August 14, 2009

Seasonal fruits offer healthy benefits

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News 08-14-09
Aug. 12--There is some great news for those who have grown tired of their "apple a day" -- many summer fruits are in season, and they each have benefits to bring to the table.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that children eat between 1 and 1 1/2 cups of fruit per day, and that adults eat between 1/2 and 2 cups per day, depending on gender and age.
Tammy Roberts, a nutrition and health education specialist from the University of Missouri's Barton County Extension office, said that variety is key when incorporating fruits into a diet.
"Generally, if you eat a good variety of color, it means you're getting a good variety of nutrients," Roberts said. "Different fruits have different benefits. Right now, cantaloupes are in season and they are a really good source of vitamin A and potassium, and the blackberries are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and a great source of fiber."
Besides being low in fat, sodium and calories, fruits are also cholesterol-free. It has also been suggested that incorporating fruit into one's diet can help reduce the risk of strokes and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. The fiber in fruit helps prevent coronary heart disease and the potassium helps prevent kidney stones and bone-density loss.
Fruits also contain phytochemicals, which are designed to help plants fight off disease. It has recently been discovered that phytochemicals can also help protect humans from some diseases, especially cancer.
Roberts said that the kinds of fruits found at farmers' markets right now will be blackberries, melons and peaches.
"We had strawberries earlier in the season, and blueberries," she said, "and we'll move into apples before long."
It is also important to buy fruit that is ripe. Blackberries should be smooth and glossy. It is best to wash them immediately before eating, because water will begin to disintegrate them if they are washed and then left to sit.
Roberts said that mature melons should make a good thud when they are knocked on, indicating that they are full of water.
Peaches should be fragrant and unblemished, and should give only slightly when pressed with a finger or thumb.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8636&Section=Nutrition

Risk of frailty in older women dependent on multisystem abnormalities

NewsRx.com 08-13-09
A study published online ahead of press in the Gerontology Society of America's Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences reports that the condition of frailty in older adults is associated with a critical mass of abnormal physiological systems, over and above the status of each individual system, and that the relationship is nonlinear. This research is the first evidence that frailty is related to the number of abnormal physiological systems, rather than a specific system abnormality, a chronic disease, or chronological age. It suggests significant alterations in system biology with aging, and underlying frailty. Clinical implications are that prevention and treatment may be more likely to be effective if any given intervention improves multiple systems, not just one (see also Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health).
According to the report, three or more systems at abnormal levels were significant predictors of being frail, and the dominating predictor was the number of systems abnormal, not any particular system. The study was based on data of women aged 70 - 79 years from the Women's Health and Aging Studies I and II and assesses the association of eight physiological measures with frailty. Abnormality in each system (anemia, inflammation, insulin-like growth factor-1, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, hemoglobin A1c, micronutrients, adiposity, and fine motor speed) was significantly associated with frailty status. However, adjusting for the level of each system measure, the mean number of impaired systems significantly predicted frailty; only one system, fine motor speed, remained an independent predictor when the mass of systems abnormal was considered.
The data indicate that half of those frail had three or more systems at abnormal levels, compared with 25% of the pre-frail and 16% of the non-frail. Less than 21% of the frail had zero or one system abnormal (of eight).
Frail older adults are a group at increased risk of serious adverse clinical outcomes, including mortality, disability, falls, and loss of independence. Through the work of Dr. Fried and her colleagues at Johns Hopkins University, frailty has been defined to function as a distinct medical syndrome, which is clinically recognizable when a critical mass of symptoms and signs emerge. Frailty is recognized as the concurrent presence of three or more of the following: low strength, low energy, slowed motor performance, low physical activity, or unintentional weight loss. The findings outlined in the current paper build on Dr. Fried's body of work around frailty, and have significant applicability for the design of therapeutics, such as new drugs.
"We found that the likelihood of frailty increases in relationship to the number of abnormal physiological systems, and the number of abnormal systems was strongly predictive of the likelihood of frailty, whereas the individual systems were not," says Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, dean and DeLamar Professor of Public Health at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and lead author. She adds, "It further suggests that therapeutic replacement of any one deficient system, such as testosterone, estrogen, or growth hormone, is unlikely to ameliorate or prevent frailty, unless it improves multiple physiologic systems. This may explainthe public health import of remaining physically active as we get older, since activity improves many aspects of biology and health."
Given that many of the physiological systems evaluated affect or regulate each other, alteration of one may not be independent of another. These data suggest that acceleration of the likelihood of frailty may occur as the number of abnormal systems escalates, and suggests that there could be a threshold beyond which there is an adverse downward spiraling nature to the progression of frailty and its consequences. "The systems studied here have numerous physiological interconnections with each other," says Dr. Fried, "which would be consistent with the concept of 'majority rules' in systems biology-that past a critical level of dysregulation in physiological systems, the impaired systems may adversely affect other systems functioning at a normal level and bring the whole system to a more dysregulated state, with frailty as an outcome of a dysregulated complex system."
"This research provides evidence of the interaction of a number of factors that contribute to frailty in older people," said Richard Suzman, PhD, director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging, which funded the research. "It emphasizes the importance of considering frailty holistically." The number of chronic diseases was also a predictor of frailty, independent of the number of physiological systems at abnormal levels. This supports frailty as a final common pathway of multiple causes and that the burden of disease is a factor as well as aging-related physiological dysregulation.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8634&Section=Aging

High Cholesterol in Midlife Raises Risk of Late-Life Dementia, Kaiser Permanente Study Finds

NewsRx.com 08-13-09
Elevated cholesterol levels in midlife - even levels considered only borderline elevated - significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia later in life, according to a new study by researchers at Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research and the University of Kuopio in Finland. The study appears in the journal Dementia & Geriatric Cognitive Disorders (see also Dementia).
The four-decade study of 9,844 men and women found that having high cholesterol in midlife (240 or higher milligrams per deciliter of blood) increases, by 66 percent, the risk for Alzheimer's disease later in life. Even borderline cholesterol levels (200 - 239 mg/dL) in midlife raised risk for late-life vascular dementia by nearly the same amount: 52 percent. Vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, is a group of dementia syndromes caused by conditions affecting the blood supply to the brain. Scientists are still trying to pinpoint the genetic factors and lifestyle causes for Alzheimer's disease.
By measuring cholesterol levels in 1964 to 1973 based on the 2002 Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines (the current practice standard) when the Kaiser Permanente Northern California members were 40 to 45 years old, then following the participants for 40 years, this study is the largest long-term study with the most diverse population to examine the midlife cholesterol levels and late-life dementia. It is also the first study to look at borderline high cholesterol levels and vascular dementia, rather than just Alzheimer's disease.
"Our study shows that even moderately high cholesterol levels in your 40s puts people at greater risk for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia decades later," said the study's senior author Rachel Whitmer, PhD, a research scientist and epidemiologist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, Calif. "Considering that nearly 100 million Americans have either high or borderline cholesterol levels, this is a disturbing finding. The good news here is that what is good for the heart is also good for the mind, and this is an early risk factor for dementia that can be modified and managed by lowering cholesterol through healthy lifestyle changes."
This study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, adds to other research emphasizing the importance of addressing dementia risk factors in midlife, before an underlying disease or symptoms appear, the researchers said.
"Our findings add to the existing body of evidence on a degree of overlap between two dementia types in terms of risk factors, symptoms and neuropathology," said the study's lead author, Alina Solomon, MD, a researcher with the Department of Neurology at the University of Kuopio, Finland. "Dementia and cardiovascular disease are common major health problems, share several risk factors and often occur simultaneously, interacting with one another. A holistic approach that addresses multiple major health problems simultaneously is needed to effectively manage these disorders."
The study tracked members of Kaiser Permanente's Northern California Medical Group from 1967 to 2007 by using the multiphasic testing records pioneered by Kaiser Permanente founding physician Morris Collen, MD, who is widely regarded worldwide as a health care informatics pioneer. Of the original 9,844 participants, 598 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia between 1994 and 2007, when the participants were between 61 and 88 years old.
This epidemiological study did not examine the mechanism of the link between cholesterol levels and dementia.
This study is part of an ongoing body of research at Kaiser Permanente to better understand the risk and protective factors for dementia. Dr. Whitmer recently authored two dementia-related studies: one that found a larger abdomen in midlife increases risk of late-life dementia, and one that showed that low blood sugar events in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes increase their risk for dementia. Another Kaiser Permanente study, led by Valerie Crooks of Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, found that having a strong social network of friends and family appears to decrease risk for dementia.
Other authors on this study include: Miia Kivipelto, MD, Ph.D., Department of Neurology, University of Kuopio, Finland, and the Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Benjamin Wolozin, MD, Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine; and Jufen Zhou, MS, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research. Additional funding for the study was provided by Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit, the Academy of Finland Marie-Curie EST Program, the Gamla Tj narinnor Foundation, and Stiftelsen Dementia, Sweden
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8632&Section=Aging

Some conditions misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder
Last Updated: 2009-08-13 13:01:07 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A study published last year suggested that bipolar disorder may be over diagnosed in people seeking mental health care. Now new findings shed light on which disorders many of these patients actually have.
Bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, involves dramatic swings in mood -- ranging from debilitating depression to euphoric recklessness.
In the original 2008 study, researchers at Brown University School of Medicine found that of 145 adults who said they had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, 82 (57 percent) turned out not to have the condition when given a comprehensive diagnostic interview.
In this latest study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the researchers used similar standardized interviews to find out which disorders those 82 patients might have.
Overall, they found, nearly half had major depression, while borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety and social phobia were each diagnosed in roughly one-quarter to one-third.
When the researchers then compared the patients with 528 other psychiatric patients who had never been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, they found that those in the former group were nearly four times more likely to have borderline personality disorder.
They were also 70 percent more likely to have major depression and twice as likely to have PTSD.
Some of other diagnoses were less common but still seen at elevated rates among the patients previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder. These included antisocial personality disorder and impulse-control disorder.
Over diagnosis of bipolar disorder is concerning, in part, because it is typically treated with mood-stabilizing drugs that can have side effects -- including effects on the kidneys, liver, and metabolic and immune systems, explained lead researcher Dr. Mark Zimmerman, an associate professor at Brown and director of outpatient psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital.
In addition, he told Reuters Health in an email, over diagnosis means some patients are likely not getting the appropriate care for the problems they do have.
Bipolar disorder shares certain characteristics with some other psychiatric conditions. Borderline personality disorder, for instance, is marked by unstable mood, impulsive behavior and problems maintaining relationships with other people.
But Zimmerman and his colleagues suspect that some doctors are over diagnosing bipolar disorder because -- unlike certain other causes of mood disturbance -- it does have effective drug therapies.
There are no medications approved specifically for treating borderline personality disorder, for instance, but research suggests that some forms of "talk therapy" are effective.
"We believe that clinicians are inclined to diagnose disorders that they feel more comfortable treating," Zimmerman explained.
"The increased availability of medications that have been approved for the treatment of bipolar disorder might be influencing clinicians who are unsure whether or not a patient has bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder to err on the side of diagnosing the disorder that is medication-responsive," he added.
This "bias," Zimmerman said, is reinforced by drug company marketing, which highlights certain studies that have suggested that bipolar disorder goes unrecognized in many people.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, online July 28, 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/08/13/eline/links/20090813elin004.html

Asparagus extracts may ease hangover: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 14-Aug-2009

An extract from asparagus may increase the function of enzymes in the liver and boost the metabolism of alcohol, according to new research from Korea.
Results published in the Journal of Food Science indicate that the extracts could be obtained from the portions of asparagus normally discarded by processors and growers, such as the leaves, offering a cheap source of the bioactives.
“These results provide biochemical evidence of the method by which A. officinalis exerts its biological functions, including the alleviation of alcoholhangover and the protection of liver cells against toxic insults,” wrote the researchers, from Jeju National University.
Extracts from young shoots and leaves of asparagus were tested to discover if they could reduce liver toxicity in human liver cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide.
According to their data, the nutritional content, namely the amino acids and inorganic minerals, was greater in the leaves than the shoots.
When the leaf extract was tested in the liver cells, the Korean researchers measured the degree of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation on exposure to hydrogen peroxide, and found a reduction of 70 per cent.
Furthermore, toxicity to the cells from hydrogen peroxide and ethanol “were also significantly alleviated [by] the extracts of A. officinalis leaves and shoots”, said the researchers.
The impact of the asparagus extracts on two key enzymes that metabolise alcohol (ethanol) was also studied. Both alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, were “upregulated by more than 2-fold in response to the leaf- and shoot extracts”, they said.
“Because excess ethanol generates ROS in its metabolic pathways, alcohol dehydrogenase-dependent elimination of ethanol is the principle involved in the protection of cells from oxidative stress,” noted the Jeju-based researchers.
“These results suggest that the extracts of A. officinalis exert a wide spectrum of activities including strong antioxidant activity and the ability to act as a potent catalytic factor to stimulate the enzymatic activities required to metabolise ethanol,” they added.
“Thus, the leaves of A. officinalis, which are normally discarded, have the potential for use in therapy designed to protect the liver from various harmful insults,” they concluded.
Asparagus is a popular vegetable in Europe and the US. The main growing countries are China, Peru, the US, Germany and Spain. The latter country produced some 50,000 tons of asparagus in 2005 – both the green and the white variants.
Source: Journal of Food Science 
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01263.x
“Effects of Asparagus officinalis Extracts on Liver Cell Toxicity and Ethanol Metabolism”
Authors: B.-Y. Kim, Z.-G. Cui, S.-R. Lee, S.-J. Kim, H.-K. Kang, Y.-K. Lee, D.-B. Park
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Asparagus-extracts-may-ease-hangover-Study

Specific Pesticide Directly Linked to Parkinson's Disease

S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  August 14, 2009 

(NaturalNews) According to the National Parkinson Foundation, about 1.5. Americans currently have Parkinson's Disease (PD) -- the motor system disorder which afflicts actor Michael J. Fox. Another 60,000 or so people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with PD in 2009. The four main symptoms of this often devastating disease are trembling in the hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia (slowness of movement) and impaired balance and coordination. As the disease progresses, people with PD may have difficulty walking, talking, and swallowing. 

NaturalNews has previously reported (http://www.naturalnews.com/026177_d...) how research is pointing more and more to a "smoking gun" behindParkinson's. It appears PD doesn't just strike at random. Instead, it is most likely triggered by chemicals in the environment that are literally toxic to the human brain. Now a new study has zeroed in on one specific suspect -- a pesticide called B-hexachlorocyclohexane (B-HCH).

Used widely in the United States from the 1950s through the 1970s in agriculture, the chemical was also found until fairly recently in the insecticide lindane, used as a treatment to kill fleas and ticks on pets and lice in humans. Even if you've never treated a dog or cat with lindane or worked in agriculture, the odds are you've still been exposed to the toxin. Banned in the l970s, B-HCH is a dangerous contaminant that won't go away -- it is still found as a contaminant in water and soil. 

Now a team of researchers have found it in human blood. What's more, they've identified elevated serum levels of the pesticide in patients with Parkinson's disease, strongly raising the possibility this specific pesticide is tied in to the development of PD.

The study, just published in the Archives of Neurology, involved team work led by Jason R. Richardson, PhD, assistant professor of environmental and occupational medicine at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and resident member of the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, and Dwight C. German, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. The scientists measured the levels of 16 pesticides in blood samples from patients with PD or Alzheimer'sdisease. They also searched for pesticides in blood collected from a control group with no known neurological diseases. 

All three groups of research subjects were found to have about the same levels of 15 pesticides. But when it came to B-HCH, it was a different story.B-HCH was found in 76 percent of the patients with Parkinson's, 40 percent of the control group patients and 30 percent of the patients with Alzheimer's. What's more, not only was B-HCH found more frequently in PD patients, the amount of B-HCH in the blood of the Parkinson's Diseasepatients was much higher . 

"Previous studies established the link between pesticides and neurodegenerative diseases, but most had not identified specific pesticides that may be associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson's," Dr. Richardson said in a press statement. "This discovery provides a foundation upon which to research the precise implications of B-HCH's role in the cause of the disease and how B-HCH's levels may be affected by other possible factors such as genetic disposition and lifestyle choices."

"We hope additional research will not only help identify people who may be at risk before symptoms of the disease appears, enabling earlier detection of the disease, but also advance the development of therapies to slow or prevent neurodegeneration caused by Parkinson's," Dr. Richardson added.

Anyone interested in natural and healthy living might also hope this research will spur common sense efforts to halt further contamination of the planet's water, air and food supply with pesticides and other chemicals, too (http://www.naturalnews.com/026566_d...).
http://www.naturalnews.com/026842_disease_Parkinsons_pesticides.html

Turmeric Fights Body Fat

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  August 14, 2009

(NaturalNews) A diet high in turmeric may help reduce weight gain by suppressing the growth of new fat tissue, according to a study conducted by researchers from Tufts University and published in the Journal of Nutrition.

The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a grant from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

"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," senior author Mohsen Meydani said. "Based on our data, curcumin appears to suppress angiogenic activity in the fat tissue of mice fed high fat diets."

Curcumin is an antioxidant chemical in the polyphenol family that naturally occurs in turmeric. In contrast to some phytochemicals, it is easily absorbed by the body.

Researchers fed two groups of mice identical high-fat diets, supplementing the diets of the half the mice with 500 milligrams of curcumin per kilogram of body weight per day. They found that mice in the curcumin group had significantly lower blood cholesterol and significantly less microvessel density in fat tissue than the mice in the control group, implying less blood vessel growth and thus less overall growth of fat tissue. The livers of mice in the curcumin group also contained significantly less fat than those of the mice in the control group.

"In general, angiogenesis and an accumulation of lipids in fat cells contribute to fat tissue growth," Meydani said.

The researcher also noted that "curcumin appeared to be responsible for total lower body fat in the group that received supplementation."

In a similar study conducted on cells rather than animals, the researchers also found curcumin to suppress angiogenesis. The chemical also appeared to suppress the expression of two genes linked to angiogenesis in both the mouse and cell experiments.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026840_turmeric_curcumin_fat_tissue.html

Magnet Therapy Works as a Healing Tool

Sheryl Walters, NaturalNews.com  August 14, 2009

(NaturalNews) As with many natural treatments magnet therapy has a long list of skeptics ready to jump on its back and push it in to the realm of pure mumbo jumbo. But the truth is that magnet therapy has a growing number of people who not only swear that it works, but that rely on it to live fuller, pain free lives.

The concept of using magnets for health reasons is not a new one. Greek philosopher Aristotle discussed the healing property of magnets in 300 BC, but the earliest recorded mention of magnets within medicine came in around 2000BC. The Yellow Emperor`s Classic of Internal Medicine is one of the earliest medical books ever written. Within its pages there are mentions of many sophisticated and modern day therapies including the use of magnetsto control pain.

The scientific theory behind magnet therapy did not appear until the late 1700s, when it was found that the body produces its own magnetic impulses. Many studies around this time led to the belief that placing magnets on an affected area of the body will help align these impulses and therefore ease any pain. With Hospitals now reporting that magnets have a pain relief success rate of around 80%, it is looking like these early studies were on the right track.

Magnets and head aches

Many of the thousands of people who suffer from regular headaches and migraines swear by the use of magnets rather than using any medicinal treatment. It is thought to be such an effective method because magnets help increase blood flow around the body. More blood flow means that more oxygen is able to reach the affected area, which will in turn help relieve pain and reduce any inflammation. This is also great news for people with tendonitis as well as for arthritis sufferers, many of whom live in constant pain.

Magnets and broken bones

While the success of using magnets to ease pain is seen by many people as nothing more than a placebo, results of studies printed in the Journal of Electro and Magnetobiology may help change their minds. The study found that using magnets not only increased blood flow and eased pain, but they also aid in healing bones, regenerating spinal disk tissue and may even help prevent the violent allergic reaction in the lungs that is characteristic of bronchial asthma. While these results have seen a sharp rise in the use of magnets within hospitals to help heal stubborn fractures and to treat tendonitis, in India and China the results came as no surprise as they have used the method for centuries.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026838_magnets_magnet_therapy_blood.html

Study: Chocolate cuts risk of death in heart attack survivors
USA Today, August 13, 2009
Chocolate lovers rejoice: A new study shows a substantial cut in the risk of death from heart disease for heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week.
Agence France-Press reports on a study in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine that says the risk is cut threefold compared to those who never touch chocolate.
It also shows that consuming smaller quantities of chocolate goodies brings less protection for heart attack survivors, but is still better than none.
The study was led by Imre Janszky of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
A co-author of the study, Kenneth Mukamal, from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, tells AFP candy lovers shouldn't get carried away by the findings.
"It was specific to chocolate -- we found no benefit to sweets in general," he says.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/08/study-eating-chocolate-cuts-risk-of-heart-disease-for-heart-attack-survivors.html

Doctors in Mexico City Cured 2009 Swine Flu with Homeopathy

Paul Fassa, NaturalNews.com  August 14, 2009

(NaturalNews) Homeopathy had an amazingly high cure rate in the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic in the USA. Just recently, during the 2009 Mexican Flu outbreak, a small group of Mexico City homeopathic doctors have revealed that homeopathy is up to the task again. This is good news considering that many over the counter and prescribed pharmaceutical flu remedies not only hazard negative side effects, but they may also not really cure current flu strains.

Pharmaceutical Flu Remedies Efficacy Questioned

Recombinomics, a viral/vaccination research and tracking group`s website, this July 8, 2009 commentary, reports: "... resistant Novel H1N1 in Saskatchewan Raises Concerns". "This new influenza . . . has been combined with two genes from the H1N1 seasonal flu," said Dr. Frank Plummer, scientific director-general of the national microbiology laboratory in Winnipeg. Dr. Plummer noted that this mutation may make it almost impossible for current pharmaceutical flu remedies to cope with this new strain of Swine Flu. You can view that commentary here:http://www.recombinomics.com/News/0...

The New York Times reported in a January 8th, 2009 article titled "Major Flu Strain Found Resistant to Leading Drug, Puzzling Scientists". The article goes on to explain how throat swabs for common flu infected patients showed a higher rate of resistance to pharmaceutical flu remedies this year than last year. Read it yourself here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/h...

Despite all this, the government wants you to believe that only the flu remedies of Big Pharma are appropriate for curing Swine Flu. They want you to believe this so much, the FDA recently posted warnings, with enforcement penalties, to curb anyone from saying there is any other natural productthat can cure H1N1 (Swine Flu).
Details on the FDA ruling here: http://www.naturalnews.com/026473_t...

Homeopathy Flu Therapy Is Not Affected by Viral Mutations

Homeopathy does not depend on one drug or feature particular drugs for curing any type of flu. Homeopathy is a non allopathic healing method that was once the mainstream medicine of the 19th century. Because different remedies and combinations and strengths are prescribed according to exact symptomatic readings, homeopaths can successfully adapt treatments to handle viral mutations. Homeopathy was enjoyed by many until certain moneyed interests almost pushed it out of existence. Now there is somewhat of a resurgence of its use.

