Fight Cholesterol Philippines

16 Ways to treat high cholesterol levels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 05:07:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I've updated this blog. Here's a tip to jumpstart my updates again. Read on:

Lifestyle changes revolve around a proper diet with low saturated fat, trans-fats and low cholesterol foods and eating plan as well as weight management, physical activity and drug treatment. With the help of natural ingredients found easily at home, the cholesterol level can be reduced thereby controlling any other risk factors you may have such as high blood pressure or smoking.

*Data Courtesy: Dr. N.K. Sharma, a veteran Naturopath and Founder of Reiki Healing Foundation (RHF), world's largest organization in the field of Reiki Healing & Mystic Sciences.

Herbs - Herbs contains lecithin content and prevents the accumulation of cholesterol in the liver and the retention of fats in the blood stream. Some of the herbs like, Fo-ti, dandelion root, flax and pumpkin seeds are all good sources.

Red rice -Red rice contains yeast extract which is a source of naturally occurring statins and is considered the best supplement for lowering cholesterol.

Psyllium husk - As a soluble fibre, the mucilage contained in psyllium helps to lower cholesterol. It also may help to reduce blood pressure.

Oats - Oats contain beta-glucans which help to lower cholesterol levels naturally. Eat rolled oats in least processed forms to get the full cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Carob and cacao - They both are delicious and healthy treats that can be included in a diet to lower cholesterol.

Apple peels - The antioxidants in apple peels can slow down the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and help in preventing plaque build-up. Since it is important to eat the peels, buy organic if possible and always wash fruit thoroughly. Sunflower seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pine nuts, and almonds are particularly high in plant sterols, which can help reduce LDL cholesterol.

Green Tea - Drinking tea lowers low-density lipoprotein, the LDL cholesterol. Green tea balances the high cholesterol levels, a common health problem known to raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and atherosclerosis.

Royal Jelly has been seen to lower cholesterol levels by reducing some of the cholesterol-elevating effects of nicotine.

Soy has been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels. It is rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds

Vitamin C has been found to fight the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract

Fibre: Only plant foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes, unrefined grains) contain dietary fibre. The soluble fibre found in foods such as oat bran, barley, psyllium seeds, flax seed meal, apples, citrus fruits, lentils and beans are particularly effective in lowering cholesterol.

Policosanol: Produced from sugar cane, policosanol is very effective in lowering LDL cholesterol. Most policosanol supplements, including the reformulated Cholestin, contain policosanol extracted from beeswax and not the sugar cane policosanol.

Other herbal products - The fenugreek seeds and leaves, artichoke leaf extract, yarrow, and holy basil all may help lower cholesterol. These and other commonly used herbs and spices - including ginger, turmeric, and rosemary - have potential beneficial effects relating to coronary disease prevention.

Artichoke Leaf - Artichoke leaf extract may work by limiting the synthesis of cholesterol in the body. Artichokes also contain a compound called cynarin, believed to increase bile production in the liver and speed the flow of bile from the gallbladder, both of which may increase cholesterol excretion.

Plant Sterols and Stanols - Plant stanols and sterols (such as beta-sitosterol and sitostanol) are naturally-occurring substances found in certain plants. Stanols are also found as dietary supplements or are added to margarine, orange juice, and dressings. Plant stanols and sterols help to lower cholesterol. They are similar in structure to cholesterol and may help block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. Stanols and sterols appear to enhance the effects of other methods to lower cholesterol.

Reiki: Reiki is more effective than any other dummy treatment at improving the health. It is a very easy divine natural healing system without any medications and side effects. It balances the cholesterol and sugar level and natural energy flow in the body.

Other than this it is very important to exercise and meditate. It has the potential to control your cholesterol levels by non-medical means. It reduces the severity of the disease and significantly reduces the risk of long-term complications. The energy needed for exercise can help people to lose weight which helps to take some of the risk related to central obesity. Also, regular exercise can also help to reduce diabetes and help people to reduce high blood pressure. Even a little extra activity each day can help

More from here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/20890220.cms

20 Best foods to lower cholesterol

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 04:51:00 +0000

Here's a good article that cites good food that can help lower cholesterol. Most of them are available in our local grocery stores or public market. This might be a good time to plan your menu for the week. Read on:

High cholesterol is a big threat to healthy living. Hence, if you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, it is imperitive to change your eating habits, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

As with other lifestyle-related diseases, certain foods are good and bad for people with high cholesterol. Today, we bring you some foods that can actually lower down your cholesterol level. Mrs. Eileen Canday - Chief Dietician at Breach Candy Hospital, gives us a list of the 20 best foods to lower cholesterol.

Almonds

Opt for a fistful of almonds as a daily snack, when diagnosed with high cholesterol.

Almonds are filled with vitamin E and flavonoids, which help cut bad cholesterol by almost 10 percent and also decreases the development of artery blockage.

Oats

Oats contain soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which helps in lowering your body's ability to absorb cholesterol.

Hence, eat oats daily for breakfast, to lower your cholesterol level and stay healthy.

Avocados

Avocados have cholesterol-lowering properties because they contain beta-sitosterol, which can lower cholesterol levels by nearly 15 percent.

Olive oil

Use extra-virgin oil for cooking, instead of normal cooking oil.

Olive oil is a good heart-healthy choice, because it contains antioxidants and polyunsaturated fats that can lower bad levels of cholesterol.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Include fishes like mackerel, salmon and tuna at least twice in a week.

Fishes that are rich in omega-3 can lower cholesterol levels and aid in boosting good cholesterol. For vegetarians, choose foods like flaxseeds and rajma.

Beans and lentils

Again beans and lentils are a good source of soluble fibre, which aids in lowering cholesterol levels.

They are also high in protein and low in fat, which is a complete package for healthy hearts.

Soybean

The protein present in soybean protects against various heart ailments. Soybean helps in lowering bad cholesterol and simultaneously increases good cholesterol.

Eggplants and okra

These two vegetables are great agents for lowering cholesterol, because they are good sources of soluble fibre. But avoid frying these, as that would diminish their nutritional properties.

Garlic

Garlic helps lower cholesterol and fights plaque that clogs your arteries.

Eat not more than 3-4 garlic cloves each day, to obtain maximum heart benefits.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, vitamin C, potassium and fibre, which help in cutting cholesterol levels.

Prefer eating tomatoes which are cooked or sun-dried tomatoes.

Green tea

Results may vary from individual to individual, but some studies suggest that drinking green tea early in the morning may fight high cholesterol.

Blueberries

Compounds present in blueberries are good for your heart. Eating blueberries regularly can sharpen your mind as well as lower bad cholesterol level.

Apples

Apples contain soluble fiber called pectin, which helps in lowering bad cholesterol.

Carrots

Raw carrots contain pectin, which helps in lowering cholesterol levels. Besides, carrots are also good for your eyes and skin.

Barley

Barley has unique health promoting properties, especially for heart health.

Like oats, barley too contains beta-glucan, which helps in lowering cholesterol and prevents artery blockage.

Red wine

We all know about red wine's health benefits. Consuming red wine helps heart health as well.

The fibre called tempranillo, found in red wine, is great in lowering cholesterol.

Plant sterol

Consuming fortified foods like orange juice and yoghurt, which have high levels of plant compounds, is good for heart health.

They help prevent cholesterol absorption and lower the level of cholesterol.

Dark chocolate

Eating dark chocolate is very beneficial for your health. It helps lower cholesterol levels by almost 10 percent.

Sesame seeds

Sesame seeds are rich in a fibre called phytosterols. This fibre helps in preventing artery blockages and lowers cholesterol levels.

Spinach

Besides spinach being Popeye's secret for quick power, it is also good for cardiovascular health.

Green leafy vegetables like spinach contain lutein, which helps guard against blockages in arteries and lowers cholesterol.

more from here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/20-Best-foods-to-lower-cholesterol/articleshow/16924867.cms

Cholesterol Myth: What Really Causes Heart Disease?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 04:46:00 +0000

Take a look at this article about myths on high cholesterol. It's worth reading as we're assuming that most fatal heart diseases were caused by this condition that's why our doctors seemed to over prescribe statins. One takeaway from this reading is a cheaper alternative in staying healthy by just having a good and happy disposition in life. Read on:

In the fight for better health, Americans view cholesterol as Public Enemy No. 1. Doctors tell us to stay away from food high in saturated fat, like butter, eggs and meat because it's responsible for heart disease.

But what if that's wrong?

Dr. Stephen Sinatra, a cardiologist who's been practicing for over 30 years and the author of The Great Cholesterol Myth, thinks it's wrong.

Cholesterol Not the Perpetrator

"You know cholesterol is found at the scene of the crime for heart disease, but it's not the perpetrator," he contends.

Get CBN's free fact sheet on cholestorol.

Sinatra explained that since half of all patients hospitalized for heart disease have high cholesterol, that means the other half do not.

He had a similar experience in his own practice, which helped him realize high cholesterol didn't cause heart disease.

"I was doing angiograms on people with 150, who had far advanced heart disease," he recalled. "And the converse, I was doing angiograms on somebody with cholesterol of 280 and they had no heart disease."

Deadly Inflammation

If cholesterol doesn't cause heart disease, what does? Sinatra is among a growing number of physicians who point the finger at inflammation, which is caused by a number of things. Eating too much sugar is at the top of the list.

Sinatra admits a small percentage of LDL cholesterol is bad because it's inflammatory. But he said, for the most part, it's good for you.

"Cholesterol many times can be a gift in disguise," he said. "Higher cholesterol."

Unlike Sinatra, most physicians blame cholesterol for causing heart disease. They prescribe cholesterol-lowering statin drugs to their patients with high cholesterol.

But Sinatra said he believes only a very small percentage of people who are taking statins actually need them. For example, he usually only prescribes statins to middle-aged men who have coronary heart disease.

He also said a small number of women need statins but mostly benefit from the statin's anti-inflammatory properties, not its ability to lower cholesterol.

On the other hand, by and large, Sinatra believes statins are far too over-prescribed. Although drug companies sell $30 billion worth of statins every year, Sinatra said the people who take them are paying a price with their health as well as their wallet.

