk
Low-fat yogurt
Low-fat cheeses

For children 2-5

2% milk
2%milk cheeses
Low-fat yogurt
Tofu or soy milk (choose calcium processed products-look at the label)
Calcium Fortified fruit juices
Sesame Seeds

Use these sources of calcium as part of a balanced diet as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The chart below shows that foods with higher fat are often lower in calcium than lower fat products. Read labels to look for calcium content.

(Click on the Graph for a larger version.)

Best Food To Improve Appetite

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:15:00 +0000

Symptoms

A good appetite, neither overbearing nor meager, is a sign of health. Nevertheless, poor appetite is not necessarily cause for concern, since even the slightest physical and emotional problems can affect appetite. Other symptoms are bloating, indigestion, constipation, nausea or pain. However, when appetite loss continues, or is accompanied by weight loss, the cause should be investigated further to rule out more serious illnesses.

Causes

Poor appetite has a multitude of causes, but the most likely cause lies in the digestive tract and nearby organs. Almost every stomach and intestinal problem will disturb appetite, including constipation, diarrhea, indigestion and ulcers. Disorders of the gall-bladder, pancreas and liver can be a source of slow digestion from a lack of enzymes, and this in turn can cause appetite loss.

Strong emotions such as grief, depression and stress or anxiety affect appetite. Even the mildest emotional distress can cause stomach upset and tame a hearty appetite in a susceptible person.

Bad eating habits also contribute. Common problems are snacking on sweets and soft drinks between meals, and eating large, heavy meals containing saturated fats. Deep-fried food is particularly hard to digest. In contrast, small meals rich in vegetables and fruit are easy to digest and taste good. Appealing taste is vital for a hearty appetite; for those who suffer from an inability to taste and smell properly, such as the elderly and the chronically ill, extra seasoning may be necessary. Many types of medications cause nausea, constipation and other stomach problems, and insufficient nutrients and alcoholism are other problems that affect appetite.

Appetite loss often serves a purpose. During a feverish infection, the body places all its energy into its defense mechanisms and food is irrelevant. In the case of digestive trouble, rest from food allows healing to occur more easily.

Nutrition

Eat small, frequent meals rather than one or two heavy meals, to encourage appetite and promote digestion. It is important that food has an appealing appearance and aroma, and that meals be taken in a relaxed and pleasant environment. Tangy, colorful fruits such as apricots, peaches or red currants stimulate the appetite. Fresh blueberries with milk are wonderfully refreshing and revitalizing, and are tolerated by even the weakest stomach. Lemon juice with water is a very refreshing and appetite-stimulating drink. Lemons and other fruit are an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C deficiency can cause loss of appetite. Pineapple juice is also a good choice of drink to precede a meal. In addition to stimulating the appetite and providing vitamin C, pineapple contains an enzyme which facilitates digestion by breaking down proteins similarly to stomach acids. The herbs fennel and dill are known for their positive effect on appetite and should be used liberally in seasoning dishes. Leeks contain an oil which includes sulphur and allyl sulfide and has a mildly stimulating effect on the appetite and the digestive organs.

To promote weight gain and regeneration of the body, snacks between meals should provide proteins, the essential fatty acids omega-6 linoleic acid and omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. Some examples are avocados, banana custard pudding, buttermilk, quark, nuts and nut butters, tuna and chicken. Lactic acid fermented foods such as natural, unsweetened yogurt or kefir are also very beneficial to digestion and optimal absorption of nutrients because they create a healthy bacterial environment in the intestines.

Whole oats are very rich in proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, complex carbohydrates and cellulose, which stimulates intestinal activity. A Swiss-style muesli of rolled oats, grated nuts, yogurt and apricots or peaches is an excellent starter in the morning or pick-me-up during the day.

Nutritional yeast is excellent for building strength and energy. Yeast, especially kefir-based yeast, is rich in B vitamins, which also serve to improve appetite.

Nutritional Supplements

When combating appetite loss over long periods, the body must keep up its strength and weight. A vitamin B complex can be taken instead of, or in conjunction with, the yeast. Many green foods, especially alfalfa, are highly nourishing and stimulate appetite. Alfalfa is available in capsules and powders, but sprouted alfalfa is best fresh in a salad.

A nutritional deficiency in vitamins A, C or E can also cause poor appetite and a troubled digestion. The elderly are most vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, especially if fruits and vegetables are not adequate in the diet. If zinc is lacking, smell and taste will be affected. Medications including the contraceptive pill cause zinc and folic acid deficiencies. If appetite loss is due to depression, indigestion or nausea, refer to those sections.

Daily Dosage, with Meals:

Vitamin B complex, 50 mg one to three times daily
Alfalfa, 2-4 mg of the capsules or 1 tbsp. of powder, three times daily
Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, 1,000 mg three times daily
Zinc, 20 mg, with 3 mg copper, three times daily until appetite returns, then reduce intake to 20 mg once daily
Vitamin A, 25,000 IU (avoid during pregnancy)
Vitamin E, with mixed tocopherols, 400-800 IU

Herbal Remedies

For a chronically depressed appetite, bitter herb juices, taken half an hour before meals, are excellent for stimulating the appetite. Any of the recommended herbs can be taken as teas or diluted tinctures, depending on personal preference and availability. However, juices are milder than tinctures and are gentle on the stomach and intestines. Especially for an undernourished person, the freshly pressed juices provide the vitamins and minerals needed.

Take 1 tbsp. of dandelion, wormwood, hyssop or yarrow juice in water fifteen minutes before meals.
Swedish bitters are an old proven combination of bitter herbs that stimulate bile flow and aid digestion. Take 1 tsp. before and after meals.
Green, leafy herbs, especially alfalfa, are highly nourishing and stimulate appetite. Take 1 tbsp. fresh juice before breakfast and lunch.
If appetite loss is emotional or stress-related, sip fennel, camomile, fenugreek, lemon balm or peppermint tea throughout the day. These herbs, taken alone or combined, have a soothing effect on the stomach. Use 1 tsp. of herbs per cup of boiling water.

Homeopathy

Be sure to look at the underlying cause of this problem. Many homeopathic remedies exist for appetite loss, but if the symptoms fit one of the remedies recommended below, use the 6c strength. Take two pills under the tongue three times daily until the appetite improves or for up to ten days.

Nux vomica is useful when a poor appetite is due to an overindulgence in food, coffee, cigarettes and/or alcohol. The person generally feels terrible in the morning and may be nauseous and irritable.
Ignatia remedies an aversion to food, related to grief.

Tissue Salts

Take 4 tablets four times daily under the tongue.

Calc phos is particularly useful if digestion is slowed, especially when a little food causes gas pain. Children who fail to grow well and are easily exhausted and jittery will benefit.
Nat phos is needed for overacidity and sourness.
Nat sulph will assist when the cause lies in the overproduction of bile, noticeable by a bitter taste in the mouth.
Kali phos is helpful if there is nervous weakness and an empty feeling in the abdomen.

External/Physical Therapies

Dry skin-brushing the stomach area is simple and beneficial. Histamine is produced in the skin, which stimulates the stomach juices and digestive acids.
Warm, moist compresses and Kneipp water therapy on the stomach and liver area are very helpful.
Vigorous exercise like walking, swimming and biking can stimulate the appetite.
If appetite loss is due to an emotional problem, a temporary change of environment or location is advisable.

Other Suggestions

In the case of an acute illness, it is important not to put too much emphasis on food by forcing the person to eat, as this temporary state often rectifies itself within a few days. If appetite loss is a long-standing problem however, there are a few simple measures that go a long way. The importance of how food looks, smells and tastes cannot be overemphasized. Remember that large portions can make eating frustrating for someone who is not hungry. Preparing small, nutritious meals more often, and providing an environment that is enjoyable to eat in–not in front of the television–can make a difference. Sugary snacks, coffee and cigarettes should be avoided as much as possible, since they all suppress appetite.
Drinking during a meal can hinder digestion as well as appetite. Wait until some time after the meal.
Pay attention to the simple habits of overall health, such as exercise, fresh air and a happy outlook, since these also have an affect on appetite.
Sometimes a longer fasting period can regulate the metabolism and normalize body functions, to stimulate the appetite and regenerate the taste buds.
Shift workers who live against the biological rhythm of day and night/light and dark often have a problem with appetite.

Foods For Older People That Improve Health

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 11:56:00 +0000

Introduction to nutrition for older people

Older Person - this is the term generally used to refer to people over the age of 65. The dietary needs of older people are varied and wide ranging as this group can be healthy, acutely ill or chronically ill.

In developed countries, most nutritional problems are related to eating too much but among older people undernutrition can also be a problem.

There is a clear link between some common chronic diseases suffered by older people (including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and constipation) and a combination of inappropriate diet and unhealthy lifestyle.

A person may eat less as they get older for a variety of reasons. Some older people have difficulty chewing and swallowing. People with arthritis, for example, have difficulty shopping, preparing and cooking food. Other people can lose interest in food, e.g. if they live alone or are unwell, or may limit what they buy because of financial problems.

Early detection of poor nutritional status (both under and over nutrition) can help in the prevention and treatment of many conditions

Dietary guidelines for older people

The principle dietary guidelines for healthy older people are:

Eat a wide variety of foods, including those with high nutrient density
Energy intake should be balanced with regular physical activity
Starchy foods should be eaten throughout the day. For people with an acute and / or chronic illness with a limited appetite, intake of starchy foods should be modified to suit their individual needs. Excessive consumption of sugary foods should be avoided.
For those who are healthy, four or more portions of fruit and vegetables should be eaten daily. People with acute / chronic illness should modify their fruit and vegetable intake to suit their individual needs.
An adequate intake of high fibre foods and fluids should be maintained.
Meat, poultry and fish should be eaten regularly. Dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese should be eaten daily. For those with an acute and / or chronic illness, an increased intake of dairy foods may be recommended. Fortified milk should be consumed by all older people unless otherwise recommended.
For those who are healthy, a moderate fat intake, with a mixture of fats should be included in the diet. For those who have an acute and / or chronic illness, fat intake should be modified to suit their individual needs.
At least 8 cups / glasses of fluids should be drunk each day.
Enriched foods, fortified foods and dietary supplements should be used where specifically indicated by your GP or dietitian. The use of dietary supplements should be reviewed regularly.
Alcohol should be consumed in moderation

(Recommendations for a national food and nutrition policy for older people, FSAI, 2000)

© 2002 NWHB Health Promotion Service

Related Topics:

How To Maintain And Improve Vision

Everything About Food For Brain

Right Foods To Improve Menopause

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

The Cretan Diet: Uncovering Its Heart Health Secrets Through the Ages

[Source]

How To Maintain And Improve Vision

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 02:13:00 +0000

Can I improve my vision?

If you suffer from short-sight (myopia), far-sight (hyperopia), old age sight (presbyopia), strabismus (e.g. crossed eyes), lazy eye (amblyopia) or astigmatism then you can improve your vision. Many people with these conditions have done so. If they can, so can you.

Additionally people with more serious eye conditions have also had success.

How long will it take to improve my vision?

The time taken to improve varies for each individual and depends on their ability to apply good vision habits in their daily life. Improvements may be seen within a few days or weeks, but for some people it can take longer. Once you have started improving your vision, it's an ongoing process and it may take several years to reach a level of unaided vision that you are happy with. If you've been wearing glasses for many years, then it's not unreasonable that it can take time to reverse the process.

Learning to see better with your own eyes is one of the most rewarding and exciting things that you can do for yourself.

How much can my vision improve?

It depends on you and your ability to apply good vison habits in your daily life.
Many people, even with quite high degrees of myopia, have improved enough to drive legally without glasses. Some people have gained better than 20/20 vision. Some people are happy to need their glasses only for driving.

Many far-sighted or presbyopic people have been able to regain the ability to read small print without glasses. Some are happy to not need their glasses for anything other than reading small print in dim light.

What are good vision habits?

Movement of the head and the eyes is essential for good vision.

In the same way that we can only perceive texture by moving our fingers over a surface, we can only see clearly by moving our eyes and picking up edges and contrast.

When looking at a picture only one part of the picture is seen clearly at any instant. The eyes are constantly scanning the picture, moving from one point of detail to another to enable the mind to construct the complete clear picture.

Relax and let the picture come to you.

To improve eyesight it is also important to minimise the effect of glasses on your vision. This means only wearing glasses when necessary, and then wearing reduced strength glasses. When driving you must be sure that your eyesight, with glasses if necessary, meets the legal requirement.

What are poor vision habits?

Staring is one of the principal poor vision habits to eliminate.

Vision is always lowered when you stare and eyes hate it. People with good vision feel strain and discomfort if they stare for more than a few seconds, people with poor vision are good at it and can do it happily for much longer periods.

When looking at a picture the whole picture is seen in equal focus. The eyes tend to be focused on the centre and spread their vision to see the whole picture.

Strain, squint, stare and try hard to see.

Is there anything I can do to prevent my eyesight deteriorating as I get older?

It is supposed to be inevitable that everyone will develop presbyopia (old age sight) and need reading glasses some time after the age of 40. Yet there are people in their 70's and 80's who still have good vision.

Applying good vision habits whilst reading and doing close work will enable you to maintain or improve your close-up vision.

Has wearing glasses made my eyesight worse?

Glasses are prescribed in the most challenging conditions for the eyes, the consulting room is dark and people are often straining to see. This results in glasses that are often too strong for use in normal conditions. Maybe you have had the experience of 'getting used' to a pair of glasses, the glasses initially feel uncomfortable but your eyes adjust to them i.e. strain to see clearly through them.

If you wear your distance glasses for reading, the glasses are too strong at that distance, and your eyes need to strain to see clearly. The same applies if you use reading glasses to see in the distance.

It is straining to see that lowers vision, and if glasses are encouraging this, then they can cause your eyesight to become weaker.

Is working at a computer harmful for my eyesight?

Officially there is no connection between using a computer at work and vision problems. However it is interesting to note that employers in the UK are legally obliged to give free eye tests to computer users and pay for basic lenses if required.