In an article posted on the website Homeopathy for Everyone, four Mexican Homeopathic doctors posted their first hand observations on the 2009 Mexican flu, and revealed the exact protocol they used to cure those afflicted under their care. The doctors who reported these findings from Mexico City, in May of 2009 are: Est. Luis Jamil Bonilla Galicia, Dr. Oscar Alberto Legaria Garcia, Dr. Emmanuel Alvarez Lorenzo, and Dr. Fernando Dareo Francois Flores.

These doctors included historically documented observations regarding the 1918 flu pandemic. For historical references they used "... the thesis written by Dr. Manuel Mazari to obtain his qualification at the Escuela Libre de Homeopata de Mexico: "Short Study of the Last Influenza Epidemic in Mexico City (1918)",as well as reports published by the Ministry of Health, news published in the media in general, and some clinical cases mentioned by homeopathic physicians"

Not surprisingly, the symptoms of the 1918 flu and the so called `swine flu` of 2009 are very similar. It`s interesting to note both pandemics started in the spring, in the month of April, and not in the official flu season which is autumn. Two additional symptoms, one of which is an emotional aspect that is part of homeopathy diagnosis, are noted by this study: "fear of death" and a "high fever" at the onset of the infection.

Mainstream, medical, literature, sources conclude:"...that this virus {A(H1N1) influenza virus} was the causative agent of the influenza epidemics in (1918 -1919), (1933-1935), (1946-1947), (1977-1978)."
The basic purpose of the Mexican Homeopaths` study was to identify common symptoms of the 2009 swine flu in order to outline a specific homeopathic based prevention and treatment model that could be used by homeopathic doctors around the world.

NOTE: The following is copied directly from their report, and some of it is beyond lay understanding. The formulaic remedy details of their report should be put into a homeopath`s hands.

"Recommendations for the Prevention and Control of the Influenza A (H1N1)"

General hygienic actions of each person during an epidemic.

1.- Hand washing after coughing and sneezing.
2.- Cover the mouth with a disposable handkerchief when coughing or sneezing.
3.- If there is no handkerchief available the inner side of the elbow can be used.
4.- Avoid crowded places.
5.- Avoid greeting ill persons by hand or kissing.
6.- Avoid spitting on the ground and other surfaces.
7.- Throw handkerchiefs away in closed plastic bags.
8.- Don`t share glasses, plates, cutlery, food or drinks.
9.- Follow the recommendations as given by the physician and don`t self-medicate.
10.- Ventilate your working place and house, and permit sun to enter.
11.- Drink much and eat foods rich in vitamin C.
12.- Avoid sudden change of temperature.
13.- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

PROPHYLAXIS (meaning preventive)

1. Homeopathic remedies
a. BAPTISIA TINCTOREA
b. INFLUENZINUM
c. ARSENICUM ALBUM

From the Mexico City Doctors Report

"In homeopathy there are no specific medicines for a particular nosological picture (for which the most common symptoms are taken into account). But in epidemics, due to the common causative agent, susceptibility of the population in this particular moment, and the repetition of symptoms, a group of the most useful remedies can be deduced. The remedies determined in this way are called the Genius Epidemicus. They consist of a group of medicines with symptoms most similar to those presented by most patients suffering this flu."

"For homeopathic treatment is it necessary to take into account the degree of reaction of the patient and the symptoms with which the diseasemanifests itself. We considered this and the symptoms observed during the last epidemic (1918) to find the similar remedy."

Homepathic Remedies Listed by the Mexican Doctors and Directly Copied Here Which They Successfully Employed Against the 2009 Mexican Flu

Aconitum napellus, Actea racemosa, Allium cepa, Ammonium phosphoricum, Antimonium tartaricum, Arnica montana, Arsenicum album, Baptisia tinctoria, Belladonna atropa, Bryonia alba, Camphora, Carbo vegetabilis, Carbolic acid, Causticum, Chamomilla, China officinalis, Drosera rotundifolia, Eupatorium perfoliatum, Euphrasia, Ferrum phosphoricum, Gelsemium sempervirens, Glonoinum, Hepatica triloba, Hyosciamus niger, Influenzinum (corresponding to the epidemic), Ipecauanha, Lachesis trigonocephalus, Lycopodium clavatum, Mercurius vivus, Natrum sulphuricum, Nux vomica, Opium, Phosphorus, Phytolacca decandra, Pulsatilla, Pyrogenium, Rhus toxicodendron, Sticta pulmonaria, Sepia officinalis, Sulphur.

Most Used Remedies in Hemorrhagic Influenza

Arnica montana, Arsenicum album, Baptisia tinctoria, Belladonna atropa, Bryonia alba, Camphora, Carbo vegetabilis, Chamomilla, China officinalis, Ferrum phosphoricum, Influenzinum (corresponding to the epidemic), Ipecacuanha, Lachesis trigonocephalus, Mercurius vivus, Phosphorus, Sepia officinalis, Sulphur.

Nosodes

Influenzinum (corresponding to the epidemic), Pyrogenium, Anthracinum.

That Ends the Doctors` Report. Here`s More General Information on Homeopathy

Classic homeopathy is a healing methodology that is based on the wisdom of treating a specific individual and their specific symptoms (including body, mind, emotions, and environment), as opposed to the allopathic model which bases treatment on agreed upon disease symptoms and averages.

It is also important to note that homeopathy is primarily an energetic and vibrational medicine. Simplistically speaking, homeopathic remedies are created by diluting a physical substance into a distilled water and alcohol and creating a vibrational or energetic substance by shaking it rapidly with machinery. This is how a nosode is created. Therefore, even a toxic physical substance prepared in a nosode will not retain any toxicity that will be transferred into the body.

And the nosode is taken orally, thereby not bypassing the initial stage of the immune system. Inoculations do bypass this important first phase of the immune system by ignoring the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat and going directly into the bloodstream. Homeopathic remedies are applied by a counterintuitive method. A homeopathic doctor is skilled in matching the individual`s current symptom picture with exact remedies that produce those exact same symptoms. This is actual immunization. Keep in mind when an individual`s symptoms change, new homeopathic remedies are prescribed to replace the previous homeopathic recommendations. This process continues until there are no more symptoms.

However, when there is an epidemic or pandemic disease, a homeopathic doctor can use the `common` symptoms widely reported by the public as an individual body and prescribe homeopathic remedies accordingly.

Homeopathy and the 1918 Flu

WW I was the first time that USA military personnel were ordered to receive vaccinations. There was and is a strong suspicion that mandated vaccinations used on troops actually created the initial infections for this pandemic. It`s recorded that many died after being vaccinated, while most who did not receive vaccinations survived.

Those factors did not affect or alter what homeopaths managed to put together during this pandemic. Understanding symptoms which have been closely scrutinized and categorized are the determining factors for administering classic homeopathic remedies, including the follow up remedies for complete recovery as symptoms change.

Undisclosed to the public at large, despite the strange and unusually virulent flu strain resulting in the "White Plague", the cure rate of homeopathy during the 1918 so called Spanish Flu has been reported as 98%.

Sources:

An Important Article Recommending Over the Counter Homeopathic Remedies
http://www.examiner.com/x-11705-NY-...

The Mexico City homeopathic doctors` 2009 Mexican complete report http://www.hpathy.com/papersnew/gal...

Homeopathy for Everyone http://www.hpathy.com/

Observations of Mexican Flu 2009
http://www.hpathy.com/papersnew/gal...

Homeopathy and the Flu
http://www.cure-guide.com/Flu/Homeo...

Website for general flu information and homeopathy
http://flusolution.net/

Important for Swine Flu Epidemic: Homeopathy Successfully Treated Flu Epidemic of 1918 http://www.naturalnews.com/026148.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/026839_homeopathy_homeopathic_doctors.html

How to Beat and Prevent Osteoporosis Naturally

Tony Isaacs, NaturalNews.com  August 14, 2009

(NaturalNews) As we age, our bones begin to erode, which to some extent is normal and a natural result of aging. However, some of us lose so much bone that our skeletons become weakened and deformed and in severe cases we incur loss of bone density in multiple places. That is osteoporosis, and it frequently causes fractures of the hip, spine and forearm. At its worst, bones can become so frail that they can crack and break under the body's own weight!

The meaning of the term `osteoporosis` originates from `osteo`, which means bone, and `porosis` which implies thinning or becoming more porous. Hence, osteoporosis literally means `thinning of bone`. Medically speaking, Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone in which the bone mineral density(BMD) is reduced which means one has a low bone mass and deteriorating bone tissue. In simple words, the bones become thin, brittle and may be easily broken. Bone mass (bone density) is the amount of bone present in the skeletal structure. The higher the density the stronger are the bones. Bone density is strongly influenced by genetic factors, which in turn are sometimes modified by environmental factors and medications.

If osteoporosis is not prevented in the early stages or if left untreated, it can progress painlessly until the bone tends to break. These broken bones, also known as fractures, occur typically in the hip, spine, and wrist. The fracture caused by osteoporosis can be either in the form of cracking (as in a hip fracture), or collapsing (as in a compression fracture of the vertebrae of the spine). Though the spine, hips, and wrists are common areas of osteoporosis-related bone fractures, almost any skeletal bone area is susceptible to osteoporosis-related fracture.

The consequences of osteoporosis may impair a person for life. A hip fracture may impair a person`s ability to walk and may cause permanent disability or even death despite hospitalization and major surgery. The Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity. Osteoporosis can cause a person to stoop forward and appear to have a hump on his or her spine. While osteoporosis occurs in men and pre-menopausal women, the problem is predominant among postmenopausal women.

Anyone can get osteoporosis, but women are more likely to get it than men. They have lighter bones than men, and they lose bone rapidly aftermenopause, because their bodies are producing less estrogen. But men aren`t immune, especially if they drink heavily, smoke or have taken steroiddrugs.

But your bones don`t have to crack under the strain of this disease. You can slow, stop or even reverse bone loss.

One natural remedy for osteoporosisis is fish oil containing EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and GLA (gamma linolenic acid), which not only are effective safeguards against osteoporosis, but also improve the skin and brain function and avoid cardiovascular problems. Light exercise is also recommended, such as walking, dancing, aerobics or bouncing on trampolines. Calcium and magnesium supplements, in the ratio of 2 or 3: 1 respectively, would also help increase bone density.

Factors Contributing to the Loss of Bone Density and Strength:

Excess phosphorus intake through drinking too many sodas, particularly colas, causes the body to balance this phosphorus by drawing calcium from the bones.

Magnesium deficiency is a huge factor for osteoporosis. Magnesium is actually more important than calcium for bone growth and bone density. As many as 90 percent or more of us are deficient in magnesium.

Among women the deficiency of Estrogen (a group of hormones) post menopause has been correlated to a rapid reduction in BMD.

The increased risk of falling associated with aging, leads to fractures of the wrist, spine and hip, and in many instances the fall is actually caused by the breaking of a bone when taking a step, especially when stepping downward on stairs or stepping off porches.

Other hormone deficiency states can lead to osteoporosis, such as testosterone deficiency. Glucocorticoid or thyroxine excess states also lead to osteoporosis.

Not eating foods rich in Calcium, Vitamin D and Phosphorous can also cause bone loss. Calcium and/or vitamin D deficiency from malnutrition also increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Some medicines can inhibit the body`s ability to absorb calcium. This may cause the bones to weaken. These medications include cortisone/corticosteroids, anticoagulants, thyroid supplements, and some anti-convulsive drugs.

Other illnesses or diseases, such as over-active thyroid, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis may also cause bone loss. A disease such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia can cause changes in a person`s estrogen level and lead to osteoporosis.

Other significant factors leading to the onset of osteoporosis include: smoking cigarettes, high intake of alcohol, tea or coffee, low levels of physical activity (weight bearing exercise), and family history.

Sedentary lifestyle is a major factor in osteoporosis. Exercise strengthens bones - inactivity encourages the body not to rebuild unused resources.

Consuming too much fat in our diets can contribute to osteoporosis as well. Vegetarians are shown to have greater bone mass than meat eaters.

Excess alcohol consumption interferes with calcium absorption.

Drinking too much coffee. A study of 84,484 patients showed a correlation between bone fractures and heavy coffee consumption.

The evidence is overwhelming that smoking, particularly heavy smoking, boosts bone loss.

A lack of natural vitamin D, which can be obtained by exposure (not over-exposure) to sunlight, is also an important factor in bone loss.

Not enough Vitamin K in the system is an often overlooked contributor to osteoporosis. New research has shown that this little known vitamin is the key to calcium balance in the body.

Trace minerals, which most of us are deficient in due to our mineral depleted soils, are necessary for the transport and absorption of calcium.

Prescription drugs can increase bone loss. These include cortisone, blood thinners, antacids containing aluminum, chemotherapy, lithium, and certain antibiotics.

Birth control pills reduce the folic acid content in the body.

Excess consumption of dairy products actually causes bone loss, contrary to what many might believe. This is due to the high animal fat content in dairy products, and the lack of CLA in modern dairy products.

Excess salt and sugar consumption in junk foods leach calcium from the bones into the urine.

Fluorides destroy collagen, the glue which adds strength to the bones.

Exercise to Build Strong Bones:

Exercise aerobically for 20 minutes a day at least three days a week. The best aerobic exercise for strong bones is one you will continue doing, because if you don`t do it for life, the bone-building benefits fade. Exercise for at least thirty minutes using weight-bearing exercise such as walking or jogging, three times a week. This regime has been proven to increase bone mineral density, and reduce the risk of falls by strengthening the major muscle groups in the legs and back. You may prefer running, biking, swimming or aerobic dance classes. Aim for quality, not quantity, when you exercise.

Walking in chest-deep water for about 30 minutes at least three times a week is a suggested remedy, especially if you`ve already had a fracture or two, since the water will help support your body weight and take stress off bones and joints. Work yourself up to 30 minutes at least three times a week.

Make your "exercise equipment" a chair and the floor. To complement water walking, do some easy muscle -strengthening exercises in a chair or on the floor. Such exercises can include abdominal curls, shoulder blade squeezes and back extensions.

To do back extensions, lie on the floor on your stomach, with a pillow under your hips and your arms at your sides. Using only your back muscles, not your arms, raise your upper body a few inches off the floor. Hold for as long as comfortable, then relax downward. Work up to doing this six to ten times a day.

Dietary and Other Tips for Handling Osteoporosis Without Medications

Vary your diet. Bones are not made from calcium alone. Instead, bones are an amalgam that includes various minerals such as zinc, boron and copper. These trace elements can be ingested through a varied and broad-based diet that includes mostly unprocessed foods, such as whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish and lean meat. Foods high in boron (a mineral that helps the body hold calcium) are beneficial for those affected by osteoporosis. Boron is found in apples, pears, grapes and other fruit, as well as in legumes, nuts and honey. Manganese is another beneficial mineral. Traces of manganese are largely found in pineapples, nuts, spinach, beans and whole wheat.

Bones need nourishment from calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and phosphorous. A poor diet lacking these essential vitamins and minerals contributes to osteoporosis. Foods rich in calcium are especially necessary to maintaining healthy bones. Dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt), salmon, sardines, almonds, dark green leafy vegetables and broccoli are good sources of calcium. It is recommended that one should include 1500mg of calcium daily either via dietary means or via supplementation. For measurement purposes, it is important to note that an 8 oz glass of milk contains approximately 300 mg of calcium. Calcium supplements are an effective alternative option. These come in a variety of forms. The body can absorb only about 500 mg of calcium at one time and so intake should be spread throughout the day.

Magnesium is essential for good bone growth and density. The recommended daily minimums are 320 mg for women and 400 for men, but optimum daily amounts are more like 500 to 700 mg. Dietary sources include dark green leafy vegetables and nuts, but it is difficult to get enough magnesium through diet alone so supplementation is advised for most people. It is estimated that 8 out of 10 people do not get enough magnesium daily and that over 90% of the US population is magnesium deficient.

Brussels sprouts are known to prevent diseases like cancer, birth defects, osteoporosis and heart trouble. Brussels sprouts provide essential vitamin K(this vitamin activates a protein found in bones, called osteocalcin, which holds calcium molecules in place) helps protect against osteoporosis.

Change your life style by quitting cigarette smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and exercising regularly. It is important to note that a few studies have suggested an adverse effect of calcium excess on bone density and reports indicate the milk industry has been misleading customers. It has been reported that excess consumption of dairy products may cause acification, which leeches calcium from the system. Therefore, it is claimed that vegetables and nuts are a better source of calcium and milk products are better avoided. It is noteworthy to observe that man alone continues to drink milk after the age of weaning and one has only to look at cows, which get all of their calcium from grass and vegetable forage and have some of the largest and strongest bones of any animal.

Monitor your medications. Some drugs can hasten bone loss. Those most likely to cause problems: corticosteroids, which are prescribed for a variety of conditions such as rheumatic disorders, allergic conditions and respiratory disease; L-thyroxine, a thyroid medication; and furosemide, a diuretic often used against fluid retention associated with high blood pressure and kidney problems.

Avoid colas and other carbonated soft drinks which get their sharp taste from phosphoric acid, which contains phosphorus, a mineral that in excess amounts causes your body to excrete calcium.

Salt lightly, and choose healthy sea salt for added minerals. As with phosphorus, too much salt causes your body to excrete calcium. Avoid products with more than 300 milligrams of salt per serving.

Almond Milk is calcium rich and a good remedy to help with osteoporosis is calcium-rich almond milk. One can have the almond milk by soaking the almonds in warm water, peeling and blending them with either cow`s milk or better still, goat`s milk. Drink only raw organic milk.

Herbs That Can Help Osteoporosis

Dandelion Tea helps build bone density.

Red Clover has been shown to improve bone mineral density (it also lowers LDL cholesterol).

Chaste Berry contains vitexicarpin and vitricin, which help to keep hormone levels in balance. It is advisable to take at least 250 mg a day of a standardized extract of this herb for two to three months.

Dong Quai has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. It is advisable to take 250 mg of a standardized extract of dong quai daily as a tonic herb.

A recent study indicates that the popular herb Black Cohosh may help prevent osteoporosis. Most studies recommend an intake of either 20 or 40 mg of black cohosh extract twice a day.

A handful of sesame seeds had every morning may also help osteoporosis.

Dietary Supplementation Tips for Osteoporosis:

Aim for maximum absorption. Spread your calcium supplements out over the day rather than taking them all at once.

Magnesium, calcium and phosphorus are all essential for proper bone growth and density. Try to get 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium, even if you haven`t reached menopause. And they suggest 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams a day for postmenopausal women who are not getting ERT.

Most women consume far less than those amounts. Reaching 1,000 milligrams through diet alone means drinking a quart of skim milk a day or eating two cups of low-fat yogurt or four cups of low-fat cottage cheese.

Figure out, realistically, how much calcium you can get through your diet, then make up the rest with supplements. Dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach are excellent sources of calcium.

Get enough vitamin D. For maximum protection, aim for 600 international units of vitamin D per day (three times the Recommended Dietary Allowance).

Plant derived trace minerals are the best source of invaluable trace minerals. Minerals are the building blocks of the enzymes necessary for the utilization of all other vitamins, etc. (rock minerals are a waste of money since only 5-15% can be broken down by the body before being eliminated. Minerals already digested by plants are potentially 100% absorbable.

Glucosamine, Chondrotin, and Collagen are important for bone and joint health (and all of these are available in a product called Liquid Life Joint Care, which also contains aloe and bovine colostrum).

Silica (from horsetail and/or shavegrass) works with calcium to maintain strong bones and is especially effective in combination with GTF Chromium.

GTF Chromium (GTF Chromium is a complex known as Glucose Tolerance Factor and is made by fermenting nutritional yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with chromium.)

Inositol/IP6 modulates the behavior of bone-forming and bone-destroying cells to help prevent osteoporosis.

Besides being an excellent pathogen destroyer, Colloidal Silver also helps bone, tissue and nerve regeneration.

http://www.naturalnews.com/026841_osteoporosis_calcium_magnesium.html

An Apple A Day Keeps Kidney Stones Away: More Fruits And Veggies, Less Salt Prevents Stones From Forming

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2009) — Researchers have found another reason to eat well: a healthy diet helps prevent kidney stones. Loading up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains, while limiting salt, red and processed meats, and sweetened beverages is an effective way to ward off kidney stones, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).
Because kidney stones are linked to higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, increased body weight, and other risk factors for heart disease, the findings have considerable health implications.
Eric Taylor, MD (Maine Medical Center) and his colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital conducted a large study to determine the effects of healthy eating habits on the formation of kidney stones. The investigators collected information from individuals enrolled in three clinical studies: the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (45,821 men followed for 18 years), the Nurses' Health Study I (94,108 older women followed for 18 years), and the Nurses' Health Study II (101,837 younger women followed for 14 years).
Dr. Taylor's team assigned a score to each participant based on eight components of a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) style diet: high intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, low-fat dairy products, and whole grains and low intake of salt, sweetened beverages, and red and processed meats. Individuals with higher DASH scores consumed diets that were higher in calcium, potassium, magnesium, oxalate, and vitamin C and lower in sodium.
A total of 5,645 incident kidney stones developed in the participants in the three studies. In each study, participants with the highest DASH scores were between 40% and 45% less likely to develop kidney stones than participants with the lowest DASH scores. The reductions in kidney stone risk were independent of age, body size, fluid intake, and other factors.
Because a DASH-style diet may affect the development of hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases associated with kidney stones, the researchers also performed an analysis limited to study participants without hypertension or diabetes. Even among those individuals the DASH diet reduced the risk of kidney stones.
Many of the medications used to treat kidney stones have unpleasant side effects. This study indicates that adopting a DASH-style diet may be an effective alternative.
Study co-authors include Teresa Fung (Simmons College) and Gary Curhan, MD (Brigham and Women's Hospital).
Eric N. Taylor, Teresa T. Fung, and Gary C. Curhan. DASH-Style Diet Associates with Reduced Risk for Kidney Stones. Journal of the American Society Nephrology, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813170845.htm

Mango Seeds May Protect Against Deadly Food Bacteria

ScienceDaily (Aug. 14, 2009) — Life in the fruit bowl is no longer the pits, thanks to a University of Alberta researcher.
Christina Engels has found a way to turn the throwaway kernels in mangoes into a natural food preservative that could help prevent Listeriosis outbreaks like the one that killed 21 Canadians last year.
The findings can also apply to other fruit seeds like grapes, said Engels, who conducted the research to earn her master's degree from the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science at the U of A. The research is published in the latest Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Pure tannins, a plant component extracted from otherwise useless mango kernels by Engels, have proven inhibitory effects against various strains of bacteria including Listeria, a potentially deadly pathogen that infected some packaged meats and caused an outbreak of disease in Canada in 2008.
Engels' research focuses on a way to recycle wood-like mango kernels, which are usually thrown away or burned. "By processing the kernels for their tannins, businesses have a way to completely utilize all fruit parts and therefore increase their profit," she said. Currently, mangos are one of the main fruits marketed globally, ranked fifth in world production among the major fruit crops.
Christina Engels, Matthias Kndler, Yuan-Yuan Zhao, Reinhold Carle, Michael G. Gnzle and Andreas Schieber.Antimicrobial Activity of Gallotannins Isolated from Mango (Mangifera indica L.) Kernels. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009;
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813163200.htm

Black Tea May Fight Diabetes

ScienceDaily (Aug. 13, 2009) — Long known for its antioxidants, immune boosting and, most recently, antihypertensive properties, black tea could have another health benefit. Black tea may be used to control diabetes, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists.
Next to water, tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world. Researchers from the Tianjin Key Laboratory in China studied the polysaccharide levels of green, oolong and black teas and whether they could be used to treat diabetes. Polysaccharides, a type of carbohydrate that includes starch and cellulose, may benefit people with diabetes because they help retard absorption of glucose.
The researchers found that of the three teas, the polysaccharides in black tea had the most glucose-inhibiting properties. The black tea polysaccharides also showed the highest scavenging effect on free radicals, which are involved in the onset of diseases such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
“Many efforts have been made to search for effective glucose inhibitors from natural materials,” says lead researcher Haixia Chen. “There is a potential for exploitation of black tea polysaccharide in managing diabetes.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090728172604.htm

Double-digit Drug Price Increases So Far in 2009

Despite inflation remaining at near zero this year, pharmaceutical companies are jacking up the prices they charge for patented drugs to even more exorbitant levels.
Since the Medicare Prescrip-tion Drug Act7 requires the federal government to pay full retail price, pharmaceutical companies can literally name their price and receive guaranteed payment courtesy of taxpayers. Drug companies receive a substantial percentage of the retail price from private health insurers also, so the more they raise the prices, the more money they make.
Consumers are the ultimate victims. They face higher Medicare premiums and taxes, higher private insurance premiums, more exclusions and higher co-pays, and higher taxes to cover the $600 billion Medicare Prescription Drug Act.
Proposed legislation calls for the FDA to get more funding, so taxpayers may also be contributing to the bureaucracy that serves to protect drug companies against lower-priced competition.
The growing number of Americans without medical insurance and who don’t qualify for government aid are priced out of the market for patented medications unless they are economically well-endowed. The federal government recognizes this problem and is proposing that even more tax dollars now be used to subsidize prescription drugs, though not at full retail price.