Statin Risks

In other words, for many statin users, the risks outweigh the gains.

"The side effects of statins are grossly under-reported," he said.

Muscle pain and fatigue are two of the key complaints he hears from statin users.

"'Doc, I can't get out of a chair. I have weakness in my thighs. I can't play doubles tennis. I walk the dog and I'm virtually exhausted,'" he said he's heard from many patients.

Sinatra said the reason for these symptoms is often misdiagnosed.

"These are statin side-effects," he concluded. "However, a lot of the doctors and patients think they're getting older. They're not getting older, these are statin side effects."

Patients over 70 years old are especially vulnerable.

"They can't remember names. They can't remember where they put their glasses or keys. They forget sometimes who they are," Sinatra explained.

"It can actually bring on the onset of Alzheimer's Disease by 15 years. So you have to be cautious with statins," he advised.

Villainous Sugar

Sinatra said one of the best things about statins are their ability to reduce inflammation. But since statins have so many side-effects, most people are better off ditching the statin and reducing inflammation the natural way, by reducing the amount of sugar they eat.

"Cholesterol is sort of your friend. Sugar is your foe. It's the villain. It's your enemy," he said.

Sugar damages arteries, increases blood pressure, and ages your organs.

Of course people know sugar is the white, granular stuff many put in their coffee. But sugar comes in many other forms.

For example, high fructose corn syrup is a sugar. It is the primary ingredient in soda and candy and is found in the list of ingredients in a huge number of other products, many that most people probably don't even consider a "sweet," such as bread or pasta sauce.

Many other syrups and ingredients that end in "ose" are also sugars. So read the list of ingredients to identify whether a product contains a sugar.

Do not pay attention to the labels. Food manufacturers have discovered legal loop-holes so they can deceive consumers by advertising on the label that their product is healthy when it is not. Read the list of ingredients.

In addition to avoiding foods that contain a sugar, reducing inflammation also involves avoiding foods that turn into sugar once you eat them.

These are called refined carbohydrates and are basically grains that have been stripped of the healthiest part, leaving only the starchy part of the grain.

Refined carbohydrates are the "white" foods, such as white bread, white bagels, white hot dog or hamburger buns, white pasta, white rice, white tortillas, and so forth.

Saturated Fats Okay

In place of all that sugar, Sinatra advises replacing it with vegetables and fats. He also highly recommends eating unsaturated fats such as nuts, avocados, fish, and olive oil.

He touts saturated fats like butter, unprocessed meat (the kind you get in the meat department, not the deli) and one of his favorites: coconut oil.

"I love coconut oil," he said. "Coconut oil is a saturated fat. Because it's a saturated fat, it's less prone to oxidation. So it protects you."

He encourages people to put aside their fears that saturated fats cause heart disease. Although they may raise your cholesterol, he believes that that will not hurt you. In fact, it will probably improve your health.

However, it is very important not to confuse unsaturated fats or saturated fats with trans fats. Although doctors may disagree about whether you should eat saturated fats, no doctor will ever tell you it's safe to eat trans fats. You should avoid them like the plague.

"I call trans fats unguided missiles that really cause enormous inflammation in the blood vessels," Sinatra said.

Trans Fats = Plastic?

Trans fats are man-made fats and are, sadly, in most processed foods. That means most of the foods in packages contain trans fats.

You can check to see whether a product contains a trans fat by checking the list of ingredients.

Again, do not pay attention to the labels. Food manufacturers have discovered legal loop-holes so that they can advertise on the front of a package that an item "contains no trans fats" when it actually does.

So look at the list of ingredients for a hydrogenated oil. That's a trans fat. Like the name suggests, a trans fat is an oil that has been infused with hydrogen. Food manufacturers discovered that by creating trans fats and adding them to food, it prolongs a product's shelf life.

Therefore, a good indication a food contains a trans fat is whether it lasts for months, such as many crackers and packaged baked goods.

Unfortunately, trans fats are molecularly similar to plastic! As such, it's not difficult to believe that they wreak havoc on your body, especially your heart.

Don't Worrry!

Aside from avoiding sugar and trans fats, another way to reduce inflammation is to avoid stress. Stress is just another term for fear, or worry.

Remember, reducing stress is not about eliminating the source of stress, such as traffic jams, difficult teenagers, and financial problems. That will never happen as long as we are living in this fallen world.

Reducing stress is about how we respond to such things. The Bible addresses this topic many times. In it, God commands (not suggests!) us not to worry. He tells us not to fear and to trust Him, to cast our burdens on Him because he cares for us.

That is not only good spiritual advice but good medical advice, as well.

When we fear, we secrete two hormones called adrenaline and cortizol. God designed us to secrete these hormones infrequently and for short spurts of time. That's because when adrenaline and cortizol are being secreted, other cells cease their normal functions.

Fear's Destructive Power

A good example of this is when a man is walking in the woods and a wild animal jumps out at him. The man feels fear. Adrenaline and cortizol are secreted. All the cells in his body stop their normal functions and work in perfect unison toward one goal: in this case, running like the wind.

The hormones cause him to run super-humanly fast and escape the pursuing animal. This whole process takes only a matter of minutes. After that, the man no longer feels fear and he stops secreting adrenaline and cortizol and his cells can go back to their normal jobs of keeping him healthy.

A modern example would be the mother who sees her little girl is trapped under the car. She feels fear. Adrenaline and cortizol are secreted and all her cells stop their normal activity and are re-programmed for a singular goal: super-human strength.

She is thus able to lift the car and free her daughter. This takes only a matter of minutes. After that, she stops feeling fear and her body functions go back to doing what they are supposed to do.

Those are examples of real fear, and the proper use of adrenaline and cortizol. Stress, on the other hand, is a perpetual state of fear.

We fear being late for work, getting fired. We fear our spouses leaving us. We fear being rejected by our peers, not "fitting-in," going broke, or getting sick. The list goes on.

When we constantly feel these false fears, our bodies secrete a steady drip, drip, drip of adrenaline and cortizol and our cells don't operate the way in which they were designed. They are too caught up with fear and the result is a break-down of our healthy bodily systems.

So if you've been praying for good health, take to heart these three things: stop eating sugars, stop eating trans fats, and stop worrying.

more from here: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2012/October/Cholesterol-Myth-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease/

Reliv Announces Breakthrough in Fight Against Metabolic Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 04:56:00 +0000

For those who have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high blood sugar and low levels of good cholesterol, you may have a metabolic syndrome. But here's a good news on a breakthrough medicine created by RELV. Read on:

Cutting-Edge Ingredient Incorporated Into Clinically Proven Product

CHESTERFIELD, Mo., June 2, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Reliv International (RELV) has incorporated a breakthrough ingredient into its patented, clinically proven GlucAffect® formula.

The addition of LunaRich comes less than a month after the CDC published findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicating metabolic syndrome continues to rise among Americans.

Fighting an EpidemicMetabolic syndrome -- a cluster of symptoms including high blood sugar, obesity and cardiovascular problems -- has reached epidemic proportions. According to the American Heart Association, 47 million Americans now have metabolic syndrome. The syndrome afflicts 40 percent of people in their sixties and seventies. That number is expected to rise along with our aging population. The CDC also predicts that one-third of Americans will have diabetes if current trends continue.

In addition, a recent CDC study published in Pediatrics shows the epidemic isn't limited to older adults. Obesity in teens has skyrocketed in the past decade -- 23 percent of teens are now classified as diabetic or prediabetic.

A person with metabolic syndrome is twice as likely to develop heart disease and five times more likely to develop diabetes. Other silent symptoms include eye, kidney and nervous system damage over time. Metabolic syndrome typically includes three or more symptoms:

waistline of 40+ inches for men or 35+ inches for women

high blood pressure, or on blood pressure medication

high triglycerides

high blood sugar or type 2 diabetes

low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol

Balancing Blood SugarThe solution for metabolic syndrome lies in a three-pronged approach of balancing blood sugar, losing weight and improving cholesterol.

Blood sugar management and weight loss go hand-in-hand. Blood sugar levels can effect hunger feelings and energy levels. When blood sugar and insulin levels drop too low, we feel hungry. Weight loss is easier if blood sugar is continuously balanced.

Research shows that cutting-edge ingredients such as Pycnogenol®, banaba leaf and cinnamon have significant blood sugar management properties.

"GlucAffect's unique formula addresses multiple factors of metabolic syndrome at once," said Dr. Carl Hastings, chief scientific officer. "And the increased levels of lunasin in LunaRich soy powder have given GlucAffect an even greater edge in the fight against metabolic syndrome."

Beating Cholesterol at the SourceMost cholesterol is produced in the liver by the HMG-CoA reductase gene. Statin drugs work by blocking HMG-CoA, but they can often block too much. This leads to serious side effects because our body needs a minimum level of cholesterol for proper cellular function.

On the other hand, a naturally occurring soy peptide called lunasin targets cholesterol at an earlier stage, reducing the HMG-CoA without blocking it entirely. LunaRich soy powder harnesses the power of the lunasin peptide to balance cholesterol.

"A growing body of research shows that the lunasin peptide is one of the most important bioactive components of soy," said Dr. Alfredo Galvez, the scientist who first discovered lunasin. "Lunasin demonstrates superior support for cardiovascular health and exhibits significant anti-inflammatory properties. In developing LunaRich for Reliv, we have maximized lunasin levels in soy."

About Reliv International, Inc.Reliv International, Inc., based in Chesterfield, Mo., produces nutritional supplements that promote optimal nutrition along with premium skincare products. Reliv supplements address essential nutrition, weight loss, athletic performance, digestive health, women's health, anti-aging and healthy energy. The company sells its products through an international network marketing system of independent distributors in 15 countries. Learn more about Reliv at www.reliv.com , or on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

more from here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/reliv-announces-breakthrough-in-fight-against-metabolic-syndrome-2012-06-02

Obesity fight is an obligation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 04:48:00 +0000

Take a look at this article citing all the negative effects of obesity. Read on and help support eliminating obesity:

By Damon Tweedy
Henry had a problem: The medicine that calmed his mind was hurting his body. A middle-aged man with bipolar disorder, Henry had tried several medications before he became my patient. The only one that stabilized his mood made him crave fattening foods so intensely that after three years on the drug, he’d gained 50 pounds.

