HealingPoints HealthBlog

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2010-04-06T12:36:00.001-07:00

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Journey to Peru

2010-03-02T22:25:00.000-08:00

That Late-night Snack: Worse Than You Think

2009-09-06T23:36:00.000-07:00

That Late-night Snack: Worse Than You Think: "Eat less, exercise more. Now there is new evidence to support adding another 'must' to the weight-loss mantra: eat at the right time of day. A study has found that eating at irregular times -- the equivalent of the middle of the night for humans, when the body wants to sleep -- influences weight gain. This is the first causal evidence linking meal timing and increased weight gain."

Study: Broccoli good for the heart

2009-09-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

Study: Broccoli good for the heart: "Another reason to eat the best green vegetable out there.

Researchers at Imperial College London have found evidence a chemical in broccoli and other green leafy vegetables could boost a natural defense mechanism that protects arteries from the clogging that can cause heart attacks.

In a study funded by the British Heart Foundation charity and conducted on mice, the researchers found that sulforaphane -- a compound occurring naturally in broccoli and other brassicas -- could 'switch on' a protective protein which is inactive in parts of the arteries vulnerable to clogging.

'We know that vegetables are clearly good for you, but surprisingly the molecular mechanisms of why they are good for you have remained unknown for many years,' said Paul Evans of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College.

How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?

2009-09-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

How Much Omega-3 Fatty Acid Do We Need To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease?: "Scientists found the dose of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that is 'just right' for preventing cardiovascular disease in healthy men. In a new study, they show that 200 mg of DHA per day is enough to affect biochemical markers that reliably predict cardiovascular problems. This study is the first to identify how much DHA is necessary to promote optimal heart health."

Take Action: Want better oversight of GE Crops? Now's your chance!

2009-06-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

Want better oversight of GE Crops? Now's your chance!

In the waning months of the Bush Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a proposal to completely overhaul its regulation of genetically engineered crops, significantly weakening its oversight. The proposed rules would virtually ensure that contamination of organic and conventional crops will become even more frequent, and even excuses the Agency from taking any action to remedy such contamination. The rules would continue to allow the dangerous practice of producing drugs and industrial chemicals in food crops grown in the open environment, and in many cases even allow the biotechnology industry to decide whether their GE crops are regulated at all.

Over four years ago, USDA promised stricter oversight of genetically engineered crops; unfortunately, improvements considered early on have vanished and the regulations have instead become weaker. The proposed rule now has even more gaping holes than the regulations it is replacing, and creates a few new ones as well, resulting in more public exposure to untested and unlabeled genetically engineered foods. Instead of tightening controls to protect the public and the environment from contamination and harm, what USDA has offered further endangers your right to choose the foods you and your family eat and farmers� right to their chosen livelihoods.

To make matters worse, USDA published the rules before publishing the full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), as required by law, and in the absence of public review of the data needed to make regulatory recommendations. Clearly, there is something wrong with this picture. We are calling on the Obama Administration to reject the irresponsible Bush "anything goes" biotech policy, and to put in place rules that will create real change in the regulation and oversight of GE crops. And we are requesting a moratorium on commercial planting of any new GE crops until such comprehensive regulations are in place.

The comment period has been extended to June 29, 2009. Please send your comment to USDA today � the Agency is listening, let�s demand better oversight of GE crops to protect citizens, farmers, wildlife, and the environment!

Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

2009-06-05T07:52:00.000-07:00

Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

This is an excellent site to find out what it is you are really using on your body. Simply type in the product or company and you will get a full description of what the ingredients are in the product, and an analysis of their relative danger. You will be surprised and perhaps even shocked.

Omega Fatty Acid Balance Can Alter Immunity And Gene Expression

2009-06-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Omega Fatty Acid Balance Can Alter Immunity And Gene Expression

For the past century, changes in the Western diet have altered the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids (w6, found in meat and vegetable oils) compared with omega-3 fatty acids (w3, found in flax and fish oil). Many studies seem to indicate this shift has brought about an increased risk of inflammation (associated with autoimmunity and allergy), and now using a controlled diet study with human volunteers, researchers may have teased out a biological basis for these reported changes.