In fact, one reason pharmaceutical companies are increasing prices is that they fear the federal government will soon require they “discount” their patented medications. So the more they jack up the prices now, the greater amount they will receive after they are forced to lower them via government-mandated “discounts.”
The chart below "Rising Drug Costs" shows the double-digit price increases that have already occurred on popular drugs in 2009.

How Consumers Will be Protected

We are proposing that the law be amended to allow GMP-certified manufacturing facilities to produce generic prescription drugs that do not undergo the excessive regulatory hurdles that force consumers to pay egregiously inflated prices.
To alert consumers when they are getting a generic whose manufacturing is not as heavily regulated as it is currently, the law should mandate that the label of these less-regulated generic drugs clearly states:
“This is not an FDA-approved manufactured generic drug and may be ineffective and potentially dangerous. This drug is NOT manufactured under the same standards required for an FDA-approved generic drug. Purchase this drug at your own risk.”
By allowing the sale of these less costly generics, consumers will have a choice as to what companies they choose totrust.

The inevitable concern raised by this free market solution is safety. Who will protect consumers from poorly made generic drugs?
First of all, there will be the same regulation of these drugs as there are with GMP-certified supplement makers. FDA inspectors will visit facilities, take sample products, and assay to ensure potency of active ingredient, dissolution, etc. Laboratories that fail to make products that meet label claims would face civil and criminal penalties from the government.
Secondly, there is no incentive not to provide the full potency of active ingredient in these less-regulated generic drugs. The price of the active ingredients makes up such a small percentage of the overall cost that a manufacturer would be idiotic to scrimp on potency.
Companies that foolishly make inferior generics will be viciously exposed by the media, along with the FDA, consumer protection groups, and even prescribing physicians who will be suspicious if a drug was not working as it is supposed to.
Companies producing inferior products will be quickly driven from the marketplace as consumers who choose to purchase these lower-cost generics will seek out laboratories that have reputations for making flawless products.
These substandard companies would not only be castigated in the public’s eye, but face civil litigation from customers who bought the defective generics. When one considers that GMP-certified manufacturing plants can cost hundreds of millions to set up, a company would be committing suicide if it failed to consistently produce generic drugs that at least met minimum standards.

Mollifying the Cynics

No matter how many facts I list showing that these free market drugs will be safe, there are alarmists who believe that even if one person suffers a serious adverse event because of a defective generic drug, then the law should not be amended to allow the sale of these less-regulated products.
What few understand is that enabling lower-cost drugs to be sold might reduce the number of poorly made drugs. The reason is that prescription drug counterfeiting is a major issue today. Drugs are counterfeited because they are so expensive. With a month’s supply of free market simvastatin selling for only $3.20, it is difficult to imagine anyone profiting by counterfeiting it. So amending the law to enable these super-low-cost drugs to be sold might reduce the counterfeiting that exists right now.
Another reason these less-regulated generics will do far more good than harm is that people who need them to live will be able to afford them. The media has reported on heart-wrenching stories of destitute people who cannot afford even generic prescription drugs. They either do without, or take a less-than-optimal dose. The availability of these free market generics will enable virtually anyone to be able to afford their medications.

Preserving Our Country’s Financial Future

The cost of prescription drugs is a significant factor in today’s health care cost crisis, a problem that threatens to bankrupt consumers and this nation’s medical system. Passage of common-sense legislation would quickly slash the cost of generic drugs so low that consumers could obtain them for less than what their co-pays currently are. Enormous amounts of money would be saved by public and private insurance programs, and ultimately consumers.
According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), all federal revenue will be eaten up by government outlays for Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and public debt interest by 20258,9—just 16 years from now!
We as a nation can no longer afford to be bound by today’s inefficient regulatory system that artificially inflates the cost of our prescription medications. The money is no longer there to support this bureaucratic morass.

Fight Back Against This Institutional Corruption

The United States of America faces a health care cost crisis that will render Medicare and many private insurance plans insolvent. Next month I will reveal shocking details about how bad Medicare’s finances really are.
When terrorists attacked the United States in 2001, there were patriotic Americans who enlisted in the armed services. Many lost their limbs, their vision, and their lives.
No one has to engage in physical combat to save this country from the institutionalized inefficiencies and corruption that plague today’s disease-care system. All you have to do is type-in www.lef.org/lac on to your computer and easily send a copy of this article to your Representative and two Senators (along with the letter that appears at the end of this article "Letter to Washington").
Just punch in your name and address, and our Legislative Action Center (www.lef.org/lac) locates your Representative and Senators. It is that simple to take affirmative action to help save our country from the insolvency so many countries chronically suffer with.
This article will be read by over 300,000 Americans. In previous legislative initiatives, fewer than 6,000 people botheredto spend a few minutes logging on to our convenient Legislative Action Website. This kind of citizen apathy is why the federal government continues to trample our liberties and empty our pocketbooks.
The form letter below "Letter to Washington" can be printed (along with this entire article), and mailed to your members of Congress. To find out where to mail these letters, call 202-224-3121. It is of course much more convenient to log on to www.lef.org/lac
I sincerely hope that after reading this article, not one Life Extension® member will fail to take this simple action to help protect this nation’s economic future.
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2009/aug2009_The-Generic-Drug-Rip-Off_02.htm

Lycopene linked to healthier blood vessels

Nutraingredients.com, 13-Aug-2009

Higher levels of lycopene in the blood are associated with lower stiffness in the arteries, says a new study supporting the heart health benefits of the carotenoid.
Women with the highest levels of lycopene also had the lowest levels of oxidized LDL-cholesterol, according to a study with 264 women published in the journalAtherosclerosis.
Oxidation of LDLs is thought to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. Increasing LDL's resistance to oxidation is thought to possibly delay the progression of the disease.
“Our finding suggests that serum concentrations of lycopene may play a important role in the early stage of atherosclerosis,” wrote the researchers, led by Jong Ho Lee from the Department of Food and Nutrition at Yonsei University in South Korea.
“In addition, a reduced oxidative modification of LDL such as low oxidised LDL concentration and large LDL particle size may be one of the mechanisms by which lycopene could reduce arterial stiffness and the risk of CVD,” they added.
Growing science and market for lycopene
Lycopene is an antioxidant that is present in red- and pink-coloured fruits and vegetables. It has been shown to have heart, blood pressure, prostate, osteoporosis, skin and other benefits in both natural and synthetic forms.
As well as being used as a food colouring, it has also used for its functional properties in food supplements and some food and beverage products, particularly those targeting the ‘beauty-from-within’ market.
According to Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD), globally there were 418 global lycopene product launches between 2003 and 2009 in foods, supplements and cosmetics. There have been 83 launches so far in 2009.
Study details
The Korean researchers recruited women aged between 31 and 75 and took blood samples in order to measure their blood levels of lycopene, as well as other carotenoids. Arterial stiffness was measured using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).
According to their results, women with the highest average lycopene blood levels (more than 0.0431 millimoles per litre) had the lowest baPWV values, compared to people with the lowest average lycopene blood levels (less that 0.0342 mmol/L).
Furthermore, these women also had lower oxidised LDL levels, as well as larger LDL particles.
Levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation, were also lower in the women with the highest lycopene levels.
“This result is in line with previous reports that lycopene showed superior antioxidant capability or trend of a decreased atherosclerotic risk compared with other antioxidant such as beta-carotene both in vitro and in humans,” said the researchers.
Source: Atherosclerosis
Published online ahead of print, 13 August 2009, doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2009.08.009
“Independent inverse relationship between serum lycopene concentration and arterial stiffness”
Authors: H.Y. Yoe, O.Y. Kim, H.J. Kim, J.K. Paik, J.Y. Park, J.Y. Kim, S.-H. Lee, J.H. Lee, K.P. Lee, Y. Jang, J.H. Lee
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Lycopene-linked-to-healthier-blood-vessels

Probiotics may reduce cold and 'flu symptoms for children

Nutraingredients.com, 30-Jul-2009

A daily supplement of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains may reduce the incidence of cold and 'flu-like symptoms in children by 50 per cent, says a new study from Danisco.
A combination of the two strains was linked to reductions in fever incidence by 73 per cent, a reduction in the occurrence of runny noses by 59 per cent, and drop in the incidence of coughing by 62 per cent, according to findings published in Pediatrics.
“Daily probiotic dietary supplementation during the winter months was a safe effective way to reduce episodes of fever, rhinorrhea, and cough, the cumulative duration of those symptoms, the incidence of antibiotic prescriptions, and the number of missed school days attributable to illness,” wrote the authors, led by Gregory Leyer from the Department of Research and Development for Daniscoin Madison.
“L acidophilus NCFM alone was effective. There was, however, a trend for a broader protective effect with the combination of L acidophilus NCFM and B lactisBi-07.”
Indeed, when L. acidophilus NCFM was used alone the fever incidence was cut by 53 per cent, the occurrence of runny noses was reduced by 28 per cent, and the incidence of coughing fell by 41 per cent.
According to UNICEF, a global average of 16 per cent of children under five suffer from acute respiratory infections.
Study details
Leyer and his co-workers from Tongji University (Shanghai), the University of Texas at Houston, and Sprim USA (Frisco) recruited 326 children aged between three and five in a child care centre in China.
The children were randomly assigned to one of three groups, and received twice a day for six months the single L. acidophilus NCFM strain, the combination of the strains, or placebo.
In addition to the reductions in the incidence in fever, coughing, and runny noses, the researchers noted a reduction in the use of antibiotics in children either of the probiotic interventions, while these children also missed fewer days of child care.
“Although the reduced incidence of antibiotic prescriptions for all indications noted in an earlier study was confirmed, this study is the first to indicate a trend toward more-significant results with a combination versus single strain preparation,” wrote the authors.
The duration of symptoms was also reduced in the placebo groups, with a 32 and 48 per cent decrease observed in the single strain and combination groups, respectively.
Commenting on the mechanism, the researchers said that an immune-enhancing effect was the “likely explanation, because numerous studies with various probiotic bacteria have demonstrated their ability to modulate immune responses through interactions
with toll-like receptors”.1
Furthermore, they note that part of the rationale behind the strain choice for this study lay in the strains’ ability to stimulate cells called dendritic cells that play a role in immune systems function.
Source: Pediatrics 
2009, Volume 124: e172-e179
“Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children”
Authors: G.J. Leyer, S .Li, M.E. Mubasher, C. Reifer, A.C. Ouwehand
http://www.nutraingredients.com/On-your-radar/Probiotics/Probiotics-may-reduce-cold-and-flu-symptoms-for-children

Cannabis may prevent osteoporosis
Researchers looking at the effects of cannabis on bones have found its impact varies dramatically with age.
The study found that while the drug may reduce bone strength in the young, it could protect against osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones, in later life.
The results were uncovered by a team at the University of Edinburgh who compared the drug's effects on mice.
Osteoporosis affects up to 30% of women and about 12% of men at some point in their lives.
The group found that cannabis can activate a molecule found naturally in the body that is key to the development of osteoporosis.
When the type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) comes into contact with cannabis, it has an impact on bone regeneration.
However, until now, it was not clear whether the drug had a positive or negative effect.
'Early results'
Researchers, funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign, investigated this using mice which lacked the CB1 receptor.
The scientists then used compounds - similar to those in cannabis - that activated the CB1 receptor.
They found that compounds increased the rate at which bone tissue was destroyed in the young.
Despite this, the study also showed that the same compounds decreased bone loss in older mice and prevented the accumulation of fat in the bones, which is known to occur in humans with osteoporosis.
Stuart Ralston, the Arthritis Research Campaign Professor of Rheumatology at the University of Edinburgh, who led the study, said: "This is an exciting step forward, but we must recognise that these are early results and more tests are needed on the effects of cannabis in humans to determine how the effects differ with age in people.
"We plan to conduct further trials soon and hope the results will help to deliver new treatments that will be of value in the fight against osteoporosis."
The results are published in Cell Metabolism.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8199007.stm

Older drivers unaware of drug risks

USA TODAY, August 11, 2009
Many older drivers who take medications that could affect their performance behind the wheel are unaware of the risks associated with those drugs, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Just 28% of people ages 56-93 knew that their medicines could affect their driving ability, according to detailed interviews of 630 adults in Alabama conducted from September through December. Perhaps most unsettling, researchers found that the drivers' awareness of potential side effects decreased with age just as the number of prescription medications people take increased.
The number of drivers age 55 and older is expected to increase by more than half by 2030, according to the AAA Foundation, a non-profit research group working to prevent traffic crashes and reduce injuries.
"We as a society are not getting the message to these older drivers," said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation. "Health care professionals need to do a better job of educating patients. Family members of older drivers need to be much more engaged. They need to find out what medications their relatives are on, talk to a pharmacist if necessary. It's something that could avoid a catastrophe."
AARP, the lobbying group representing people 50 and older, endorses the AAA Foundation's findings, said Nancy Thompson, an AARP spokeswoman. "AARP believes that driving wellness is a critical issue not only for older drivers but for everyone," she said.
Thompson said AARP supports American Medical Association policies that encourage doctors to inform patients about the effects of their health condition and medication on their driving. In addition, she said, the organization "advises consumers not to drive until they know the effects of their medication on their body."
Kissinger said the survey found "some evidence that people who were still married did seem to be a little more aware. It underscores the need for family members to get involved."
Older drivers are involved in a small proportion of all crashes, and they're involved in fewer fatal drunken-driving crashes than any other adult age group, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, older drivers have the highest crash rate per mile traveled.
http://www.freep.com/article/20090811/FEATURES08/90811101

Antidepressant suicide risk varies by age -US FDA

CHICAGO, Aug 11 (Reuters) - People under age 25 who take antidepressants have a higher risk of suicide, but adults older than that do not, an analysis by U.S. Food and Drug Administration researchers released on Tuesday showed.

The report by the FDA scientists confirms earlier studies and supports the agency's age-related warnings on the drugs' labeling.

U.S. and European regulators have been sounding alarms on the use of antidepressant drugs since 2003 after clinical trials showed they increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in those under age 18.

In February 2005, the FDA added a so-called black box warning -- the agency's strongest warning -- on the use of all antidepressants in young children and teens to draw attention to the possible risks of these medications. In May 2007, it extended the warnings to young adults aged 18 to 24.

Many psychiatrists have criticized the warnings, saying they scare people away from effective treatment for depression, the leading cause of suicide. In fact, recent studies have suggested the warnings triggered an 8 percent rise in suicide among youth and teens in 2004, the biggest one-year gain in 15 years.

A LASTING DECLINE

A study published in June in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry said the FDA's decision to impose black box warnings for children and young adults had a spillover effect on depression care in older adults, resulting in a lasting decline in depression diagnosis and treatment.

Those researchers urged the FDA to revise its policy.

The FDA analysis by Dr. Marc Stone, Dr. Thomas Laughren and colleagues involved a review of data from eight drug makers on 372 clinical trials involving nearly 100,000 adults.

Overall, they found the risk of suicide was "strongly age-dependent," with higher risks in people under 25, no difference among those 25 to 64, and lower risks in people 65 and older.

The researchers said the findings, published on the British Medical Journal website, support the agency's warnings on antidepressant drug labeling for people under 25, and they also support the notion that antidepressant drugs can have two distinct effects.

In some patients, they can promote suicidal thoughts or behavior -- but this risk appears to diminish with age. In others, the drugs provide relief from depression, reducing the risk of suicide. They said more research is needed to understand these differences.

John Geddes from the University of Oxford and colleagues said in a commentary the findings were not new and noted that the trials studied by the FDA excluded sicker patients. The study did, however, make clear differences in risks among specific antidepressants, they said.

They noted specific differences in commonly used drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.

For example, the odds of suicidal behavior by people taking Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Zoloft, or sertraline, were around half of those who took placebo. By comparison, Forest Laboratories Inc's (FRX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Celexa, or citalopram, and Lexapro, or escitalopram, "seem to increase the risk of suicidal events," Geddes and colleagues wrote.

"Increased risk is probably restricted to younger people and varies greatly between individual medicines."
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN11535486

Herbs and Vitamins can Increase Testosterone

Melanie Grimes, NaturalNews.com, August 13, 2009

(NaturalNews) Testosterone decreases as we age, but numerous herbs and nutrients can help increase the blood levels of this hormone. Low testosterone can increase the risk of heart problems as well as depression, osteoporosis, and dementia. Reduced testosterone causes a condition known as andropause that develops with aging. Testosterone is an anabolic steroid and research on synthetic hormone replacement has been inconclusive.

The UCLA School of Medicine studied the plant MUIRA PUAMA and found it had the ability to increase testosterone production in men. South American shaman and healers have used this plant from the Brazilian rainforest for generations. Known as "potency wood" it has been used as an aphrodisiac as well.

The Chinese herb FO TI is used in Oriental Medicine as an aphrodisiac and for longevity. The Chinese name is HOSHOU WU. It has been used to treat impotency and to turn back the clocks on aging.

Broccoli and cauliflower contain natural ingredients that help the body to eliminate estrogen. Another way to do this is by taking the nutrient L-ARGININE. A recent study showed that men taking less than two grams of l-arginine daily for two weeks had improvement. Another study of men taking five grams a day, demonstrated similar results.

SARSAPARILLA root has been made into a soft drink, like root beer, and is known in folk medicine as a treatment for increased virility. There is no research on this plant, but it has been used for generations.

Another plant known to raise testosterone is indigenous to India and parts of Eastern Europe. TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS has been shown to raise testosterone in chimpanzees by over 50%. The effects can be seen in just a few days. The common name for Tribulus terrestris is Puncture Vine.

The MACA ROOT has been used in South America as a drink and to increase virility. This plant is in the radish family and grows in the high Andes Mountains at elevations above 10,000 feet. In a test with men with prostate cancer, maca did increase libido but did not significantly increase levels of testosterone in the blood. This plant, once reserved for Incan Royalty, is also under investigation for menopausal issues.

Research has also shown that ACETYL-L-CARNITINE increases testosterone production. Used to burn fat and build muscles, this important nutrient increases both testosterone and luteinizing hormone.

Increasing testosterone in the blood can restore health and reverse the signs of aging, thereby reducing many of the side effects, for mood, memory and heart health.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026832_testosterone_herbs_vitamins.html

Prevent and Even Reverse Age-Related Hearing Loss with Good Nutrition

Kerri Knox, NaturalNews.com, August 13, 2009

(NaturalNews) Current thinking has us believe that age-related hearing loss is an inevitable consequence of getting older, but is it really? Hundreds of studies from around the world show severe vitamin deficiencies in those with hearing loss. Even more importantly replacing the missing vitamins improved the hearing loss in vast numbers of people, making hearing loss simply another one of many age-related problems preventable with good nutrition.

When most of us think of getting older, we think of canes to walk, glasses to see and hearing aids to hear. But is this an inevitable consequence of aging, or is it due to modifiable and preventable environmental factors? We are told that the only modifiable way to prevent hearing loss is to keep away from loud noises, but hearing loss seems to have less to do with loud sounds than it does with nutrition.

Nutrient deficiencies are often overlooked as causes or contributing factors in many diseases, and they are also overlooked factors in hearing loss. Studies done all over the world by completely different teams of researchers using completely different nutritional supplements and using completely different methods of studying the problem have all come to the same conclusion- hearing loss can be prevented and even improved with nutritional supplementation.

Vitamin D

Some of the most interesting studies come from Vitamin D Research. Vitamin D is well known to be responsible for the calcium absorption required for strong bones. The most well known problem associated with lack of vitamin D is rickets, a softening of the bones in children leading to bowed legs. But less well-known is a similar condition in adults called osteopenia where the bones can become porous and demineralized. When vitamin D deficiencycauses osteopenia in the tiny bones of the ears, this can lead to hearing loss and even deafness. Strikingly, correcting the vitamin D deficiency oftencorrects the hearing loss and even the deafness in these specific cases.

Magnesium

A nutrient with a wider application in hearing loss is magnesium. We are fortunate that hearing loss is an issue in governmental applications such as the Air Force, because this has given us a rich source of studies done in order to find Practical ways to Prevent the hearing loss associated with continual noise.

"Magnesium treatment has been repeatedly shown to reduce the incidence of both temporary and permanent noise-induced hearing loss."
'Magnesium treatment for sudden hearing loss'

And magnesium has been shown to do this well. Many studies have been done where people subjected to noise were protected from noise-related hearing loss when they were pre treated with magnesium. Magnesium given AFTER noise exposure worked to CORRECT that hearing loss as well. Industrialized countries have an "epidemic of magnesium deficiency", according to Dr. Carolyn Dean, author of 'The Magnesium Miracle'. Since magnesium is inexpensive and readily available, this one nutrient could have wide uses in high noise settings and even in nursing homes where the vast majority of residents suffer from hearing loss as well as magnesium deficiency.