With this excess weight came diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol — and with them, more drugs to take. I urged Henry to keep his weight under control, but he kept gaining. Frustrated, I decided to let his primary care physician decide how to help him. After all, his mental health was in good shape. Ultimately, his weight wasn’t really my concern.

Today, no doctor can afford to think that way. Between 1980-2000, the percentage of obese Americans more than doubled; in children and adolescents, it tripled. The rate of increase has slowed since 2000, but the numbers are still rising. At this pace, 42 percent of American adults will be obese by 2030, costing our country an estimated $25 billion annually.

Doctors often don’t know what to do with obese patients. Just like them, we become impatient, frustrated and, at times, disgusted. Surgeons curse higher complication rates and sometimes refuse to operate, while medical specialists bemoan rising rates of weight-related chronic conditions.

In psychiatry, many have accepted obesity as collateral damage; some of our best medications can cause substantial weight gain. Often removed from day-to-day general medicine, we’re tempted to punt responsibility to the primary care physician, as I did. Even those of us concerned with our patient’s expanding waistlines must acknowledge that compared with the psychotic delusions of schizophrenia or bipolar mania, it’s better to be fat. Establishing mental stability while maintaining a healthy weight often seems incompatible.

Or at least that’s what I thought until Henry showed me otherwise. Just when I’d decided to stop nagging him about his weight, he showed up 10 pounds lighter. At first, I worried that he might have cancer or some other medical problem. Instead, his simple explanation was, “I finally started listening to you. I’m changing my eating pattern and walking each day.”

Three years later, he’d dropped 55 pounds, all while taking his bipolar medication. He no longer needed diabetes or blood pressure pills.

Henry had reminded me how important simple doctor-patient interaction can be. While the tide of obesity exceeds the power of any individual physician to defeat, all of us on the medical front lines need to engage in this fierce battle. Sadly, that is not happening. According to a 2011 study, nearly one-third of obese patients had never been told by a doctor that they were overweight. Some doctors think it’s a waste of their time. Others complain their efforts won’t pay enough.

But these excuses are unacceptable. We have a responsibility never to quit. Talking and persistence are sometimes the most powerful medicines for both doctor and patient.

Damon Tweedy, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, is a staff psychiatrist at the Durham VA Medical Center.

more from here: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/obesity-fight-is-an-1450890.html

5 ways fibre can save your life

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 04:45:00 +0000

For those wanting to lower their cholesterol, here's a good article that I found on using fibre to control your weight and cholesterol. Read on:

EATING more fibre is an easy way to fight off several deadly diseases.

1. Fibre lowers cholesterol

High cholesterol levels can lead to clogged arteries and a greater risk of heart disease, which kills more than 46,000 Australians a year. Thankfully, fibre can help.

"Beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre, binds to bile acids in your small intestines," Orla Hugueniot, a nutritionist with Nutrition Australia, says. "Bile acids normally carry LDL, the bad kind of cholesterol, into your body. Beta-glucan helps the acids excrete, rather than re-entering the body."

Oats and barley are rich in beta-glucan. "Increase this type of fibre and you’ll quickly see an effect. Just how quickly depends on whether you’re on cholesterol-lowering medication, and how much saturated fat you’re having in your diet," Hugueniot says.

2. Fibre helps you lose weight

Being overweight or obese dramatically increases your risk of a range of life-threatening diseases, from cancer to heart disease and diabetes.

"Fibre helps with weight loss because high-fibre foods keep you fuller for longer," Hugueniot says. "You’re less likely to eat energy-dense or fatty foods."

Switching to high-fibre foods is also a simple way to modify your diet without having to count calories.

3. Fibre prevents and manages diabetes

All types of fibre help those with diabetes (types 1 and 2) and pre-diabetes, Hugueniot says.

"Soluble fibre slows down absorption of carbohydrates in the stomach, which helps regulate blood-sugar levels, a fundamental part of preventing and managing diabetes."

Soluble fibre’s effect on cholesterol is also useful for diabetics, as they often have higher LDL levels than non-diabetics. Insoluble fibre is also associated with controlling diabetes, but we don’t know exactly why yet, Hugueniot says.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, diabetes contributes to almost 15,000 deaths in Australia a year. Diabetes can result in heart disease, circulatory problems and other health complications.

4. Fibre prevents colon cancer

"Fibre increases the levels of the friendly bowel bacteria butyrate, which plays a role in preventing colon cancer," Hugueniot says. "Fibre also dilutes carcinogens and other harmful substances in our gut, and pushes them out of our body quicker, reducing our colon’s exposure to them."
Fibre-rich foods also tend to be high in antioxidants, which give general protection against cancer.

5. Fibre relieves constipation

This isn’t a life-threatening condition, but any sufferer will tell you it affects your quality of life significantly. It can also lead to more painful conditions such as haemorrhoids and diverticulitis, Hugueniot says.

"It all comes back to digestion. If you have enough fibre in your diet, you’ll have better overall digestive health."

All types of fibre help – soluble fibre softens the stool, while insoluble fibre adds bulk. Both make bowel movements easier and more regular.

** How to get your daily fibre
National guidelines recommend adult women have at least 25 grams a day and men at least 30 grams, but most of us only manage between 18 and 25 grams of fibre a day. A balanced diet that includes wholegrains, nuts and seeds, beans, fruit and vegies will ensure you get a balanced intake of both soluble and insoluble fibre and valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

1/2 cup raw mixed-grain muesli with nuts and dried fruit 6g

1 medium pear, unpeeled 4g

3 chopped prunes 2g

350ml minestrone soup with vegies and beans 9g

1 thick slice soy and linseed bread 2.5g

1 red apple, unpeeled 3g

1/2 cup brown rice 1.5g

Stir-fried chicken, carrot, snowpeas and broccoli 6g

TOTAL 34g

-- Soluble vs insoluble fibre

Soluble fibre, which helps with cholesterol and constipation, is found in foods such as oats, barley, rye, fruit, vegetables, psyllium and lentils. Insoluble fibre provides bulk to the stool and is found in the bran of foods including wheat, corn and rice, the skins of fruit and vegetables, and in nuts and seeds. Most fibre-rich foods contain both types, so you don’t need to worry too much about seeking one type out.

Study: Cholesterol Could Aid in Fight against Cancers Like Mesothelioma

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 May 2012 04:42:00 +0000

Mesotholemia??? Wikipedia says "(more precisely, malignant mesothelioma) is a rare form of cancer that develops from transformed cells originating in the mesothelium, the protective lining that covers many of the internal organs of the body. It is usually caused by exposure to asbestos.[1]
The most common anatomy site for the development of mesothelioma is the pleura (the outer lining of the lungs and internal chest wall), but it can also arise in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity), and the pericardium (the sac that surrounds the heart),[2] or the tunica vaginalis (a sac that surrounds the testis). "

More research are now being done to link cholesterol as a fighting agent for cancer. Read on:

Cholesterol normally carries a negative connotation, a necessary evil in cells and a major cause of heart disease, creating a billion dollar industry of specialization and pharmaceutical products to combat the problem.

But now scientists are discovering another side of cholesterol, as a possible way to help fight difficult cancers like mesothelioma. It could lead to much-needed novel treatments, particularly for mesothelioma, which has no cure and usually comes with a poor prognosis.

Christopher Beh, an associate professor in the Biochemistry Department at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada, has specialized in studying cholesterol in his laboratory, hoping to better understand its impact on cell growth and human health.

He and three other scientists concluded recently that cholesterol, when manipulated, can slow or stop the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells.

The study was published recently in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

According to a news release from Simon Fraser University, the scientists originally were trying to understand how cholesterol moves around inside individual cells and reinforces their outer membranes.

The most recent study uncovered a surprising mechanism in which a specific class of cholesterol-binding proteins (ORPs) determined the direction and shape of cells that were defective in metastasizing cancers.

The researchers discovered that after genetic changes were made to the ORPs, they no longer binded to the cholesterol but continued to function and move around the cells. The altered ORPs also sparked other proteins that led to cell growth.

“First, cancer cells require ORPs to survive,” Beh said. “Second, other scientists have previously shown that a new class of natural components that look like steroids or cholesterol can kill a broad spectrum of different cancer cells.”

Beh said the next step for his team will be to determine exactly which proteins will respond to ORP activation and exactly what circumstances does cholesterol turn off ORP’s activation of them.

“Given that uncontrolled cell growth is a key feature in cancer, this means gaining a better understanding of the true purpose of cholesterol binding within cells, could be important in cancer treatment,” Beh said.

Mesothelioma is relevant to his research because it has been resistant to many traditional therapies that are unable to stop the growth of tumors. Mesothelioma, which is caused almost exclusively from an exposure to asbestos fibers, often is not diagnosed until it already has spread through the thin lining surrounding the lungs or heart.

It is diagnosed in an estimated 3,000 patients annually.

If you or anyone you know has mesothelioma, or just want to learn more, you can fill out the form on this page to receive a free packet of information about this very complex cancer.

more from here: http://www.asbestos.com/news/2012/05/15/study-suggests-cholesterol-could-aid-in-the-fight-against-cancers-like-mesothelioma/

Cholesterol may fight cancer, researchers say

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 04:20:00 +0000

Take a look at this article, hopefully after some time more and more research can be done about this. Having high cholesterol may not be so bad after all if this is true ;) Read on:

Could it be that the cookie you've been craving may not be all that bad for you?

A Simon Fraser University researcher is among four scientists who argue that cholesterol may slow or stop cancer cell growth in a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in February.

Chris Beh, associate professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at SFU, led a team of researchers who were studying how cholesterol moves around inside cells in the fat's journey to cell surfaces where it reinforces their outer membrane.

Researchers said cholesterol-binding proteins called ORPs (oxysterol-binding proteins) may control cell growth.

In general, ORPs have been assumed to bind and transport cholesterol inside cells.