It is common to suffer from eye strain or dry eyes after a day at a computer screen. Many people believe that their vision problems started or got worse when they began to use a computer regularly.

Vision problems at the computer are caused by staring and straining. By learning and applying good vision habits, you can prevent eye problems associated with computer use.

Did my eyesight deteriorate as a result of studying?

There does seem to be a link between intensive studying and short-sightedness(myopia), but the conventional theory on myopia cannot explain this adequately. The conventional theory is that the eyeball grows too long, and there is no clear reason why excessive growth might result from studying.

Bates's theory that strain causes the external eye muscles to squeeze the eye into an elongated shape, and this causes myopia, provides a plausible explanation. People studying intensively are more likely to strain their eyes than those who are using their eyes naturally at all distances.

Learning how to apply good vision habits whilst studying will prevent the eye strain that can lead to lowered vision.

Why does my vision sometimes fluctuate?

Some people notice that their vision fluctuates. In fact everyone's vision fluctuates. It is often worse when people are stressed, tired, or ill. It is often better when people are relaxed, perhaps on holiday, or at certain times of the day.
This fluctuation is natural, and in fact is one of the things that you will become more aware of as you practise natural vision improvement.

Who is Dr. Bates?

Dr. William Bates (1860-1931) was an ophthalmologist practising in New York. He started to question traditional views on eyesight because they could not explain some of the things that he was seeing in his practice. He started his own research and developed alternative theories on the eye, some of which were ahead of their time. He recognised the link between the mind and vision, which even researchers today do not fully understand.

He discovered that it was possible to improve eyesight in many cases, and devoted his life to showing people how to do this. He published his research and techniques for improving eyesight in 1920 in a book called Perfect Sight Without Glasses.

His ideas were rejected by conventional medicine at the time, and are still not generally accepted today. However thousands of people have improved their eyesight using his methods.

Do I need to stop wearing my glasses?

Bates stated that the best approach is for people to stop wearing glasses altogether, but this is not practical for most people living in today's society. Modern teachers have found that students can be successful by wearing reduced strength glasses when they are needed. When driving you must obviously be sure that your eyesight, with reduced strength glasses if necessary, meets the legal requirements.

I suffer from frequent headaches, can natural vision techniques help?

Many people suffering from vision related headaches have been able to eliminate them by learning and applying good vision habits.

My neck is often stiff and painful, can natural vision techniques help?

People with vision problems very often suffer from neck problems as well. Many people have found that their neck problems have been alleviated when they start applying good vision habits.

Is laser eye surgery a good idea?

If you are considering laser surgery it is very important that you understand what is involved in the procedure and assess the risks.
Laser surgery is generally offered to people with low/medium levels of short-sightedness (myopia).
The underlying physical problem in myopia is that the eyeball is too long, and the surgery does not correct this. The surgery involves reshaping the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye), which changes it's refractive index. It is effectively etching your current prescription onto the front of the eye.

Some of the risks to consider are:

A fairly common side effect is dry eyes. The operation can affect tear production and lubrication. Seriously consider how you might feel about having eyes that never feel comfortable and require you to use artificial tears.
The operation can result in haziness, poor night vision, or starring. If the results are imperfect, it is not possible to restore the previous quality of vision that was achieved with glasses. Some people find such imperfections acceptable, others find it irritating and depressing.
It is likely that you will develop presbyopia (old age sight) and have difficulty seeing close-up earlier than you otherwise would. This may not sound too bad now, but don't underestimate just how frustrating this is.
Some people still need glasses for certain activities after the operation, and there is often some deterioration in vision after a few years.
A small % of people have serious problems and their eyesight is permanently damaged. The mental effect of knowing that you have voluntarily undergone this procedure in these cases is of course devastating.

In summary, it is a risk and you need to consider how you would feel about the consequences if it went wrong.

Why do so many children suffer from vision problems?

It is odd that vision problems are so common in children and it should be cause for major concern and research effort. Imagine the concern if such numbers of children were suffering from hearing problems or speech problems. For some reason eyesight problems can be written off as genetic and a pair of glasses routinely prescribed. However this is treating the symptom and not tackling the cause.

The proportion of children suffering from short-sightedness is increasing and medical studies have not adequately explained this. A likely explanation from Bates's work is that more intensive studying, involving a strain to see for some children, is the cause. And it is interesting to note that in countries in Asia with intensive education systems, myopia affects over 70% of children.

Why isn't natural vision improvement better known?

Perhaps because glasses, contact lenses, or surgery appear to be the solution to blurred vision.

The easy answer when we first get blurred vision is to get a pair of glasses. Everyone else does, so it must be right. They seem miraculous, suddenly everything is clear.

But glasses are just treating the symptom. And unfortunately they can cause the underlying problem to get worse, starting a spiral of worsening eyesight and stronger glasses.

Treating the cause of the problem takes more time and patience. But in the long run it is the correct solution.

Conventional medicine is not looking for any alternatives, and does not take Bates's work seriously. But they should. If even one person can improve their vision, and I am one of thousands who have, then there is a serious flaw in current medical understanding of vision.

Related Topics:

Everything About Bilberry Foods

Improve Your Retina and Macula Health with Foods and Vitamins

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit Helps Prevent Eye Disease

[Source]

How to Eat Without Stomach Bloating And Gas

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:55:00 +0000

Get rid of your Bloated Stomach right at home to make it look and feel flatter. A bloated Stomach can have several causes and is not to be confused with Belly Fat. Belly Fat is fatty cells around your middle, and you can't get rid of it without losing weight through diet and exercise.

A bloated stomach can usually be flattened… if you can figure out what is causing the bloating… here’s the story:

Stomach bloating is when the abdomen feels full and tight, even when you have not just eaten. It most often occurs in the small intestine rather than the stomach, as most people believe. And the most common cause is irregular digestion that produces gas at a higher rate than normal.

Common causes of intestinal gas that bloat the abdomen include:

Eating too fast
Air swallowing (a nervous habit)
Overeating
Lactose intolerance
Certain food intolerances
Irritable bowel syndrome
Partial bowel obstruction
Constipation

At the beginning of a health diet, a sudden increase in fiber from vegetables, fruits and beans could cause bloating. If this occurs, simply ease up on these foods and reintroduce them more gradually into your diet.

If you are eating heavy meals late at night, or drinking too much alcohol, it will encourage the build up of acid. The digestive system works more effectively when you are up and about for at least 3 hours after eating before retiring to bed and lying flat. A large meal can also cause bloating as the stomach becomes distended and certain foods produce more gas than others.

Intolerance to some foods can cause abdominal bloating

Digestion is a series of chemical reactions that break down food into components from which we derive energy and nutrients. The remaining material is waste and is eliminated through the intestinal tract.

Some of those wastes are gases that are normally managed easily by the elasticity of the intestinal canal. Sometimes, however, large pockets of sulphur-bearing gases stretch the gut wall past its comfortable elastic limit and we feel uncomfortable by a “blowing up” or expansion in the abdomen; in other words, bloating. It may even become difficult to fit into your jeans.

Other Causes Of Stomach Bloating:

Sometimes faulty lifestyle is not the culprit. Some people produce more acid than others naturally and, in addition to causing bloating, this acid can break down the protective lining of the stomach, even lead to ulcers or an inflammation known as gastritis.

A bloated stomach can also be the result of an infection, caused by an organism called Helicobacter Pylori, which is sometimes found buried deep in the stomach. Such an infection needs medical attention and appropriate antibiotic treatment.

There is only one way to identify food intolerance and that's by the process of elimination… one food at a time.

Once you or your doctor has determined there is no medical condition causing the excessive gas, you can begin eliminating foods that may be causing the symptoms. (See foods listed below.)

Continue to eat as you normally do, but eliminate one gas producing food for at least a week. If there is no lessening of gas, put that food back in the diet and go on to eliminate another one. Follow this procedure until all gas producing foods are tested.

Experience tells us that beans (all types), milk and milk products may be the worst offenders in causing gas. Other troublesome foods include onions, celery, carrots, raisins, apricots, prune juice, wheat products and brussels sprouts.

Offending foods may not have to be completely eliminated. Sometimes, they can be tolerated in smaller amounts. Also, it is possible that tolerance to certain foods can be acquired. Many people complain that adding fiber to the diet causes gas. This problem can usually be reduced by adding fiber gradually over a period of several weeks.

Try some anti acid medication, which you can buy over the counter which may settle your symptoms within a few days. If not, you should see your GP who can conduct some tests to see if Helicobacter Pylori might be at the root of your symptoms.

Digestive Enzymes, could be your answer

It's no secret that as we age it becomes harder to enjoy a meal without suffering from some type of digestive discomfort. Every 10 years of life the pancreas produces fewer digestive enzymes. In addition, our modern diets are largely void of natural plant enzymes. This overall lack of enzymes causes the body to work harder, putting a strain on our internal organs and digestive system.

A well balanced intestinal enzyme builder is the first step in creating a more comfortable and flatter stomach. This balance should contain a high amount, and a variety, of enzymes as well as other necessary ingredients that address every type of food ingested: protein, fats, starches, dairy, plant, vegetable material and sugar.

Related Topics:

Enzyme: a Miracle Food Won't Digest Without

Do You Know How Long Does Cantaloupe Take to Digest?

Warning: milk eliminates health benefits of tea

Science news: Children's fussy eating habits may be inherited

[Source]

Everything About Bilberry Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:23:00 +0000

If you grew up among the heaths, moors, and woodlands of northern Europe, or for that matter are a wild foods enthusiast in the Rocky Mountains of the United States, you would probably be familiar with bilberry as the stuff of which jam or pies are made. Now, however, the average consumer is most likely to find bilberries in the form of purple-colored gelatin capsules in dietary supplement products.

Bilberry, Vaccinum myrtillus, is a relative of blueberry in the heath family. The genus Vaccinum includes upwards of 450 species which occur in cool temperate regions and mountains of both the northern and southern hemispheres. Many are deciduous or evergreen shrubs with edible fruits including blueberries, buckberries, huckleberries, farkleberry, cranberry, whortleberry, crowberry, and bilberry.

Bilberry is small shrub to about a foot in height with sweet, plump blue-black berries. It grows in heaths and woods of northern Europe, western Asia, and the Rockies of western North America. Bilberry is common in northern Europe, as well as mountains of southern Europe, absent only from southern Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. It thrives in damp acid soils, damp woods and sandy and rocky soils, covering vast areas, and is a scrub shrub of high mountains. Its range extends to Western Mongolia, then jumps the Pacific to Western North America, occurring from British Columbia, southward from Utah to Arizona and New Mexico. Commercial harvest of the fruits is from wild regions of Europe when ripe from July through September.

The genus name Vaccinum derives from the old Latin name used in the works of Virgil and Pliny. The species name "myrtillus" refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of myrtle. In England the plant is known as bilberry, bleaberry, blueberry, as well as common whortleberry.

Bilberry Leaves

The leaves have been used as a tea substitute. In Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains (The University of New Mexico Press, 1967), H. D. Harrington notes that of the leaves of all Rocky Mountain Vaccinum species, his favorite was bilberry leaf tea, which he stated was available at one of the local grocery stores in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Traditionally the leaves have been used for astringent, tonic, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic qualities. Studies have shown that the leaves have weak anti-diabetic activity and have been used in various herbal combinations as a treatment for diabetes. The leaves contain a component (glucoquinine) which experimentally has been shown to lower blood sugar levels. The leaves are primarily used in the form of a tea. Leaf preparations have also been suggested by modern researchers in Germany as a potential treatment for rheumatism and gout, given the presence of quinic acid in the tea of the dried, heated leaves.

The leaves, however, are primarily used as a folk remedy, and are not nearly as important as the fruits. The German Commission E monographs, the basis of herb regulation in Germany, has a negative monograph on bilberry leaves. According to the monograph the leaves and their preparations are traditionally recommended for use in diabetes mellitus, and the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal tract conditions, arthritis, gout, skin ailments, hemorrhoids, poor circulation, heart problems, blood purification, and to stimulate metabolic processes. While there are a few older laboratory studies supporting a theoretical basis for potential antiinflammatory and blood-sugar lowering potential, there is not sufficient scientific data to support the traditional use of the leaves. Therefore, because the claimed applications are not well-documented, bilberry leaves are not approved for their traditional uses. Safety issues are also a question. Animal studies have shown that the leaves can cause anemia, disturb tone of the gastrointestinal system, and adversely effect absorption of nutrients. Safety problems probably relate to high tannin content of the leaves.

Bilberry Fruits-Food and Medicine

Bilberry has been valued for centuries as a nutritious food and a wild edible delicacy.

The berries, best known as an edible fruit, are an ancient food in northern Europe. In an 1862 work, The Useful Plants for Great Britain, C. P. Johnson noted that the berries have a sweetish, but slightly acid taste and are best eaten cooked rather than. They have long been sold in English markets. In Scotland the berries are eaten with milk, and used for pies, tarts, syrups, and jellies. The berries have also been used for wine-making. In the 1870s, a USDA report noted that the fruits were a favorite food of various Indian groups of the Rocky Mountain region.

The use of bilberry fruits as an herbal medicine emerges in the Middle Ages. Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), the first women to write an herbal, recommended the plant for inducing menstruation. In the 16th century German herbalists, such as Hieronymus Bock, recommended the berries for treatment of bladders stones, liver disorders, and in syrups for coughs and lung ailments.

In the eighteenth century, use of bilberry fruits became widespread among herbalists and physicians, particularly in Germany. Berry preparations were used for various intestinal conditions, as well as typhoid fever, infections of the mouth, skin, and urinary tract infections, and in gout and rheumatism. By the early part of this century, the dried berry tea was used as an astringent for diarrhea and dysentery, a diuretic, cooling nutritive tonic, to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), and to stop bleeding. It is also used as an astringent and disinfectant mouthwash for mouth inflammations.

Modern interest in bilberry arose through serendipity after the Second World War. During night bombing missions, British Royal Air Force pilots reportedly experienced an improvement in night vision after eating bilberry jam. In the mid 1960s, reference to these observations eventually led to the first laboratory and later clinical studies on the effects of bilberry fruit extracts on the eyes and vascular system.