Free Radical Scavengers

Denoted as `Free Radical Scavengers`, Vitamin C , Lipoic Acid, Vitamin E and glutathione have all been used to prevent and treat hearing loss. Poor hearing was significantly improved in as short a time as 8 weeks. Interestingly enough, several of these studies were done using patients that had exhausted all other treatments for their condition without improvement, yet there was significant improvements in hearing using free radical scavenger therapy.

Other Nutrients

Vitamin B-12, folic acid and zinc have all been shown to improve hearing in different studies, with zinc being singled out by Dr. George E. Shambaugh Jr., Founder of the Shambaugh Hearing and Allergy Center in Hinsdale, Illinois: "We believe zinc deficiency is one causation of presbycusis [hearing loss]; by recognizing and correcting it, a progressive hearing loss can be arrested". One study even showed that Homocysteine Levels in the blood, a good indicator of B vitamin status, is inversely correlated with hearing loss. This means that the higher the Homocysteine levels, indicating worsening B vitamin deficiency, the worse the hearing loss.

Most of these supplements are inexpensive and readily available. More importantly, the majority of these substances are safe to take for the vast majority of people who suffer from hearing loss. Who knew that better hearing was as close as the nearest multivitamin!
http://www.naturalnews.com/026834_hearing_loss_magnesium_Vitamin_D.html

Mediterranean Diet, Physical Activity Linked With Lower Risk Of Alzheimer Disease

ScienceDaily (Aug. 13, 2009) — Elderly individuals who had a diet that included higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereal and fish and was low in red meat and poultry and who were physically active had an associated lower risk of Alzheimer disease, according to a study in the August 12 issue of JAMA. In a second study, higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with slower cognitive decline, but was not associated with a decreased risk of dementia.
Research regarding the effect physical activity can have on the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) or dementia has shown mixed results, as has the effect of dietary habits. Their combined association has not been investigated, according to background information in the article.
Nikolaos Scarmeas, M.D., of Columbia University Medical Center, New York, and colleagues examined the association between physical activity and risk of AD and also the effect of physical activity and adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet on AD risk. The study included 2 groups that consisted of 1,880 community-dwelling elderly residents of New York city without dementia at the start of the study, for whom there was both diet and physical activity information available. Standardized neurological and neuropsychological measures were administered approximately every 1.5 years from 1992 through 2006.
The participants received measurements of their adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet (scale of 0-9; categorized as low, middle, or high) and their physical activity (sum of weekly participation in various physical activities, weighted by the type of physical activity [light, moderate, vigorous]; categorized into no physical activity, some, or much, also low or high), separately and combined. A higher score for diet was obtained with higher consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and fish; lower consumption of meat and dairy products; a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats and mild to moderate alcohol consumption.
Individuals were followed up for an average of 5.4 years, during which a total of 282 developed AD. In considering only physical activity, the researchers found that more physical activity was associated with lower risk for developing AD. "Compared with physically inactive individuals, report of some physical activity was associated with a 29 percent to 41 percent lower risk of developing AD, while report of much physical activity was associated with a 37 percent to 50 percent lower risk," the authors write.
When considered simultaneously, both physical activity and Mediterranean diet adherence were significantly associated with AD incidence. According to the researchers, "Belonging to the middle diet adherence tertile was associated with a 2 percent to 14 percent risk reduction, while belonging to the highest diet adherence tertile was associated with a 32 percent to 40 percent reduced risk. Similarly, compared with individuals with no physical activity, individuals reporting some physical activity had a 25 percent to 38 percent lower risk for AD, while individuals reporting much physical activity had a 33 percent to 48 percent lower risk for AD."
The authors also write, "Compared with individuals with low physical activity plus low adherence to a diet (absolute AD risk, 19 percent), high physical activity plus high diet adherence was associated with a 35 percent to 44 percent relative risk reduction (absolute AD risk, 12 percent). … Absolute AD risks declined from 21 percent in the group with no physical activity plus low diet adherence to 9 percent in the group with much physical activity plus high diet adherence."
"In summary, our results support the potentially independent and important role of both physical activity and dietary habits in relation to AD risk. These findings should be further evaluated in other populations."
Higher Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Associated With Slower Cognitive Decline
In an examination of the association between adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet and cognitive performance and risk of dementia, researchers found that high adherence to the diet was associated with slower decline in some measures of cognitive function but was not associated with decreased risk for dementia, according to a study in the August 12 issue of JAMA.
Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is linked to lower risk for mortality and chronic diseases, and "might also have protective effects against cognitive decline in older individuals, because it combines several foods and nutrients potentially protective against cognitive dysfunction or dementia, such as fish, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins B12 and folate, antioxidants (vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids), and moderate amounts of alcohol," the authors write. But its association with cognitive decline has been unclear.
Catherine Féart, Ph.D., of the Université Victor Ségalen Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France, and colleagues examined whether adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with change in cognitive performance and with lower risk of all-cause dementia or Alzheimer disease. The study included 1,410 individuals (age 65 years or older) from Bordeaux, France, who were part of the Three-City cohort in 2001-2002 (a study of vascular risk factors of dementia) and were re-examined at least once over 5 years. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet (scored as 0 to 9) was computed from a food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour recall.
Cognitive performance was assessed on 4 neuropsychological tests: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Isaacs Set Test (IST), Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), and Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT). New cases of dementia (n = 99) were validated by an independent expert committee of neurologists.
After adjusting for age, sex, education, marital status, energy intake, physical activity, depressive symptomatology, taking 5 medications/day or more, apolipoprotein E genotype, cardiovascular risk factors, and stroke, the researchers found that higher Mediterranean diet score was associated with fewer MMSE errors. But performance on the IST, BVRT, or FCSRT over time was not significantly associated with Mediterranean diet adherence, especially in those who remained free from dementia over 5 years. Mediterranean diet adherence was not associated with the risk for incident dementia, although the statistical strength of the data to detect a difference was limited.
"The Mediterranean diet pattern probably does not fully explain the better health of persons who adhere to it, but it may contribute directly. A Mediterranean diet also may indirectly constitute an indicator of a complex set of favorable social and lifestyle factors that contribute to better health. Further research is needed to allow the generalization of these results to other populations and to establish whether a Mediterranean diet slows cognitive decline or reduces incident dementia in addition to its cardiovascular benefits," the authors conclude.
Editorial: Mediterranean Diet and Late-Life Cognitive Impairment
In an accompanying editorial, David S. Knopman, M.D., of Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., comments on the studies in this week's JAMA on diet, physical activity and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease.
"A variety of approaches to mitigating cerebrovascular disease in midlife exist, including diet, exercise, treatment of hypertension, treatment of diabetes, avoidance of obesity, and avoidance of smoking. The findings of Scarmeas et al and Féart et al fit into a larger and potentially optimistic view of prevention of late-life cognitive impairment through application, at least by midlife, of as many healthy behaviors as possible, including diet. Based on these 2 studies, diet may play a supporting role, but following a healthy diet does not occur in isolation."
"The scientific value of these studies cannot be disputed, but whether and how they can or should be translated into recommendations for the public is the question."
Nikolaos Scarmeas; Jose A. Luchsinger; Nicole Schupf; Adam M. Brickman; Stephanie Cosentino; Ming X. Tang; Yaakov Stern. Physical Activity, Diet, and Risk of Alzheimer Disease. JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009; 302 (6): 627 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2009.1144
Catherine Feart; Cecilia Samieri; Virginie Rondeau; Helene Amieva; Florence Portet; Jean-Francois Dartigues; Nikolaos Scarmeas; Pascale Barberger-Gateau.Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet, Cognitive Decline, and Risk of Dementia. JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009; 302 (6): 638 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2009.1146
David S. Knopman. Mediterranean Diet and Late-Life Cognitive Impairment: A Taste of Benefit. JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2009; 302 (6): 686 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2009.1149
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090811161306.htm

Can focus on the natural component mentioned in article, rather than the synthetic form developed

Synthetic Derivative Of Kudzu Vine Can Reduce Drinking And Prevent Relapse

ScienceDaily (Aug. 13, 2009) — Kudzu and its extracts and flowers have been used in traditional Chinese folk medicine to treat alcoholism for about 1,000 years. Kudzu contains daidzin, an anti-drinking substance. Daidzin inhibits human aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH-2), which metabolizes alcohol into acetaldehyde. Inhibiting ALDH-2 promotes the accumulation of acetaldehyde, which has aversive effects. A recent test of a synthetic ALDH-2 inhibitor (CVT-10216) on rodents shows that it reduces drinking and prevents relapse by increasing acetaldehyde while drinking and later decreasing dopamine in the brain region that controls relapse during abstinence.
Results will be published in the November issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.
"I think the over-arching issue here is medical treatment," said Ivan Diamond, vice president of neuroscience at Gilead Science, Professor Emeritus of neurology, cellular and molecular pharmacology and neuroscience at the University of California, San Francisco, and corresponding author for the study.
"Alcoholism is a medical disorder, not just a problem of will power," he said. "Physicians treat medical disorders in order to prevent harm, while not necessarily curing the disease being treated – for example, drug treatment of hypertension, statins for high cholesterol, insulin for diabetes – and the same will become true for treating alcoholism. Heavy drinking causes harm. We need to prevent heavy drinking in order to prevent harm."
Diamond added that relapse may be the biggest problem facing physicians today. "We are talking about a patient who has the motivation to undergo a very unpleasant detoxification to try to stop drinking, and then gets into trouble afterward," he said. "Nearly 80 percent of abstinent alcoholics or addicts relapse within a year. Current therapies for alcoholism help, but we can do much better."
"Extracts of various parts of the kudzu vine have been used in many Chinese herbal medicine formulas and are said to be helpful in treating a variety of maladies, including alcoholism and intoxication," said Ting-Kai Li, a professor in the department of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, and former director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. "Recent research has found that several compounds of the isoflavone family – puerarin, daidzin, daidzein – in the kudzu extract decrease alcohol intake in experimental animals."
"Drs. Wing Ming Keung and Bert Vallee at Harvard were the first to confirm kudzu's effects and isolate daidzin as the most potent of the isoflavones in kudzu," added Diamond. "They went further by searching for the basis of daidzin's anti-drinking properties, discovering that daidzin was a selective inhibitor of ALDH-2. Based on x-ray crystallographic studies of daidzin binding to ALDH-2, our team set out to design a compound that would interact more efficiently with ALDH-2, finally choosing CVT-10216 as our best candidate to date."
Diamond and his colleagues administered CVT-10216 to groups of rats bred for moderate and high levels of drinking, after having exposed them to various scenarios of alcohol administration: two-bottle choice, deprivation-induced drinking, operant self-administration, and cue-induced reinstatement. The researchers then tested for blood acetaldehyde levels, alcohol-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, and effects of the inhibitor on drinking behavior and relapse.
"We had several key findings," said Diamond. "We found that, one, CVT-10216 is a highly selective reversible inhibitor of ALDH2 without apparent toxicity. This means that it does not cause serious damage to other proteins and functions. Two, treatment with our ALDH-2 inhibitor increases acetaldehyde in the test tube and in living animals." Acetaldehyde's aversive effects can include a flushing reaction and feeling ill, which tend to reduce drinking. "And three, we found that our ALDH-2 inhibitor suppresses drinking in a variety of rodent drinking models."
But that's not the whole story, Diamond added. "Most importantly, we also found that CVT-10216 prevents the usual increase in drinking (binge drinking) that occurs after five days of abstinence, and also prevents relapse to drink, even when alcohol is not present. This means that something else besides acetaldehyde helps to suppress craving for, and prevent relapse to, drinking alcohol. We believe that 'something else' is dopamine." He said that current concepts suggest that increased dopamine in the nucleus accumbens drives craving and relapse into drinking.
"Alcohol-induced increases in dopamine in the nucleus accumbens are prevented by CVT-10216 in a dose-dependent manner," said Diamond. "This means the drug has a therapeutic effect in the brain, probably on the desire to drink. Importantly, CVT-10216 does not reduce basal dopamine levels when there is no stimulation to increase dopamine levels. This is consistent with our findings that CVT-10216 does not appear to affect moderate drinking, and does not have adverse side effects at the therapeutic doses used."
"The findings show promise that CVT-10216 might be better tolerated than Antabuse™," said Li. "How this happens is yet unknown, but suggests that the compound may be useful in treating alcohol relapse and perhaps for other psychoactive, potentially addictive compounds."
Diamond agreed: "Disulfiram or Antabuse™ has been around for 50 years," he explained. "It is called an ALDH-2 inhibitor, but it actually inhibits far more than that. Most believe that disulfiram would not be approved today as a new drug for alcoholism because of its many toxicities. Instead, we have developed CVT-10216, a reversible inhibitor with a very favorable profile, so far." Diamond hopes this novel compound will become an effective therapeutic agent for alcoholism.
"The goal of medicine is harm reduction," emphasized Diamond. "Excessive drinking causes harm while moderate drinking appears to be safe. Increasing numbers of doctors believe abstinence is an unrealistic goal. It sounds like heresy, but it isn't. Therefore, an ideal drug might be able to prevent uncontrolled relapse, convert heavy drinkers into moderate drinkers, and avoid the harmful consequences of excessive alcohol intake. If our compound works and is safe to use, 
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090811161255.htm

New study suggests possible genetic links between environmental toxins and multiple myeloma

BioCom Partners, August 13, 2209
North Hollywood, CA– August 13, 2009 - The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF)—supporting research and providing education, advocacy and support for myeloma patients, families, researchers and physicians—today said newly published data may provide a possible genetic link between environmental toxins and bone disease in multiple myeloma. Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a cancer of cells in the bone marrow that affect production of blood cells and can damage bone. Once considered a "rare disease of the elderly," it is increasingly being diagnosed in patients under 45 years old, including some of the early responders to the 9/11 World Trade Center site. Now a study published this week may help explain why.
The study from researchers with the IMF gene bank, Bank on a Cure®, identified several changes in DNA sequences called SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that are associated with a risk of bone disease in myeloma. Further analyses showed that many of these DNA changes may be involved with the way the human body responds to certain environmental toxins, providing a possible link between myeloma and the environment. The findings were published in the latest issue of the journal Leukemia*.
Brian G.M. Durie, M.D., lead author of the study and Chairman of the IMF said: "This is a hypothesis-generating study. While the functional role of many SNPs is still uncertain, this study is supportive of the notion that genetic factors affecting toxin breakdown may be related to the development of myeloma. This gives us an important starting point for further studies."
The findings may help explain a widely reported study this week in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, that found more cases of myeloma among younger responders to the 9/11 World Trade Center site than would normally be expected. The findings are also supportive of a study published earlier this year that suggests a link between certain pesticide exposures in agricultural workers and a precursor to multiple myeloma. Previous studies have also shown an increased risk for myeloma among firefighters, and the IMF has issued guidelines for firefighters for the prevention and treatment of this disease.
"Multiple myeloma is not a familiar cancer to patients or even to many doctors, but taken together, these studies say it should not be overlooked," said Susie Novis, President and Co-founder of the IMF. "While multiple myeloma cannot be cured, it can be treated with new, targeted therapies including REVLIMID®, VELCADE® and THALOMID®. These studies tell us it is critically important for medical practitioners to know the possible risk factors for myeloma along with the early warning signs so they will be alerted to test for it."
Myeloma affects an estimated 750,000 people worldwide, and in industrialized countries it is being diagnosed in growing numbers and in increasingly younger people.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/bp-nss081209.php

One-Third of World's Biggest Firms Still Not Addressing Climate Change

Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:00am EDT
Asking what investors should be doing about the unprecedented "projected impacts of climate change on the environment and society," a new report by EIRIS, a U.K.-based provider of research into the social, environmental and ethical performance of companies, compared the corporate responses to climate change of the 300 largest companies in the FTSE All World Index to its 2008 analysis. 

The report, entitled Climate Change Compass: The road to Copenhagen, looks forward to what it describes as "the most important climate change-related meeting since 1997," to be held in December, 2009, in Copenhagen. If combined with stimulus packages and clear regulatory frameworks from governments, the meeting in Copenhagen offers opportunities for companies to develop low-carbon activities. 

SocialFunds.com spoke with Carlota Garcia-Manas, Assistant Head of Research at EIRIS and the author of the report, about its findings. 

"In general, there's been a positive trend," said Garcia-Manas. "The majority of companies in the group now have some kind of climate change policies, many of which contain emissions reduction targets." 

The report found that of the 300 companies analyzed, 55 percent have short-term targets on climate change, up from 48 percent in 2008. In addition, 91 percent of high and very high impact companies disclose absolute CO2 or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data. High impact sectors are defined by the report as chemicals, construction, electricity, food, industrial metals, mining, and oil and gas. 

Other positive findings of the report include a significant decrease in the proportion of companies in high-impact sectors with no or limited responses to climate change, from 34 percent in 2008 to 19 percent. The number of companies in high-impact sectors with a corporate-wide commitment to climate change mitigation increased, from 84 percent in 2008 to 99 percent. Only one high-impact company of those analyzed in the report had no such commitment in 2009. 

Overall, the proportion of companies with no or limited disclosure on climate change decreased to less than 12 percent in 2009, from 29.4 percent in 2008. 

However, utilizing such key indicators as governance, strategy, disclosure, and performance, the report found that over a third of the 300 companies analyzed continue to carry unmitigated climate-related risks. Some high-impact sectors, such as industrial metals, food producers, and oil and gas producers, were found to have a greater proportion of companies with unmitigated risk when compared with 2008. 

Garcia-Manas said, "While most company policies now contain some reference to short-term emissions reduction targets, when we look out five or ten years we don't see as much information. The lack of long-term strategies could be because companies are waiting to see how governments adopt regulations for emissions reductions." 

While the report found that a "lack of clarity and comparability of quantitative data persists and can compromise investment decisions," it is not because of inadequate reporting initiatives that this is so, according to Garcia-Manas. 

"The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an established initiative that provides guidance to companies for greenhouse gas emissions disclosure," she said. 

Another of the key findings of the report is the necessity for investor engagement. According to the report, "Investors must understand the impact these issues will have on their portfolios and integrate climate change into their engagement strategies or when exercising voting rights." 

Underscoring the importance of investors in encouraging companies to address climate change risks effectively, Garcia-Manas said, "The more companies are doing, the less risk investors are incurring. We suspect that investor activism has had an impact on companies addressing more of risk." 

One important area in which investors and Boards of Directors can encourage companies in their portfolios to address climate change more effectively is in the area of remuneration. Only about 20 percent of companies incentivize management attention to climate risks, according to the report. 

"Remuneration is one of the main issues," said Garcia-Manas. "Activist investors can engage with companies to ensure that management structures incentivize attention to climate risks." 

Asked by SocialFunds.com if the report focused on regional differences among companies, Garcia-Manas said, "At the moment the only country assessment we have is a study of Asian companies, but we plan on issuing a report on North American companies this year." 

Entitled Climate Change Tracker: Asia [PDF], that study, which was released in May, 2009, found that while initiatives on the part of Japanese companies was having a positive influence, opportunities for Asian companies to improve performance through increased levels of disclosure and engagement remain. 

The new report concludes, "Given the importance of Climate Change and the likely impact of it on future long-term corporate financial performance it is increasingly seen as an investor's fiduciary responsibility to integrate consideration of climate change into their investment strategy." 

Garcia-Manas concluded, "The three pillars in improving reporting are the companies themselves, governments, and investors."
http://www.reuters.com/article/gwmEnergy/idUS396030686520090812

Bottled Water Boom Appears Tapped Out
Environmental Concerns, Recession Put Crimp in Sales
Washington Post, August 13, 2009 
The recession has finally answered the question that centuries of philosophers could not: The glass is half-empty.
That's because sales of bottled water have fallen for the first time in at least five years, assailed by wrathful environmentalists and budget-conscious consumers, who have discovered that tap water is practically free. Even Nestle, the country's largest seller of bottled water, is beginning to feel a bit parched. On Wednesday, it reported that profits for the first half of the year dropped 2.7 percent, its first decline in six years.
The biggest loser? Water.
"It's an obvious way to cut back," said Joan Holleran, director of research for market research firm Mintel. "People might still be buying bottled water, but you can bet that they're refilling those bottles."
The news delighted environmentalists, who have long berated the industry for wasting natural resources and stuffing landfills with plastic bottles. "I thought we'd never be able to impact sales of bottled water, and all of a sudden it's really gained momentum," said Wenonah Hauter, executive director of advocacy group Food & Water Watch. "I think we're making real progress."
Not so long ago, bottled water was bubbling. It climbed up the ranks of America's favorite beverages in recent years, beating out juice to become the third most popular in 2008, according to Mintel. (Soda is the drink of choice by far, followed by milk.) Sales of bottled water swelled 59 percent to $5.1 billion between 2003 to 2008, making it one of the fastest growing beverages. About 70 percent of consumers say they drink bottled water.
But the economic downturn is stemming the tide. Nestle sells a variety of brands, such as Poland Spring, Deer Park, S. Pellegrino and Perrier. It was the only sector in Nestle's food and beverage group to post a decline in global sales during the first half of the year, down 2.9 percent because of weakness in the United States and Western Europe. Coca-Cola has also blamed softening demand for weaker U.S. sales of its bottled waters.
According to consulting firm Beverage Marketing Corp., Americans drank 8.7 billion gallons of bottled water last year, compared with 8.8 billion in 2007 -- the first decline this decade. Per capita consumption dropped from 29 gallons to 28.5. Jeff Cioletti, editor in chief of trade publication Beverage World, said he doesn't believe bottled water will return to galloping growth for a long while.
"There were sort of a lot of headwinds," he said.
Those forces include not only the economic downturn, which is whacking at sales of everything from cars to clothes, but also the massive campaign by environmentalists to get consumers to turn on the tap.
Last spring, Takoma Park became one of the first cities in the Washington region to put a ban on buying bottled water for government offices and events, a green bandwagon that includes places such as San Francisco and Fayetteville, Ark. Local grocer My Organic Market decided last year to stop selling imported bottled water after considering the energy, oil and, well, water that go into selling it.
According to Food & Water Watch, more than 17 million barrels of oil -- enough to fuel 1 million cars for a year-- are needed to produce the plastic water bottles sold in the United States annually. And about 86 percent of the empty bottles get thrown into the trash rather than recycled. Beverage companies have responded through recycling initiatives and purchasing carbon offsets.
Hauter said she has worked on water issues for about a decade but that the movement took off about three years ago. The group fans out to festivals and other public events pouring water for attendees into corn-based, biodegradable cups or metal containers bearing the name of its campaign, "Take Back the Tap."
The containers are also available online for about $20 each. Sales, she reports, have been strong.
Posted on Thu, Aug. 13, 2009

Huge loss of groundwater in India affects millions

A study based on U.S. data faults irrigation, with similar fears for Pakistan, Bangladesh.