Yet the study's results suggest that ORPs ``probably have nothing to do with moving around cholesterol within cells,'' Beh said in a statement.

Instead, Beh said they observed that the cholesterol-binding had put the brakes on ORPs' ability to bind to another lipid or fat called PI4P which, if left unchecked, could accelerate cell growth ``like crazy.''

``Given that uncontrolled cell growth is a key feature of cancer, this means gaining a better understanding of the true purpose of cholesterol-binding within cells could be important in cancer treatment,'' he said.

In the study, scientists found that the genetic changes they engineered blocked the ability of ORPs to bind cholesterol, but didn't block the ORPs from functioning.

Instead, they found that these altered ORPs worked better and activated other regulator proteins.

``Understanding the functional roles of ORPs has taken on a new imperative with the recent discovery that human ORPs are specific targets of ORP philins, a diverse group of nanomolar inhibitors that prevent cancer cell growth,'' the study concluded.

Researchers said they will work to identify the proteins that respond to ORP activation and the circumstances when cholesterol turns off ORPs' activation of these proteins.

more from here: http://www.canada.com/Cholesterol+fight+cancer+researchers/6488300/story.html

FDA correctly identifies risks from statins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 05:15:00 +0000

Got across this disturbing article about statins. For those taking Lipitor or Crestor, take a look at this article about their side effects:

What does a knee surgeon know about statins' side effects? Plenty, after seeing scores of patients improve their memory, strength, vigor and sex drive after stopping these popular drugs.

Statins — known by brand names such as Lipitor and Crestor — are prescribed to lower cholesterol. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently decided to require that statin labels include warnings about the rare but serious risk of liver damage, memory loss and confusion, and Type 2 diabetes. Certain statins — known by the generic, lovastatin — can also raise the risk of muscle weakness, which I've seen in my patients.

Many of them provide a list of their medicines that commonly hit double digits. One medicine that seems to appear on that list of most every patient older than 45 is a statin. Most patients tell me they experience joint or muscle pain, but few are aware that statins' side effect may be one reason for their symptoms.

Many believe lowering cholesterol will decrease their risk of heart attack and stroke, and allow them to live longer. But nothing could be further from the truth for most people. Patients frequently experience side effects and have simply been switched to another drug in the same category. Very few told me they were informed of the true absolute benefit or given other lifestyle options as a first line of treatment.

Additionally, when follow-up blood work shows decreasing cholesterol levels, rarely are statins discontinued or decreased. The usual recommendation is to continue statins for the rest of their lives, which amounts to an annuity for the drugmakers.

A recent Cochrane Review of many studies confirmed 1,000 people without heart disease had to be treated with statins to prevent one death. Therefore 999 people, paying $5 per pill, are not going to live one day longer, but they will enrich the pharmaceutical industry's coffers and are at risk for the many real side effects of stopping production of cholesterol — a wonderful molecule responsible for healthy cell membranes, sex hormones, nerve conduction and brain function, all of which contribute to life as we know it today.

Statins are not a miracle drug like penicillin, insulin or vaccines that truly altered mankind; statins are simply the most prescribed drug in the history of medicine and the most profitable, with annual revenues of $26 billion. Profits are so lucrative to "big pharma" that drug manufacturers have influenced most medical organizations and respected high-profile physicians to continue to look for every opportunity to exaggerate any new study that validates prescribing the highest dose of statins to an increasing patient population under the false assumption that it will improve their quality of life.

Any physician who would publicly state that the absolute benefit is more 1 percent to 2 percent to only a small percentage of people would face an insurmountable fight from the monumental propaganda machine financed with billions in drug profits, much of which come from taxpayers through guaranteed Medicare pharmaceutical benefits negotiated by big pharma to support Obama's health care law.

Make no mistake: Statins have real benefits, but only for a limited group of people, mostly men with documented heart disease and with only a small benefit. Most healthy people and all women without a history of heart disease will not live one day longer if they took statins daily for 30 years.

Ironically statins' true benefit has more to do with other, less lucrative and marketable anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects than its cholesterol-lowering effect. And statins are a very expensive way to gain an anti-inflammatory effect, when a similar benefit could be garnered with aspirin, a healthy lifestyle, an anti-inflammatory diet, fish oil, Vitamin B and other natural products.

A final dirty little secret is statins' depletion of Co-Q 10, a vitamin-like substance in our cells important for energy production. Less Co-Q 10 is the main culprit behind muscle aches and pains and even weakening of the heart pump in patients with heart failure. How ironic those patients with congestive heart failure are given a medication that can make them worse.

How many patients on statins are given advice to take Co-Q 10 by their prescribing physicians? Sadly, very few in my experience. Similarly, many diabetics with neuropathy are made worse with statins.

The FDA was correct in identifying a risk that many were aware of for decades; in my opinion and experience, side effects' numbers far exceed those reported to the FDA, since hundreds of my patients over the years complained of fatigue, memory difficulties and weakness.

They were just relieved to have an improved quality of life once they decided to give up statins — against the advice of their prescribing physician.

More from here: http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-statin-side-effects-meade-yv--20120310,0,3367573.story

Merck fails to get FDA nod for new cholesterol lowering combo pill

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:58:00 +0000

For those using maintenance medication for their cholesterol, hope this drug can be approved soon. Take a look at this news article by Dr Ananya Mandal, MD:

The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) have rejected Merck & Co.'s new combination cholesterol drug, at least for now.

The length of delay in approval is not clear yet as the FDA has called for additional study data on the compound. It combines generic Lipitor (Atorvastatin), the top-selling drug of all time, with Merck's cholesterol medicine Zetia (Ezetimibe).

The experimental drug, still known only as MK-0653C, contains medicines that fight high cholesterol in two different ways to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke. Lipitor, known chemically as atorvastatin, is part of the widely used class of drugs called statins that reduce the amount of cholesterol naturally produced in the liver. Zetia or Ezetimibe, on the other hand, reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from the food the patient eats. Vytorin includes Zetia and an older statin, Merck's Zocor, also called simvastatin.

Sales of Vytorin and Zetia both were hurt when Merck in early 2008 finally released unfavorable results from a study. The study showed that Vytorin was no better at reducing plaque build-up in neck arteries than just Zocor, which had been available as a cheap generic since 2006. Zetia is protected by patent in the U.S. until 2017.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a so-called Complete Response Letter for the pill, asking Merck to submit more data. It was unclear what data would be required. Merck said Monday that company officials will talk with the FDA to determine the next steps, adding that some new data expected later this year may address the FDA's concerns.

Merck spokeswoman Pamela Eisele said that the FDA did not ask for any information about the ongoing study, called IMPROVE-IT, to test whether Vytorin lowers heart attack risk compared to Zocor. Instead, Merck’s statement appears to be referring to two ongoing studies of Lipitor and Zetia taken as single pills and the new combination pill Merck is testing.

New Research Suggests Walnuts May Help Fight Prostate Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Take a look at this surprising research on walnuts. Not only do they help lower bad cholesterol, they might also be helpful in avoiding and slowing cancer growth. Read on:

FOLSOM, Calif., Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Prostate cancer is a major health concern for men that strikes approximately one in six men and is a leading cause of male cancer deaths in the United States(1). New research offers hope in this fight - according to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, walnuts may help reduce prostate cancer risk. Researchers at the University of California - Davis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California found that prostate tumors in mice fed the human equivalent of three ounces per day of walnuts were approximately 50% smaller and grew 30% slower than prostate tumors in control mice. In addition to lower plasma Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a biomarker strongly associated with prostate cancer, walnut fed mice had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol as well as distinct differences in their liver metabolome, a chemical inventory of what the liver - a major source of both IGF-1 and cholesterol - is doing.

"These results make me very hopeful that walnuts may be beneficial both in terms of avoiding cancer and slowing cancer growth and therefore should be included in a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables," states Dr. Davis. Walnuts are widely recognized as being heart-healthy and now, this research in prostate cancer along with previous published research from Marshall University reporting that walnuts slow the development and growth of breast cancer tumors in mice, show that walnuts maybe a weapon in the fight against cancer as well.

Lead researcher Dr. Paul Davis believes that their findings are not a result of one isolated component, but due to the multiple ingredients found in walnuts that work together. "Walnuts are a whole food that provides a rich package of healthful substances, including omega-3 fatty acids, gamma tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), polyphenols, and antioxidants. These likely then work synergistically," states Dr. Davis.

Karen Collins, RD a nutrition consultant for American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), suggests these findings offer further support to include plant-based foods, such as walnuts, regularly in the diet. "Nutrition is a key factor in the prevention and treatment of cancer," states Collins. In fact, "it is estimated that we can prevent about 11% of prostate cancer cases in the Unites States. A healthy diet, participating in regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight form a three-part strategy recommended to reduce prostate and other cancers."

According to the National Cancer Institute(2):

Approximately 241,740 estimated new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2012

An estimated 28,170 men will die of prostate cancer in 2012

Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer among men

more from here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/new-research-suggests-walnuts-may-help-fight-prostate-cancer-2012-01-25

Statins may fight breast cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:47:00 +0000

An interesting article relating statins in preventing cancer. Read on and find out:

The cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins may also help in decreasing the risk of breast cancer and even in treating some types of the disease.

The new findings are based on a lab study conducted on the role of a specific mutation in a tumor suppressor gene called p53 malfunction of which is linked with breast cancer development.

The gene normally controls and regulates the growth of new cells and stops the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells.

More than half of all human cancers carry mutations in the p53 gene, which usually may not affect its normal function. In people with certain types of mutated p53, the cell proliferation control does not function well and leads to erratic and more invasive growth of cancer cells.

In the new study led by Dr. Carol Prives of Columbia University, when the mutant p53 cells were treated in the laboratory with statins, the cells stopped their erratic growth, and even died in some cases.

Researchers suggested that the mutated p53 genes may activate the same pathway that the statins inhibit. The mevalonate pathway has a crucial role in the body's production of cholesterol, says the report published in the journal Cell.

“The study is adding the possibility that there may be classes of breast cancer patients who will respond better to statins than others,” said Prives who emphasized that the study is preliminary and far from a clinical trial.