What's in the fruits?

The effectiveness of the fruit extracts was linked to a group of compounds called "anthocyanosides." These compounds are derivatives of anthocyans - the pigments responsible for the red, blue or violet colors in flowers and fruits. The majority of studies on bilberry have involved extracts purified to contain from 25 to 36 percent anthocyanosides. At least fifteen different anthocyanoside compounds have been identified in bilberry extracts. Most standardized bilberry extracts available as dietary supplements on the American market contain 25 percent anthocyanosides.

Like most herbal medicines, positive effects obtained from the plant are not necessarily attributed to only one chemical component. In addition to anthocyanocides, bilberry fruits contain tannins (up to 7 percent) as well as several alkaloids including myrtine and epimyrtine. At least twelve different phenolic acids have been identified from the fruits along with three glycosides of quercetin, including quercitrin, isoquercitrin, and hyperoside. All of these components, in one way or another, could help to contribute to bilberry's beneficial effects.

Modern Use

In European herbal medicine, bilberry fruit preparations are now used to enhance poor micro-circulation, including eye conditions such as night-blindness and diabetic retinopathy. The German Commission E has produced a positive monograph on bilberry fruits, which are allowed in that country for the treatment of acute diarrhea, and for treatment of mild inflammations of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

Modern laboratory studies on bilberry fruit extracts have confirmed a number of activities including antioxidant effects, an ability to inhibit aggregation of blood platelets (reduce stickiness, hence a tendency to clotting of blood cells), produce a slight relaxation effect on vascular smooth muscles, and a possible role in reducing factors associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. Extracts of the fruit have also been shown in laboratory experiments to inhibit enzymes such as elastase, which can cause the degradation of collagen. This can lead to a reduction in factors associated with inflammatory conditions such as atherosclerosis, pulmonary emphysema, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Bilberry and the Vascular System

Among the most credible uses of bilberry relate to conditions of peripheral vascular disorders, especially those involving capillary fragility. Tiny blood vessels (capillaries) can become fragile, common in aging populations, producing capillary fragility. This can lead to more frequent bruising. Weak capillaries are associated with poor blood circulation to connective tissues, and have been related to inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. Bilberry anthocyanosides serve to strengthen capillaries by protecting them from free radical damage. They also stimulate the formation of healthy connective tissue, and aid in the formation of new capillaries. Bilberry may reduce blood platelet stickiness (platelet aggregation), a risk factor associated with atherosclerosis. Given its proven ability to help reduce the fragility of blood capillaries, bilberry fruit products have been studied in clinical trials involving patients suffering from a wide range of diseases including diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, varicose veins, liver disorders, peptic ulcers, and other conditions in which capillary fragility may play a role in causing symptoms secondary to the disease itself. Most studies have been by French or Italian researchers and published in those languages.

Studies in the mid to late 1960s showed that bilberry extracts produced a reduction in symptoms associated with decrease resistance in the blood capillaries such as bruising, blood in the stool, and minute, pin-head sized bleeding spots on the skin. In various clinical studies with patients suffering from water retention in the lower limbs with varicose vein symptoms, the bilberry extracts helped to reduce subjective symptoms such as a feeling of heaviness, pain in the legs and ankles, and sensations of burning, pricking or numbness of the skin. One double blind placebo-controlled study on 47 patients with various peripheral vascular disorders also reported subjective improvement in the symptoms enumerated above, as well as an improvement in swelling (due to water retention) and movement of finger joints in patients suffering from Raynaud's syndrome, a condition involving spasms of the digits with blue coloration, probably relating to poor micro-circulation to the extremities. The syndrome is named after a Paris physician, Maurice Raynaud (1834-1881).

Results of clinical studies involving more than 700 patients with various conditions related to poor micro-circulation in cases of atherosclerosis, a tendency to bruising, hemorrhoids and varicose veins have shown the extracts help reduce damage from free radicals (antioxidant effects) and promote healthy circulation to the extremities. These studies involve extracts of the fruits standardized to contain 25 to 36 percent anthocyanosides. The tea has also been shown useful, mostly through clinical experiences (rather than controlled studies) for diarrhea, and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat.

Bilberry and Eye Conditions

Based on anecdotal reports from British air force pilots of increased night vision after eating bilberry jam, in the 1960s French researchers set out to discover if bilberry had any potential for the treatment of eye diseases. In experiments with rabbits, a mixture of the anthocyanosides from bilberry was found to increase the animals' ability to adapt to darkness. The improvement in visual function was related to an increase in the regeneration rate of rhodopsin, a purple pigment essential for helping the rods in the eye adapt to light and dark. The retina located at the back of the eye is a specialized structure that responds to light. Special cells called rods and cones in the retina are what makes it work. The cones are adapted to sense details and distinguish colors. They are like the color and tint adjustment dials on a television. The rods detect lightness and darkness. They are like a television's contrast and brightness adjustments. Bilberry's ability to speed up the regeneration of rhodopsin in the rods helps the retina to improve adaptation to light and dark. Studies on anthocyanosides from bilberry both in laboratory and animals experiments have also been shown to modify enzyme processes that are involved in producing damage to the retina.

A number of clinical studies have been carried out with bilberry fruit extracts either alone or in combination with beta-carotene and vitamin E for disorders related to impaired photo-sensitivity or poor micro-circulation to the retina. Four studies were published in the late 1960s by Italian researchers in Italian scientific periodicals that showed that both healthy individuals and patients with visual disorders had a significant improvement in night vision, more rapidly adapted to darkness, and had faster restoration of visual acuity following exposure to bright flashes of light after taking a bilberry extract.

Additional studies on air-traffic controllers, airplane pilots and truck drivers also showed that a standardized extract of bilberry fruits helped to improve night vision and enhanced adjustment to darkness. In two clinical trials, Italian researchers found that 76 percent of patients with myopia (short or near sightedness) had a marked improvement in retinal sensibility. The patients were given 150 mg per day of a bilberry fruit extract for 15 days, along with vitamin A.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition secondary to diabetes mellitus, in which there is non-inflammatory degeneration of the retina. At least three double-blind placebo-controlled studies, in which patients were given 320 to 480 mg per day of a high-anthocyanoside-containing extract for 30 days to twelve months showed positive improvements. A significant reduction or disappearance of hemorrhages in the retina was observed. These studies were conducted by Italian researchers from 1982 to 1987.

Bilberry - The Future

Most studies on bilberry, as previously stated were conducted by French or Italian researchers, mostly in the 1960s and 70s. Much of the research is published in relatively obscure French or Italian scientific journals in the languages of the authors. The fact that the results are dated, and difficult to assess due to language barriers and lack of availability, makes some scientists slow to accept the results. A number of pharmacological and clinical studies have involved the isolated anthocyanosides used in injectable forms. Clearly more studies, involving a great number of patients using oral dosage forms are needed if we are to accept the claims made for bilberry fruit extracts.

While more studies are needed to prove effectiveness, safety is well-established. A post-marketing retrospective study followed 2,295 patients who had been prescribed a 36% anthocyanoside standardized bilberry fruit extract. Researchers showed positive results for improvement of symptoms associated with lower limb venous insufficiency, conditions of capillary fragility and altered permeability of blood capillaries, disease-related changes in microcirculation of the retina, and to reduce itching, inflammation and swelling following surgical removal of hemorrhoids. No adverse effects were reported even for prolonged use of the extract. The German Commission E monograph on bilberry fruits lists no known contraindication, interactions with other drugs, or side effects. Given its long history of food use, and clinical experience with extracts over a thirty year period, safety is not at issue.

In the United States, bilberry dietary supplement products including tablets and capsules of the dried fruits are available, as well as products standardized to 25% anthocyanosides. Standardized products will give more predictable results. The dried ripe berries are used in a dose of 20 to 60 g daily, prepared as a tea, divided into three doses. Standardized products are taken at a dose of 120 to 480 mg per day, (usually 340 mg) divided into two or three doses.

Whether you consider it a wild edible delicacy or a dietary supplement, bilberry is an herb that's here to stay.

Related Topics:

How Blueberries Affect Your Health

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

Strawberries, Blueberries, Spinach and the Brain

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit Helps Prevent Eye Disease

Fruit Pomelit Helps to Prevent Heart Attacks

[Source]

Top 10 Low Calorie Foods

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:09:00 +0000

by J. Foster

Here are healthy diet foods i.e. food products that are fat-free, low carb, reduced sugar, reduced calorie, and everything else marketed towards people trying to live love a healthier lifestyle.

Nutrition details are for a 1 Cup serving size.

Consider this also a warning as to the amount of sugar in processed cereals.

1. Kashi Mighty Bites

Calories: 120 Sugar: 5 grams

2. Kashi Organic Promise Strawberry Fields

Calories: 120 Sugar: 9 grams

3. Lucky Charms

Calories: 120 Sugar: 13 grams

4. Natures Promise Honey Whole Grain Cereal

Calories: 147 Sugar: 9 grams
Note: 12.5 grams of fiber (50% of the RDA)

5. Kelloggs All Bran Yogurt Bites

Calories: 150 Sugar: 6 grams
Note: 8 grams of fiber (32% of the RDA)

6. Post Honey Nut Shredded Wheat

Calories: 160 calories Sugar: 4 grams
Note: 14 grams of fiber (54% of the RDA)

7. Honey Bunches of Oats with Strawberries

Calories: 160 Sugar: 11 grams

8. Special K Fruit & Yogurt

Calories: 160 Sugar: 15 grams

9. Yogurt Burst Cheerios

Calories: 160 Sugar: 15 grams

10. Kashi Go Lean Crunch

Calories: 190 Sugar: 13 grams
Note: 8 grams of fiber (32% of the RDA)

Unknown Facts About Cayenne Pepper And Health (Part 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:45:00 +0000

Excerpted from "Curing With Cayenne" by Sam Biser

Unknown Facts About Cayenne Pepper And Health (Part 1)

"Make Your Own Cayenne Tincture at Home."

BISER: Is it difficult to make your own cayenne tincture?

SCHULZE: It's easy Just follow these steps:
1. Start to make this and ANY Tincture, if possible, on a NEW Moon.
2. Take a Quart Canning Jar and fill it 1/4 FULL with DRIED Cayenne Peppers, getting the HOTTEST ones (i.e. - Habanero, African Bird, Serrano, Jalapeno), that you can obtain.
3. Add enough 50% Grain Alcohol (100 Proof Vodka) to the Cayenne Peppers (powdered, using a Blender or Grinder) to just COVER them.
4. Use enough FRESH Cayenne Peppers, that you can blend with 50% Grain Alcohol (100 Proof Vodka) to turn the Mixture into an Apple Sauce-Like Consistency.
5. Add this Mixture to the 1st Mixture, filling up the Canning Jar 3/4 FULL.
6. Fill up the rest of the Canning Jar with MORE 50% Grain Alcohol (100 Proof Vodka).
7. Shake it as MANY times as possible, during the Day.
8. Let this Mixture sit, until the following FULL Moon (15-16 Days), but OPTIMALLY until the following NEW Moon (28-29 Days)!
9. Strain this Mixture through an UNBLEACHED Coffee Filter.
10. Bottle the RESULTING Tincture.

NOTE: Part EQUALS Volume, NOT Weight in this Tincture Method. Modify this procedure by using DRIED Herbs ONLY, if FRESH Herbs are NOT AVAILABLE, and when making other Herbal Tinctures also. Also if you want to make a SUPER-POTENT Tincture (i.e. - Cayenne Pepper & Lobelia Seed Pod - see below), then allow the Mixture to sit for a FULL 3 Months!

"Can Cayenne Pepper Help Cure Cancer?"

BISER: What about cayenne for cancer? Or is this going too far?

SCHULZE: Absolutely not. First, as I mentioned earlier; cancer, like many diseases, can be caused, in the first place, by a lack of circulation to the area. The nutrition and healing herbs are not getting in, and the waste is not getting out of the area. Cayenne increases blood flow to the cancer.

But, there are many other reasons. Capsaicin, one of the potent chemicals in cayenne pepper, has been proven to protect your DNA, and cells, from attack by toxic molecules, like, from cigarette smoke and other pollutants.

I once had a patient who dissolved his brain tumor by using massive doses of cayenne pepper. This man was in his 5O's and he was diagnosed with a rapidly advancing, malignant, brain tumor.

With this tumor, they said that even with surgery radiation, and chemotherapy he would only have a 5% chance of survival. when he came to me, it was evident that he had no idea what natural healing really was and he was not going to make any major changes in his lifestyle.

He was a big fan of Dr. Christopher, and asked if cayenne would help him. He said he liked it, and I said, if that's all you are going to do, then you must take it in large doses, and he agreed. After one and a half months of taking massive doses of cayenne pepper, and not much else, the tumor was totally dissolved.

BISER: What do you mean by "massive doses'?

SCHULZE: He used ten teaspoons a day for the first month. I have actually had patients use up to sixteen teaspoons a day

When the doctors discovered that the cancer was gone, they suggested an exploratory brain surgery He told me he replied, "I'll leave my body to science, but not until I'm dead, please!"

This one case shows you the power of a simple substance, cayenne pepper, to affect one of the worst of mankind's diseases.

BISER: Thank you, Dr Schulze.

Cayenne Formulas for Specific Ilinesses

Powder the herbs and take 1 teaspoon, 3 times daily unless noted. Or, make a tincture, which is preferable.

Brain problems (memory, depression and hearing)

3 parts Ginkgo Biloba leaf
1 part Cayenne

Blood Pressure problems (high or low)

2 parts Garlic bulb
1 part Cayenne
1 part Ginger root

Eyesight problems

1 part Eyebright herb
1 part Goldenseal root
1 part Fennel seed
1 part Red Raspberry leaf
1/4 to 1 part Cayenne
Use 5 to 10 dropperfuls of the tincture in an eyecup. Fill with distilled water, and wash your eyes. Also, use internally

Heart problems

3 parts Hawthorn berry
1 part Cayenne

Thick, Weight, Fatty Blood and Cholesterol problems

3 parts Red Clover blossoms
1 part Garlic bulb
1 part Cayenne pepper

General Circulation problems

1 part Cayenne pepper
1 part Ginger root

Colds and Sore Throat

4 parts Echinacea root
2 parts Peppermint leaves
1 part Garlic bulb
1 part Cayenne pepper

Arthritis and joint problems

Into 16 ounces of Wintergreen oil, soak 8 tablespoons of Cayenne pepper and 4 tablespoons of Ginger root and 4 tablespoons of Mustard powder. Let set from the new to the full moon. Strain and add 6 ounces of Menthol crystals.