Anthropological evidence suggests that human ancestors maintained a 2:1 w6/w3 ratio for much of history, but in Western countries today the ratio has spiked to as high as 10:1. Since these omega fatty acids can be converted into inflammatory molecules, this dietary change is believed to also disrupt the proper balance of pro- and anti- inflammatory agents, resulting in increased systemic inflammation and a higher incidence of problems including asthma, allergies, diabetes, and arthritis.

This study demonstrates, for the first time in humans, that large changes in gene expression are likely an important mechanism by which these omega fatty acids exert their potent clinical effects.

Use Of Acid-suppressive Medications Associated With Increased Risk Of Hospital-acquired Pneumonia

2009-06-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Proton pump inhibitors are bad news in several different ways. Here's a new one. For most people the need for PPI's can be eliminated simply by better food choices, food combining, under-eating (what a concept!), judicious use of digestive enzymes, elimination of excess fat and sugar from the diet, and taking time to really chew your food. A bit boring, yeah, but so is osteoporosis and pneumonia.

Use Of Acid-suppressive Medications Associated With Increased Risk Of Hospital-acquired Pneumonia:

"Hospitalized patients who receive acid-suppressive medications such as a proton-pump inhibitor have a 30 percent increased odds of developing pneumonia while in the hospital, according to a new study.

With the introduction of proton-pump inhibitors, used primarily in the treatment of ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease, the use of acid-suppressive medications has increased significantly over the last several years, with estimates that between 40 percent and 70 percent of hospitalized patients receive some form of them. But this high use in the inpatient setting has been of concern for several reasons, including use for indications that are not supported by research and data suggesting an increased risk for community-acquired pneumonia with use in outpatient settings, according to background information in the article."

Try Thai Or Rosemary When Spicing The Meat To Curb Carcinogens

2009-06-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

Summer is the time for gatherings that include grilled foods. If you are a meat eater, this information is important. But the really good thing is that if you use the spices mentioned, your food will taste great!

Try Thai Or Rosemary When Spicing The Meat To Curb Carcinogens:

"Warm weather brings on the seasonal meat favorites that are barbecued, grilled, broiled or fried. That also means more potential exposure to carcinogenic compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs). There�s a way to reduce the risk significantly by just adding some spices � rosemary extracts or Thai spices.

�Just one of the spices would work,� said J. Scott Smith, a Kansas State University food chemistry professor who researched the issue for the Food Safety Consortium. �Rosemary would be fine or one of the Thai spices would be fine.�

The numbers from Smith�s research tell the story. Some commercial rosemary extracts can inhibit the formation of HCAs in cooked beef patties by 61 to 79 percent. Thai spices can inhibit the formation by about 40 to 43 percent. The key is the level of antioxidants present in each, and Thai spices have lower levels than rosemary."

Carbohydrate Restriction May Slow Prostate Tumor Growth

2009-06-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

Just another example of the importance of diet in treating serious illnesses. My assumption will be that this information will be true for many types of malignant tumors, not just prostate cancer.

Carbohydrate Restriction May Slow Prostate Tumor Growth: "Restricting carbohydrates, regardless of weight loss, appears to slow the growth of prostate tumors, according to an animal study being published this week by researchers in the Duke Prostate Center.

'Previous work here and elsewhere has shown that a diet light in carbohydrates could slow tumor growth, but the animals in those studies also lost weight, and because we know that weight loss can restrict the amount of energy feeding tumors, we weren't able to tell just how big an impact the pure carbohydrate restriction was having, until now,' said Stephen Freedland, M.D., a urologist in the Duke Prostate Center and lead investigator on this study.

The researchers believe that insulin and insulin-like growth factor contribute to the growth and proliferation of prostate cancer, and that a diet devoid of carbohydrates lowers serum insulin levels in the bodies of the mice, thereby slowing tumor growth, Freedland said."