Associated Press, August 13, 2009
NEW DELHI - Excessive irrigation and the unrelenting thirst of tens of millions of people are causing groundwater levels in northern India to drop dramatically, a problem that could lead to severe water shortages, according to a study released yesterday.
The study - based on a satellite system involving NASA - comes as India's struggles with water have become a major political issue.
The problem reaches across the country's vast class divide, touching everyone from residents of elite neighborhoods where the taps regularly go dry to poor farmers in desperate need of irrigation to grow their crops.
An earlier recent study, also involving NASA, looked at a wider area, including parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh, and warned that "this is probably the largest rate of groundwater loss in any comparable-sized region on Earth."
The most recent survey, led by Matthew Rodell of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, indicated that groundwater across a swath of India from New Delhi into heavily farmed agricultural belts dropped at a rate of 1.6 inches per year between August 2002 and October 2008.
That decrease in groundwater is more than double the capacity of India's largest reservoir.
The study noted that the drop in groundwater came in years where there was no shortage of rainfall to cause a natural decline.
The region, though, has seen an enormous increase in water use since the 1960s. Part of that is because of the growing population, though even more resulted from the so-called Green Revolution, which dramatically increased India's agricultural production - in part by exponentially expanding the use of groundwater for irrigation.
"Severe groundwater depletion is occurring as a result of human consumption," the researchers concluded in the study, released online in the journal Nature.
The study was based largely on data provided by GRACE - the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment - a satellite system launched in 2002 by NASA and the German Aerospace Center.
GRACE allows scientists to estimate changes in groundwater storage by measuring tiny variations in Earth's gravitational pull.
The earlier study, also based on GRACE data, used results from a 1,200-mile swath across eastern Pakistan, northern India, and into Bangladesh to conclude that 1.9 million cubic feet of groundwater is lost per year.
That study, in Geophysical Research Letters, was led by geophysicists Virendra Tiwari of the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad, India; John Wahr of the University of Colorado, Boulder; and Sean Swenson of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder.
Giving free electricity to farmers - who use that electricity to pump more groundwater - has become a common promise by campaigning politicians. That, though, simply makes the problem worse.
"The question is, what do we do about the problem?" said K. Sreelakshmi, a natural-resource economist at New Delhi's Energy and Resources Institute who was not connected to the study. "How do we recharge" India's dropping water table?
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/20090813_Huge_loss_of_groundwater_in_India_affects_millions.html

10 home remedies to avoid swine flu

Neeraj Saxena, Times of India 13 August 2009
Are the rising swine flu casualties giving you jitters? Not sure how you can avoid falling prey to the growing epidemic? First and foremost, there is absolutely no need to panic. 

Watching television to keep tabs on the progress of H1N1, particularly in the badly affected areas like Pune, is all right. But don't let the hysterical anchors get under your skin and start wearing a mask each time you step out of the house, unless you are visiting a very crowded area. Then too, the mask will protect you only for a specified period. 

Without giving in to the swine flu panic and creating a stockpile of Tamiflu and N-95 masks at home and enriching pharma companies, there are a number of other measures you can take to ensure that the virus is not able to get you, irrespective of which part of the world you are in. 

It is essential to remember that all kinds of viruses and bacteria can attack you when your immune system is weak, or they can weaken it easily. Hence, building your own defences would be a better, more practical, long-lasting and much more economical idea. 

Here are some easy steps you can take to tackle a flu virus of any kind, including swine flu. It is not necessary to follow all the steps at once. You can pick and choose a combination of remedies that suit you best. However, if you are already suffering from flu, these measures can help only up to an extent. And, if you have been infected by H1N1, visiting a hospital and staying in solitary confinement is a must. 

1. Have five duly washed leaves of Tulsi (known as Basil in English; medicinal name Ocimum sanctum) everyday in the morning. Tulsi has a large number of therapeutic properties. It keeps throat and lungs clear and helps in infections by way of strengthening your immunity. 

2. Giloi (medicinal name Tinospora cordifolia) is a commonly available plant in many areas. Take a one-foot long branch of giloi, add five to six leaves of Tulsi and boil in water for 15-20 minutes or long enough to allow the water to extract its properties. Add black pepper and sendha (salt used during religious fasts), rock or black salt, or Misri (crystalised sugar like lumps to make it sweet) according to taste. Let it cool a bit and drink this kadha (concoction) while still warm. It will work wonders for your immunity. If giloi plant is not available, get processed giloi powder from Hamdard or others, and concoct a similar drink once a day. 

3. A small piece of camphor (kapoor) approximately the size of a tablet should be taken once or twice a month. It can be swallowed with water by adults while children can take it along with mashed potatoes or banana because they will find it difficult to have it without any aides. Please remember camphor is not to be taken everyday, but only once each season, or once a month. 

4. Those who can take garlic, must have two pods of raw garlic first thing in the morning. To be swallowed daily with lukewarm water. Garlic too strengthens immunity like the earlier measures mentioned. 

5. Those not allergic to milk, must take a glass of hot or lukewarm milk every night with a small measure of haldi (turmeric). 

6. Aloe vera (gwarpatha) too is a commonly available plant. Its thick and long, cactus-like leaves have an odourless gel. A teaspoon gel taken with water daily can work wonders for not only your skin and joint pains, but also boost immunity. 

7. Take homeopathic medicines — Pyrogenium 200 and Inflenzium 200 in particular — five tablets three times a day, or two-three drops three times a day. While these are not specifically targeted at H1N1 either, these work well as preventive against common flu virus. 

8. Do Pranayam daily (preferably under guidance if you are already not initiated into it) and go for morning jog/walk regularly to keep your throat and lungs in good condition and body in fine fettle. Even in small measures, it will work wonders for your body’s resistance against all such diseases which attack the nose, throat and lungs, besides keeping you fit. 

9. Have citrus fruits, particularly Vitamin C rich Amla (Indian gooseberry) juice. Since fresh Amla is not yet available in the market (not for another three to four months), it is not a bad idea to buy packaged Amla juice which is commonly available nowadays. 

10. Last but not the least, wash your hands frequently every day with soap and warm water for 15-20 seconds; especially before meals, or each time after touching a surface that you suspect could be contaminated with flu virus such as a door handle or a knob/handle, especially if you have returned from a public place or used public transport. Alcohol-based hand cleaners should be kept handy at all times and used until you can get soap and warm water. 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/health-science/health/10-home-remedies-to-avoid-swine-flu/articleshow/4888598.cms

Eggshell membrane may outperform glucosamine for joint health

Nutraingredients.com, 12-Aug-2009

Extracts from the membrane of an eggshell may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis, and offer an alternative to glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate, suggest new findings.
A daily supplement of 500 milligrams of the eggshell membrane was found to not only reduce joint pain, but also stiffness, with effects noted after only ten days, according to results of a randomised, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
The study, which was funded by Missouri-based ESM Technologies and uses the company’s ingredient, is published in the current issue of Clinical Rheumatology.
Outperforming the established ingredients
The researchers also report that the effects were superior to those recorded in previous clinical investigations for glucosamine and chondroitin, the big hitters in the joint health supplements world.
Glucosamine is extracted from the shell of crabs, lobster and shrimps. Cargill also markets a non-animal, non-shellfish derived product. The ingredient is often used in combination with chondroitin sulphate, extracted from animal cartilage, such as sharks.
According to the Nutrition Business Journal, US sales for these combined supplements were $810 million (€563 million) in 2005.
“The safety profile for [the natural eggshell membrane (NEM) supplement] is also of significance as there are no known side effects, excluding the obvious egg allergy concern,” wrote the researchers. “This is of obvious importance in a condition that requires long-term [supplementation].”
Approximately seven million people in the UK alone are reported to have long-term health problems associated with arthritis. Around 206 million working days were lost in the UK in 1999-2000, equal to £18 billion (€26 billion) of lost productivity.
Study details
Sixty-seven people with osteoarthritis were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups: The first received NEM (500 mg), and the other received a placebo. The researchers used the Western Ontario and McMasters Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index as a measure of arthritis symptom, as well as pain, stiffness, and function.
According to their results, volunteers receiving the eggshell membrane experienced a “relatively rapid response for all WOMAC scores”, compared to placebo.
By the end of 60 days, statistically significant improvements for both pain and stiffness were recorded by the researchers, while joint function was not significantly improved, they said.
“By the end of the follow-up period, the mean response remained approximately 15 per cent for all WOMAC scores except stiffness which was 26.6 per cent,”wrote the researchers.
“While this is superior to the response shown for glucosamine and chondroitin in previous clinical investigations, it failed to reach the expected 35 per cent response rate employed in the clinical design.
“Despite this shortcoming, the results were shown to be statistically significant,”they added.
Commenting on the bio-active ingredients, the researchers note that the membrane contains both glycosaminoglycans and other proteins reportedly essential for maintaining healthy cartilage in the joints.
Next stage
The report in Clinical Rheumatology notes that a large number of participants dropped out of the study (43 per cent). The researchers also note that it would have been useful to include another arm in the study with a comparative intervention.
“A larger follow-up study with some modifications may allow us to better determine which patients are most helped by NEM supplementation,” concluded the researchers.
Source: Clinical Rheumatology
August 2009, Volume 28, Issue 8, Pages 907-914
“Eggshell membrane in the treatment of pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study”
Authors: K.J. Ruff, A. Winkler, R.W. Jackson, D.P. DeVore, B.W. Ritz
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Eggshell-membrane-may-outperform-glucosamine-for-joint-health

More omega-3, less omega-6 for colorectal protection

Nutraingredients.com, 12-Aug-2009

Increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty acids, and decreasing intakes of omega-6, could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, suggests a new study from China.
The highest dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was associated with a 95 per cent increase in the risk of women developing colorectal cancer, according to results of a study with 73,242 Chinese women participating in the Shanghai Women's Health Study.
The study, published in this month’s issue of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, adds to a small but growing body of evidence supporting the importance of balance between omega-3 omega-6 fatty acids.
Previously, the ratio of omega-3 to -6 has been linked to prostate cancer risk (Clinical Cancer Research, Vol. 12, Issue 15, Journal of Clinical Investigation, July 2007).
According to Harvey Murff from Vanderbilt University and his co-workers, data on how polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may impact on the risk of colorectal cancer have been “inconsistent”.
Using data derived from two food frequency questionnaires, Murff and his co-workers investigated if PUFA intake could impact on colorectal cancer risk in Chinese women.
Their findings suggested that “the dietary total omega-6 to omega-3 PUFA ratio was strongly associated with colorectal cancer risk”. Indeed, increasing ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 were associated with increased risks of colorectal cancer. Compared to women with the lowest ratio, women with the highest ratio of omega-6 to -3 had a relative risk 95 per cent higher.
The omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) was also linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Specifically, women with the highest average intakes had an associated risk 40 per cent higher than women with the lowest average intakes.
Previously, researchers from other groups have proposed the role of metabolites of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the omega-6 acid, arachidonic acid as playing a important role in carcinogenesis. These three fatty acids compete to be converted by cyclooxgenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) into prostaglandins, which can become either pro-inflammatory and increase tumour growth, or anti-inflammatory and reduce growth.
Indeed, in a subset of 150 cancer cases and 150 healthy controls, the researchers noted that an increasing omega-6 to omega-3 ratio as linked to increased levels of the pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2).
“These results suggest that dietary PUFA and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 PUFA intake may be positively associated with colorectal cancer risk, and this association may be mediated in part through PGE2 production,” concluded Murff and his co-workers.
There are 363,000 new cases of colorectal cancer every year in Europe, with an estimated 945,000 globally. There are about 492,000 deaths from the cancer each year. Only about five per cent of colorectal adenomas are thought to become malignant, and this process could take between five and ten years.
Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention
2009 18: 2283-2291 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-1196
“A Prospective Study of Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Colorectal Cancer Risk in Chinese Women”
Authors: H.J. Murff, X.-O. Shu, H. Li, Q. Dai, A. Kallianpur, G. Yang, H. Cai, W. Wen, Y-T. Gao, W. Zheng
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/More-omega-3-less-omega-6-for-colorectal-protection

Chinese Herbs Treat Endometriosis Better Than Western Medicine

S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  August 11, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Increasingly, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is being put to the test by Western scientists -- and the results are sometimes not only successful but downright astounding. A case in point: a new review of CHM research by British scientists just published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews shows treating endometriosis with Chinese herbs may not only relieve symptoms of the disease, CHM appears to have comparable benefits to drugs and even laparoscopic surgery with fewer adverse effects.

This is important news because endometriosis is a huge problem in the US and Western medicine has yet to come up with any viable treatment that doesn't have serious side effects. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), at least 5.5 million women in North America alone have the disorder and 30 to 40 percent of them are infertile. A condition that causes tissue that normally lines the uterus to grow on the ovaries, bowels, and bladder, behind the uterus or elsewhere, endometriosis often produces debilitating pain that can keep a woman from going to work or school and put enormous strains on relationships. Endometriosis commonly causes severe cramps during menstrual periods, excessive bleeding during periods, chronic pelvic discomfort that can spread to the lower back and pain during or after sex.

The cause of endometriosis remains unknown so doctors tend to treat it with prescription pain medications, hormones that can have devastating masculizing effects and even surgery to remove the endometrial growths. In some cases, doctors remove a woman's reproductive organs to try to reduce pain. As the Cochrane review points out, however, surgery doesn't always lead to long-term improvement in symptoms and drug treatments can cause a host of new problems such as hot flushes, acne and weight gain.

The new study is the first English language systematic review of CHM for the treatment of endometriosis. The researchers analyzed, in particular, two trials of 158 women. In one clinical trial, therapy with Chinese herbs provided a reduction of symptoms that was comparable to the relief provided by the hormone medication gestrinone. However, the herbs, unlike the drug, caused few side effects. In the second trial, CHM was even more successful in treating endometriosis than the hormonal drug danazol. Once again, the Chinese herbs produced far fewer side effects than the Western medication.

"These findings suggest that Chinese herbs may be just as effective as certain conventional drug treatments for women suffering from endometriosis, but at present we don't have enough evidence to generalize the results," said lead researcher Andrew Flower of the Complementary Medicine Research Unit at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom in a statement to the media. 

A growing number of scientists are actively studying the efficacy of CHM for other conditions, as well. For example, as reported previously in Natural News, researchers have found Chinese herbs can relieve menstrual cramps better than drugs (http://www.naturalnews.com/022969_m...) and CHM may also be a successful treatment for type 2 diabetes (http://www.naturalnews.com/024051_d...). Earlier this year, scientists reported in theJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology that Chinese herbs appear to help asthma patients, too.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026829_endometriosis_herbs_Chinese_herbs.html

Antidepressant suicide risk varies by age -US FDA

Reuters, Tue Aug 11, 2009
CHICAGO, Aug 11 (Reuters) - People under age 25 who take antidepressants have a higher risk of suicide, but adults older than that do not, an analysis by U.S. Food and Drug Administration researchers released on Tuesday showed.

The report by the FDA scientists confirms earlier studies and supports the agency's age-related warnings on the drugs' labeling.

U.S. and European regulators have been sounding alarms on the use of antidepressant drugs since 2003 after clinical trials showed they increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in those under age 18.

In February 2005, the FDA added a so-called black box warning -- the agency's strongest warning -- on the use of all antidepressants in young children and teens to draw attention to the possible risks of these medications. In May 2007, it extended the warnings to young adults aged 18 to 24.

Many psychiatrists have criticized the warnings, saying they scare people away from effective treatment for depression, the leading cause of suicide. In fact, recent studies have suggested the warnings triggered an 8 percent rise in suicide among youth and teens in 2004, the biggest one-year gain in 15 years.

A LASTING DECLINE

A study published in June in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry said the FDA's decision to impose black box warnings for children and young adults had a spillover effect on depression care in older adults, resulting in a lasting decline in depression diagnosis and treatment.

Those researchers urged the FDA to revise its policy.

The FDA analysis by Dr. Marc Stone, Dr. Thomas Laughren and colleagues involved a review of data from eight drug makers on 372 clinical trials involving nearly 100,000 adults.

Overall, they found the risk of suicide was "strongly age-dependent," with higher risks in people under 25, no difference among those 25 to 64, and lower risks in people 65 and older.

The researchers said the findings, published on the British Medical Journal website, support the agency's warnings on antidepressant drug labeling for people under 25, and they also support the notion that antidepressant drugs can have two distinct effects.

In some patients, they can promote suicidal thoughts or behavior -- but this risk appears to diminish with age. In others, the drugs provide relief from depression, reducing the risk of suicide. They said more research is needed to understand these differences.

John Geddes from the University of Oxford and colleagues said in a commentary the findings were not new and noted that the trials studied by the FDA excluded sicker patients. The study did, however, make clear differences in risks among specific antidepressants, they said.

They noted specific differences in commonly used drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.

For example, the odds of suicidal behavior by people taking Pfizer Inc's (PFE.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Zoloft, or sertraline, were around half of those who took placebo. By comparison, Forest Laboratories Inc's (FRX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Celexa, or citalopram, and Lexapro, or escitalopram, "seem to increase the risk of suicidal events," Geddes and colleagues wrote.

"Increased risk is probably restricted to younger people and varies greatly between individual medicines."
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN11535486

Please note: This study was presented at a scientific meeting.  All authors and organizations associated with this study are withholding comment until publication.  All quotes in this release have been taken from the study abstracts presented at IMFAR.
INFANT PRIMATES GIVEN VACCINES ON U.S. CHILDREN’S IMMUNIZATION SCHEDULE DEVELOP BEHAVIORAL SYMPTOMS OF AUTISM 

GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH PROVIDES EVEN MORE SCIENCE SUPPORTING THE THEORY THAT VACCINES CAN AND DO CAUSE AUTISM 

Nixa, MO – A primate model for autism using the U.S. children’s immunization schedule was unveiled at the International Meeting For Autism Research (IMFAR) this weekend. The research underscores the critical need for studies into vaccine safety and the immune and mitochondrial dysfunction of autistic children. The National Autism Association (NAA) questions why the government hasn’t undertaken these vital studies and why researchers have had to depend on private money to perform this critical science that will surely impact the health of millions of children worldwide.

While the authors and organizations associated with this study are withholding comment until publication, University of Pittsburgh’s Dr. Laura Hewitson, Ph.D., described at the IMFAR meeting how vaccinated animals, when compared to unvaccinated animals, showed significant neurodevelopmental deficits and “significant associations between specific aberrant social and non-social behaviors, isotope binding, and vaccine exposure.” 

Researchers also reported at the scientific meeting that "vaccinated animals exhibited progressively severe chronic active inflammation whereas unexposed animals did not” and found “many significant differences in the GI tissue gene expression profiles between vaccinated and unvaccinated animals." Gastrointestinal issues are a common symptom of children with regressive autism.

NAA calls for the NIH to conduct large scale, non-epidemiological studies into the biomedical symptoms surrounding young children and all vaccines, including those containing the mercury-based preservative thimerosal and other additives like aluminum. 

This request for further research echoes that of Dr. Bernadine Healy, Former NIH Director in a CBS interview earlier this week. "I think public health officials have been too quick to dismiss the hypothesis as 'irrational,' without sufficient studies of causation... without studying the population that got sick," Healy said. "I have not seen major studies that focus on 300 kids who got autistic symptoms within a period of a few weeks of the vaccines."

Recently the government’s vaccine court conceded the case of Hannah Poling, admitting that vaccines triggered her regression into autism by exacerbating mitochondrial dysfunction. “The recent Poling case and this new research provide further evidence that the CDC has fallen down on their job to protect children from harm. The biomedical research to date suggests that parental reports of regression following vaccination is not only plausible, but likely in certain individuals,” said Scott Bono, NAA Chairman. "To date, the CDC has conducted no safety testing on the possible harmful effects of simultaneously administering multiple vaccines to infants, and has steadfastly refused to state a preference for mercury-free vaccines to be given to children and pregnant women. It's time for HHS and Congress to step in and take vaccine safety away from the CDC."
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/press051908.php

Misuse Of Common Antibiotic Is Creating Resistant TB

ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — Use of a common antibiotic may be undercutting its utility as a first-line defense against drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Fluoroquinolones are the most commonly prescribed class of antibiotics in the U.S. and are used to fight a number of different infections such as sinusitis and pneumonia. They are also an effective first line of defense against TB infections that show drug resistance. New research shows, however, that widespread general use of fluoroquinolones may be creating a strain of fluoroquinolone-resistant TB.
The results are published in the August 15 issue of the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
"While fluoroquinolone resistance in TB strains has been reported since the mid 1990's, to our knowledge no one had investigated the direct causes of it," said Dr. We wanted to determine whether and to what extent clinical practices were having an effect of creating that resistance," said Rose A. Devasia, M.D., M.P.H., clinical instructor of Vanderbilt University.
To investigate the causes of the small but growing proportion of fluoroquinolone-resistant TB cases, Dr. Devasia and colleagues performed a retrospective case-control study using data from the Tennessee Department of Health. They analyzed the records of every newly diagnosed patient with culture-confirmed TB who was also enrolled in Tennessee's Medicaid program, TennCare between January 2002 and December 2006. Using the TennCare pharmacy database, they were able to obtain information on the patients' use of fluoroquinolone for the 12 months prior to their TB diagnosis. They used M. tuberculosis isolates taken from each patient to test for fluoroquinolone resistance in each case.
After excluding those who were not enrolled in TennCare or whose culture were either unavailable or unusable, the researchers analyzed data for 640 patients. Age, race and other demographic factors were not significantly associated with resistance, but when researchers further analyzed the data they found a linear association between previous fluoroquinolone exposure and fluoroquinolone resistance.
Overall, patients who had used fluoroquinolones within 12 months of diagnosis were almost five times as likely to have a fluoroquinolone-resistant strain of TB than those who had not used fluoroquinolones, and there was a linear association between length of fluoroquinolone use and fluoroquinolone resistance.
"Patients who had undergone shorter treatment (less than 10 days) had a relatively low rate of resistance of only 1.6 percent," said Dr. Devasia. "[But] for every additional 10 days of fluoroquinolone use, we found that patients had a 50 percent increase in the likelihood of having resistant TB. Of the116 people who had taken fluoroquinolones, 13 percent had fluorquinolone- resistant TB."
Interestingly, Devasia and colleagues found that fluoroquinolone resistance was highest among those who had undergone treatment more than 60 days prior to TB diagnosis. "Exposure to fluoroquinolones early in the course of disease may select for and allow a fluoroquinolone-resistant strain to predominate," explained Dr. Devasia.
John Bernardo, M.D., of Boston University School of Medicine and Wing Wei Yew, M.B., of Grantham Hospital in Hong Kong, noted that pressure on doctors, particularly in settings such as emergency rooms, to inappropriately prescribe antibiotics may contribute to this growing problem. "For now, we all need to be more careful when considering the use of these drugs un the community setting and limit the use of prolonged or repeated courses of fluoroquinolones, or even avoid them altogether, in patients who are risk of having active TB," they wrote in an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal.
"These findings underscore the importance of considering TB in people with symptoms consistent with it and to limit the use of fluoroquinolone in those patients until TB can be definitively ruled out and that repeated courses of fluoroquinolones for the same clinical symptoms may be an indication that TB is the real problem," said Dr. Devasia.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810104929.htm