Cuts and Wounds

4 parts Slippery Elm bark
2 parts Plantain leaf
1 part Goldenseal root
1 part Comfrey root
part Cayenne pepper
Sprinkle or pack this dry powder into wounds, or mix with warm water and then apply.

"One of My Readers was Scheduled for Surgery to Have Hls Veins Scraped Out.
Within Days, Cayenne Pepper Saved Him and the Operation Wasn't Needed!"
--- Sam Biser, Editor

The man was terrified of the operation.

His legs were aching constantly. Doctors told him it was blood clots and clogged arteries in the veins in his legs. He was scheduled for surgery to open up his veins and clean them out.

Out of fear, he asked someone who was into natural healing what to do ---- but he thought the answer was pure nonsense. He was a skeptic who loved everything medical.

But, he tried the cayenne pepper anyway. It had been recommended to him. He took three level teaspoons a day mixed in some cold water.

Within two days, his legs weren't aching as much and the swelling was going down. His feet, which had normally been frigid, were as warm as a baby's bottom. His hands, which had also been icy and cracked, were now warm, also. He went back to his doctor; who said his veins are so much better that he doesn't need the operation. All the doctor could do was scratch his head and say "You know we doctors don't believe in herbs!"

When I heard the story I got excited myself of course, I had known about cayenne, for years. But I had hardly ever taken it. Now I wouldn't miss. The man's story sold me.

This reader wasn't the only person who was ever skeptical about the powers of cayenne. So was Dr. John Christopher, the late Master Herbalist.

Dr. Christopher was a personal friend of mine. Here is what he told me about what cayenne did for him...

"I would never have lived long enough to see my granddaughter- if it weren't for cayenne pepper. It saved my life."

"When I was 35, the doctors said I would be dead by 43.1 had advanced hardening of the arteries. The veins would stick out of my hands like pencils.

"I also suffered from crippling arthritis, stomach ulcers, and was the victim of two horrible auto accidents. No insurance company would touch me - not even for a $1,000 policy.."

"I started taking cayenne pepper three times a day in hot water. I did this for ten years. when I was 45,1 went for a physical. The doctor measured my blood pressure. He was stunned! He thought his equipment was broken. My blood pressure was perfectly normal."

When Dr. Christopher first learned about cayenne pepper, he asked, "Why are we studying cayenne? It will burn the lining of our stomach!"

Everyone in the class laughed, except the teacher, Dr. H. Nowell, a great herbalist. This was in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Dominican Herbal College.

Dr. Nowell asked, "Where did you get your information?" The young John Christopher replied that his mother told him. Again everyone laughed.

Then, the professor asked, "Just what was her herbal degree?" "Well, I guess she had none at all," he replied.

"That's interesting," Dr. Nowell said. "Could I see you after class?" After class, he drove John Christopher around Vancouver in his car. He introduced him to a dozen people whose lives had been saved by cayenne. They all praised it to the skies. Some were saved from heart attacks and severe asthmatic conditions, by using cayenne.

Dr. Nowell didn't have to do this, but he was a great teacher. He took the time to show his student how great cayenne could be if it were used properly on the human body Dr. Christopher never forgot that experience.

At that time, Dr. Christopher was in very poor health himself He had severe hardening of the arteries. The regular medical doctor said he would be dead in eight years.

So Dr. Christopher started taking cayenne pepper, himself. "I continued from the time I was 35 and am still using it. It was amazing! Ten years after I had started using cayenne, a group wanted me to have a $100,000 policy to insure them on the business deal we were working out."

"I went for the examination. Since this was a large policy the insurance company required two medical doctors, each to give two physicals at various times. That was a total of four physicals.

"I took the examination and one medical doctor; when he got through, said, "Well, this is astounding. I see your age is 45, but you have the venous structure of a teenage boy I've never seen anything like it."

He said, "This is excellent," and he gave me a clean bill of health. I went to the other doctor; and on his second examination, he did the blood pressure test on my arm. He pumped his equipment up five different times and my arm was getting irritated by it. I was getting a little perturbed.

I said, "What's the matter? Doesn't your equipment work?" The doctor replied, "Oh yes, it always has, up till now but I keep looking at your chart and it says you are 45 years of age and yet your systolic over your diastolic pressure is absolutely perfect. I cannot comprehend it." I said, "That's correct. It is perfect." And he also gave me a clean bill of health. So I passed, at 45 years of age, for a $100,000 policy with a good blood pressure, thanks to cayenne.

This, to me, is one of the biggest selling points of cayenne. If it could help me, it could help anyone. At the age of 70, a few years before he died, Dr. Christopher was asked by a pre-med student if he could take his blood-pressure reading. It was the pressure of a healthy young man, not a 70-year-old man.

"Karate Expert Cures Lifetime of High Blood Pressure."

Here's another miracle story on cayenne that Dr. Christopher told me.

"Several years ago, I was traveling with an athlete who had a black belt in karate. He was a rather husky guy. His problem was that he came from a family with a history of high blood pressure.

"His own mother had died from high blood pressure and he, himself, suffered from high blood pressure. In fact, his condition was getting worse.

"The karate expert marveled at the stamina that an older man, like myself, had.

"He noticed that I would take a spoonful of cayenne, every morning, in a glass of water. He wanted to know if that would help his problem. I told him it would, but that he wasn't man enough to take it. I told him he wasn't brave enough.

"Well, the reverse psychology worked.

"I noticed that my supply of cayenne pepper was gradually disappearing. when we returned from traveling, the man continued taking the cayenne, one teaspoon three times a day.

"By spring, he had an amazing surprise when he went to his doctor for his blood pressure three or four times, and the doctor said, "This is supposed to become progressively worse. I don't know what has happened. Your blood pressure is perfect. You do not need to come back anymore."

"Today this gentleman, who lives in the Salt Lake City area, has no high blood pressure, because he kept taking the cayenne. It is amazing --- so never, never overlook a good thing.

"The same man in this story also suffered from terrible hemorrhoids. He had to wear a special belt to keep his hemorrhoids up in place. The cayenne pepper also cleared up this problem, too. His hemorrhoids completely disappeared! He could hardly believe it.

"An eight-year-old boy was shot with a gun. Blood was gushing out both sides. A neighbor mixed cayenne with water and poured it down the boy's throat..."

Besides lowering high blood pressure and eliminating hemorrhoids, cayenne is fantastic for stopping bleeding. Listen to this true story Dr. Christopher used to tell his audiences.

"Once a child was shot in the abdomen; a bullet hit the spine, ricocheted, and made a second wound leaving the body. One of Dr. Christopher's herbal students living next door heard the shot and raced over. She knew that the parents were not home and that the children, ages eight and four; should not be shooting guns.

"When she arrived, the eight-year old was gushing blood out both his sides. They had been playing 'cops and robbers' with their father's guns which she found under the pillow.

"She ran to the cabinet and mixed a tablespoonful of cayenne in a glass of water. She then poured it down the boy's throat and called the ambulance which was 18 miles away.

"By the time you count to ten, cayenne will stop the bleeding."

'The emergency room attendant said that the boy would probably bleed to death, being that the distance was so great. The ambulance arrived and rushed the child to the Primary Children's Hospital, 18 miles away.

"When the child arrived at the hospital, he was the center of attention, not because his condition was so serious, but because he was chatting a mile a minute --- and there was NO bleeding!

"The bleeding had stopped by the time they arrived at the hospital. The chief doctor said to the parents, "I have seen many accident victims in my life, but this is the first time, in such an emergency operation, that I have opened an abdomen to find no blood, except k)r a small amount that was there before the bleeding stopped so quickly.

"The cayenne pepper has saved your boy's life."

In that same year, Dr. Christopher treated four other gunshot victims. Each case responded the same. Sometimes, the blood coagulates and comes out in clumps before it stops completely. By the time you count to ten, the heavy bleeding should stop, completely after administering cayenne.

Dr. Christopher has even used cayenne tincture, directly on open wounds. It may sting a little, but the bleeding stops.

In wounds, even if the wound is cut and exposed to the bone, that wound may be filled with cayenne pepper. If cayenne is not available, black pepper may be used. Many people, when they see the skin ruddied by cayenne, believe that the skin is irritated. But, cayenne is a counter-irritant.

What cayenne is doing is bringing the blood to the surface to take away any toxic poisons and to start the healing. The redness comes to the skin from the blood that has rushed to the surface to assist carrying off wastes. (Don't use in the vaginal area, by itself.)

Dr. Christopher believed that cayenne was one of the finest foods for the heart. He wrote, "I have used cayenne so many times over the years with such success. We have been called out time after time on heart attack cases. Cayenne always saves them."

"In 35 years of practice, and working with people and teaching, I have never; on house calls, lost one heart attack patient. The reason is, whenever I go in, if they are still breathing, I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water.) Usually within minutes, they are up and around.

"Cayenne is one of the fastest-acting aids we could give to the heart. It feeds the heart immediately Most hearts are suffering from malnutrition because of the processed food we are eating.

"But, cayenne is a powerful dose of real food. It is something that has brought people back time after time. This is something that everyone should know about, because a heart attack can come to your friends and loved ones at any time - and even yourself

"I received an emergency call in the middle of the night. A woman in Salt Lake City had just suffered a severe heart attack and passed out."

"I rushed over and fed the woman hot cayenne tea. Within minutes, she was sitting up feeling fine."

"The hot cayenne tea is faster-working than tablets, capsules or cold tea. The warm tea opens up the cell structure - and makes it expand and accept the cayenne that much faster. It goes directly to the heart through the artery system and feeds it a powerful food.

"To show the value of cayenne - how great it is - and what a wonderful heart food it is, this story has been repeated in a number of publications. Doctors in the East put some live heart tissue into a sterile beaker filled with distilled water and fed it nothing but cayenne pepper. They cleaned off sediments, periodically and added nothing but distilled water and cayenne.

"During the time that they were feeding the heart tissue, they would have to trim it, continually every few days because it would grow so rapidly Having no control glands (the pituitary and pineal glands), the heart tissue just continued to grow rapidly They kept the tissue alive for 15 years. After the doctor; himself, died, his associates kept the heart tissue alive for two more years.

"They eventually destroyed it so they could do more research on it. This shows the high food value cayenne gives to the heart.

"This is why so many amazing instances have come to light from people who have used cayenne when they had heart attacks. In most cases, a weak heart is a malnourished heart. The heart hasn't had a decent meal for so long that it is practically starved. We give the heart a good meal.

"We don't whip it with nitroglycerin or digitalis or some other type of drug to force it to beat rapidly. We try to bring more food value to the heart so that it could find a little help to keep it going.

"Here, we give cayenne directly to the system, and it goes in to the heart area acting as a good full meal. Many fast responses come from this."

Here is Dr. Christopher's advice for treating someone who has suffered a heart attack.

Prepare one teaspoon of cayenne in one cup of hot water. Steep until it is cool enough to drink without scalding. Prop up the patient and pour the cayenne tea down the patient. The heart attack will stop immediately --- in about two minutes. Dr. Christopher has been called in the middle of the night, many times. (Dr. Schulze uses a tablespoon, not a teaspoon of cayenne. Why take chances when someone could die?)

'A teaspoon of cayenne should bring the patient out of the heart attack. In case cayenne is not around, and you or a friend has a heart attack, use triple the dose of black pepper." Dr. Christopher believed that cayenne was one of the best foods for the circulatory system.

"Cayenne Reduces the Mucus in the Venous System and Thus Increases the Circula Don."

He wrote, "One of the most important uses of cayenne is as a circulatory stimulant, an herb that feeds the necessary elements into the cell structure of the arteries, veins and capillaries. It helps to reduce and normalize the blood flow

"Cayenne equalizes the blood pressure, influencing the heart immediately and then extending its effects to the venous structure. It also works to cut the mucus in the venous system, and, indeed, all the systems throughout the body"

Here is a true story about the phenomenal powers of cayenne to increase circulation. It is taken from a rare book entitled, "The Healing Miracles of Cayenne Pepper".

"In 1870, there was a lumberjack named James McCann, a young man who started to go back to the states by way of California. He reached Parowan with both feet frozen above his ankles. He was left with me (Dr. Meeks) to have both feet amputated as it was thought there was no possible chance to save his life without amputation.

In 1870, the doctors wanted to amputate both of this man's feet. They were frozen above his ankles. All he was given was cayenne. It saved both feet!

"I was at my wits end to know what to do. I saw no choice other than amputation. Then an impulse seemed to strike my mind as though by inspiration that I would give him cayenne pepper inwardly and see what effect that would have on the frozen feet.

"I commenced by giving him rather small doses, at first. It increased the warmth and power of action of his blood to such a degree that it gave him such pain and misery in his legs that he could not eat it. He laid down on his back and elevated his feet up against the wall for three or four days and then he could sit up in a chair.

"The frozen flesh would rot and drop down from his foot when it would be on his knee, clear down to the floor, just like buckwheat batter, and the new flesh would form as fast as the dead flesh would get out of the way In fact, the new flesh would seem to crowd the dead flesh out to make room for the new flesh.

"The Healing Power of the Body is in the Blood. Cayenne Purifies the Blood."

"That was all the medical treatment he had, and to my astonishment, and that of everyone else who knew of the circumstances, the 16th day affer I gave him the first dose of pepper, he walked nine miles from Parowan to Red Creek and back. Both his feet were saved! He lost but 5 toenails.

"The healing power of nature is in the blood. To accelerate the blood is to accelerate the healing power of nature. I am convinced that there is nothing like cayenne and you will find it applicable in all cases of sickness."