Green Tea Extract Shows Promise In Leukemia Trials

2009-06-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Green Tea Extract Shows Promise In Leukemia Trials

"Mayo Clinic researchers are reporting positive results in early leukemia clinical trials using the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient in green tea. The trial determined that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) can tolerate the chemical fairly well when high doses are administered in capsule form and that lymphocyte count was reduced in one-third of participants."

Excessive Cola Consumption Can Lead To Super-sized Muscle Problems, Warn Doctors

2009-05-21T09:02:00.000-07:00

Excessive Cola Consumption Can Lead To Super-sized Muscle Problems, Warn Doctors:

"Doctors have issued a warning about excessive cola consumption after noticing an increase in the number of patients suffering from muscle problems, according to the June issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice."

We are consuming more soft drinks than ever before and a number of health issues have already been identified including tooth problems, bone demineralisation and the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes� says Dr Moses Elisaf from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Ioannina, Greece.

�Evidence is increasing to suggest that excessive cola consumption can also lead to hypokalaemia, in which the blood potassium levels fall, causing an adverse effect on vital muscle functions.�

Vitamin D Insufficiency Linked To Bacterial Vaginosis In Pregnant Women

2009-05-20T21:44:00.001-07:00

Vitamin D Insufficiency Linked To Bacterial Vaginosis In Pregnant Women:

"Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in US women of childbearing age, and is common in pregnant women. BV occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Because having BV puts a woman at increased risk for a variety of complications, such as preterm delivery, there is great interest in understanding how it can be prevented."

Vitamin D may play a role in BV because it exerts influence over a number of aspects of the immune system.

This hypothesis is circumstantially supported by the fact that BV is far more common in black than white women, and vitamin D status is substantially lower in black than white women. This relation, however, has not been rigorously studied. To assess whether poor vitamin D status may play a role in predisposing a woman to BV, Bodnar and coworkers at the University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute studied 469 pregnant women.

Vitamin D May Halt Lung Function Decline In Asthma And COPD

2009-05-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D May Halt Lung Function Decline In Asthma And COPD:

"Vitamin D may slow the progressive decline in the ability to breathe that can occur in people with asthma as a result of human airway smooth muscle (HASM) proliferation, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania."

The group found that calcitriol, a form of vitamin D synthesized within the body, reduced growth-factor-induced HASM proliferation in cells isolated from both persons with asthma and from persons without the disease. The proliferation is a part of process called airway remodeling, which occurs in many people with asthma, and leads to reduced lung function over time.

The researchers believe that by slowing airway remodeling, they can prevent or forestall the irreversible decline in breathing that leaves many asthmatics even more vulnerable when they suffer an asthma attack.

American Academy of Environmental Medicine Calls for Immediate Moratorium on All Genetically Modified Foods

2009-05-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

American Academy of Environmental Medicine Calls for Immediate Moratorium on All Genetically Modified Foods:

"Today, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on �Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.�[i] They called for a moratorium on GM foods, long-term independent studies, and labeling.

AAEM�s position paper stated, �Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,� including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. They conclude, �There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation,� as defined by recognized scientific criteria. �The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.�

More and more doctors are already prescribing GM-free diets. Dr. Amy Dean, a Michigan internal medicine specialist, and board member of AAEM says, �I strongly recommend patients eat strictly non-genetically modified foods.� Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says �I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it.

Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, President of AAEM, says, �Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions.� World renowned biologist Pushpa M. Bhargava goes one step further. After reviewing more than 600 scientific journals, he concludes that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a major contributor to the sharply deteriorating health of Americans.

Among the population, biologist David Schubert of the Salk Institute warns that �children are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems� related to GM foods. He says without adequate studies, the children become �the experimental animals.�

Of Body And Mind, And Deep Meditation

2009-05-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

Of Body And Mind, And Deep Meditation

Note: It's old, very old, and it's almost a cliche, but we are not body, mind, and spirit. We are body-mind-spirit. Unfortunately, in most of the modern world, the spirit part has been relegated to being less important than the other two. What is it that exists when the mind is still? Who are you when not your job, family, personality, and hobbies? Ancient sages said that what that is can't be named or spoken of by words of the mouth. Yet it is something that can be experienced. This study shows that even bumping up against that experience can have profound physiological and health enhancing effects. And that it doesn't have to be unpleasant or a struggle. This is important.