Food Stamp Use Linked To Weight Gain, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — The U.S. Food Stamp Program may help contribute to obesity among its users, according to a new nationwide study that followed participants for 14 years.
Researchers found that the average user of food stamps had a Body Mass Index (BMI) 1.15 points higher than non-users. The link between food stamps and higher weight was almost entirely based on women users, who averaged 1.24 points higher BMI than those not in the program, the study found. For an average American woman, this would mean an increase in weight of 5.8 pounds.
The study also found that people’s BMI increased faster when they were on food stamps than when they were not, and increased more the longer they were in the program.
“We can’t prove that the Food Stamp Program causes weight gain, but this study suggests a strong linkage,” said Jay Zagorsky, co-author of the study and a research scientist at Ohio State University’s Center for Human Resource Research.
“While food stamps may help fight hunger, they may have the unintended consequence of encouraging weight gain among women.”
Based on these findings, the Food Stamp Program may have a significant impact on America’s obesity rate. In 2008 about 28 million people, or almost 1 in 11 residents, received benefits from the program in a given month.
Zagorsky conducted the study with Patricia Smith of the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Their study appears in the current issue of the journal Economics and Human Biology.
The researchers used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, which has questioned the same group of randomly selected Americans since 1979. The NLSY is conducted by Ohio State’s Center for Human Resource Research.
In this study, Zagorsky and Smith compared nearly 4,000 survey participants who used food stamps with almost 6,000 survey participants who did not. They looked at BMI and food stamp use among the participants from 1989 to 2002.
BMI is one of the most widely used measurements for obesity. The BMI approximates body mass using a mathematical ratio of weight and height.
Obesity has been linked to poverty, so the researchers took into account income and a variety of other factors – including race and education -- that may have also affected the weight of survey participants, outside of the use of food stamps.
In addition, the study compared people who lived in the same counties, to take into account that there may be local factors that affect obesity rates.
Even after the various controls, the link between food stamp use and higher weight remained clear, especially for women.
While female food stamp users in general had an average BMI that was 1.24 points higher than those not in the program, white women’s BMI was 1.96 points higher, while black women’s BMI was 1.1 points higher.
Male food stamp users, both white and black, did not have significantly higher BMIs than those not in the program.
Additional evidence of food stamps’ role in weight gain came when the researchers looked at how people’s BMI changed before, during and after they were on food stamps.
Results showed BMI increased over all three periods, but increased the most when participants were on food stamps.
The average food stamp users saw their BMI go up 0.4 points per year when they were in the program, compared to 0.07 points per year before and 0.2 points per year after they no longer received the benefits.
In addition, the study found the longer participants received food stamps, the higher their BMI.
“Every way we looked at the data, it was clear that the use of food stamps was associated with weight gain,” Zagorsky said.
From the data they have, the researchers can’t tell for sure why food stamps seem to lead to unhealthy eating practices, Zagorsky said. But there are clues.
Government statistics showed that the average recipient received $81 in food stamps per month in 2002, the last year examined in this study.
“That figure was shocking to me.” Zagorsky said. “I think it would be very difficult for a shopper to regularly buy healthy, nutritious food on that budget.”
That’s because calorie-dense, high-fat, processed foods tend to be less expensive than more healthy choices.
Zagorsky said policymakers should aim at changing the types of food that program participants purchase.
Those on food stamps could be required to take a course on nutrition. In addition, recipients who purchase fresh fruit and vegetables and other low-fat products could be given more benefits or receive discounts on these products, he said.
“Modifying the Food Stamp Program to include economic incentives to eat healthier might be an important tool for fighting obesity,” Zagorsky said.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810122139.htm

High Levels Of Estrogens Discovered In Some Industrial Wastewater

ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — In a groundbreaking study, civil engineering researchers in the University of Minnesota's Institute of Technology have discovered that certain industries may be a significant source of plant-based estrogens, called phytoestrogens, in surface water. They also revealed that some of these phytoestrogens can be removed through standard wastewater treatment, but in some cases, the compounds remain at levels that may be damaging to fish.
Civil engineering associate professor Paige Novak and her graduate student researcher Mark Lundgren studied wastewater streams from 19 different industrial sites in Minnesota and Iowa and analyzed them for six phytoestrogens. They found very high concentrations of these hormone-mimicking phytoestrogens -- up to 250 times higher than the level at which feminization of fish has been seen in other research -- in the wastewater discharged from eight industrial sites, including biodiesel plants, a soy milk factory, a barbecue meat processing facility and a dairy. They also detected high concentrations of phytoestrogens in the water discharged by some municipal wastewater treatment plants.
The good news is that the researchers revealed that phytoestrogens can be removed from water as it goes through standard treatment. In fact, they saw more than 90 percent removal of these compounds from the water. Unfortunately, sometimes 99 percent removal is needed to reach levels that are considered harmless to fish.
Plant-based phytoestrogens are naturally occurring but have been shown to function as hormone mimics and alter development and reproductive patterns in fish. These effects include decreased aggression, immunosuppression, and decreased testosterone production. Other estrogens that cause similar effects have been linked to population-level collapse in fish, Novak said.
"Many people have looked at human-related chemicals such as those in birth control pills as the primary source of estrogens in the water supply, but they have not looked at plant-based estrogens from a wide variety industries," Novak said. "Our research is the first study of its kind to provide a snapshot in time of what is going on in these industries. We hope that it can be used in planning new industrial sites and expansion of current sites."
Novak pointed out that some of these industrial facilities are in small towns without sophisticated wastewater treatment plants. In these locations, there is potential for impacts on fish and wildlife, she said.
"Our nation needs to do some careful planning as we rapidly expand various plant processing industries," Novak said. "We need to include good wastewater treatment into our industrial plant designs. We also need to think broadly as we look for the causes of fish feminization in various streams, rivers and lakes, as well as possible solutions."
The research findings will be published this fall in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, an international professional organization dedicated to the study, analysis and solution of environmental problems. The research was funded by the Water Environment Research Foundation and the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA).
Mark S. Lundgren and Paige J. Novak. Quantification Of Phytoestrogens In Industrial Waste Streams. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810162105.htm

Breastfeeding Reduces Risk Of Breast Cancer In Women With A Family History Of The Disease

ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — According to a new study, women with a family history of breast cancer were 59 percent less likely to develop breast cancer themselves if they breastfed their children.
"This is good news for women with a family history of breast cancer," says Alison Stuebe, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and lead author of the study, which is published in the Aug. 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
"Our results suggest a woman can lower her risk of cancer simply by breastfeeding her children," Stuebe says.
Among women with a mother or sister with breast cancer, the researchers found that those who had breastfed were less than half as likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer as those who had not breastfed. The authors did not find a difference in risk among women without a family history of breast cancer.
For women with a family history, the reduction in risk with breastfeeding was similar to taking an anti-estrogen drug such as Tamoxifen for five years. But unlike Tamoxifen, Stuebe says, "Breastfeeding is good for mothers and for babies."
Stuebe and colleagues reviewed data from the Nurses' Health Study II, a long-term study of more than 100,000 women from 14 states. Stuebe's study followed more than 60,000 who reported at least one pregnancy in 1997, when breastfeeding was assessed in detail, and followed them through 2005 to determine how many developed invasive breast cancer.
How long a woman breastfed seemed to be less important than whether or not she had breastfed, Stuebe says. The reduction in risk was similar whether women breastfed for a lifetime total of three months or for more than three years. Also, there was no significant difference in risk for women who breastfed exclusively versus those who breastfed while supplementing with other foods.
Why breastfeeding reduces risk of breast cancer is unknown. The authors suspect that when women do not breastfeed, inflammation and engorgement shortly after birth causes changes in breast tissue that may increase risk for breast cancer. Breastfeeding followed by weaning may prevent this inflammation.
When the researchers compared data about women who breastfed and those who did not, there was a 25 percent total reduction in incidence of premenopausal breast cancer. But, Stuebe says, that statistic was accounted for by women without a family history of the disease.
"We did not find an association between breastfeeding and premenopausal breast cancer among women without a family history of breast cancer," Stuebe says. "This could be because there's something about genetically caused breast cancer that's affected by breastfeeding, or it could be because rates of breast cancer were so low in women without a family history that we couldn't see an association in this data set."
Stuebe says the research underscores the public health impact of policies that help mothers successfully breastfeed. In a recent CDC study, more than half of women said they stopped breastfeeding earlier than they wanted to. "Mothers and babies need supportive hospital policies, paid maternity leave, and workplace accommodations so that they can meet their breastfeeding goals," Stuebe says. "Public health begins with breastfeeding."
Alison M. Stuebe; Walter C. Willett; Fei Xue; Karin B. Michels. Lactation and Incidence of Premenopausal Breast Cancer: A Longitudinal Study. Arch Intern Med., 2009; 169 (15): 1364-1371
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810161858.htm

Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Be Associated With Reduced Risk Of Chronic Disease

ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — Four healthy lifestyle factors—never smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and following a healthy diet—together appear to be associated with as much as an 80 percent reduction in the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases, according to a report in the August 10/24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes—chronic diseases that together account for most deaths—are largely preventable, according to background information in the article. "An impressive body of research has implicated modifiable lifestyle factors such as smoking, physical activity, diet and body weight in the causes of these diseases," the authors write.
To further describe the reduction in risk associated with these factors, Earl S. Ford, M.D., M.P.H., of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, and colleagues assessed data from 23,513 German adults age 35 to 65. At the beginning of the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition–Potsdam (EPIC-Potsdam) study—between 1994 and 1998—participants completed an assessment of their body weight and height, a personal interview that included questions about diseases, a questionnaire on sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics and a food frequency questionnaire.
Their responses were assessed for adherence to four healthy lifestyle factors: never smoking, having a body mass index lower than 30, exercising for at least three and a half hours per week and following healthy dietary principles (for example, having a diet with high consumption of fruits and vegetables while limiting meat consumption). Follow-up questionnaires were administered every two to three years.
Most participants had one to three of these health factors, fewer than 4 percent had zero healthy factors and 9 percent had all four factors. Over an average of 7.8 years of follow-up, 2,006 participants developed new cases of diabetes (3.7 percent), heart attack (0.9 percent), stroke (0.8 percent) or cancer (3.8 percent).
After adjusting for age, sex, education level and occupation, individuals with more healthy lifestyle factors were less likely to develop chronic diseases. Participants who had all four factors at the beginning of the study had a 78 percent lower risk of developing any of the chronic diseases during the follow-up period than those who had none of the healthy factors. The four factors were associated with a 93 percent reduced risk of diabetes, 81 percent reduced risk of heart attack, 50 percent reduced risk of stroke and 36 percent reduced risk of cancer.
The largest reduction in risk was associated with having a BMI lower than 30, followed by never smoking, at least 3.5 hours of physical activity and then adhering to good dietary principles.
"Our results reinforce current public health recommendations to avoid smoking, to maintain a healthy weight, to engage in physical activity appropriately and to eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables and foods containing whole grains and to partake of red meat prudently," the authors write. "Because the roots of these factors often originate during the formative stages of life, it is especially important to start early in teaching the important lessons concerning healthy living."
Earl S. Ford; Manuela M. Bergmann; Janine Kroger; Anja Schienkiewitz; Cornelia Weikert; Heiner Boeing. Healthy Living Is the Best Revenge: Findings From the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam Study. Arch Intern Med., 2009; 169 (15): 1355-1362
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810161906.htm

The Health Benefits of Organic Raw Chocolate
Organic Jar,  July 27, 2009
(OrganicJar) Chocolate is a healthy superfood that is bursting with antioxidants. Additionally, it benefits your heart, helps increase alertness and improves mood – all with very little caffeine. However, to reap the health benefits, you have to choose the right chocolate: chocolate that is pure, 100% organically grown, and minimally processed.

Rich in Nutrients

In its natural state chocolate is bursting with antioxidants to fight radicals, even more than fruit, vegetables, tea or wine!
Chocolate supplies micronutrients, such as potassium, zinc, magnesium and iron, and is one of the richest food source of antioxidants that neutralize free radicals – rogue oxygen molecules that can accelerate aging and cause numerous health problems.

Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure

Chocolate aids in relaxation of blood vessels so your blood easily travels where it needs to.
According to Dr. Dirk Taubert, MD, Ph.D, and his colleagues at the University of Cologne, Germany, dark chocolate — not white chocolate — can lower high blood pressure. Taubert’s study involved six men and seven women aged 55-64 who had been diagnosed with mild high blood pressure — on average, systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 153 and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) of 84. Every day for two weeks, they ate a 100-gram candy bar and were asked to balance its 480 calories by not eating other foods similar in nutrients and calories. Half the patients got dark chocolate and half got white chocolate. Those who ate dark chocolate had a significant drop in blood pressure (by an average of 5 points for systolic and an average of 2 points for diastolic blood pressure). Those who ate white chocolate did not.

Heart Protection

Another study compared how blood platelets responded to a flavonol-rich cocoa drink with 25 grams of semi-sweet chocolate pieces and a blood-thinning, 81-milligram aspirin dose. The research found similar reactions to the two from a group of 20- to 40-year-olds: both the drink and the aspirin prevented platelets from sticking together or clotting, which can impede blood flow. In conclusion, flavonol-rich cocoa and chocolate act similarly to low-dose aspirin in promoting healthy blood flow. Reducing the blood’s ability to clot also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

Antioxidants in Dark Chocolate

Cornell University food scientists found that cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit oxidation or reactions promoted by oxygen and peroxides, and that include many held to protect the living body from the deleterious effects of free radicals. Examples include beta-carotene, vitamin C, and alpha-tocopherol. A 40-gram serving of milk chocolate contains about 400 milligrams of antioxidants, the same as a glass of red wine, according to research published by Joe A. Vinson of the University of Scranton, Pa.
• Ref.: Vinson JA, Proch J, Zubik L. Phenol antioxidant quantity and quality in foods: cocoa, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate J Agric Food Chem. 1999 Dec;47(12):4821-4.
Dark chocolate has more than 13,000 ORAC units and milk chocolate has about 6,700, according to the Chocolate Manufacturers Association in McLean, Va. Unsweetened powdered cocoa starts out with almost twice as much antioxidants as dark chocolate, but when it’s diluted with water or milk and sugar to make hot chocolate, the flavonoid total per serving plummets to about half that in milk chocolate.
• Ref.: Miraglio A, Chocolate’s Potential for Health Benefits Nutrition Notes May 2001
Serafini’s study: Serafini’s included seven healthy women and five healthy men aged 25-35. On different days they each ate 100 grams of dark chocolate by itself, 100 grams of dark chocolate with a small glass of whole milk, or 200 grams of milk chocolate. An hour later, those who ate dark chocolate alone had the most total antioxidants in their blood; and they had higher levels of epicatechin, a particularly healthy compound found in chocolate. The milk chocolate eaters had the lowest epicatechin levels of all.
Longevity: Fesearchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who eat chocolate and sweets up to three times each month live almost a year longer than those who eat too much or those who steer clear of junk altogether.
• Ref. Lee IM, Paffenbarger R Life is sweet: candy consumption and longevity BMJ 1998; 317: 1683-1684.

Important Information on Chocolate

• Dark chocolate is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate. The way that cocoa powder and chocolate syrups are manufactured removes most flavonoids. Raw, organic cocoa and chocolate only offer the health benefits listed above.
• Choose rich, 100% organic chocolate and cocoa. Milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate and may therefore negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate. Therefore, choose dark chocolate and enjoy it in moderation.

http://organicjar.com/2009/1737/

Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet

RawFoodist, June 18, 2009
Here is the abstract for the article (titled: Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet):
“It has been estimated that 30–40 percent of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone. Obesity, nutrient sparse foods such as concentrated sugars and refined flour products that contribute to impaired glucose metabolism (which leads to diabetes), low fiber intake, consumption of red meat, and imbalance of omega 3 and omega 6 fats all contribute to excess cancer risk. Intake of flax seed, especially its lignan fraction, and abundant portions of fruits and vegetables will lower cancer risk. Allium and cruciferous vegetables are especially beneficial, with broccoli sprouts being the densest source of sulforophane. Protective elements in a cancer prevention diet include selenium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, chlorophyll, and antioxidants such as the carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, lutein, cryptoxanthin). Ascorbic acid has limited benefits orally, but could be very beneficial intravenously. Supplementary use of oral digestive enzymes and probiotics also has merit as anticancer dietary measures. When a diet is compiled according to the guidelines here it is likely that there would be at least a 60–70 percent decrease in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancers, and even a 40–50 percent decrease in lung cancer, along with similar reductions in cancers at other sites. Such a diet would be conducive to preventing cancer and would favor recovery from cancer as well.”
The 238 citations for this article each have their own link to abstract in Pubmed.
Reference:
Nutrition and cancer: A review of the evidence for an anti-cancer diet
Michael S Donaldson
Nutrition Journal 2004, 3:19doi:10.1186/1475-2891-3-19

http://rawfoodist.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/nutrition-and-cancer-a-review-of-the-evidence-for-an-anti-cancer-diet/

Meditation can often mask a downside

 The benefits of meditating can sometimes allow practitioners to inflate their own sense of importance
 VANCOUVER SUNAUGUST 8, 2009
Tens of millions of North Americans are now into meditation; practising stillness to deal with their frantic, whirling thoughts. Most meditators' aim is to remain calm in the midst of life's struggles.
Instead of being buffeted about by harsh events, many meditators in Canada and the U.S. try to "detach" from their feelings and impulses, thinking that will liberate them from suffering.
A recent Vancouver Sun poll conducted by the Mustel Group found one out of three British Columbians, roughly 1.4 million people, have practised meditation. That doesn't include many more who practise prayer in a contemplative way.
I believe meditation and contemplation are generally positive responses to North America's culture of busyness.
But can meditation, contemplation and related practices encourage people to detach too effectively from their so-called negative thoughts, leading them to actually detach from life itself?
Can meditation even feed into the North American consumer society's predilection toward narcissism, which sees individuals cultivating an inflated sense of their own importance?
The potential dark side of meditation is something of which to be aware.
In his brilliant book, The Psychoanalytic Mystic, Michael Eigen tells the stories of two highly adept meditators who deep down, to put it in the vernacular, were not happy campers.
Eigen, a New York psychoanalyst who appreciates both Buddhism and his Jewish upbringing, profiles one respected meditation teacher who, when he came to therapy, was depressed and anxious and having trouble functioning.
"Owen," as Eigen calls the client, believed that, since he was an accomplished Buddhist meditation teacher, he was superior to the therapist, who was only a part-time meditator.
Eigen began discovering about Owen that he did not come from a home in which he was hurt. In fact, he had been indulged by his mother.
Owen's long periods of pleasant meditation on the concept of Buddhist Emptiness, Eigen says, paralleled his early childhood sensations of his mother's doting affection. For Owen, "inflated maternal support blossomed in the Void," Eigen writes, with a certain wryness.
Since Owen's Buddhism instructed him not to hold onto such idealized maternal feelings, but to "detach" from them, Eigen believes the meditator never really confronted their negative ramifications.
In other words, Eigen believes Owen used meditation to deny his own dark side. The meditator felt himself better than others, including his students, and often privately denigrated them.
Eigen saw a similar dynamic in another veteran meditator, "Jesse," a successful Wall Street analyst who came to therapy to deal with chronic fatigue syndrome and nausea. Jesse often reflected on life's possibilities in meditation, writes Eigen. "Meditation catalyzed Jesse's creativity and heightened his already acute awareness of shifting sensations, moods and feelings."
Although Jesse was a nice guy who seemed "open," in his constant search for something new, he became insensitive to women and others. Eigen says Jesse really needed to control people, because they threatened him.
Jesse attended meditation centres for years, but Eigen believes meditation threw Jesse back into himself. What Jesse needed, in the end, was less meditation and more connection.
As Eigen says: "Jessie needed simple human contact, not Enlightenment."
Thinking of Owen and Jessie together, Eigen believes they both hurt themselves by trying to escape from other people through meditation.
The meditators did not integrate life's inevitable suffering and limitations into their own being, says Eigen. Focussing on their inner lives, neither Owen nor Jessie allowed themselves to be "transformed" by others.
Ken Wilber, another sophisticated spiritual thinker who is working to integrate psychology, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and philosophy, also warns against North Americans treating meditation as a be-all and end-all.
Even though Wilber meditates himself, he laments how meditation in the U.S. and Canada is often accompanied by an attitude he calls "Boomeritis Buddhism."
That is, Wilber believes many middle-aged baby boomers who meditate bring to it an over-simplified commitment to pluralism and relativism and the notion that, "You do your thing and I'll do mine."
Meditation, Wilber said, does not necessarily help such individualistic people face their inner "Shadows," the destructive aspects of their personalities.
Instead, Wilber says, when Eastern meditation teachers tell people to "kill their egos," it runs the danger the students might "dis-identify" with their more unpleasant personality traits.
Meditation for many "becomes a process of transcend and deny ... rather than transcend and include," Wilber writes in his book, Integral Spirituality: A Startling New Role for Religion in the Modern and Postmodern World.
The Eastern teaching that people should have "no ego," an idea espoused by Vancouver-based spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle and many others, encourages meditators to try to be "empty," to have no viewpoint, says Wilber.
The trouble is many meditators believe that means having no viewpoints at all, even on important issues. As Wilber says, many meditators don't believe in anything. Although Wilber thinks people can through meditation reach elevated states of consciousness that can help them become more mature, he says there is no guarantee mediation will free men or women from their own narcissism.
I appreciate the way both Eigen and Wilber conclude that meditation can be beneficial, but that it's only part of what's necessary to reach maturity.
The true goal of meditation, and any spiritual discipline, is not only to "empty" oneself of negative feelings and thoughts, but to face one's own inner demons. That leads, in a sense, to feeling "full" -- in connection with yourself, others and transcendent values.
Meditation should lead to the development of wise beliefs, which Wilber says require a commitment to "compassion for all sentient things." In turn, that requires developing a self (or ego) that is skilful enough to put compassion into practical action.In other words, meditation and Buddhism have a lot to offer, but so do Judaism, Christianity and other spiritual and psychological paths that emphasize transformation and living life to the fullest.
As Eigen sums up: "No religion or therapeutic methods holds the best cards in all games."
Or, as Wilber concludes: "Meditation is not wrong, but partial."
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Meditation+often+mask+downside/1874171/story.html

Iron nanoparticles can be toxic to human lung cells.

Environmental Health News, Aug 12, 2009
 Keenan, CR, R Goth-Goldstein, D Lucas and DL Sedlak. 2009. Oxidative stress induced by zero-valent iron nanoparticles and Fe(II) in human bronchial epithelial cells. Environmental Science and Technology doi:10.1021/es9006383.