The natives in the West Indies don't fear the deadly yellow fever - as long as they have a good supply of cayenne!

In the West Indies, a preparation called "Mandram" is used for weak digestion. This is made with sliced, unskinned cucumbers, shallots, chives, lemon juice and a few pods of cayenne well-mashed-up in the liquids.

These natives also soaked the cayenne pods in water, added sugar and the juice of sour oranges, whenever they had a fever. You, too, should consider taking cayenne when a chill is coming on, to offset a cold or to help break a fever.

Cayenne is used in folk medicine in many parts of the world, especially Greece, Italy and parts of Russia. In parts of Russia, cayenne is steeped in Vodka and drank as a tonic in wineglass doses. (This is almost identical to the instructions for cayenne tincture. No wonder most Russians are healthier than we are.)

The scientific name for cayenne pepper is "capsicum." This comes from the Greek word, "kapto" meaning "1 bite" --- a biting plant. According to federal specifications, capsicum is classified in three major groups. Each group is rated according to BTU's (British Thermal Units.) This rates how "HOT" the pepper is.

Paprika: This is any "red pepper" that has a BTU rating of one or under Red Pepper: This is any "red pepper" that has between 1 and 25 BTU's Cayenne: Any "red pepper" with a rating of 25 or more BTU's can be labeled as cayenne.

The part of the cayenne plant that is consumed is the fruit. The seeds contain the oil which is also effective. However, the oil is highly concentrated. Use very sparingly Dr. Christopher thought so highly of cayenne that he used it in a large number of his formulas. He said, "We can do wonderful things with cayenne that we are not able to do with any other known herb. It should never be classified with black pepper, vinegar or mustard. These are irritating, while red pepper is very soothing.

The easiest way to use cayenne is to just sprinkle it on your food, as you would black pepper. Use a little at first, and increase it as you get accustomed to it. Even children will enjoy it. Use cayenne a lot and you'll live a long, healthy life!

Related Topics:

Unknown Facts About Cayenne Pepper And Health (Part 1)

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit and Vegetable Coloring Compounds may help to fight Cancer

Do You Know How Long Does Cantaloupe Take to Digest?

[Source]

Unknown Facts About Cayenne Pepper And Health (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:03:00 +0000

Excerpted from "Curing With Cayenne" by Sam Biser

Advice from the greatest living American herbalist: "Very few people today know how to use cayenne pepper, and even less have any actual first hand experience," says Dr. Richard Schulze, the leading herbalist in America today.

"That's a shame," says Dr. Schulze, "because failure to know the information in this chapter can cost you your life."

Dr. Richard Schulze has hundreds of case histories in which he used cayenne effectively to treat many diseases. He has used cayenne in many emergency life-threatening situations. He has used so much cayenne himself that his students, and even the great Dr. Christopher, used to call him by his nickname, "Professor Cayenne".

In this exclusive interview you will learn what every household in this country needs to know: how to use cayenne pepper; in an emergency and for the treatment of diseases. In spite of the paper landslide of herbal books, this information is not known. That's because today's herbalists are researchers not clinicians.

Those herbalists who treat people work on mild cases — not the terminally ill, as did Richard Schulze. If what Dr. Schulze learned on the firing line of last-chance medicine can save the dying, then it is also good enough to save those who are less ill.

BISER: How can you say that few people know how to use cayenne. There's nothing to know! You just swallow a few capsules of the stuff

SCHULZE: That's where you and your readers are wrong.

There's plenty to know. First of all, your readers are using the wrong kinds of cayenne. They're too weak. Second, you don't know what forms of cayenne to use, how to administer them, how to prepare them, what dosages to use to get results, and what kinds of cases to use them in.

I didn't learn this from books. The books are useless. I learned it from people who were dying in front of me.

BISER: What do you mean "dying in front of me'? Aren't you being a bit over dramatic?

SCHULZE: Not at all. I have had twenty to thirty people have strokes right in my office, and I saved them long before the ambulance ever arrived.

I was once waiting for a patient, a man in his 50's who had a previous heart attack, and who was just beginning my programs.

He was late, so I asked my secretary to see if he had arrived. His car was parked in the driveway and it looked as if he was sleeping in it. when she went out to wake him up and bring him in, she became hysterical. She came running in and told me he was dead.

I ran out to the car and he was beyond blue, he was slate-grey cold, and did look dead. I saw no breathing and felt no pulse. Now given that situation, what would your readers have done?

BISER: I don't know except call 911.

SCHULZE: That's fine, but if the man is already this far gone, he'll be even worse by the time they arrive.

BISER: So what did you do?

SCHULZE: I put 12 whole dropperfuls of cayenne tincture into the mouth of this literally dead man.

BISER: Isn't that way too much? Couldn't that hurt him?

SCHULZE: Who cares if the man has a sore throat for a week afterward? If you don't do something in seconds, then he's definitely dead.

BISER: So what happened?

SCHULZE: His face began to turn red - before I even started CPR, and we revived him in seconds. The paramedics took him to the hospital, and later I talked with the emergency room physician.

He said that he had rarely seen a person who was so far gone survive. And, he had never seen a person that bad, who had literally no heart damage. I think this can also be attributed to the fact that this man had been taking hawthorn berry concentrates, for months before he ever came to see me. Hawthorn is a known heart protectant.

Here's my point on this whole case: I gave this man 360 drops (30-40 drops per dropperful) of cayenne tincture. This is a dose no one would dream of. Everyone else wimps around with a couple of dropperfuls - and to tell you the truth, they wouldn't even know to use it at all, in this situation.

Secondly this wasn't ordinary cayenne tincture. This was tincture so powerful it makes the stuff you can buy at health food stores and herb suppliers look like colored water. I'll show your readers what no-one has ever told them about making cayenne preparations and using them.

BISER: Is cayenne really that beneficial, or is this more herbal folklore or theory?

SCHULZE: It is far from theory I have had hundreds of patients recover from many diseases using cayenne.

BISER: How can it be good for so many problems?

SCHULZE: It's very simple. It's called circulation. A common denominator with all disease is a lack of circulation, a lack of fresh blood, especially to the area that is sick or diseased.

You can take all of the herbal products you want, drink fresh juices, use super foods like spirulina, alfalfa and wheatgrass, and still be sick.

If the healing properties of these foods don't get to the area that is injured or diseased, you are not going to get well. Cayenne stimulates and increases this blood flow; which gets the blood and the healing nutrition and chemicals to where they are needed most. Cayenne should be an herb which everyone has in tincture and powder. In the kitchen, the bathroom, and in the trunk of your car, so you have it wherever you go.

"There is No Other HerbThat Moves the Blood Faster to the Brain, than Cayenne."

BISER: But, what specific problems is it best for?

SCHULZE: To start with, the brain. The first thing anyone notices when eating cayenne, besides a hot mouth, is a red face and sweat on the forehead and cheeks.

There is no other herb that moves the blood faster to the head and brain than cayenne. Getting more blood to the brain can have great positive effects on stress, vision, thinking, memory and be the first step in healing a brain injury or disease.

It will also keep anyone from fainting or losing consciousness. I dare anyone to pass out with a mouthful of cayenne.

BISER: Did taking cayenne hurt any of your patients?

SCHULZE: Usually only when they eliminate it. It can be as hot coming out as it was going in. Some people are more sensitive to cayenne than others.

If there is no hurry I suggest people start with a little, 2 or 3 times a day and work themselves up to, say 1/2 to 1 teaspoon, 3 times a day But, people who are sensitive to it, can start with as little as 1/8 teaspoon, once or twice a day

"Cayenne is the Surest First Aid Remedy for a Heart Attack."

BISER: What about strokes? I've heard it helps.

SCHULZE: I have had at least 20-30 patients over the years who have had a stroke right in my waiting room. Once I had an elderly man in my office and was giving him an iridology exam. As I was examining his eyes through a magnifying glass, I saw his blood vessels enlarge, then explode right in front of me. Then he fell to the floor with a stroke. I gave him a mouthful of cayenne tincture, and he walked home. I have seen many patients, in the midst of a stroke, come out of it right away by immediately giving them cayenne pepper.

BISER: How much?

SCHULZE: A heaping tablespoonful in a glass of warm water, or 10 dropperfuls of tincture. This is also the same treatment and dosage for someone having a heart attack.

BISER: Is cayenne really effective for heart attacks and heart disease? I know that Dr Christopher used to say so, but I have never really known anyone to use it.

SCHULZE: Cayenne is most effective for heart and blood circulation problems, and for angina pectoris, palpitations, and cardiac arrhythmias. It's a miracle for congestive heart failure. It is a specific for anyone who has any type of circulatory problems, such as high or low blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, triglycerides and fats, even varicose veins.

With the heart, cayenne is great for prevention as well as for the treatment of disease. It relieves the pain of angina pectoris by helping to get more blood to the heart muscle itself

And, if a person has a heart attack, cayenne is the surest first-aid remedy I have had almost a hundred patients actually save their lives by using a tablespoonful of cayenne pepper in a glass of warm water, or 10 dropperfuls of the tincture, and drinking it down fast. In every case, it brought the person right out of it with minimal damage, some with no damage at all.

BISER: Have you ever known cayenne to fail with a heart attack?

SCHULZE: Yes. One man. I talked with his family and they had given him 3 glasses at the onset of a heart attack and he still died. But, he had a cholesterol level of around 600, hypertension, and severely blocked arteries.

Some people are so far gone. This guy needed cayenne years ago. Herbs do work miracles, but, we shouldn't expect them to. If we all took better care of ourselves, we would stand a far better chance when a serious injury or disease surfaces.

But, if there ever was a miracle herb, it is certainly cayenne!

"How I Used Cayenne and Other Herbs to Save a Woman, Who was Dying of Coronary Collapse."

BISER: What about circulatory disease?

SCHULZE: I had a woman rushed into my office from an acupuncturist's office nearby This was a number of years ago. This woman was obese and was slowly dying of congestive heart failure. She was very swollen in her ankles. They were as big around as an average person's thigh.

They had been doing some acupuncture on her ankles and various other areas of her body and, when they took the needles out, she spurted and leaked like a water balloon with pinholes in it. They tried to stop her from leaking and they couldn't.

They brought her into my office and she had these band-aids all over her body and two assistants were holding their fingers over the needled areas. when one of them took their finger off, she squirted water across my office.

The problem with congestive heart failure is, the heart is pumping so weakly with such little force, it can't press the blood through the kidneys with enough force for the kidneys to remove the liquid waste. She was drowning in her own waste and fluids, from the inside.

This was a classic case for cayenne. Not only did I put cayenne tincture where she was leaking, to stop the leaks, but I put her on one teaspoon of cayenne, every other hour. In addition, I had her take one teaspoon of equal parts of ginger root and red clover blossoms on the in-between hours, plus eat about six cloves of garlic a day. These doses were for a very sick, large lady.

Now; with everyone who has any heart or circulation problem --they must be a complete vegetarian during their program, and begin moderate exercise daily I juice-fasted this woman, and I remember her yelling at me, "I am full of water as it is, and you want me to drink more?" And, of course, I did.

BISER: What happened?

SCHULZE: Oh, she got better. It took a whole year for her to be normal because she was so far gone, but, she was out of danger in only a few days.

BISER: So, cayenne is great for congestive heart failure. What about other circulatory problems?

SCHULZE: It increases blood circulation and eases the pain of congested swollen veins. Veins, unlike arteries, have thinner, less muscular walls. Because of this, they easily herniate, swell, and collapse. Cayenne helps the blood move through the veins easier.

It even dissolves clots, and, being a very rich source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids, and other vitamin C complex nutrients, it actually strengthens the walls of the veins, and has been proven to clean them and help them regain their elasticity.

I have seen many diabetics, and others, with horrible circulation problems in their legs and extremities -- some so far gone with gangrene they were scheduled for amputation -- who recovered.

Many people just follow one part of a Dr. Christopher routine and expect a miracle to happen. But, if people would follow his whole program, and my whole programs, they really would see miracles happen.

BISER: What are you talking about?

SCHULZE: I have seen many people with very serious circulation problems in their legs and extremities not be helped by Dr. Christopher's marshmallow root bath. People only do part of his programs. To begin with, the marshmallow root is very soothing to damaged tissue. But, when there is a severe circulation problem, you need to do a lot more. Anyone with a bad circulation problem needs to do hot and cold therapy on the legs, or wherever the problem is.

Filling a large tub with hot water, add 4 ounces of cayenne pepper, 4 ounces of ginger root powder and 4 ounces of mustard seed powder. Just put these herbs in a dish towel, tie it closed, and put it in the bath like a big tea bag. You will see the water turn orange. Also, fill a large bucket with cold water plus 10 pounds or more of ice in it. Plastic garbage bins and wastebaskets work well for this.

Put the leg, or whatever, into the very hot bath for 5 to 10 minutes and then immediately into the cold for at least 2 minutes, but 5 to 8 minutes is much better. Do several repetitions of this, but, do, at least, 5.

You will feel the heat of these herbs on the area for hours after. Also, remember to use your cayenne, internally during this routine.

"Cayenne Stops the Bleeding of Stomach and Duodenal Ulcers Immediately."

BISER: What about ulcers? How does cayenne help digestive disease?

SCHULZE: Cayenne is listed in the Merck Index as an official carminative and stomach stimulant. If a person's digestive problems are due to a lack of digestive strength, digestive juices, or stagnation in the stomach, cayenne is a godsend.

Cayenne, first of all, stops the bleeding of stomach and duodenal ulcers. It also increases better circulation in the stomach wall which speeds up the healing process.

Cayenne also stimulates your pancreas to release more hydrochloric acid, enzymes, and even promotes your liver and gall bladder to release more bile. All of these actions increase your digestion.

For digestive problems, a little cayenne can go a long way. It is best to begin with a small amount, like a 1/8 teaspoon, eight times a day and, increase slowly as you feel better.

Cayenne can also be added to aloe vera gel, slippery elm bark and licorice root, to buffer it, if desired. And, all of these additional herbs, also heal the stomach lining.

"Cayenne is Not for All Types of Ulcer Patients."