Chinese researchers have unlocked the mechanism of an emerging mind-body technique that produces measurable changes in attention and stress reduction in just five days of practice.

. . . .

IBMT avoids struggles to control thought, relying instead on a state of restful alertness, allowing for a high degree of body-mind awareness while receiving instructions from a coach, who provides breath-adjustment guidance and mental imagery and other techniques., while soothing music plays in the background. Thought control is achieved gradually through posture, relaxation, body-mind harmony and balanced breathing. A good coach is critical, Tang said.

"Life is full of stress, and people need to learn methods to handle stress and improve their performance," Tang said. "There is physical training but we wanted to see about mental training. This method appears to have benefit for the modern society where the pace is fast."

Turmeric Extract Suppresses Fat Tissue Growth In Rodent Models

2009-05-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Note: There are no miracle cures, but Turmeric comes close. In addition to the new and important information in this article, turmeric also is a potent and safe anti-inflamatory agent, helps prevent Alzheimer's disease and some forms of cancer. My guess is we are just scratching the surface of this and other amazing plant medicines for the prevention of serious diseases.

Turmeric Extract Suppresses Fat Tissue Growth In Rodent Models: "Curcumin, the major polyphenol found in turmeric, appears to reduce weight gain in mice and suppress the growth of fat tissue in mice and cell models. Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (USDA HNRCA) studied mice fed high fat diets supplemented with curcumin and cell cultures incubated with curcumin."

"Weight gain is the result of the growth and expansion of fat tissue, which cannot happen unless new blood vessels form, a process known as angiogenesis." said senior author Mohsen Meydani, DVM, PhD, director of the Vascular Biology Laboratory at the USDA HNRCA. "Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets."

Home Grown Axis of Evil

2009-05-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

Note: In my opinion, this, next to Global Climate Change, is one of the most critical issues facing the human (and many other) race. Seed diversity, family farms, and chemical free farming are critical for health and well being. The use of patented genetically modified seeds is the doom of the small farmer, and the small family farm is essential for the health of the planet. This is a long article, but every word in it is important.

Home Grown Axis of Evil:
by Heather Gray

"In June 2005 I attended the National Media Reform Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. While there I visited the historic St. Louis courthouse and the huge Gateway Arch by the Mississippi River that symbolizes St. Louis as the gateway to the west. It was here that US corporate agribusiness, the US occupation of Iraq and the Dred Scott decision intersected in reality as well as symbolically."
. . .

Why would corporate agribusiness be salivating??? Some history here. It is thought that agriculture started 13,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent - in the area now called Iraq - where the Tigress and the Euphrates rivers intersect. The Iraqi ancestral farmers and this fertile land brought us major crops such as wheat, barley, dates and pulses (see Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel: the Fates of Human Societies"). The area is hugely important in world history. Given they are considered the initiators, for thousands of years the contributions of the Iraqi farmers to the world's agriculture production system have been unquestionably profound.

It is also likely that women were the initiators of agriculture. Women were the gatherers in hunting and gathering pre-agricultural societies. As women were the ones gathering nuts and roots for their communities, they would have been the observers of seeds and their growth patterns. This is likely why the majority of the African farmers today are women and throughout our human history the world's farmers have largely been women.

Now comes the corporate connection. Food is something everyone needs. There is no question about this and no need for a survey - the market is a given. Huge profits are in the offing. Controlling all aspects of food � its production, packaging, distribution and commodity markets - is the dream world of corporate agribusiness.

Much More

Probiotics may help ward off postpartum obesity

2009-05-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

Probiotics may help ward off postpartum obesity:

"Pregnant women who take probiotic supplements starting in the first trimester are less likely to develop central obesity after they've given birth, according to a new study.