“By understanding better what sort of cells would respond to statins, one might have a better idea of whether or not to consider using them,” she added. “The next step could be a trial of statins in women with breast cancer who have a mutated copy of the p53 gene.”

more from here http://www.presstv.ir/detail/222474.html

Fibre-rich diet helps fight against diabetes risk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:36:00 +0000

For parents with teenagers, this might be a good read on checking on your children's diet while they're young. Read on:

A new study has shown that teenagers that consume a diet rich in fibre are at a lower risk of developing risk factors for conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The research, which involved monitoring information on the diet of more than 2,000 teenagers between the ages of 12 and 19 in the United States, showed that those who had a diet containing a high amount of fibre, including from vegetables and whole grains, faced less risk of diabetes and heart disease.

The study, which investigated the relationship between nutrition and metabolic syndrome, also revealed no link between the risk factors, called metabolic syndrome, and the amount of saturated fat or cholesterol the teenagers consumed, although the report warned against this finding meaning teenagers should eat too much fatty foods.

Researcher Joe Carlson, from Michigan State University, commented "We know if you eat a lot of saturated fat, or trans fat, it tends to raise (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol."

It was also examined if the teenagers had three or more conditions of metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, raised levels of sugar and fats in the blood, reduced levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and a large waistline.

It was shown that around six per cent of the teenagers had metabolic syndrome, with nine per cent of those that consumed the least fibre having the risk factors, as compared with just three per cent for those who ate the most.

More from here: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2011/Nov/fibre-rich-diet-helps-fight-against-diabetes-risk-96386687.html

Fight wrinkles by including these foods in your diet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:54:00 +0000

Here's a Q&A article that I got which may help in planning our diet. Read on:

Q: Can what you eat really improve your skin? Will any foods prevent lines and wrinkles and make my 45-year-old skin look younger? — Nancy, Bridgeport, Pa.

A: We're thrilled you've asked that question because feeding your face can help. Besides, it's way more fun to eat your way to youthful-looking skin than get (or pay for) Botox injections.

There's good evidence that midlife women with the most youthful-looking skin (fewer wrinkles, thinning and dryness) also have the most vitamin C in their diets. Makes sense, since vitamin C builds collagen, the support structure that keeps your skin's surface smooth.

Young-looking women also tend to eat less fat and fewer carbs and have higher levels of linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid found mainly in nuts and dark, leafy greens (think spinach, kale).

Ellagic acid, found primarily in pomegranate and red berries, is another food wrinkle-fighter. It's recently been credited with fighting aging inflammation from Mr. Sun and reducing collagen breakdown.

Here are other foods that will get to your face from your plate (we're not talking pie-throwing):

• Egg yolks, avocados, lentils, chickpeas and beans (including soybeans) ... all fight dryness.

• Salmon, which contains astaxanthin, a carotenoid that improves skin elasticity.

• Green tea, which provides anti-aging plant polyphenols that may help your skin when you drink it and apply it (some moisturizers contain green tea).

Q: Do plant sterols like the ones in some bread spreads really lower cholesterol? — Larry, New Castle, Del.

A: You bet. Using a plant sterol spread every day could knock down your lousy LDL cholesterol by 14 percent. Plus, people who regularly use these heart-helping spreads also have lower rates of lung, breast, stomach and prostate cancers.

Just don't put one big blob on your morning whole-wheat toast. Plant sterols do their job best in small doses, so spread 'em throughout the day (1 tablespoon of Smart Balance — a spread with more sterols than most — is about right).

Sterols are substances found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans that limit your body's ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Pair them with a cholesterol-fighting statin drug, and you'll kick down LDL by another 10 percent. That's big.

Q: Help! I've lost 26 pounds, but I've been stuck in a weight-loss plateau for six weeks. I haven't changed my diet or exercise habits. I'm determined to break through. But how? — Louise, Pittman, N.J.

A: Great for you! You've lost weight, hit a snag and still have that upward attitude about sending your weight downward. In our experience, a dieter who freaks out when the scale is as still as a statue is often ignoring other signs that her body is changing.

Are your clothes fitting better? Do you feel stronger? A "yes" means you're swapping out fat for lean muscle and building your cardiovascular fitness even if you're not dropping a pound.

There are some ways to unstick your stuck scale. You may need to challenge your body more, which means you'll have to work a little harder. No, it's not fair, but the less you weigh, the fewer calories you burn doing the same thing. Here's how to up the ante:

Walk a little longer. If you're walking 30 minutes a day, add five-minute increases over a couple of weeks.

Walk a little harder. Throw in some hills or kick up the incline on that treadmill. And add a few bursts of high-speed walking or jogging; the intensity helps burn fat.

Get a little stronger. Increase your strength training to one session every other day. No more than that, though; the in-between days are when you build muscle.

Choose smaller plates. Portion sizes get smaller, and that makes your waist smaller

More from here: http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/skin-109767-wrinkles-foods.html

Cholesterol Lowering Foods More Powerful Than Drugs?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:43:00 +0000

This is an interesting article on the effects of cholesterol lowering foods vs. maintenance medicines. It would definitely be cheaper if you can just eat nuts instead of buying Crestor or Lipitor right? Read on:

A new study indicates that eating cholesterol lowering foods, such as soy and nuts, may be one of the most effective ways to lower levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol. This is big news in the fight against heart disease, the number one cause of death in the United States. High cholesterol levels, or more specifically high LDL levels, are a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease.

Normally, patients have relied on a diet that is low in saturated fat and medications to lower cholesterol. While minimizing the red meat and heavy cream remains a good practice for supporting heart health, simply adding certain foods to your diet may be one of the best remedies for high cholesterol, not drugs.

Details of the Study

According to the Los Angeles Times, a study released by the Journal of the American Medical Association discovered that eating certain foods may be more effective than taking statin drugs, such as Lipitor and Crestor. These medications are prescribed to patients with high levels of LDL cholesterol. 345 participants with high cholesterol took part in the six-month long Toronto-based study. Those who followed an intensive diet of cholesterol lowering foods experienced the best results, with LDL levels dropping by more than 13 percent.

Doctors aren't recommending that anyone stop taking their medications just yet. Statins and other lipid-regulating drugs were prescribed more than any other type of medication in the United States last year. Eating effective foods while also following a low-fat, high-fiber diet however is certainly not a bad idea. Maybe with these foods patients will be able to improve their cholesterol levels enough so that the drugs are no longer necessary.

What Are the Best Cholesterol Lowering Foods?

So what are the best foods to eat to help reduce those LDL levels? Soy products are high on the list — what a great reason to try switching to soy milk and substituting tofu for that hamburger or steak two or three times a week. Nuts and seeds, which are high in healthy unsaturated fatty acids, as well as fiber, are also good choices. Legumes, vegetables, and whole grains such as oatmeal and barley also can help to lower cholesterol.

more from here: http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474980043506

What your doctor didn't tell you about cholesterol: Eggs, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 04:28:00 +0000

Take a look at this very interesting article and may lead you to start eating eggs again. Read on:

More than 16 percent of U.S. adults have high cholesterol, defined as 240 mg/dL and above, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even the average level for Americans, 200 mg/dL, is borderline high, they say.

This high cholesterol, public health agencies say, is putting people at an increased risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S. This stated “fact” scares millions of Americans into take statin cholesterol-lowering drugs to get their levels as low as possible … but what if this “fact” was actually not true?

DOES CHOLESTEROL CAUSE HEART DISEASE?

Cholesterol is actually an essential part of your body, used to produce cell membranes, steroid hormones, vitamin D and the bile acids your body needs to digest fat. Your brain needs cholesterol to function properly, as does your immune system, and if a cell becomes damaged, it needs cholesterol in order to be repaired.

In fact, making excess cholesterol is actually your body's response to inflammation, which it does to help heal and repair your cells. So if you have high cholesterol you probably have high inflammation levels too (more on this later).

Many Americans are under the mistaken impression that all cholesterol is bad, but in reality cholesterol is good for your body and necessary for you to live. Unfortunately, the “lipid hypothesis” (aka the “diet-heart hypothesis”), the one that claims foods high in saturated fats drive up your cholesterol levels, which clog your arteries and lead to heart disease, is widely accepted and has helped to spread the misinformation about cholesterol throughout the public.

But the lipid hypothesis is actually seriously flawed.

In his book “The Cholesterol Myths,” Uffe Ravnskov, M.D., Ph.D., explained that Ancel Keys, who performed the study upon which the Lipid Hypothesis is based, used cherry-picked data to prove his point that countries with the highest intake of animal fat have the highest rates of heart disease.

Ravnskov revealed that the countries used in the study were handpicked, and those that did NOT show that eating a lot of animal fat lead to higher rates of heart disease were left out of the study, leading to entirely skewed, and faulty, data.

DOES THIS MEAN YOU CAN EAT EGGS AGAIN?

If you've been shunning eggs because you fear they will raise your cholesterol, you needn't avoid this healthy protein source any longer.

For starters, eating cholesterol is not what gives you high cholesterol. According to the Harvard Heart Letter, it's a myth that all the cholesterol in eggs goes into your bloodstream and your arteries.

“For most people, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food passes into the blood,” the Heart Letter states. “The only large study to look at the impact of egg consumption on heart disease — not on cholesterol levels or other intermediaries — found no connection between the two.”

Eggs are also an excellent source of healthy nutrients, including choline, a B vitamin that may help reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and more. Egg yolks also provide the most readily absorbed form of lutein, a yellow-hued carotenoid that may help fight everything from cancer and cataracts to macular degeneration and aging.

For more information, be sure to read “The Truth About Eggs: How to Tell the Good From the Bad.”

WHAT IS ACTUALLY HIGH WHEN IT COMES TO CHOLESTEROL?

Not only does evidence suggest that saturated fat does not cause heart disease by way of high cholesterol, but there is considerable questioning of what actually constitutes “high” cholesterol in the first place.

The American Heart Association states, “About half of American adults have levels that are too high (200 mg/dL or higher) and about 1 in 5 has a level in the high-risk zone (240 mg/dL or higher).”