BISER: Are there some people who shouldn't use cayenne? Such as for burning ulcers?

SCHULZE: Everyone can use cayenne. However, some people should use less to start up, and then use it medicinally, but only for a short period of time. For example, people who tend to Run Hot --- hot, dry, feverish, inflammatory types - should use it periodically, not all the time.

Also, those people with great gastric irritation should use it with caution, but still use it. They may have to avoid it completely while they have ulcers, but they can use it, sparingly later when the ulcer is healed.

Remember people should not abandon their good judgement and common sense, because it says a specific dosage in a book. I always tell my patients to think for themselves; make their own decisions and listen to their inner voice.

"I Have Had Many Patients Run into My Office with Very Deep Lacerations,
to the Bone in Many Cases — that's Right, I Could See the Bone —
and You Pack Cayenne Right into the Wound."

BISER: How about first aid, and saving lives with cayenne?

SCHULZE: Cayenne pepper is, without a doubt, the number one first-aid herb. whenever you have a problem with blood - be it blood loss, disease, clots, or even stoppage - cayenne is the herb of choice. when you think of blood, in any situation, use cayenne.

BISER: What do you mean, 'blood loss'?

SCHULZE: Exactly that. There is no other herb that stops bleeding faster than cayenne. I have used it for all types of bleeding, from cuts to internal hemorrhaging. I have had many patients run into my office with very deep lacerations, to the bone in many cases ---= that's right, I could see the exposed bone ---- and you pack cayenne right into the wound.

BISER: Doesn't that burn like heck?

SCHULZE: That's the surprise. It doesn't burn at all. You think it would, and it does if you take a bath in it or rub it around the body but, on open, fresh wounds, it doesn't. There is so much trauma already with the cut or wound, you don't feel a thing.

I had a young woman who was putting her whole weight behind a jackknife. It collapsed on her finger; with all her weight behind it, and she almost cut her finger entirely off It was spurting blood and the cayenne sealed the wound in seconds. I had another lady who plunged her hand into soapy dishwater, only to discover a large broken glass that cut the tip of her finger right off We packed it with cayenne and there is not even a scar today

I had a man with a 12-inch slice in his leg about 2 inches deep. He would have needed a tourniquet and nearly fifty stitches. But, a few handfuls of cayenne pepper, and some tape, did the job.

Last year; when I was teaching in England, one of the students totaled his very small sports car in a head-on with a Range Rover.

Besides a few broken ribs and multiple bruises, he had a two-inch hole in his knee from the collapsed, broken dashboard that had pinned him in his car. This was in a very remote area of Northern England, and he was brought to the school by the police.

The first thing I did was flush the wound out. I always flush out fresh wounds with what I call an anti-infection tincture which has cayenne in it. I'll give this formula later. It not only begins to stop the bleeding, but it cleans, disinfects, and even seals the wound.

BISER: But, won't cayenne clean and disinfect also?

SCHULZE: Absolutely It stops the bleeding immediately and, the high amount of vitamin A and vitamin C in cayenne also clean and disinfect. With any injury, remember to take cayenne, internally. However, cayenne stops the bleeding so fast --- in two or three seconds ----- and you don't always have time to clean a dirty wound; so, with some wounds, I flush them out first to cleanse them, then I apply the cayenne.

So, I flushed out the wound, and when it was clean, I could see patella ----- the knee cap ---- very clearly. We, then, dusted the wound with cayenne, and packed on a healing poultice. We took tape, and stretched the skin tight to keep it closed. Even I had my doubts with this one because there was so much skin missing. There was, literally a hole in his leg.

The next morning, I cleaned the area with hopes of doing the entire procedure over again, because the night before, we had to do this in a badly lit room, and I figured I had made a mess of it, and now wanted to do it right.

When we peeled back the bandage, the entire class was very surprised. The wound was totally shut, sealed, and looked like a minor cut.

There was a nurse who had assisted me the night before, and she said, that in all her years of hospital work, she had never seen a wound of this severity or, in fact, any wound, heal so quickly and with so little trauma to the area.

She said that she now believes that the majority of wound traumas she saw in the hospital were not caused by the injuries, but by the doctors in their cutting, debriding, endless cleaning, swabbing and disinfecting, and then, finally, their stitching. This was the first time this nurse had actually seen how fast and efficiently the body repairs itself, when no one interrupts nature, and when you use herbs.

"The Bleeding Went from Spurting, to a Slow Trickle, in Two Seconds."

BISER: What about cayenne douches and enemas? You told me about a cayenne douche that saved a woman's life.

SCHULZE: I have used the same routine many times on women, many right after birth, for hemorrhage.

I have attended many births, and cayenne is a wonderful birth herb for mom, the baby and even the midwife and attendants. Last year, when my own wife had our son, she tore a bit.

By the time I put our son on her chest and began to massage him, I noticed that my wife was bleeding quite a bit. when she tore, she ripped through a vein, and, in seconds, had bled a pool about two feet in diameter. I immediately squirted 15 to 20 dropperfuls of cayenne tincture all over her vagina and even a few dropperfuls into it. She was a bit white, so I gave her a dropperful orally also. The bleeding stopped in one second.

I have been in on births when the mom bled severely from the uterus, and also from the placenta detaching. A cayenne douche, and cayenne orally always does the trick.

I have also used it, rectally for severe rectal bleeding, and, yes, before you ask me, it is intense, it's painful, but, it saves lives. A teaspoon of cayenne pepper in warm water, injected using a rectal syringe, stops the bleeding.

BISER: You told me you even used cayenne pepper on newborn babies.

SCHULZE: If a baby is in trouble, and needs reviving, or just a good push to be on earth, a few drops of cayenne tincture, diluted 50% with water, on the mouth, lips, or tongue, will do the trick. I have done this many times. Also, some warm water with a little cayenne in it ---- you can massage this water around the baby ---- really brings them around.

BISER: You said that our readers are using the wrong forms of cayenne. What do you mean?

SCHULZE: First of all, everyone buys commercial cayenne at the health food store. No-one realizes that most of the cayenne is imported from overseas. Further; cayenne is one of the most sprayed crops there is.

Cayenne is part of the tomato family and is highly prone to insects. I have seen fields of cayenne pepper where the clouds of white pesticides around the cayenne plants was so thick you couldn't even see the peppers.

On top of this, your readers are getting weak cayenne. When Dr. Christopher, my great teacher, used to use cayenne in his famous healings, he was talking about what he called Mexican bird peppers. These peppers are about 200,000 or more heat units. Compare that to the 40,000 H.U. stuff the herbal companies sell you.

BISER: Before we talk about the medicinal uses of cayenne pepper many of my readers have been confused over the difference between cayenne pepper capsicum, the african bird peppers that Dr Christopher used to talk about, and chili peppers. Which one should they use?

SCHULZE: They are basically the same thing.

All hot peppers are botanically called capsicum. Depending on the various species, they are put into different groups: capsicum annum, capsicum frutescens, some even describing their place of origin, such as; capsicum japonica (Japan) and capsicum mexicana (Mexico).

The bottom line: all hot peppers are capsicum. The name cayenne just refers to one variety of capsicum but, over the years, this name has become synonymous with capsicum and is used, generally, to refer to most hot varieties of chilies. All varieties can be used in the same way and have the same medicinal value.

BISER: Which varieties are more potent?

SCHULZE: What determines the potency of cayenne is not the name it's called but the intensity of its heat, which is determined by the quantity of the potent chemicals in cayenne, capsaicin, and its resins. The more of these chemicals that are in cayenne, the hotter it is, and also the stronger and more effective it is in healing.

The heat is measured in heat units, incorrectly called B.T.U.'s (British Thermal Units) but correctly called Scoville Units, or just heat units. All capsicum is rated between 0 and 300,000 heat units. Paprika has no heat and is rated 0 heat units. Most actual cayenne peppers are rated between 30,000 and 80,000. Jalapeno peppers are between 50,000 and 80,000. Serrano peppers are at about 100,000. African bird peppers are about 200,000 and Mexican habaneros are between 250,000 and 300,000.

"The Best Cayenne Can be Bought Right at Your Local Grocery Store."

BISER: O.K, so all hot peppers are capsicum, and are called cayenne, and all are medicinal. But where do you buy the best?

SCHULZE: Although most people think the best cayenne is found in capsules from herb companies, or in bulk jars at the health food store, usually the best is found right in your local grocery store.

BISER: The grocery store? They have cayenne pepper?

SCHULZE: Absolutely Almost every major grocery store in this country sells a variety of fresh hot chili peppers in the produce section. And, if you don't see any just ask the produce manager to order some for you. Ask for a variety such as: jalapeno, serrano, habanero, cayenne or any hot peppers they can buy.

These fresh peppers will also contain much more vitamin A and vitamin C that is reduced in the drying and processing of cayenne.

If you have an organic market in your area, they will also sell organic peppers. If you don't buy organic, wash with a little soap and scrub lightly before use.

Remember that equatorial peoples generally eat spicier food and this includes lots of cayenne pepper. If you have an area of your town where Mexicans, South Americans, Caribbeans, Africans, East Indians, Chinese, South East Asians, etc., live, you will certainly find some great hot peppers in their local produce markets.

Don't be afraid to venture into these stores and neighborhoods. You will usually find a great assortment of foods and herbs.

BISER: Can people grow these peppers?

SCHULZE: Sure. It's easy, and peppers grow very fast. You can grow them outside, in a few months, anywhere in the country during spring and summer, and year-round inside your house in a sunny area.

You can buy seeds from your local nursery or, for great organic seeds, there is a source listed at the end of this interview It is much easier to grow them from small plants though, which you can buy from any nursery

BISER: But, how do you use fresh peppers?

SCHULZE: Easy. You can use them fresh in salads or in cooking. In vegetable broths, anything. If you want to dry them, just cut them in half or quarters, string them together with a needle and cotton thread, and hang them around the kitchen --- not in sunlight ---- until they are dried.

You can even use a food dehydrator, if you have one. Once they are completely dried, you can store them in canning jars. You can even put them in a small electric coffee grinder and make powder in seconds, which you can hand-encapsulate, yourself.

Personally I put a mixture of various fresh chili peppers in the blender with some extra virgin olive oil, blend for just a minute, refrigerate, and put this hot sauce on any food I want. This is one of the best and easiest ways to add cayenne to your diet.

Unknown Facts About Cayenne Pepper And Health (Part 2)

Related Topics:

Unknown Facts About Cayenne Pepper And Health (Part 2)

100 Foods That Won't Kill You Right Now

Fruit and Vegetable Coloring Compounds may help to fight Cancer

Do You Know How Long Does Cantaloupe Take to Digest?

[Source]

Everything About Food For Brain

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:33:00 +0000

Here's how to construct an eating plan that can help turn your brain into a lean, mean thinking machine and, not incidentally, help protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, premature aging, obesity, and other ills.

As a general rule, when strolling the produce aisles, think color. Anything brightly colored is brain food, loaded with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that maintain brain health and enhance mental performance. And if all else fails, just like the ad says, you shudda had a V-8.

PROTEIN:

Contains four calories per gram. Should supply 15 percent of your total calorie intake.

Needed to manufacture brain tissue, enzymes, neurotransmitters, and myriad other brain chemicals. Choose 5 ounces (women) to 8 ounces (men) animal protein from lean sources: skinless poultry, lean meats, organ meats; fatty fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, and sardines, plus other seafood; skim and low-fat dairy products. Increase intake of soy protein foods such as calcium-fortified tofu, soy milk, and textured vegetable protein; soy foods contain isoflavones and thousands of other beneficial compounds animal foods lack.

CARBOHYDRATES:

Contain four calories per gram. Should supply 65 percent of calories.

Vegetables and fruit are packed with antioxidant vitamins and thousands of other powerful antioxidants, minerals, and fiber. Tank up on dark leafy greens; cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale); red/yellow/orange vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, summer and winter squash; fruits such as berries, cherries, apples, apricots, oranges, grapefruit, red grapes, peaches.

The government recommends that you get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

That's pathetic, say many researchers — yet more than two-thirds of Americans, especially meast-and-potatoes-and-pizza men — don't even get that. (Real, smart men do eat salad.) Experts urge you to eat as much and as many fruits and veggles as you can pack in — 10 servings if you want. Watery, crunchy fruits/veggies are very low in calories; eat ad lib. (A serving is one whole fruit or vegetable, a half-cup cooked or 1 cup raw greens.)

Grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes are packed with B vitamins, antioxidants, trace minerals, and fiber. Whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, grains, potatoes, and yams are loaded with energy-boosting, feel-good complex carbohydrates (and some fat-free protein). Complex carbs, digested more slowly than simple sugars, keep blood sugar levels steady and brain energy high for prolonged periods. Refined flour products won't kill you, but even "enriched" versions don't put all the good stuff back, and lack fiber. Get 5 to 11 servings daily (the latter if you're a big guy or female triathlete). A serving equals one slice of bread, one potato, or half a cup of grain or beans.

Table sugar (sucrose) or honey is okay if used sparingly, but it lacks vitamins and minerals; limit to a few teaspoons daily (one Coke has 10 teaspoons!). Avoid corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup, which raise triglycerides more than sucrose; they're in zillions of prepared foods, including ketchup.

FAT:

Contains nine calories per gram. Current government recommendations call for fat intake to supply no more than 30 percent of calories. But that may not be low enough to keep your brain from clogging up.

"The same low-fat diet that ensures cardiovascular health will ensure brain health," contends cholesterol expert Charles Glueck, M.D. The dietary fat level that reduces or eliminates depression and boosts cognitive performance is a skimpy 10 to 15 percent.

Sounds a bit too austere? Relax. Oregon's William Connor, M.D., contends that a diet supplying no more than 20 percent of calories from fat confers adequate health benefits head to toe.

But 40 percent of that fat should be in the form of essential fatty acids (EFAs), preferably from fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna. And get this — caviar is an excellent source of EFAs. You can take one to two capsules of fish oil daily (a gram of fat each). It's not only the best source of the most beneficial n-3s for the brain, it lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels, too. Limit saturated fat intake to four to six percent of your overall calories. Avoid hydrogenated fats; they're saturated fats. Use only a microthin smear of low-fat margarine, if you must. (Sorry, butter is still worse.)