Central obesity was defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher or a waist circumference greater than 80 centimeters, about 31-1/2 inches.

At 1 year after giving birth, 25 percent of women given probiotics along with dietary counseling had central obesity based on that definition, compared with 43 percent of women given diet advice alone.

The findings were reported Thursday at the European Congress on Obesity being held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands."

Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk

2009-05-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk:

"Obese children and teens are at increased risk for allergies, especially food allergies, say U.S. researchers.

The study authors analyzed data from 4,111 participants, aged 2 to 19, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that obese children and teens were 26 percent more likely to have any kind of allergy, and 59 percent more likely to have a food allergy, than their normal-weight peers.

'We found a positive association between obesity and allergies,' senior author Dr. Darryl Zeldin, acting clinical director at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), said in an institute news release. 'While the results from this study are interesting, they do not prove that obesity causes allergies. More research is needed to further investigate this potential link.'"

Daily Exercise at School Yields Rewards

2009-05-16T08:31:00.000-07:00

Daily Exercise at School Yields Rewards

Daily exercise provides cardiovascular benefits even during the preteen years, reveals a new German study.

It found that schoolchildren, who averaged 11 years old, lowered their blood pressure, improved their levels of HDL ('good') cholesterol and triglycerides and were less likely to be obese if they regularly participated in a supervised exercise program that included at least 15 minutes of endurance training. The research was conducted in the city of Leipzig.

'Even from these first-year results, we can say that regular physical activity has a significant beneficial effect on body composition, exercise capacity and cardiovascular risk markers in children,'"

Individual Stress Linked To Adolescent Obesity

2009-05-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

Individual Stress Linked To Adolescent Obesity:

"Stress may indeed be a direct contributor to childhood obesity. That's according to a new Iowa State University study finding that increased levels of stress in adolescents are associated with a greater likelihood of them being overweight or obese."

"We found that an adolescent or youth who's more stressed -- caused by such things as having poor grades, mental health problems, more aggressive behavior, or doing more drugs and alcohol -- is also more likely to be overweight or obese," said lead author Brenda Lohman, an Iowa State assistant professor of human development and family studies (HDFS).

High Blood Pressure Could Be Caused By A Common Virus, Study Suggests

2009-05-15T21:51:00.001-07:00

A new study suggests for the first time that cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common viral infection affecting between 60 and 99 percent of adults worldwide, is a cause of high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and published in the May 15, 2009 issue of PLoS Pathogens, the findings further demonstrate that, when coupled with other risk factors for heart disease, the virus can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.

\"CMV infects humans all over the world,\" explains co-senior author Clyde Crumpacker, MD, an investigator in the Division of Infectious Diseases at BIDMC and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. \"This new discovery may eventually provide doctors with a whole new approach to treating hypertension, with anti-viral therapies or vaccines becoming part of the prescription.\"

Glutamine Supplements Show Promise In Treating Stomach Ulcers

2009-05-15T12:49:00.000-07:00

This is good news and is a very real alternative to the proton ion pumps. Another valuable addition would be DGL Licorice which effectively stops excess acid production. There are many reasons not to take pharmaceutical medications for ulcers and excess stomach acid.

Glutamine Supplements Show Promise In Treating Stomach Ulcers:

"Nearly 20 years ago, it was discovered that bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori were responsible for stomach ulcers. Since then, antibiotics have become the primary therapy used to combat the H. pylori infection, which affects approximately six percent of the world population and is also a primary cause of stomach cancer. But today the bacteria is growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics."

. . .

"Our findings suggest that extra glutamine in the diet could protect against gastric damage caused by H. pylori," says senior author Susan Hagen, PhD, Associate Director of Research in the Department of Surgery at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Gastric damage develops when the bacteria weakens the stomach's protective mucous coating, damages cells and elicits a robust immune response that is ineffective at ridding the infection." Eventually, she notes, years of infection result in a combination of persistent gastritis, cell damage and an environment conducive to cancer development.