Iron nanoparticles that are poised for use in large-scale pollution remediation can rapidly react with oxygen and cause lung cells to die.
The number of oxygen molecules associated with iron nanoparticles is an important factor in its toxicity to cells, finds a study published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. Iron-based nanoparticles without attached oxygen molecules can react quickly when exposed to oxygen to form other reactive varieties that can damage lung cells.
It is important to understand which types of nanoparticles may be most harmful to cells. Of most concern are the health and safety of the workers who could be highly exposed when they make the materials.
Nanoparticles are very small materials usually made from carbon or metals. They are increasingly used in far-ranging applications such as consumer products, medical therapies and industrial processes. Because of their small sizes, nanoparticles react differently with their surroundings than the bulk materials they are made from.
One type – called zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) – has great potential for remediating pollutants such as chlorinated organic solvents, pesticides and metals found in contaminated groundwater. nZVI is already commercially available, and its use could introduce large amounts of the nanoparticles into the environment.
However, the same qualities that make these particles potentially useful in environmental clean-up – namely their high reactivity – also make them potentially harmful to living things. Some of the reactions can release free radicals that can damage cell DNA in a process broadly called oxidative stress. Prior studies have found that particulates can cause toxicity to lung cells via oxidative processes.
To test how the nZVI nanoparticles might affect human lung cells if they were inhaled, researchers exposed lung cells to different levels of the nZVI nanoparticles and of another more volatile form called ferrous oxide (Fe(II)). They then compared the effects.
Both types damaged the lung cells in a similar fashion. After an hour, about three-quarters of the cells were still alive for both nZVI and Fe(II) at the lowest dose tested. Only about one-quarter survived at the higher dose tested. nZVI allowed to sit and oxidize (react with oxygen) for four hours before testing did not cause similar cell damage.
This suggests that as the nZVI nanoparticles contact oxygen, their form rapidly changes and releases oxygen radicals that can damage lung cells. The results support prior studies that have found the nanoparticles first convert into the highly reactive Fe(II) and then into the more stable ferric iron. It is the further reaction of Fe(II) with oxygen that leads to the oxidative stress that damages the cells.
The authors conclude that the oxidation state of the iron in nanoparticles is an important factor in its toxicity.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/iron-nanoparticles-toxic-to-human-lung-cells/

Rate of severe childhood obesity up sharply in U.S.
Last Updated: 2009-08-11 13:01:09 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The rate of severe obesity among U.S. children and teenagers more than tripled over the past three decades, a new study finds.
Using data from a long-running government health survey, researchers found that as of 2004, nearly 4 percent of 2- to 19-year-olds in the U.S. were severely obese.
That was up more than three-fold from 1976, and more than 70 percent from 1994, the researchers report in the journal Academic Pediatrics.
"Children are not only becoming obese, but becoming severely obese, which impacts their overall health," lead researcher Dr. Joseph A. Skelton, of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said in a news release from the university.
"These findings," he added, "reinforce the fact that medically-based programs to treat obesity are needed throughout the United States and insurance companies should be encouraged to cover this care."
The study also found that minority and lower-income children are at particular risk of severe obesity -- which, in children and teenagers, is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) in the 99th percentile for one's age and gender.
In the most recent survey, which included 12,000 2- to 19-year-olds from across the U.S., nearly 6 percent of African-American children and teens were severely obese, as were roughly 5 percent of Mexican- Americans. That compared with 3 percent of their white peers.
In contrast, less than 1 percent of Mexican-American children and less than 2 percent of black children were severely obese in the 1970s survey.
When it came to family income, the latest survey data show that just over 4 percent of relatively lower-income children were severely obese, versus 2.5 percent of those from higher-income families.
The findings underscore a central obstacle in tackling childhood obesity, Skelton and his colleagues note: The children who are most affected also generally have the greatest difficulty getting good healthcare.
"No simple answers exist," the researchers write, pointing out that along with better access to healthcare, there also need to be broader efforts to improve the diets and lifestyle habits of U.S. children.
SOURCE: Academic Pediatrics, September 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/08/11/eline/links/20090811elin006.html

UN chief warns of 'incalculable' suffering
(AFP) – 1 day ago
INCHEON, South Korea — UN chief Ban Ki-moon warned on Tuesday of "incalculable" human suffering if the world fails to reach a deal at crucial climate change talks this December. The United Nations is orchestrating the talks in the Danish capital in hopes of securing an agreement to slash greenhouse gas emissions blamed for global warming.

"As we move toward Copenhagen in December, we must seal a climate change deal that secures our common future," Ban told an environmental forum in Incheon city west of Seoul.

The UN secretary general, who began a visit to his homeland Sunday, warned of catastrophes if the world fails to work out a deal.

Ban said unchecked climate change would intensify drought, floods and other natural disasters and bring water shortages and malnutrition -- aggravating tensions and social unrest and even sparking violence.
"The human suffering will be incalculable," Ban said. He said he was confident the world could avert catastrophe but time was running out. "We have the power to change course but we must do it now."

Ban said industrialised countries should lead the way by committing to mid-term targets of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 25 to 40 percent below 1990 levels. He urged developed countries to provide "sufficient, measurable and verifiable" technical and financial support to developing nations to achieve the common goal.
Ban also urged developing countries to take "measurable, reportable and verifiable" actions to reduce emissions.
"Any agreement must be fair, effective, equitable and comprehensive and based on science," he said. "Trust between developing and developed countries is essential."

Ban recalled that Incheon was the city where United Nations forces launched a daring landing in 1950 to turn the tide of the Korean War.

"Today we need to turn a different tide. The tide of climate change.... Together we truly can turn the tide once again here in Incheon," he said.

Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, is on a 10-day private visit and returns to New York on August 18. During his stay he plans to meet President Lee Myung-Bak, Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo and Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan to discuss issues including climate change and the UN-South Korean partnership.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gws2GzHvlIo9SAY0nlTDFs6U5AIQ

Higher fiber intake associated with lower inflammation marker
Life Extensions, August 10, 2009
An article published in the August, 2009 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported the results of a review of seven clinical trials which confirmed an association between increased fiber intake and lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation. Chronic inflammation has been implicated in a number of diseases and conditions, including cardiovascular disease, which is predicted by high CRP levels.
Researchers at North-West University in Potchefstroom, South Africa selected seven clinical trials including a total of 192 men and 362 women for their analysis. The objective of the majority of the trials was not to investigate the effects of fiber on CRP, but to evaluate the effects of different fats and diets. The sources of fiber used in the interventions included whole grain bread and cereal, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds; viscous fibers from oats, barley, psyllium, and a high fiber DASH diet. The trials' durations ranged from 3 to 24 months.
All studies except one trial of psyllium fiber alone were associated with a reduction in CRP concentrations. Fiber intake of at least 3.3 grams per megajoule (a measure of energy equal to 239 kcal) was associated with a reduction in CRP of 25 to 54 percent.
A possible mechanism for fiber in CRP reduction is decreased body weight. Other mechanisms include changes in the secretion, turnover or metabolism of insulin, glucose, adiponectin, interleukin-6, free fatty acids and triglycerides. Additionally, fiber's normalizing effect on intestinal flora could result in lower levels of inflammation via reduction in the bowel's inflammatory cytokines.
"Further research is needed to more fully understand which types of fiber work best and which individuals are most susceptible to its anti-inflammatory effect, so that the long-term goal of reduction in cardiovascular risk can be achieved,” the authors conclude.
higher-fiber-intake-associated-with-lower-inflammation-marker

7 Habits That Will Sabotage Healthy Eating

Daily Press, Newport News, Va.                                                        08-10-09
Fixing these common mistakes will help many people be healthier, says Dr. Phillip Snider, a family physician in Virginia Beach, Va.:
1. Not enough breakfast.
One recent study showed that obese dieters who had a 600-calorie breakfast with healthy proteins and carbohydrates - such as scrambled eggs, diced turkey, fruit and whole-wheat toast or oatmeal - lost significantly more weight than those who ate only half as much. They also ate less at other meals and had fewer junk food cravings.
2. Not enough fruit.
Eat fruit at least twice a day. On average, one serving is a half-cup of chopped fruit, a baseball-sized apple or orange, half a banana or 10 grapes.
3. Not enough vegetables.
The goal for fruit and veggies should be a minimum of five servings a day; nine is ideal. Aim to have vegetables covering at least a third of your dinner plate.
4. Too much hidden sugar.
Juices, meal bars, low-fiber cereals and snack foods often are more sugary than people think. Read labels and try to limit your daily intake to 100 grams.
5. Too much hidden trans fat.
Any food with "partially hydrogenated oil" on its ingredient list contains these unhealthy fats. Even if the label says zero grams of trans fat, there may still be some because companies can round down if there's less than half a gram. As little as two grams a day is harmful.
6. Hidden saturated fats.
Limit full-fat dairy products, high-fat meats - especially beef and pork - and foods cooked with butter or cream. Go for broth-based soups, for example.
7. Extreme dieting.
Pick one bad eating pattern to tackle each week, not all of them at once. You're more likely to have long-term success.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8619&Section=Nutrition

Eight Top Ways to Protect Against Prostate Cancer

Tulsa World  08-10-09
Dear Pharmacist: My father and brother both died of prostate cancer. I want to do everything I can now to avoid prostate cancer. Can you give me more information? -- M.M. Phoenix
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages, and most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75. I've researched and prepared this list to help you and other proactive men.
Consider vitamin D. This antioxidant may help reduce overall cancer risk and lower PSA values by 25 to 50 percent in men with prostate cancer.
Reduce free radical damage. I'll be blunt: stop smoking and eating greasy burgers, french fries, beer, foods with MSG and other artificial chemicals, all of which assault your cells.
Test properly. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test is America's gold standard test but unfortunately it could be normal in the presence of prostate cancer, giving a man a false sense of security.
Don't overmedicate . Prescribed medications suppress serum DHT but lowering it too much could backfire. It's shocking, but very low DHT hormone will also suppress an anti-cancer hormone called androstanediol, causing more aggressive tumors. Progressive physicians know this, so they routinely measure the ratio between DHT and androstanediol, which is more important than either hormone alone.
Consider insulin levels. Chronically elevated blood insulin levels are associated with prostate.
Exercise. When you are overweight, your fat cells hold on to estrogen.
Consider diet . Men who are heavy meat eaters (5 times or more per week) are 2 1/2 times more likely to develop prostate cancer than men who eat it once a week.
Consider natural supplements that support prostate health. Quercetin, curcumin, lycopene, beta sitosterol, melatonin and natural anti-fungals.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8621&Section=Disease

Medicines cause most accidental poisonings in kids
Last Updated: 2009-08-10 13:03:05 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Medication overdoses send one in every 180 US 2-year-olds to the emergency department every year, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Such overdoses are responsible for more than two-thirds of all childhood poisonings.
Most of the time, these cases occur when a child finds a medicine and eats or drinks it without adult supervision, Dr. Daniel S. Budnitz, who directs the Medication Safety Program at the CDC's Division of Healthcare Quality and Promotion and led the study, told Reuters Health.
"Although there have been some great stride in preventing deaths from overdoses with the traditional child-resistant caps...it might be time to kind of take the next step," Budnitz said. He said the CDC is working with manufacturers and other agencies to come up with innovative packaging that reduces the likelihood that a child can take too much of a medication.
While the number of calls to poison control centers nationwide is declining, Budnitz and his team note in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the percentage of those calls that involve medicines rather than household products such as cleaners and pesticides jumped from 34% to 44% from 2002 to 2006.
It's not clear why, Budnitz said in an interview, but the fact that people are simply taking more medicines these days could be a factor.
To better understand how to prevent unintentional medication overdoses in children, the researchers looked at data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for 2004-2005 on visits to emergency departments for unintentional poisoning by patients 18 and under.
Medication accounted for 68.9% of these visits, or an estimated 71,224 visits every year, Budnitz and his team found. Over-the-counter products were responsible for a third of the medication-related poisonings.
The most common medications involved were acetaminophen (Tylenol), representing 9.3% of cases; cough and cold medicines, 7.3%; antidepressants, 6.1%; and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil), 5.3%.
Four out of five visits were due to children ingesting medications on their own, while 14.3% involved misuse of medications, for example a child being given too large a dose by an adult, or being dosed too frequently.
The youngest children were most at risk, with kids 5 and under accounting for 81.3% of the medication-related poisonings. As children got older their likelihood of unintentional medication overdose decreased, but rose again during adolescence, possibly because parents were allowing them to take medications on their own, Budnitz and his team note.
"These are not teens who are trying to get high or kill themselves," Budnitz noted, but who simply may not understand how to use medicines. "Really you can only take medicines as directed. If the bottle says take two for pain it doesn't mean that taking eight will be even better."
Parents should know, he added, that teens may still need guidance in using medications properly.
And it's also crucial for parents to tightly close the caps of medicine bottles and put them up out of the reach of children, he added. Putting medicines in a place that's "convenient" for parents, he said, may also mean that it's easy for kids to reach too.
SOURCE: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, September 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/08/10/eline/links/20090810elin001.html

Childhood cancer treatment may raise diabetes risk
Last Updated: 2009-08-10 16:54:57 -0400 (Reuters Health)
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cancer survivors who got radiation treatments as children have nearly twice the risk of developing diabetes as adults, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
They said children who were treated with total body radiation or abdominal radiation to fight off cancer appear to have higher diabetes risks later in life, regardless of whether they exercise regularly or maintain a normal weight.
The odds of surviving childhood cancer have improved with better therapies but several research teams have found that some treatments pose health risks later in life.
Dr. Lillian Meacham of Emory University in Atlanta and colleagues compared rates of diabetes in nearly 8,600 childhood cancer survivors diagnosed between 1970 and 1986, and nearly 3,000 of their siblings who did not have cancer.
After adjusting for other risk factors, including body mass index - a ratio of height and weight - they found the childhood cancer survivors overall were 1.8 times more likely to have diabetes.
And the more radiation that was used, the greater the diabetes risk. For those treated with total body radiation - a treatment often used before bone marrow transplants to treat childhood leukemia - the diabetes risk was more than seven times greater.
Cancer survivors already have higher risks of heart and kidney disease. A study last year found children who survive cancer while they are young are five to 10 times more likely than their healthy siblings to develop heart disease.
"It is imperative that clinicians recognize this risk, screen for diabetes and pre-diabetes when appropriate, and approach survivors with aggressive risk-reducing strategies," the team wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
They said more study was needed to understand how radiation could promote diabetes in cancer survivors.
Type 2 diabetes - the most common form of diabetes - develops when the body makes too much insulin and does not efficiently use the insulin it makes.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/08/10/eline/links/20090810elin029.html

New Easter Island Mystery: Scientists Say Natural Compound on Island Extends Lifespan
S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  August 11, 2009 

(NaturalNews) No one can argue that Easter Island, located off the coast of Chile in the South Pacific, is one of the most mysterious places on earth. The extremely remote island is home to huge, enigmatic monoliths carved by the one-time inhabitants of the island who settled there over 1,500 years ago. The large-eyed stone figures stare out at the sea as if guarding a secret. Now scientists have uncovered another mystery of Easter Island -- one that could be important for the future of humankind. New research suggests that a natural compound found in the soil of the island could be a health-promoting elixir of long life.

If this sounds like a fantasy or hocus pocus, it isn't. In fact, a study of the compound was just published in the prestigious science journal Nature. Researchers say the biochemical, produced by soil bacteria, has such extraordinary life-extending properties it could lead to a genuine "anti-aging" pill that keeps people young.

Scientists at the University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center at San Antonio and collaborating centers at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, gave the Easter Island compound, which is called rapamycin after the island's Polynesian name Rapa Nui, to middle-aged mice who were the equivalent, in mice years, of 60 year old people. The compound increased the animals' expected by 28 percent to 38 percent. Place in human perspective, the scientists noted this increase in lifespan would be greater than the predicted increase in extra years of life if all cancers and heart disease could be prevented and cured.

"We believe this is the first convincing evidence that the aging process can be slowed...," said Randy Strong, Ph.D., who directs the National Institute on Aging (NIA) funded Aging Interventions Testing Center in San Antonio. He is a professor of pharmacology at the UT Health Science Center and a senior research career scientist with the South Texas Veterans Health Care System.

Researchers studying aging currently know of only two life-extending strategies that appear to work for mammals -- calorie restriction and genetic manipulation. Rapamycin is believed to extend life because it impacts the same molecular pathway that restricting calorie intact also affects. The key seems to be a cellular protein in rapamycin called mTOR which controls a host of processes related to cell metabolism and responses to stress.

The male and female mice used in the study were cross-bred from four different strains of mice so they would be better examples of genetic diversity and disease susceptibility, making them more like the human population. There was, early on, a problem with feeding these animals rapamycin. The substance wasn't stable enough in food or the digestive tract to enter the bloodstream. However, that glitch was solved by placing the biochemical into a microencapsulated form so the natural compound bypassed the stomach and was released into the intestines.

This change in the original experiment meant that the mice who were originally going to receive rapamycin when they were four months old didn't get started on the compound until they were 20 months old, the equivalent of 60 year old people. Scientist Arlan G. Richardson, PhD, director of the Barshop Institute at UT, admitted in a statement to the media that this delay had made him pessimistic. In fact, he didn't think the experiment would work. After all, most reports show that calorie restriction doesn't work to prolong life if it is started at an older age so a compound that mimicked the effects of calorie restriction probably had little chance of working on an old animal. But, to Dr. Richardson's surprise, it did.

"I've been in aging research for 35 years and there have been many so-called 'anti-aging' interventions over those years that were never successful," Dr. Richardson said in his statement to the press. "I never thought we would find an anti-aging pill for people in my lifetime; however, rapamycin shows a great deal of promise to do just that."

Rapamycin was first discovered in the l970s and found to have anti-fungal properties. It was eventually used as the basis for drugs given to transplant patients to prevent organ rejection. Rapamycin is currently being tested in clinical trials as a cancer fighter, too.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026821_Easter_Island_aging_longevity.html

Tomato Pill Found to Reverse Heart Disease
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  August 11, 2009 

(NaturalNews) A pill made from tomatoes may do more to help treat heart disease and high cholesterol than many pharmaceutical products currently on the market, according to preliminary trials carried out by researchers from Cambridge University.

The pill, known as Ateronon, contains a version of the tomato phytonutrient lycopene, which gives the fruits their bright red color. Lycopene has been shown in a number of studies to help relieve the symptoms of heart disease and to help prevent cancer

The chemical is poorly absorbed by the human body, however, so researchers from a Cambridge spinoff company have refined it into a more accessible form. In preliminary trials, Ateronon reduced the oxidation of harmful fats in the blood to zero after only eight weeks of treatment in 150 people, a more significant result than that observed in statin drugs.

The preliminary study results were announced at the pill's launch, at a meeting of the British Cardiovascular Society.

"If you think that this can reduce the damage to the arteries, which is the damage that ends up causing heart attacks and strokes -- this can potentially extend life but also saves lives on a global basis," TV doctor Rob Hicks said. "The potential impact is enormous -- we might see a fall in the number of people suffering heart attacks, strokes and other problems relating to arterial damage and the clogging up of the arteries. That has to be welcomed."

Peter Weissberg of the British Heart Foundation noted that it could be some time before Ateronon undergoes enough studies to be considered clinically proven. Until then, he advised patients to "aim to get the benefits of the Mediterranean diet by eating plenty of fresh fruits and [vegetables]."

The Mediterranean diet, which has been proven to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, is heavy on fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts, light on meat, and uses olive oil as its primary fat source.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026820_disease_fruits_heart_attacks.html

Preliminary Injunction to Halt Mandatory Flu Vaccination in the U.S. Has Been Issued
Barbara Minton, NaturalNews.com  August 11, 2009 

(NaturalNews) A Preliminary Injunction to stop mandatory vaccinations has been issued in the United States District Court of New Jersey. This comes after a federal lawsuit opposing forced vaccines was filed in that court by Tim Vawter, pro se attorney, on July 31st with the federal government as defendant. When the judge signs the Preliminary Injunction, it will stop the federal government from forcing anyone in any state to take flu vaccine against their will. It will also prevent a state or local government from forcibly vaccinating anyone, and forbid any person who is not vaccinated from being denied any services or constitutional rights. Vawter's filings included a Complaint, and several pages of evidentiary Exhibits.

Vawter's legal papers have been written not only for filing in federal court, but additionally so they can be looked at by activists around the world for ideas on filing lawsuits in their own countries to help stop forced vaccinations. Vawter believes that as the truth of the dangers of flu vaccinescontinues to become known, banning the forced use of them will eventually succeed on a worldwide basis. He cautions people to avoid fear and keep themselves focused on the task of blocking forced vaccination.

Preliminary Injunction will immediately halt mandatory vaccinations in the U.S.

The Court, having heard the Motion for Preliminary Injunction and read the papers in its support, states in the Preliminary Injunction that it appears the federal government has engaged in some amount of negligence with regards to failure to properly investigate the safety of the flu vaccinesscheduled for use in late 2009-2010, and the evidence submitted does warrant a more thorough investigation into the safety of the flu vaccines.

The Court ordered that the government shall be forbidden from forcing any person to be required to take any influenza vaccination against that person's free will and free choice. The government will not allow any state or local government, or any party, to force any person to be required to take any influenza vaccination against that person's free will and free choice.

It is further ordered that the government shall not deny any constitutional rights to any person who has not received a flu vaccine, nor allow any doctor, company, or other party to deny any of these people services such as medical care, attending school, or similar services or freedoms, nor can the government allow any doctors, companies, or other parties, to deny any of these people their constitutional rights. The only exception to this, where a person who does not get a flu vaccination might be denied certain services, shall be after it is shown in a court of law, with clear and convincing evidence, on an individual case-by-case basis, where due process and a right to a defense is allowed. Only then can a person be denied a particular service because the person did not receive a flu vaccine.

U.S. government sued for gross negligence and violation of the Constitution

In his Cause of Action, Vawter charged that the federal government has engaged in gross negligence by funding and promoting flu vaccines that are proven to be dangerous and manufactured with little oversight. The vaccines scheduled for use in late 2009 and 2010 contain heavy metals includingthimerosal mercury, which have been proven to cause autism in children with lowered immune systems, and other dangerous and toxic ingredients. The federal government has stated it will force these flu vaccines onto the American public against their will, under a document signed by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

He further charged that the vaccine makers stand to earn billions of dollars selling vaccines, and are already spending tens of millions advertising a "Phase 6 Pandemic" that the evidence shows does not really exist. The federal government has not required the World Health Organization (WHO) to show evidence of such a pandemic. There has been no collection of facts, sworn testimony, witnesses being questioned, hearings being held, or lie detector tests being given when preposterous statements have been made. The WHO declared a massive "Phase 6 Influenza Pandemic", even though only a few hundred people worldwide had so far died of this swine flu virus, and when far more people die each year of regular flu.

Vawter noted there is a preponderance of evidence to show that the federal government so poorly trained its employees that they eagerly agreed with the unsubstantiated claims of the WHO in the face of evidence to the contrary.