The rest of your fat should come from vegetable oils rich in n-3s. To get n-3 fatty acids in a favorable ratio to n-6s, use flaxseed, canola, soy, and walnut oils rather than corn, safflower, or sunflower oils. Throw these oils away, and avoid eating foods containing them. Olive oil has little n-3 but is mostly harmless monosaturated fat; mix with canola oil to flavor salads. Use olive oil cooking spray. Mono-rich peanut oil is okay in small doses, too.

But don't overdo the EFA-rich oils, either. You need no more than two to three teaspoons of EFAs per day.

Assume you'll get half your fat from even low-fat foods. That leaves half you can add as oil. Limit yourself to 20 grams (women) to 25 grams (men) daily.

Remember, dietary cholesterol does not raise blood cholesterol levels in two-thirds of the population, Trouble is, you don't know whether you're a dietary cholesterol "responder" without medical tests. Better to keep cholesterol Intake below 300 mg per day.

Copyright © 1991-2004 Sussex Publishers. All rights reserved.

Right Foods To Improve Menopause

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 22:32:00 +0000

Nutrition and the menopause

From magnesium and phytoestrogens to eating little and often — good nutrition is an essential step to ensuring this stage of life is a positive one.

Technically, the menopause is the point at which a woman has her last menstrual period and is therefore no longer fertile. For some time before this, periods may have occurred without ovulation, and they may have been getting gradually further apart or, in some cases, closer together.

At the menopause, the ovaries stop producing the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which leads to other bodily changes. For example, although oestrogen is mainly thought of as a sex hormone, cells in the vagina, bladder, breasts, skin, bones, arteries, heart, liver, and brain all contain oestrogen receptors.

The peri-menopausal years - in other words, those leading up to that final period - may be as long as ten years, and are different for each woman.

What it is not

Menopause is not a medical condition or a disease. It is a natural process and brings with it advantages as well as disadvantages, notably no more pre-menstrual tension or worries about contraception. The important thing is to be as positive as possible and to view it as the next stage of life. With a proper diet, nutritional supplements and exercise, most of the unpleasant side effects of menopause can be minimised if not eliminated.

It must be said, however, that the earlier you start to take care of yourself, the easier the transition or 'change of life' will be. It is possible to go right through the menopause with few, if any, symptoms, but this is generally a question of good management rather than good luck.

Nutrition and diet

You may have survived for years on snatched meals and convenience snacks, but these now have to be a thing of the past. You may find that you feel better if you eat little and often as if your blood-sugar levels drop menopausal symptoms often increase. Always take time to digest and enjoy your food, which may mean having a little less to eat on any one occasion.

Foods should be as unprocessed as possible. Remember that the more highly processed or refined a food is the fewer nutrients it contains. This is a high-nutrient time of your life and you cannot afford to eat low-nutrient foods.

Phytoestrogens

An important aim at this time is to introduce as many foods as possible which contain plant oestrogens (phytoestrogens). These weak oestrogenic compounds help to balance hormones, increasing the body's own levels when they are low, and decreasing levels when they are too high by sitting inside the receptor cells which are normally taken up by strong oestrogens.

Japanese women generally experience far fewer symptoms of menopause than Western women and this is thought to be because they consume more oestrogenic foods such as soya beans, tofu, miso, flaxseed, fruit and vegetables. They also have a much lower incidence of many degenerative conditions. As a general guideline, 4 oz tofu, 8 oz soya milk or a handful of soya beans per day provide optimum amounts of phytoestrogens.

Diet through the day

Breakfast could include whole grain cereals such as oat, rice or millet porridge, or sugar-free muesli, made with soya milk, and with fresh fruit and mixed seeds added. Equal portions of sunflower, sesame, and pumpkin seeds can be mixed in a large container with a double portion of linseeds, and 2 tablespoons of the mixture added to the cereal. If you don't get hungry at breakfast time, some fresh fruit and a handful of mixed seeds would be fine. Eliminate or severely reduce coffee, as you may find this aggravates symptoms, and drink plenty of bottled or filtered water between meals.

At lunch, take the time to sit down and have a large salad with some protein in the form of fish, beans, eggs, or tofu. As tofu is not eaten traditionally, it's worthwhile getting a book with ideas for transforming it from the rather bland and uninteresting food you may know it as into an appetising 'superfood'. Being bland has the advantage of taking on the flavours of other foods you mix it with. It is high in phytoestrogens, high in protein, low in fat and low in calories! If you prefer something hot, a meal-sized soup containing lots of vegetables with lentils, beans, or soya and eaten with wholemeal or rye bread will give you plenty of nutrients.

If you prefer to have your main meal at mid-day, include fish twice a week if possible, chicken, soya, beans, lentils, chickpeas, eggs and a little lean meat with at least three portions of fresh vegetables. Fresh fruit and live yogurt or a soya-based pudding make a healthy dessert.

In addition to caffeine, some people find that alcohol, sugar, spicy and hot (high temperature) food may trigger hot flushes.

Nutritional supplements

Although manufacturers of nutritional supplements are not allowed to make specific claims, there is now a plethora of products which, as their names suggest, are aimed specifically at the menopausal woman. The main things to look out for are adequate amounts of:

Magnesium citrate

Magnesium enables the body to metabolise calcium, thereby preventing osteoporosis. It helps with hormonal problems such as mood swings and breast tenderness. Lack of magnesium may cause symptoms of low self-esteem and insomnia. 300-450 mg of elemental magnesium per day is recommended.

Calcium citrate

Should be slightly less than magnesium in quantity and is, of course, needed for healthy bones and a good night's sleep.

Vitamin B6

Essential for the formation of serotonin, low levels of which are associated with depression and mood. It helps to disperse fluid retention, and low levels of B6 have been associated with osteoporosis. A supplement containing all the B vitamins may be helpful as they work better together.

Vitamin E

A powerful antioxidant which has been shown to relieve hot flushes and menopausal vaginal complaints. It may help with breast tenderness. Start off with 200 iu (150 mg) of vitamin E, increasing gradually to 800 iu (600 mg) or even 1200 iu (900 mg) until hot flushes diminish.

Essential fatty acids

Some people find that a supplement containing the Omega 6 fatty acids (evening primrose oil / gamma linolenic acid) and / or Omega 3 oils (EPA/DHA) are helpful - although not specifically for hot flushes - as they are involved in hormone production.

Dong quai

A traditional Chinese herbal remedy which appears to modulate the body's own oestrogen levels.

There are many other herbs used both individually and in combination, but as the choice seems to be increasingly great you may prefer to consult a herbalist before going down this avenue.

Related Topics:

[Source]

How Spinach Helps To Improve Eyesight

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:47:00 +0000

Calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach with its delicate texture and jade green color provide more nutrients than any other food. Although spinach is available throughout the year, its season runs from March through May and from September through October when it is the freshest, has the best flavor and is most readily available.

This chart below graphically details the %DV that a serving of Spinach provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Spinach can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Spinach, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

We all know that Popeye made himself super strong by eating spinach, but you may be surprised to learn that he may also have been protecting himself against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, arthritis, and other diseases at the same time.

Phytonutrient Flavonoids for Optimal Health

Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents.

(Many of these substances fall into a technical category of flavonoids known as methylenedioxyflavonol glucuronides.) The anticancer properties of these spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells (gastric adenocarcinomas), and in studies on laboratory animals, to reduce skin cancers (skin papillomas). A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer.

Spinach Carotenoid Combats Prostate Cancer

A carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state of stasis, thus preventing their replication.

Spinach Flavonoid Combats Ovarian Cancer

Research calculating flavonoid intake in 66,940 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study between 1984 and 2002 revealed that women whose diets provided the most kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer, compared to women eating the least kaempferol-rich foods. In addition to spinach, foods richest in kaempferol include tea (nonherbal), onions, curly kale, leeks, broccoli, and blueberries.

A significant 34% reduction in ovarian cancer risk was also seen in women with the highest intake of the flavone luteolin (found in citrus).

Helping You Bone Up

The vitamin K provided by spinach-almost 200% of the Daily Value in one cup of fresh spinach leaves and over 1000% of the Daily Value in one cup of boiled spinach (which contains about 6 times as much spinach)-is important for maintaining bone health. Vitamin K1 activates osteocalcin, the major non-collagen protein in bone. Osteocalcin anchors calcium molecules inside of the bone. Therefore, without enough vitamin K1, osteocalcin levels are inadequate, and bone mineralization is impaired. Spinach is also an excellent source of other bone-building nutrients including calcium and magnesium.

Cardiovascular Protection from Spinach

For atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, few foods compare to spinach in their number of helpful nutrients. Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, the latter notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. These two nutrients are important antioxidants that work to reduce the amounts of free radicals in the body; vitamin C works as a water-soluble antioxidant and beta-carotene as a fat-soluble one. This water-and-fat-soluble antioxidant team helps to prevent cholesterol from becoming oxidized. Oxidized cholesterol is able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, where it can cause blocked arteries, heart attack or stroke. Getting plenty of vitamin C and beta-carotene can help prevent these complications, and a cup of boiled spinach can provide you with 294.8% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin A along with 29.4% of the DV for vitamin C.

Spinach is also an excellent source of folate. Folate is needed by the body to help convert a potentially dangerous chemical called homocysteine that can lead to heart attack or stroke if levels get too high, into other benign molecules. In addition, spinach is an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that can help to lower high blood pressure and protect against heart disease as well. A cup of boiled spinach contains 65.6% of the daily value for folate and 39.1% of the daily value for magnesium.

In addition to its hefty supply of cardioprotective vitamins and minerals, a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry has revealed that spinach Rubisco contains four peptides (protein components) that inhibit angiotensin I-converting enzyme-the same enzyme blocked by ACE inhibitor drugs, which are used to lower blood pressure. When given to laboratory animals bred to be hypertensive, spinach produced a blood pressure lowering effect within two to four hours. How much spinach did the animals have to eat to get this beneficial effect? Just 20 to 30 mg of these powerful spinach peptides for each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of their body weight. In human terms, what this suggests is that an entrée-sized spinach salad for lunch or a serving of steamed spinach as part of the evening meal may have a salutary effect on blood pressure two to four hours later.

Promotes Gastrointestinal Health

The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach help to protect the colon cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. And the folate in spinach helps to prevent DNA damage and mutations in colon cells, even when they are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals. Studies show that people who eat foods high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and/or folate are at a much lower risk of getting colon cancer than those who don't.

Anti-Inflammatory Nutrients

The nutrients in spinach can also help with conditions in which inflammation plays a role. For example, asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis are all conditions that involve inflammation. Since beta-carotene and vitamin C have anti-inflammatory properties, they can be helpful for reducing symptoms in some patients. In addition, the magnesium and riboflavin in spinach, two nutrients of which it is an excellent source, may help to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks in people who suffer from them.

A Smarter Brain with Spinach

In animal studies, researchers have found that spinach may help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related related declines in brain function. Researchers found that feeding aging laboratory animals spinach-rich diets significantly improved both their learning capacity and motor skills. Read more about brain benefits of spinach.

Vitamin E-rich Leafy Greens Slow Loss of Mental Function

Mental performance normally declines with age, but the results of Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP) suggest that eating just 3 servings of green leafy, yellow and cruciferous vegetables each day could slow this decline by 40%, suggests a study in the journal Neurology (Morris MC, Evans DA, et al.) Compared to people who consumed less than one serving of vegetables a day, people who ate at least 2.8 servings of vegetables a day saw their rate of cognitive decline slow by roughly 40%. This decrease is equivalent to about five years of younger age, said lead author Martha Clare Morris, ScD, with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The prospective cohort study, funded by the National Institute of Aging, used dietary data from 3,718 participants (62% female, 60% African American, average age 74). Mental function was assessed with four different tests: the East Boston Tests of immediate memory and delayed recall, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, taken at the start of the study and then again after 3 and 6 years.

After adjusting the results for potential confounders such as age, sex, race, education, and cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers found that consuming an average of 2.8 vegetable servings each day was associated with a 40% decrease in cognitive decline, compared to those who ate an average of less than one (0.9) serving a day. Of the different types of vegetables, green leafy vegetables had the strongest association, said Dr. Morris.

Surprisingly, no relationship was found between fruit consumption and cognitive decline.

Morris hypothesizes that this may be due to the fact that vegetables, but not fruits, contain high amounts of vitamin E, which helps lower the risk of cognitive decline. Also, vegetables, but not fruits, are typically consumed with a little fat, such as olive oil or salad dressing, which increases the body's ability to absorb vitamin E.

The Rush University researchers plan further research to understand why fruit appears to have little effect and to explore the effects of citrus fruit, specifically, on cognitive decline. Bottomline: If you remember to enjoy at least 3 servings of leafy greens each day, you are much more likely to remember other things as well!

Better Eyesight from Spinach

Lutein, a carotenoid protective against eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and cataract, is found in green vegetables, especially spinach, as well as kale and broccoli. But egg yolks, although they contain significantly less lutein than spinach, are a much more bioavailable source whose consumption increases lutein concentrations in the blood many-fold higher than spinach,shows a human study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Although the mechanism by which egg yolk increases lutein bioavailability is not yet known, it is likely due to the fats (cholesterol and choline) found in egg yolk since lutein, like other carotenoids, is fat-soluble and cannot be absorbed unless fat is also present. To maximally boost your lutein absorption from spinach, we suggest enjoying this vegetable, whether steamed, sautéed or fresh in spinach salad, with a little olive oil and/or a topping of chopped hard-boiled egg to provide your body with some fats to help enhance the bioavailability of this fat-soluble phytonutrient.

Iron for Energy

Cooked spinach is an excellent source of iron, a mineral that it particularly important for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency. Boosting iron stores with spinach is a good idea, especially because, in comparison to red meat, a well-known source of iron, spinach provides iron for a lot less calories and is totally fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And, if you're pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron. In one cup of boiled spinach, you'll be provided with 35.7% of the daily value for iron.