But according to lipid biochemistry expert Mary Enig, Ph.D. in the Weston A. Price Foundation quarterly magazine:

“Blood cholesterol levels between 200 and 240 mg/dl are normal. These levels have always been normal. In older women, serum cholesterol levels greatly above these numbers are also quite normal, and in fact they have been shown to be associated with longevity.

“Since 1984, however, in the United States and other parts of the western world, these normal numbers have been treated as if they were an indication of a disease in progress or a potential for disease in the future.”

What this means is that many Americans may be taking statin cholesterol-lowering drugs unnecessarily, believing their cholesterol is dangerously high when it is not. Be sure to read next week's column on “What Your Doctor Didn't Tell You about Cholesterol: Statin Drugs.”

For more information on preventing, detecting or naturally treating heart disease attend Dr. Rollins' seminar on “Heart Health: Better Screening, Better Treatment” offered at the IMC.

More from here: http://www.gjfreepress.com/article/20110729/HEALTH/110729949/1001&parentprofile=1059

Exercising while at work is important in fight against obesity

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:54:00 +0000

In today's busy world it's important to allot time for exercise. Read this article from Michael Morton about fighting obesity through exercise at work:

While the number of joggers and walkers in the Framingham Technology Park seems to vary with the weather and the prospect of bathing suit season, Bill Donovan consistently gets out three to four times a week for sanity's sake.
"It forces me to push away from the desk," the Bose worker said after slowing during a recent lunchtime run near his New York Avenue office. "You get too caught up in the stress of the day."
If new research holds up, then other workers would be wise to join him, if not for their mental states then for their physical health. And it wouldn't be a bad idea for companies to start helping them, too.
A study published in the journal PloS One attributes some of the rise in American obesity to the decline in the number of jobs requiring at least moderate physical activity. In the 1960s, roughly half of the jobs made people move, compared to less than 20 percent now.
In MetroWest, 53 percent of adults were classified as overweight in 2009 and 17 percent as obese. Those conditions can bring on health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease and other burdens.
"Given that it is unlikely that there will be a return to occupations that demand moderate levels of physical activity, our findings provide further strong evidence of the public health importance of promoting physically active lifestyles outside of the work day," the authors wrote.
But, while exercise after work is definitely helpful, separate findings from the Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society and others also show that post-work exercise alone is not enough to counter muscles left inactive while sitting at office desks for long stretches.
Making small changes such as using stairs, getting up and talking with colleagues, and taking regular breaks can help combat weight gain, the researchers say.
On New York Avenue, however, even the regular lunchtime crowd reported it was easy to get wrapped up in work.
It's also unclear to what degree employers are trying to break up sedentary stretches. Some companies offer wellness programs and hold a vested interest in keeping employees healthy and insurance costs down, but they still want work to get done.
"You have to balance all that with productivity," Mark Abate of Strategic Benefit Advisors in Southborough said. "Companies hire employees to do a revenue-generating activity."
At electronic vision developer Cognex in Natick, engineers play Frisbee at lunch. Elsewhere in town, software firm MathWorks subsidizes membership in its onsite, staffed gym, and employees are encouraged to visit colleagues on other floors and in other buildings on the company campus.
Middlesex Savings Bank has joined the state Public Health Department's Worksite Wellness program. And EMC, the computer storage company with satellite offices in Westborough, Milford and Franklin, offers gyms at most of its locations and an Olympic-size swimming pool at its Hopkinton headquarters.
The company also has introduced a pilot program where employees are equipped with an accelerometer to measure steps and receive coaching.
"We're very conscientious about getting our employees in motion," said Delia Vetter, senior director of benefits and programs. "It's not the type of environment where we say you can't get up until it's break time."
Researchers write about redesigning offices to encourage walks. But in determining how to promote fitness, Abate said, firms must figure out whether to spend money retrofitting offices or installing new equipment. They also have to find out whether such new initiatives are even effective, with many of the companies having to rely on employees giving feedback on their own.
Already, local firms are making changes to their vending machine and cafeteria offerings, dangling cash or prizes for employees completing risk surveys and joining wellness programs, and providing a range of incentives to sign up for mainstream dieting regimens.
But Abate said a few of his corporate clients have also asked about using body mass index - a score based on weight and height - to set insurance premiums, much like surcharges for smokers who aren't trying to quit.
"It's very premature and tentative," he said, and no more steps have been taken so far.
The premise is that employees sticking with their target or making progress would not get penalized, but Abate said questions remain about how targets would be set, measured and monitored, and how workers would react. It's also unclear whether such a move would fly with state insurance regulators.
Asked about the body mass index rumblings, Vetter said EMC doesn't even apply a smoking surcharge. She cited morale.
"We're focused on helping employees live a healthy lifestyle in general," she said. "We're not punitive for a particular habit or activity."
With its programs, EMC has saved more than $200,000 in health care costs, Vetter said.
One potential solution to office inertia is a work station equipped with a treadmill, although its local popularity could not be determined. Many of the desks at MathWorks, however, feature a lever so that employees can raise them and work at their desks while standing.
At his Southborough law practice, 40-year-old Daniel Kriegsman exercises after work every day, but he still spends long hours drafting and reviewing documents.
Saddled with knee and lower back pain, he said he has thought about a stand-up desk - some of his wife's colleagues at Monster.com in Maynard have them - but wonders whether he'll have to cram in more equipment.
"I always thought if you had a desk job, you'd feel great," he said, having worked at restaurants and landscaping jobs earlier in life.
Given the unemployment rate, he feels guilty about his worries, but he is also thinking ahead to the next several decades of practicing law.
"I wonder how my body's going to be able to handle it," he said.

Eat to heal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 04:50:00 +0000

This is a great article written by Ms. Cory Quirino. Lots of tips to live a healthy lifestyle. Read on:

THE HUMAN body has the power to generate energy, and by so doing, to heal itself. But in order to keep the generator within in good running condition, here are a few reminders.

Body talk
•Frequency and moderation—It doesn’t really matter how many times you eat; just make sure they are moderate portions. How small? Let’s say, half a dinner plate will do. Too small? By talking smaller meals, the incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol can be avoided.

•Choose healthy— The challenge now is what to put in your mouth. If you simply go by the decision of your taste buds, you will stuff yourself with anything and everything yummy, like pizza, steak, lechon, potato chips, ice cream, and forget all the nutritious things like fresh green salad, fruits in season, steamed fish, bean stew.
How about a compromise if you have not mastered the art of balance? Let’s meet halfway. Begin with the raw food first, fresh greens and fruits. Wait 15 minutes, then take a small portion of your favorite food, even if it is crispy pata. By small, I mean not more than one cup. At least try.
Then, even if you’re a carnivorous person, you can alternate the days with fish. This way, you are living the science of going light. By thinking green and fresh before every meal, you are giving your digestive system a healthy break.

•Keep it occupied—Do not go for long periods without food in your stomach; you will run out of steam fast. Blood sugar and the symptoms are common: weakness, cold sweats, fainting spells, palpitations. All these happen because your body has no food to digest, which it needs to convert into energy.
So, keep your stomach occupied with something to digest. But by choosing low-calorie food, you increase your life expectancy. Studies have shown that people on low-calorie diets tend to live longer and healthier.

•Abstain—Abstinence from alcohol, sugar and fatty foods immediately lowers your risks for heart attack, cancer and stroke. New reports have come in suggesting that low-calorie regimens increase the melatonin levels found within the gastrointestinal tract, thereby enhancing the immune system.

Special foods have healing benefits. Some of these:
Grapes—Resveratrol-rich, it works against cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Grapefruit—Its limonoids and naringin fight breast cancer.
Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries—The allergic acid is considered an anti-cancer, anti-aging ingredient.
Orange/red colored vegetables (like squash)—High in beta-carotene, they work against cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Cherries—This delicious fruit contains perillyl alcohol, which fights cancer of the breast, lungs, stomach, liver and skin.
Cruciferous vegetables—Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage (the ones with the curls) have indoles, cell-protectors, and sulforaphane and isothiocyanates, all cancer-fighters.
Garlic, onions, leeks, chives, scallions—All contain allicin, a known substance that slows down the growth of cancer cells.
Soy—A high-protein food that contains genestein and insoflavones which suppress new blood formation in cancerous growths.
Tomatoes—This red fruit/ vegetable has lycopene, which is best as a cancer fighter, particularly prostate colon, bladder and pancreas.
Eggs—The egg yolk (which most people avoid due to a cholesterol scare that is largely exaggerated) has choline, which actually dissolves fat and keeps cholesterol moving in the bloodstream. Eggs are high in sulphur and essential amino acids, all powerful antioxidants.

Heart and mind matters
Unburden your heart, unload your minds. Many of us go about our daily lives carrying excess baggage. Why is that so important? Maybe you are simply unaware of it. Subconsciously, you have stored the energy of negative experiences and memories.

In time, these will fester inside you. That’s why it’s good to unload now.
Cleansing tea—Take three stalks of lemongrass, pour boiling water, and drink.
Affirm today: “I claim God’s best in my life!”
Love and light!

More from here: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/2295/eat-to-heal

World Bank urges laws vs bad fats, transfats

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 04:46:00 +0000

This is an interesting article on how World Bank promotes healthier lifestyle. Read on:

The World Bank is urging third-world countries to enact laws to encourage good food processing practices and control transfat content in food in the global fight against rising non-communicable diseases (NCD) like high blood pressure.
“These efforts, such as more effective legislation on the use of trans-fats and tobacco as well as public education to reduce salt intake would help delay the onset of these diseases,” the bank said in Sri Lanka.
The report differentiated between unhealthy transfats and good fats. Other data culled from the report:
All fats, saturated or unsaturated (further classified as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), and man-made unhealthy transfats are all carbon chains linked with hydrogen atoms on either side of carbon atom. These individual chains are called “fatty acid” chains.
Meat (beef, lamb, pork ham and bacon), lard, dripping fast foods, meat pies, sausages, dairy products (butter), whole milk, cream and cheese contain fatty acids having saturated fats. These fats are converted to triglycerides, the fat that accumulates in the body responsible for obesity. They are stable at room temperature and do not become rancid.
In addition, triglycerides and cholesterol are biosynthesized in the liver from saturated fats. They cannot be converted to transfat as there are no vacant carbon atoms in the chain. Coconut oil, also a saturated oil, contains medium chain fatty acids (about 12 carbon atoms in one carbon fatty acid chain), and is metabolized in the liver without synthesizing cholesterol and triglycerides.
Fats in coconut oil, mainly in the form of monoglycerides, are considered harmless and not converted to triglycerides in the body.

Good fats
Unsaturated fats are classified into two major classes – monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some carbon atoms are without hydrogen atom links in both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. When a pair of hydrogen atoms is missing in the carbon fatty acid chain, such carbon chains are called monounsaturated fatty acids. When more than one pair of hydrogen atoms is missing, they are called polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples of mono-unsaturated oils are olive, avocado and peanut.
Polyunsaturated fats are further classified as Omega-6 type and Omega-3 type. These are essential fatty acids (EFA). The body cannot produce EFAs so they need to be derived from food.
The main fatty acid in Omega-6 is is found in sunflower, cotton seed, corn, sesame, soybean, evening primrose oil, vegetable seed oil and grape seed oil.
Vegetable seed oil and corn seed oil are used to make transfat through a process of adding hydrogen vapor under pressure. This is referred to as hydrogenation. “Transfats are ‘man-made fats.’”
Omega-3 fatty acids rich sources are mustard seed oil, canola oil, wheat-germ oil, soybeans, baked beans, red kidney beans, mushrooms, green beans, spinach, leeks, lettuce, seaweed, mustard, nuts and legumes, seafood and fish. They are important to prevent and treat heart disease, reduce inflammation and prevent cancer. These oils lower the bad LDL cholesterol and elevate the good HDL cholesterol as well as help brain growth and development
Good sources of Omega-3 oils from fish are sardines, herrings, mackerel, bluefish, tuna, salmon, pilchard, butterfish and pompano. Organ meats such as brain and bone marrow, lean meat and eggs are other sources. Foods fortified with Omega 3 such as eggs, milk, yoghurt and bread, as well as fish-oil supplements, are other sources.

Bad fats, transfats
The body cannot differentiate between foods with transfats and normal saturated fats. Our cells become saturated with this artificial fat when consumed excessively and replaces saturated fat. This interferes with the normal metabolic activities of the cells, and toxic material may accumulate within cells. These fats also harm the immune system and may lead to cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases.
Margarine is a transfat made from polyunsaturated vegetable oils such as sunflower, safflower, soybean and corn. Polyunsaturated fats become rancid at room temperature within days, due to its unstable quality. They have to be hydrogenated to be preserved to increase shelf life. This process of hydrogenation preserves and solidifies the oils.
Hydrogenation ruins the nutritional value of vegetable oils, but it is done to solidify oil, so that it can be made to resemble real foods such as butter. This process improves the spread-ability, texture, “mouth feel” and makes margarine convenient to use immediately after being taken out from the refrigerator.

Fast food
Today people are eating more food made with hydrogenated oils and less fresh vegetables, fruits and other whole foods, and this unhealthy eating is causing many health problems.
Most of the transfats in the diet come from commercially prepared baked goods, margarine, snack foods and processed foods, along with french fries, and other fried foods prepared in restaurants and fast-food outlets.
Transfats are worse for cholesterol levels than saturated fats because they raise bad LDH and lower good HDL They also cause inflammation and an overactive immune system that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Even small amounts of trans-fat in the diet can have harmful effects. An extra 2 percent of calories from transfats daily – about the amount in a medium order of french fries – increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 23 percent.

More from here: http://business.inquirer.net/3232/world-bank-urges-laws-vs-bad-fats-transfats

Fight cancer with your fork

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:41:00 +0000

Take a look at this article which promotes eating fiber-rich food. Read on:

According to a new study, one of the deadliest types of cancer is also one of the most preventable. The World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research found that eating too much meat raises the risk of colorectal cancer and that eating fiber-rich vegetarian foods reduces the risk. What's more, nearly half (45 percent) of colorectal cancer cases "could be prevented if we all ate more fiber-rich plant foods and less meat."

This serves as yet another reminder that one of the best weapons in the war on cancer is a fork.

Scientists at Imperial College London conducted the new analysis as part of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research's groundbreaking Continuous Update Project (CUP). They found that a person who eats just 3.5 ounces of pork, beef or lamb every day has a 17 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than does someone who eats no meat.

Three ounces of meat is approximately the size of a deck of cards. That's just one serving size as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, yet it's far less than most Americans ingest in one sitting, let alone in one day.

Just about any meat is loaded with the saturated fat that the American Cancer Society believes is linked to cancer of the colon and rectum, but processed meats such as ham, bacon, hot dogs and deli slices carry an even greater risk. According to the CUP report, if a person eats 3.5 ounces of processed meat every day, his or her risk for colorectal cancer increases by 36 percent. The more meat you eat, the higher your risk will be.

Almost as bad as what's in meat is what's not in it: fiber. Meat and dairy products have absolutely no fiber at all, while fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains are loaded with it. Fiber helps speed the passage of food through the colon. Meat, on the other hand, tends to hang around and, well, rot.

In my work with PETA, I've been researching and writing about vegetarian issues for more than 15 years. And the conclusion of each new nutritional study is nearly always the same. There is overwhelming evidence linking meat to some of our society's most severe health problems. Conversely, eating vegetarian foods can greatly reduce your risk of developing many of these same diseases - and in some cases, actually reverse them.

For example, according to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians have "lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease, lower blood cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer" than meat-eaters do. The American Cancer Society recommends "choosing most of your foods from plant sources and limiting your intake of high-fat foods such as those from animal sources."

If we take away anything from such nutritional research, it should be that the best prescription for good health is always prevention. And if making the sensible switch to a vegan diet can so greatly benefit our health - not to mention save animals' lives - why not at least try it? With summer fast approaching, and with it a wealth of locally grown fruits and vegetables available in farmers' markets and at produce stands, now is a great time to start eating for life.

More from here: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/06/3679963/fight-cancer-with-your-fork.html

Scientists Discover 'Superbad' Cholesterol

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:29:00 +0000

An interesting discovery on a new type of cholesterol. Read on:

NEW YORK (CAP) - Researchers at NYU Medical Center have discovered a new, stickier and more deadly form of bad cholesterol they're calling "superbad" cholesterol, according to findings acquired by CAP News.

The study found that unlike normal bad cholesterol, known as LDL, which gradually attaches itself to arterial walls and clogs the arteries, superbad cholesterol immediately fills up entire arteries "like you stuck a caulking gun down there," wrote the study's coordinator, Dr. Bentley Worthington, in a preface to the findings.

According to the report, America's changing dietary habits likely led to the development of this ultra-bad cholesterol.

"Much like stronger bacteria have formed in response to anti-bacterial sprays and lotions, cholesterol too has adapted as we consume more and more saturated and trans fats," wrote Worthington. "You can only eat so many KFC Double Down sandwiches before your body finds a way to fight back.

"And I'm not just talking about all the pooping," he added, in what was apparently a rough draft of the study.

The study was leaked to CAP News by a researcher who asked not to be identified, claiming that the findings were being suppressed by "powerful forces" determined not to see them come to light before the Memorial Day weekend.

"They had a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs they needed to push, and were afraid these findings would stymie sales," claimed the researcher, who quoted a Kraft company executive as telling the hospital's board, "It's all psychological. You yell cardiomyopathy, everybody says, 'Huh? What?' You yell superbad cholesterol, we've got a panic on our hands on Memorial Day weekend!"

Kraft spokesman Michael Hirschberg denies the allegations, saying that Kraft always has the good health of its customers in mind. He pointed to the company's new "Eat Sensibly" advertisements, featuring their spokesman, competitive hot dog eater Joey Chestnut.

A study of the findings reveals why they might raise concern among some food manufacturers. In addition to clogging the arteries at an alarming rate - "one Cinnabon can be enough to do it," it found - pieces of the superbad cholesterol can flake off the artery wall and travel directly to the heart, where they cause the aorta to expand and eventually explode in a tremendous chest-extruding fireball.

The study mentions one test case, Karl Stubens of Estill Springs, Tenn., a regular subject of Lucas Earls, the prominent obesity videographer. Stubens, who weighed more than 350 pounds and admitted to eating at Arby's more than four times a week, told researchers his high cholesterol could be blamed on "family history." Then his chest blew up.

"It was like that scene in Alien, except instead of a little creature popping out, it was an Angus Three Cheese & Bacon hoagie," the study read.

The study also blamed superbad cholesterol for the sudden upswing in mortality rates among suburban mothers who had been mainlining Girl Scout cookies. "Well, the cholesterol, and Oprah going off the air," the study read.

Meanwhile, the creators of the 2007 film Superbad have filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against NYU Medical Center, suggesting the researchers go with a different name for their killer cholesterol, such as "wicked bad cholesterol" or "cholesterol that sucks."

"When I wrote Superbad, I had no intention of it becoming the name for a type of cholesterol," said the movie's screenwriter, Seth Rogen. Then his chest blew up.

More from here: http://www.crystalair.com/story.php?id=201105014

Certain Fruits May Help Fight Obesity and Negative Health Effects

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 01:15:00 +0000

This is an interesting article about tangerines helping fight obesity and cholesterol as well. Read on:

Flavanoids called Nobiletin that are found in tangerines may help prevent obesity and related diseases, even among individuals who eat unhealthy diets, according to a recent study published in the journal Diabetes.

The researchers fed laboratory rodents food high in both fat and sugar. However, half of the subjects were also provided with regular servings of Nobiletin.

Results showed that animals in the first group had become obese, as anticipated, and showed signs of metabolic syndrome, which include high blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and glucose, as well as fatty liver. The investigators noted that people who have these symptoms are at an increased risk for becoming diabetic or developing heart disease.

However, rats that belonged to the fruit subset only gained small increments of weight and did not show any signs of insulin resistance or cardiovascular risk factors, according to the study's findings.

"In longer-term studies, Nobiletin also protected these animals from atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke," said lead researcher Murray Huff.