So while spinach probably won't make you super strong the minute you eat it, as it did for Popeye, it will promote your health and vitality in many other ways. It seems like Popeye was pretty smart after all.

Description

Spinach belongs to the same family (Chenopodiaceae) as chard and beets. It shares a similar taste profile with these two other vegetables-it has the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of chard.

Popeye popularized spinach, but it's too bad he ate it out of a can. Fresh spinach retains the delicacy of texture and jade green color that is lost when spinach is processed. Raw spinach has a mild, slightly sweet taste that can be refreshing in salads, while its flavor becomes more acidic and robust when it is cooked.

There are three different types of spinach generally available. Savoy has crisp, creased curly leaves that have a springy texture. Smooth-leaf has flat, unwrinkled, spade-shaped leaves, while semi-savoy is similar in texture to savoy but is not as crinkled in appearance. Baby spinach is great for use in salads as it has a sweeter taste, probably owing to its reduced concentration of oxalic acid. Spinacia oleracea is the scientific name of this leafy vegetable.

History

Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (Iran). Spinach made its way to China in the 7th century when the king of Nepal sent it as a gift to this country. Spinach has a much more recent history in Europe than many other vegetables. It was only brought to that continent in the 11th century, when the Moors introduced it into Spain. In fact, for a while, spinach was known as "the Spanish vegetable" in England.

Spinach was the favorite vegetable of Catherine de Medici, a historical figure in the 16th century. When she left her home of Florence, Italy, to marry the king of France, she brought along her own cooks, who could prepare spinach the ways that she especially liked. Since this time, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as "a la Florentine."

Spinach grows well in temperate climates. Today, the United States and the Netherlands are among the largest commercial producers of spinach.

How to Select and Store

Choose spinach that has vibrant deep green leaves and stems with no signs of yellowing. The leaves should look fresh and tender, and not be wilted or bruised. Avoid those that have a slimy coating as this is an indication of decay.

Store fresh spinach loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper where it will keep fresh for about five days. Do not wash it before storing as the moisture will cause it to spoil. Avoid storing cooked spinach as it will not keep very well.

Tips for Preparing Spinach:

Spinach, whether bunched or prepackaged, should be washed very well since the leaves and stems tend to collect sand and soil. Before washing, trim off the roots and separate the leaves. Place the spinach in a large bowl of tepid water and swish the leaves around with your hands as this will allow any dirt to become dislodged. Remove the leaves from the water, empty the bowl, refill with clean water and repeat this process until no dirt remains in the water (usually two to three times will do the trick). Cut away any overly thick stems to ensure for more even cooking. If you are going to use the spinach in a salad, you can dry it in either a salad spinner or by shaking it in a colander. If you are going to cook it, you do not need to worry about drying it well as the remaining water will serve to help it cook. Spinach is one of the few vegetables we suggest quick boiling (for one minute). That's because boiling will help to reduce the amount of oxalic acids found in spinach, resulting in a sweeter taste.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Add layers of steamed spinach to your next lasagna recipe.
Toss steamed spinach with pressed garlic, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.
Pine nuts are a great addition to cooked spinach.
Spinach salads are a classic easy and delicious meal or side dish.

Allergic Reactions to Spinach

Although allergic reactions can occur to virtually any food, research studies on food allergy consistently report more problems with some foods than with others. It turns out that spinach is one of the foods most commonly associated with allergic reactions. Other foods commonly associated with allergic reactions include: cow's milk, wheat, soy, shrimp, oranges, eggs, chicken, strawberries, tomato, peanuts, pork, corn and beef. These foods do not need to be eaten in their pure, isolated form in order to trigger an adverse reaction. For example, yogurt made from cow's milk is also a common allergenic food, even though the cow's milk has been processed and fermented in order to make the yogurt. Ice cream made from cow's milk would be an equally good example.

Some of the most common symptoms for food allergies include eczema, hives, skin rash, headache, runny nose, itchy eyes, wheezing, gastrointestinal disturbances, depression, hyperactivity and insomnia. Individuals who suspect food allergy to be an underlying factor in their health problems may want to avoid commonly allergenic foods.

Spinach and Pesticide Residues

Virtually all municipal drinking water in the United States contains pesticide residues, and with the exception of organic foods, so do the majority of foods in the U.S. food supply. Even though pesticides are present in food at very small trace levels, their negative impact on health is well documented. The liver's ability to process other toxins, the cells' ability to produce energy, and the nerves' ability to send messages can all be compromised by pesticide exposure. According to the Environmental Working Group's 2006 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce," spinach is among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. Therefore, individuals wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks may want to avoid consumption of spinach unless it is grown organically.

Spinach and Oxalates

Spinach is among a small number of foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, naturally-occurring substances found in plants, animals, and human beings. When oxalates become too concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause health problems. For this reason, individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating spinach. Laboratory studies have shown that oxalates may also interfere with absorption of calcium from the body. Yet, in every peer-reviewed research study we've seen, the ability of oxalates to lower calcium absorption is relatively small and definitely does not outweigh the ability of oxalate-containing foods to contribute calcium to the meal plan. If your digestive tract is healthy, and you do a good job of chewing and relaxing while you enjoy your meals, you will get significant benefits - including absorption of calcium - from calcium-rich foods plant foods that also contain oxalic acid. Ordinarily, a healthcare practitioner would not discourage a person focused on ensuring that they are meeting their calcium requirements from eating these nutrient-rich foods because of their oxalate content.

Spinach and Goitrogens

Spinach contains goitrogens, naturally-occurring substances in certain foods that can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland. Individuals with already existing and untreated thyroid problems may want to avoid spinach for this reason. Cooking may help to inactivate the goitrogenic compounds found in food. However, it is not clear from the research exactly what percent of goitrogenic compounds get inactivated by cooking, or exactly how much risk is involved with the consumption of spinach by individuals with pre-existing and untreated thyroid problems.

Spinach and Purines

Spinach contain naturally-occurring substances called purines. Purines are commonly found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called "gout" and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purine-containing foods such as spinach.

Nutritional Profile

Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, protein, phosphorous, zinc and vitamin E. In addition, it is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium.

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Spinach is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more. For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Spinach.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good or good source. Next to the nutrient name you will find the following information: the amount of the nutrient that is included in the noted serving of this food; the %Daily Value (DV) that that amount represents; the nutrient density rating; and the food's World's Healthiest Foods Rating. Underneath the chart is a table that summarizes how the ratings were devised.

**Content of Nutrients in the Spinach**
Spinach, boiled 1.00 cup 180.00 grams 41.40 calories
Nutrient	Amount	DV(%)	Nutrient Density	World's Healthiest Foods Rating
vitamin K	888.50 mcg	1110.6	482.9	excellent
vitamin A	14742.00 IU	294.8	128.2	excellent
manganese	1.68 mg	84.0	36.5	excellent
folate	262.44 mcg	65.6	28.5	excellent
magnesium	156.60 mg	39.1	17.0	excellent
iron	6.43 mg	35.7	15.5	excellent
vitamin C	17.64 mg	29.4	12.8	excellent
vitamin B2 (riboflavin)	0.42 mg	24.7	10.7	excellent
calcium	244.80 mg	24.5	10.6	excellent
potassium	838.80 mg	24.0	10.4	excellent
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)	0.44 mg	22.0	9.6	excellent
tryptophan	0.07 g	21.9	9.5	excellent
dietary fiber	4.32 g	17.3	7.5	very good
copper	0.31 mg	15.5	6.7	very good
vitamin B1 (thiamin)	0.17 mg	11.3	4.9	very good
protein	5.35 g	10.7	4.7	very good
phosphorus	100.80 mg	10.1	4.4	very good
zinc	1.37 mg	9.1	4.0	very good
vitamin E	1.72 mg	8.6	3.7	very good
omega 3 fatty acids	0.15 g	6.0	2.6	good
vitamin B3 (niacin)	0.88 mg	4.4	1.9	good
selenium	2.70 mcg	3.9	1.7	good

World's Healthiest
Foods Rating Rule
World's Healthiest Foods Rating	Rule
excellent	DV>=75%	OR	Density>=7.6	AND	DV>=10%
very good	DV>=50%	OR	Density>=3.4	AND	DV>=5%
good	DV>=25%	OR	Density>=1.5	AND	DV>=2.5%

How Blueberries Affect Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:33:00 +0000

From research labs all across the country and the world, there is growing evidence that blueberries are an important part of a healthy diet.

Blueberries and Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Fresh fruits, including blueberries, and vegetables contain many of these naturally occurring antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E. Blueberries contain 14 mg of Vitamin C and 0.8 mg Vitamin E per 1 cup of blueberries. In addition, blueberries contain anthocyanins and phenolics that can also act as antioxidants. Based on data from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (Boston, MA), blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity. Using a test called ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity), researchers have shown that a serving of fresh blueberries provides more antioxidant activity than many other fresh fruits and vegetables.

Blueberries and Aging

In a USDA Human Nutrition Research Center laboratory, neuroscientists discovered that feeding blueberries to laboratory rats slowed age-related loss in their mental capacity, a finding that has important implications for humans.

In one study, Jim Joseph, director of the neuroscience laboratory in the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center (HNRC), fed blueberry extractions—the equivalent of a human eating one cup of blueberries a day—to mice and then ran them through a series of motor skills tests.

He found that the blueberry-fed mice performed better than their control group counterparts in motor behavioral learning and memory, and he noticed an increase in exploratory behavior. When he examined their brains, he found a marked decrease in oxidative stress in two regions of the brain and better retention of signal-transmitting neurons compared with the control mice.
The compound that appears responsible for this neuron protection, anthocyanin, also gives blueberries their color and might be the key component of the blueberry’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Blueberries, along with other colorful fruits and vegetables, test high in their ability to subdue free radicals. These free radicals, which can damage cell membranes and DNA through a process known as oxidative stress, are blamed for many of the dysfunctions and diseases associated with aging.

These findings could become increasingly important as the U.S. population ages. It is projected that by 2050, more than 30% of Americans will be over 65 and will have the decreased cognitive and motor function that accompanies advanced age. Joseph is currently testing the effects of blueberries on humans. Preliminary results show that people who ate a cup of blueberries a day have performed 5–6% better on motor skills tests than the control group.

Blueberries and Health

Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have identified compounds in blueberries called proanthocyanidins that promote urinary tract health and reduce the risk of infection by preventing bacteria from adhering to the cells that line the walls of the urinary tract.

Blueberries and Nutrition

Though blueberries themselves are not a cure-all, they contain a number of substances which are thought to have health benefits. These substances include, but are not limited to fructose, fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Antioxidants thus far, seem to have the most conclusive role in the prevention/ delaying of such diseases as cancer, heart disease and the aging process however, a limited number of studies, especially long term and on human beings, are not available at this time.

One cup of blueberries contains 14% DV of fiber 2.41 g per 100g
Blueberries are a source of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, phenolics, and flavonoids
Blueberries are very low in fat and sodium

USDA National Nutrient Database For Standard Reference, Release 19 (2006)
Nutrient	unit	Blueberry (fresh) 1 c (148 g)	Blueberry (frozen, unsweetened) 1 c (155 g)
Energy	kcal	84	79
Protein	g	1.10	0.65
Fat	g	0.49	0.99
Carbohydrate	g	21.45	18.86
Fiber	g	3.6	4.2
Calcium	mg	9	12
Iron	mg	0.41	0.28
Magnesium	mg	9	8
Phosphorus	mg	18	17
Potassium	mg	114	84
Sodium	mg	1	2
Zinc	mg	0.24	0.11
Copper	mg	0.084	0.051
Manganese	mg	0.497	0.228
Selenium	mcg	0.1	0.2
Vitamin C	mg	14.4	3.9
Thiamin	mg	0.055	0.05
Riboflavin	mg	0.061	0.057
Niacin	mg	0.619	0.806
Panthothenic acid	mg	0.184	0.194
Vitamin B6	mg	0.077	0.091
Folate	mcg	9	11
Vitamin B12	mcg	0	0
Vitamin A	IU	80	71
Vitamin E	mg	0.84	0.74
Vitamin K	mcg	28.6	25.4

g=grams mg=milligrams kcal=kilocalories IU=International Units ug=micrograms ATE=alpha tocopherol equivalent

Other Substances Found in Blueberries

Blueberries contain a variety of compounds. These include: phenolics, anthocyanins, carotenoids, ellagic acid. The significance of their presence and modes of action continue to be explored.

**Composition by Percent**
Substance	Percent
Water	84.21%/td>
Protein	0.74%/td>
Ash	0.24%
Lipids	0.33%
Carbohydrates	14.49%

Content of Sugars

14.74 g./1 cup (148 g.) of blueberries contain:

sucrose = 1%
glucose = 49%
fructose = 50%

Improve Your Retina and Macula Health with Foods and Vitamins

noreply@blogger.com (Your Dietitian) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:02:00 +0000

Experts disagree on which nutrients can prevent eye disease or reduce vision loss, and there are many studies being conducted to help us learn more about the relationship between vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and eye health. They do agree, though, that the same things that are good for your body are good for your eyes: a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, drinking at least six glasses of water a day, regular exercise, and avoidance of cigarette smoke.

Much of the research that has already been conducted points to the benefits of vitamins and antioxidants, specifically beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, copper, manganese and lutein. The National Eye Institute's recent Age-Related Eye Disease Study found that about one-fifth of patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) enjoyed a decreased risk of vision loss after taking high levels of zinc and antioxidants. The study did not find a correlation between these nutrients and the prevention or amelioration of cataracts, but others are more optimistic and recommend multivitamins as preventative measures for cataracts, dry eye and glaucoma.

Lutein is found in the macula, but it is not produced by the body. It can be found naturally in high concentrations in dark green and leafy vegetables, including spinach, collard and mustard greens, chicory, escarole, kale, lettuce, Swiss chard and turnip greens. Eating five or more servings per week (at least ½-cup per serving, cooked or raw) of these vegetables may reduce the risk or slow the progression of AMD. Patients taking the anticoagulant medication Coumadin should consult their doctors before increasing the amount of leafy greens they eat.