The scientist also noted that similar, though not as effective compounds, have been found in grapefruits.

More from here: http://www.drcutler.com/blood-sugar/certain-fruits-may-help-fight-obesity-and-negative-health-effects-800480377/

Study finds statins reduce pneumonia death rates

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:13:00 +0000

Got to read this article linking statins to pneumonia treatment. Read on:

(Reuters) - Taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as Pfizer's Lipitor and AstraZeneca's Crestor could help prevent people dying from pneumonia, according to a study by British scientists released on Tuesday.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that the risk of death in the six-month period after being diagnosed with pneumonia was substantially lower among those who were already taking the cholesterol-lowering drugs than in those who were not.

Previous studies have suggested statins, which are also available as cheaper generics, may be linked to better outcomes after bacterial infection. These findings suggest the pills may help protect against death in patients with pneumonia.

Statins such as Lipitor, Crestor, and a generic called simvastatin are widely prescribed to lower so-called "bad" or LDL cholesterol -- a risk factor for heart disease -- and are credited with being among the most successful drugs in helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Separate research published in March found that lowering cholesterol levels could help the body's immune system fight infections, a finding that appears to be supported by Tuesday's study.

"Statins are safe, cheap, and an easy intervention in terms of delivery," said Ian Douglas, a lecturer in epidemiology at the LSHTM who led the research.

"Given the potential low number needed to treat to prevent a death suggested by this study, we believe that a strong case exists for randomized trials of statins in people with serious infection to determine if a simple and practical intervention at the point of diagnosis of pneumonia has a beneficial effect."

Douglas's team, whose research was published in the British Medical Journal, used data from computerized medical records of doctors' practices in Britain to identify statin users.

They then matched each statin user -- who was aged over 40 when first prescribed a statin between 1995 and 2006 -- with up to five non-statin users for comparison.

Patients with a record of pneumonia were followed for six months to see if they died, and the researchers found that 13 percent (109 out of 847) of statin users died compared with 20 percent (578 out of 2,927) of non-statin users.

Douglas noted that since this study looked at patients who were already taking statins when they developed pneumonia, a full randomized clinical trial was needed to find out whether starting a statin at the time of diagnosis has a similar effect.

More from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/05/us-pneumonia-statins-idUSTRE73413920110405

New discovery in fight against Alzheimer’s

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 01:12:00 +0000

Here's another article for new breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease. Read on:

FAMILIES with relations suffering from Alzheimer’s disease have been offered hope by a breakthrough at a Welsh university.

A leading scientist at Cardiff University has identified five genes that increase the risk of developing the disease, which is the most common form of dementia and causes patients to suffering mood swings, memory loss and confusion.

Professor Julie Williams’ groundbreaking discovery means scientists are a step closer to pinpointing what goes wrong in Alzheimer’s sufferer’s brains and increases the prospect of developing treatment for the condition.

Professor Williams, of the University’s MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, said: “This study, plus our previous studies, means that we are beginning to piece together the pieces of the jigsaw and gain new understanding. We still have a long way to go – but the jigsaw is beginning to come together.

“If we were able to remove the detrimental effects of these genes through treatments, we hope we can help reduce the proportion of people developing Alzheimer’s in the long- term.”

Published in Nature Genetics, the study of around 20,000 sufferers and 40,000 healthy individuals confirms that Alzheimer’s disease remains a complex condition.

The scientists have been able to implicate a range of risk factors for the disease, including a sufferer’s immune system, the ways the brain processes cholesterol and lipids and for the first time a process called endocytosis, which, in normal healthy brains removes toxic amyloid-beta protein from the brain.

Professor Williams said: “What’s exciting is the genes we now know of, the five new ones, plus those previously identified, are clustering in patterns.

“So several genes are implicating the immune system, for example, and it’s telling us there’s something different about the immune system of people who go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease.”

This is not the first time Professor Williams and her team have made significant gene discoveries.

In 2009, she led the largest genetic investigation of Alzheimer’s ever conducted, which involved analysing the DNA from more than 16,000 individuals over two years which uncovered new genes closely linked to the illness.

Professor Chris Kennard, chairman of the MRC’s Neuroscience and Mental Health Board, called Professor Williams’ discoveries “very exciting”.

He said: “Using genetics to understand individual predispositions to disease is a major strategic aim for the MRC.

“We support research which addresses the big health issues which occur throughout life, so tackling Alzheimer’s disease is an extremely important area. These are very exciting findings which, in the long term, we hope will lead to the development of treatments for this debilitating condition.”

The study is being funded by the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Assembly Government.

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “These findings are a step towards defeating dementia. We are yet to find ways of halting this devastating condition, but this work is likely to spark off new ideas, collaborations and more research.”

Dr John Williams, The Wellcome Trust’s head of neuroscience and mental health, said: “As our population ages, we will see more and more people affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

“It is distressing both to patients and their families and places a heavy economic burden on our society.

“Understanding the complex processes that underpin the disease will be essential to earlier diagnosis and to developing improved treatments. This interesting new study takes a step further along this path.”

Read more from: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/04/04/new-discovery-in-fight-against-alzheimer-s-91466-28452996/

The good fat

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:53:00 +0000

Posting this article from Manila Bulletin. It talks about different kinds of fat. Read on:

MANILA, Philippines – Fat has gotten a bad reputation lately and has been considered by many as public enemy number one, especially among the elders.

But does it fully deserve that reputation? Many people associate fat with overweight or obese. However, research has shown that some fats are beneficial, and cutting all the fat out of your diet may cause you undue harm.

Not all fats are bad

Fats, like carbohydrates, are sources of energy. The body needs fuel to function, and fats are the most concentrated source of food energy. Each gram of fat provides 9 calories, compared with only 4 calories a gram from carbohydrates.

Like everything else, there’s a good and bad side to fats. The general misconception that all fats are bad for you is simply not true. And the most maligned of all is cholesterol.

Practically everyone knows that cholesterol can be responsible for arteriosclerosis, heart attacks, a variety of illnesses, but very few are aware of the ways that it is essential to health.

Many people think of cholesterol as being a health villain, but actually, it serves a lot of important functions within the body. Cholesterol forms a major part of the membranes within the skin; cholesterol is changed by sunlight into vitamin D, which regulates the body’s use of calcium. It is converted in the liver into bile acids, which are needed for fat digestion. It is important for proper nerve function. It is used to create other hormones, such as cortisone, that control other bodily functions.

Types of fat

All foods contain some fat; even carrots. And your body needs some fat to function optimally, but how much and which kind?

All fats are made of the same basic elements —- carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen.

These elements are arranged in molecules called fatty acids.

Saturated Fats. The type of fat found in meat, poultry, milk, cheese, butter, and tropical oils are saturated fat, a dense, solid fat, like the white fat in beef and pork, that doesn’t melt at room temperature, whose purpose in life seems to be to destroy your arteries.

Saturated animal fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels; cause the blood to become sluggish and form clots, which predisposes you to heart attacks and strokes; disturb hormone levels; and increase risk of breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Animal fats also increases the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, which cause joint inflammation, as in rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, psoriasis, and clogged arteries.

Monounsaturated Fats. Fats, found primarily in olives and olive oil, are considered to be safe if they are not heated.

Polyunsaturated fat. The good fats. The polyunsaturated fats, such as corn, soybean, and sunflower oils are made up of fatty acids that have fewer hydrogen atoms. The fewer the hydrogen atoms, the more fluid the fat, hence it does not solidify in room temperature.

Trans Fatty Acids. A unique, man-made fat that is essentially detrimental to health is called trans fatty acid. This form of fat is created when liquid fats, such as corn oil, is changed into solid or semi-solid forms, also known as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, the primary ingredient in margarine and shortening. Trans fatty acids cause a lot of problems: they make cell membranes inflexible, which makes it difficult for them to fight off invaders; they disrupt heart rhythms; promote production of “bad” cholesterol; and increase the risk of breast and prostate cancer.

Healthy Fats

Which foods contain healthy fats? Foods that will help keeps your immune system healthy include lower-fat foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Get the oil and fatty acids you need by eating raw whole seeds, nuts, avocados, and olives in moderate amounts. If you include fish in your plan, cold-water, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good sources of omega-3-fatty acids.

Fats you can’t live without —- The essential fatty acids

The body can make most of the fatty acids it needs from the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms provided by food. These are called nonessential fatty acids because it is not essential for us to consume them in the foods we eat.

However, there are polyunsaturated fatty acids that the body cannot manufacture, and these are called essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are necessary for good health, but we can only get them from food. Essential fatty acids are aptly named because they are essential to your health.

There are two main groups of essential fatty acids: the omega “3” and the omega “6” refer to the place where the first link in the carbon chain or chemical structure occurs. Omega-3 is more polyunsaturated which mean that its more liquid than omega-6 at a given temperature.

The following list shows you some of the many ways your body uses these fatty acids:

To lubricate skin and tissues and allow cell membranes to function normally.

Your body’s cells depend on EFAs to function normally. A deficiency can lead to hair loss, dry skin, and skin rashes, heart disease, constantly feeling cold, easy bruising, joint inflammation, and repeated infections due to weakened cell, membranes that are more susceptible to virus penetration.

Modern research shows that your brain and nervous system need essential fatty acids in order to function properly. It can even affect your mood, and a shortage may increase your risk of developing a mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety.

It regulates the body’s use of cholesterol and triglycerides.

It helps in the production of substances that regulate nearly all other bodily processes.

It is used to prevent and to treat some of the following diseases and symptoms: Bronchial asthma, cardiac arrhythmia, diabetes, gastric ulcers, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel diseases, migraine headaches, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis; and skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Natural sources of essential fatty acids

Nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils all contain various amounts of essential fatty acids. Don’t take cod liver oil or fish oil during pregnancy, because the high vitamin A content may not be healthy for a developing fetus. Eat fish like salmon, tuna, or sardines two or three times a week instead.

REMEMBER:

The bulk of our illnesses today are not medical problems but lifestyle and nutrition problems —- something you yourself can, and must, change.

More from here: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/310933/the-good-fat