Forced vaccination would violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution by allowing the government to enter homes and force people to be vaccinated, or to forcibly remove people to another location for vaccination. It would also violate Fifth Amendment Constitutional rights by depriving people of liberty without due process of law.

Vawter charged that the federal government has engaged in gross negligence by failing to properly investigate factual evidence submitted by esteemed medical professions over many years which proves flu vaccines have caused serious damage to people. The CDC has stated that thimerosalmercury is being used in the new flu vaccines being prepared.

The government has failed to investigate profiteering. Billions of dollars in vaccine sales can cause organizations to falsify threats so as to cause unwarranted public hysteria leading to forced vaccinations.

The government is guilty of gross negligence because its employees failed to properly investigate the release of a case of live swine flu virus. One of the main companies the government deals with, Baxter Vaccines, was apparently involved in the transporting of live bird flu virus that was released on a public train earlier this year. A lab technician with the Swiss National Center for Influenza in Geneva had traveled to Zurich to collect eight ampoules, five of which were filled with the H1N1 swine flu virus. However, failure of the dry ice in their container allowed pressure to build up, and the ampoules exploded as the train was pulling into a station.

The highly reputable UK newspaper "the Telegraph" reported on July 2nd that flu vaccines tested on homeless people caused twenty-one of them to die.

Vawter charged there is a preponderance of evidence to show that government will not provide people being vaccinated with a list of the vaccine ingredients and possible negative side effects before they are vaccinated. Most of the public will not know this flu vaccine contains thimerosal mercury.

Vawter submitted an Order to force the government to publish vaccine ingredients and side effects, and to give this information to everyone who takes a flu vaccine, and do so at least 3 days prior to their vaccination. A denial of this order would violate Plaintiff's rights to demand the government obey the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by requiring it to engage in freedom of speech. The First Amendment not only allows a citizen to have freedom of speech himself, but it allows a citizen to demand his government engage in freedom of speech when it is promoting the use of such as these vaccinations to the public.

The government proclamation stating a person cannot sue for any damages he receives from the flu vaccine, completely bypasses the congress and the court system in violation of the Seventh Amendment of the Constitution which grants the right to sue to recover for damages. Vawter submitted an Order to deem unconstitutional any proclamation, rule or similar law that forbids people from suing for damages resulting from the vaccines of 2009 and 2010.

Vawter is seeking damages of $100,000.00 as the result of suffering depression, extreme anxiety and emotional duress when his nephew began life as a healthy, happy baby boy, only to come down with autism after being given baby vaccines that contained thimerosal mercury. For years his nephew has struggled with this incredibly debilitating, preventable condition. According to Vawter, a claim may be submitted not only by his nephew, but by others who have suffered damages from vaccinations.

Vawter claimed that several rules and proclamations detailed in the lawsuit are unconstitutional and claimed that if they are not stricken and amended, he and other people who may not be aware of the offenses or who may be unable to sue, will suffer pending "injury-in-fact" damages. As attorneys and law firms join this lawsuit, recovery requests will reveal the names of additional people who have suffered injuries so they can be contacted about recovering damages, as the law allows.

Motion for Preliminary Injunction claims some vaccines may contain live virus

Although much of the Preliminary Injunction is a reiteration of information contained in his lawsuit, there are a few additions of note. Vawter includes in his grounds the fact that since the manufacturing of flu vaccines involves first destroying a live flu virus, there is a possibility that live flu virus will be in some of the vaccines, causing even more damages to people who receive it, and spreading the virus.

He asked the Court to use federal law enforcement to initiate its own civil and criminal investigation into flu vaccine safety issue, as federal law allows for this.

He noted the days when Hitler's Nazi doctors forcibly gave shots containing adjuvants to innocent people, and reminded that Nazi ideology was stamped out precisely because of those atrocities. He claims it is unwise for the U.S. government to follow in the same path as the Nazis. America is a nation of civil laws, not a dictatorship that gives proclamations bypassing the courts and congress to demand forced vaccinations containing hazardous ingredients known to cause damages.

The forced vaccination debacle of 1976 that the government had to halt because it was injuring more people than it was protecting shows vaccine makers should not be allowed to force their vaccines on people who have no recourse. The prohibition against lawsuits by the injured gives the green light to vaccine makers to include thimerosal mercury in their new flu vaccines. When the Order deeming the forbidding of lawsuits as unconstitutional is given, any defendant will have to present factual proof in federal court, not just hearsay or advertising slogans, as so why the Constitution says it is okay to forbid people from suing to recover damages resulting from flu vaccine.

Medical professionals argue flu vaccines harm not just certain people but almost everyone who receives them. Yet the government has ignored factual evidence proving this, and instead listens to a profit run group of vaccine manufacturers who stand to earn billions of dollars as the government orders forced vaccinations on the public for the coming flu season.

The government has published a chart listing the WHO's "Phase 6 Influenza Pandemic" as being equal to an earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter Scale. This chart is preposterous because there are no factual criteria required for an "Influenza Pandemic" to be declared by the United Nations' WHO. The United Nations is a collective of numerous nations, most of whom have very different laws than the U.S. has, and where their leaders can simply declare or proclaim things to be so without judicial review, and their population must obey.

Glaxo Smith Kline stands to make $4 billion from its two flu vaccine drugs. CEO Andrew Witty has said his company has been preparing for a flu pandemic for thee years and has spent over $1 billion to expand its factories. Executives from Glaxo, Baxter, Novartis, and Sanofi Pasteur had seats at the advisory group that on July 13th recommended mandatory H1N1 vaccination for everyone in all 194 countries belonging to the WHO.

The fear mongering involved with this Phase 6 alert has been intense. An example being spread by interested parties is the story of a girl in England purported by the WHO to have died of swine flu because she was not vaccinated. A more thorough investigation later revealed the girl actually died of septic shock due to tonsillitis. The WHO, CDC and numerous vaccine companies have been extensively advertising dire yet apparently concocted warnings of flu pandemics. Yet only a small number of people worldwide have died from the new flu virus.

When influential TV newscasters questioned the WHO proclaiming a "Phase 6 Influenza Pandemic" without factual evidence to prove it, the WHO responded by simply stopping their tracking of swine flu cases, a bizarre behavior on the part of an organization designated to be the main hub for information gathering on the disease.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026818_vaccination_vaccines_flu_vaccine.html

Healthy people are lying to get swine flu drug, warn GPs
Fears of Tamiflu shortages as helpline advisers are conned
The Observer UK, August 9, 2009

People are conning the swine flu helpline into giving them Tamiflu in case they fall ill, Britain's leading GP has warned. The practice could lead to the creation of private stockpiles and shortages of the drug.
Doctors claim some people also pretend to have the H1N1 virus and get the drug because they fear stocks will run out.
"Some people are deceiving the national flu line in order to get Tamiflu. Doctors tell me that some patients are undoubtedly misusing the service", said Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of GPs.
More than 315,000 people received Tamiflu, which costs £16 for a course, in the fortnight after the National Pandemic Flu Service launched in England on 23 July. One doctor who uses the doctors.net.uk website posted a message on the site claiming: "People lie to get it because they're worried they might get flu in Spain next week and not find a doctor who speaks English."
Meanwhile, the death of a two-old-girl has prompted fresh concern that some patients are having serious conditions misdiagnosed as swine flu. Georgia Keeling of Norwich died last week after, her family claim, paramedics misread her symptoms as evidence of H1N1 rather than meningitis.
In recent weeks other patients have had meningitis, kidney infection, tonsillitis and knee infections wrongly diagnosed as swine flu.
Health officials believe the current wave of swine flu is receding across most of Britain, but many expect a "big surge" in the autumn. A mass immunisation campaign is planned.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/09/swine-flu-helpline-tamiflu-gp

Yoga therapy can counteract stress and depression

Stressed out? Then move off the psychiatrist’s couch and onto a yoga mat for the latest type of therapy

The Sunday Times, August 9, 2009
For years, yoga devotees have been telling us that bending and twisting our limbs into gravity-defying contortions is a great way to develop the perfect body. Now things have gone one step further, with a new wave of teachers claiming that yoga also offers a fast track to a beautiful mind.
Everyone from fraught mothers to stressed-out hedge-funders is catching on to the benefits of yoga therapy, a fusion of deep breathing, invigorating postures and self-help. This version of the ancient Indian practice is gaining credence within the medical community for helping with a range of issues, such as recession depression and anxiety, through to bipolar disorder and other mental-health problems.
In London, yoga therapy is now being offered at a number of NHS hospitals, while in New York, patients seeking help for depression and anxiety are as likely to find their hard-nosed psychiatrist treating them on a yoga mat as on a couch. It’s not surprising. We might all be sick of hearing about the economic climate, but it is undeniably taking its toll. We are currently in the biggest anxiety matrix the country has seen for more than 50 years. In recent months, mental-health charities have reported a surge in people seeking help for stress and depression. And after all the scare stories about the side effects of antidepressants, patients are increasingly wary of using medication to solve the problem.
One of the most popular new workshops is run by Jane Kersel at the ultra-fashionable Triyoga centre in Primrose Hill. “The beginners courses are so much fuller right now because people are finding new ways to deal with anxiety and depression. Yoga encourages sufferers to reconnect the mind with the body,” she explains.
Yoga therapy to the rescue? Well, yes, actually. A new study from the Bronx Psychiatric Center in America suggests that yoga therapy can help improve negative symptoms and quality of life in patients with chronic schizophrenia. And while a bit of iyengar or ashtanga is certainly going to help ease your aching limbs, yoga therapy is specifically designed to capitalise on the positive effect it can have on the brain. Robin Monro, director of the Yoga Biomedical Trust, which promotes the development of yoga therapy in the UK, has seen a huge growth in the popularity of yoga therapy. “We get a lot of self-referrals, people who work in the City who have very stressful jobs and need tools to cope,” he says. “And, increasingly, psychiatrists and GPs are referring patients to our therapists, too.”
So how does yoga therapy differ from your usual weekly class? “You don’t need to know anything about yoga,” says Heather Mason, who runs courses designed to combat depression and anxiety. “But anyone who has some yoga knowledge might notice that the sequence of poses is very deliberately designed to move quickly between those that speed up the heartbeat and those that demand controlled breathing.
“This re-creates the same sort of physiological conditions that occur at times of emotional stress and teaches students that they can actually exert some control over what might seem an involuntary response. The idea is that having learnt this sort of control in class, students can apply it when they are feeling anxious or stressed.”
What about those who feel too vulnerable to be in a room full of yogis? Kersel recommends a one-to-one for a more personal, specialist session. “If someone is highly depressed, they’re better off having a one-to-one where you can offload and talk to the teacher in private. It’s helpful to have a sounding board, someone there to listen.” The yoga instructor Janine Thomas agrees. “Health issues can be addressed individually in a private class. For example, a student suffering from anxiety needs to learn how to lengthen the breath to slow the heart rate and calm the nervous system. They will also benefit from relaxed, restorative postures, especially forward bends, which naturally encourage a long exhale, and meditation techniques. Once they have mastered these skills on the mat, they can then apply them to stressful situations in daily life.”
Mason also believes that yoga therapy is one of the few treatments that genuinely offers a holistic cure. “If you work only on the body, you’re not addressing the thought patterns that cause stress. And if you deal only with the mental side of things, you’re ignoring the biochemical and physiological changes that emotional trauma can bring. Yoga therapy addresses both aspects of the problem.”
It’s an approach that has worked very successfully for Amanda Lyddon, a 47-year-old aromatherapist who has suffered from mental-health problems for most of her life. “My yoga is not just about what I do on my mat, it’s given me skills that I can use every day,” she says. “If I feel anxious, I know what to do to calm myself down. That’s life-changing, empowering.”
In 2000, Lyddon was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. After lithium left her feeling suicidal, she decided to look into alternative ways of managing her condition. She started practising yoga and noticed that she felt calmer as a result. “I had long periods of depression, when I couldn’t get up, couldn’t work, couldn’t look after my children, and other episodes when I would just party all the time and burn myself out,” she says. “Now things are on more of an even keel.”
Morag Jameson, 34, another yoga therapy devotee, agrees. “After years of panic attacks, becoming aware that I could control my breath was very empowering. Gradually I began to feel in control of my body, instead of feeling as if my body was controlling me. Working through a series of postures, combined with breath work, makes me feel grounded, centred and free.”
One of the key principles of yoga therapy is working with the breath, known as pranayama, which is an integral part of all types of yoga. It seems there is some logic behind your mum’s advice to stop and take a few deep breaths when you’re starting to panic. “In stressful situations, we tend to take shallow breaths from the chest rather than full breaths from the abdomen,” says Mason. “This sends a message to the brain that we are in danger and kicks off stress responses. Conversely, when you breathe from the abdomen, you’re sending a message to the brain that everything’s okay.”
Learning how to breathe properly can change the biochemistry of the brain. “More challenging yoga poses put the body under physical stress,” admits Mason. “But by making my students aware of this and encouraging them to breathe properly, I’m training the nervous system to keep both the breathing, and consequently the body’s physiological response, relaxed at times of stress.”
Lyddon believes that this approach has helped turn her life around. “Before, day-to-day life was a struggle, but now I’m beginning to feel better than I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m going back to university in October, and I honestly feel that I now have the tools I need to stave off relapses.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/mental_health/article6738599.ece

High-fat diet affects physical and memory abilities of rats after 9 days
University of Cambridge, August 11, 2009
Rats fed a high-fat diet show a stark reduction in their physical endurance and a decline in their cognitive ability after just nine days, a study by Oxford University researchers has shown.
The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation and published in the FASEB Journal, may have implications not only for those eating lots of high-fat foods, but also athletes looking for the optimal diet for training and patients with metabolic disorders.
'We found that rats, when switched to a high-fat diet from their standard low-fat feed, showed a surprisingly quick reduction in their physical performance,' says Dr Andrew Murray, who led the work at Oxford University and has now moved to the University of Cambridge. 'After just nine days, they were only able to run 50 per cent as far on a treadmill as those that remained on the low-fat feed.'
High-fat diets, such as those that are prevalent in Western countries, are known to be harmful in the long term and can lead to problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart failure. They are also known to be associated with a decline in cognitive ability over long time spans. But little attention has been paid to the effect of high-fat diets in the short term.
Physical endurance – how long we can keep exercising –depends on how much oxygen can be supplied to our muscles and how efficiently our muscles release energy by burning up the fuel we get from the food we eat. In particular, using fat as a fuel is less efficient than using glucose from carbohydrates, but the metabolic changes induced by different diets are complex and it has been controversial whether high-fat feeding for a short time would increase or decrease physical performance.
The Oxford team set out to investigate whether rats fed a high-fat diet for just a few days showed any change in their physical and cognitive abilities.
All 42 rats were initially fed a standard feed with a low fat content of 7.5 per cent. Their physical endurance was measured by how long they could run on a treadmill and their short-term or 'working' memory was measured in a maze task. Half of the rats were then switched to a high-fat diet where 55 per cent of the calories came from fat. After four days of getting used to the new diet, the endurance and cognitive performance of the rats on the low- and high-fat diets was compared for another five days.
'With the standard feed, 7.5 per cent of the calories come from fat. That's a pretty low-fat diet, much like humans eating nothing but muesli,' says Dr Murray. 'The high-fat diet, in which 55 per cent of the calories came from fat, sounds high but it's actually not extraordinarily high by human standards. A junk food diet would come close to that.
'Some high-fat, low-carb diets for weight loss can even have fat contents as high as 60 per cent. However, it's not clear how many direct conclusions can be drawn from our work for these diets, as the high-fat diet we used was not particularly low in carbs,' he adds.
On the fifth day of the high-fat diet (the first day back on the treadmill), the rats were already running 30 per cent less far than those remaining on the low-fat diet. By the ninth day, the last of the experiment, they were running 50 per cent less far.
The rats on the high-fat diet were also making mistakes sooner in the maze task, suggesting that their cognitive abilities were also being affected by their diet. The number of correct decisions before making a mistake dropped from over six to an average of 5 to 5.5.
The researchers also investigated what metabolic changes the high-fat diet was inducing in the rats. They found increased levels of a specific protein called the 'uncoupling protein' in the muscle and heart cells of rats on the high-fat diet. This protein 'uncouples' the process of burning food stuffs for energy in the cells, reducing the efficiency of the heart and muscles. This could at least partly explain the reduction in treadmill running seen in the rats.
The rats that were fed a high fat diet and had to run on the treadmill also had a significantly bigger heart after nine days, suggesting the heart had to increase in size to pump more blood around the body and get more oxygen to the muscles.
While this research has been done in rats, the Oxford team and Andrew Murray's new group in Cambridge are now carrying out similar studies in humans, looking at the effect of a short term high-fat diet on exercise and cognitive ability.
The results will be important not only in informing athletes of the best diets to help their training routine, but also in developing ideal diets for patients with metabolic disorders such as diabetes, insulin resistance or obesity. People with such conditions can have high levels of fat in the blood and show poor exercise tolerance, some cognitive decline, and can even develop dementia over time.
'These are startling results,' says Professor Kieran Clarke, head of the research team at Oxford University. 'It shows that high-fat feeding even over short periods of time can markedly affect gene expression, metabolism and physical performance. By optimising diets appropriately we should be able to increase athletes' endurance and help patients with metabolic abnormalities improve their ability to exercise and do more.'
'In little more than a week, a change in diet appears to have made the rats' hearts much less efficient,' says Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation, who funded the research. 'We look forward to the results of the equivalent studies in human volunteers, which should tell us more about the short-term effects of high-fat foods on our hearts. We already know that to protect our heart health in the long-term, we should cut down on foods high in saturated fat.'
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/uoc-hda081109.php

Optimism appears to lower women’s risk of death, heart disease
Study highlights:

• Optimistic women have a lower risk of developing heart disease and dying than pessimistic women.
• Pessimistic African-American women, in particular, had a higher risk of dying in the study.
• Researchers say it is unclear if interventions to change attitudes can alter risk.  

DALLAS, Aug. 10, 2009 — Optimistic women have a lower risk of developing heart disease or dying from any cause compared to pessimistic women, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers also reported that women with a high degree of cynical hostility — harboring hostile thoughts toward others or having a general mistrust of people — were at higher risk of dying; however, their risk of developing heart disease was not altered. 

“As a physician, I’d like to see people try to reduce their negativity in general,” said Hilary A. Tindle, M.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The majority of evidence suggests that sustained, high degrees of negativity are hazardous to health.” 

In the largest study to date to prospectively study the health effects of optimism and cynical hostility in post-menopausal women, researchers found that white and black American women’s attitudes are associated with health outcomes. 

Optimistic women, compared to pessimistic women, had a 9 percent lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14 percent lower risk of dying from any cause after more than eight years of follow-up. Furthermore, women with a high degree of cynical hostility, compared to those with a low degree, were 16 percent more likely to die during eight years of follow-up.

“Prior to our work, the strongest evidence linking optimism and all-cause mortality was from a Dutch cohort, showing a more pronounced association in men,” Tindle said.

Tindle’s team studied 97,253 postmenopausal women (89,259 white, 7,994 black) ages 50 to 79 from the Women’s Health Initiative. The women were free of cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) at the start of the study. 

Using the Life Orientation Test Revised Questionnaire to measure optimism and cynical hostility, researchers categorized scores into quartiles: high scores of 26 or more were considered optimists; scores of 24-25 were considered mid-high; scores of 22-23 were considered mid-low; and scores below 22 were considered pessimists. 

Optimism was defined as answering “yes” to questions like, “In unclear times, I usually expect the best.” Pessimism was defined as answering “yes” to questions like, “If something can go wrong for me, it will.”

Race also appears to modify the relationship between optimism and death, with a stronger association seen in African-American women as compared to white women. Among African-American women, optimists (vs. pessimists) had a 33 percent lower risk of death across eight years of follow-up. Among white women, optimists (vs. pessimists) had a 13 percent lower risk of death. Researchers also found that optimists (as compared to pessimists) were more likely to be younger (especially in blacks); live in the Western United States; report higher education and income; be employed and have health insurance; and attend religious services at least once a week. 

Optimists were less likely to have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or depressive symptoms, smoke, be sedentary or have a high body mass index. However, the relationship between optimism and heart disease and death persisted even after considering all of these factors.

“This study is a very reasonable stepping stone to future research in this area — both on potential mechanisms of how attitudes may affect health, and for randomized controlled trials to examine if attitudes can be changed to improve health,” Tindle said.
http://americanheart.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=798&printable

Licorice oil may offer weight management potential

Nutraingredients.com, 11-Aug-2009

Antioxidant-rich oil from licorice may increase fat loss and aid in weight management, suggests a new study from Japan’s Kaneka.
Overweight volunteers supplemented with licorice flavonoid oil lost more weight and body fat, compared to people receiving the placebo, according to results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in Obesity Research & Clinical Practice.
Additionally, the fat losses were not associated with a reduction in food intake, report the researchers from Kaneka, Tokyo's Kaiyuu Clinic, Haradoi Hospital, and Kiryu University.
If the results can be repeated in further studies, it could see the licorice oil establish itself in the burgeoning weight management category, estimated to be worth about US$0.93bn (€0.73bn) in Europe in 2005 and $3.93bn in the US, indicating that call to slim down or face the health consequences is being heeded by a slice of the overweight population at least, according to Euromonitor International.
Study details
Lead author Yuji Tominaga from Kaneka and co-workers recruited 56 overweight men and 28 overweight women aged between 40 and 60 to take part in the study. The volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four groups. The first group received a daily placebo, while the other three groups received Kaneka’s Glavonoid ingredient at doses of 300, 600, or 900 mg per day.
After eight weeks of supplementation, the researchers report that, while the energy intake was similar in all four groups, volunteers who consumed the licorice flavonoid oil experienced significant reductions in total body fat mass. Indeed, people receiving the 300 mg dose lost 0.92 kg of body fat, while those consuming the 900 mg dose lost 0.89 kg.
Furthermore, the highest dose was associated with a significant 9.35 cm3 reduction in visceral fat area, a 0.25 kg/m2 decrease in BMI, and a 11 mg per deciliter reduction in LDL-cholesterol levels.
Importantly, the researchers also state that no significant adverse effects were observed throughout the study.
Commenting on the mechanism, the Japanese scientists note that results from previous studies indicated that licorice flavonoid oil may down-regulate the genes involved in fatty acid synthesis, while also up-regulating genes for enzymes linked to fatty acid oxidation.
“Thus, we presume that licorice flavonoid oil increases energy expenditure by enhancing beta-oxidation and inhibits lipogenesis resulting in reduction in body fat and body weight,” wrote Tominaga and his co-workers.
“However, further studies are necessary to clarify the cause of body fat reduction and to examine the licorice flavonoid oil -mediated metabolic changes in adipose tissue and muscle.”
Take home message
“The present study demonstrated that administration of licorice flavonoid oil safely reduced body weight in overweight subjects by reducing total body fat,”wrote the researchers.
“Supplementation with licorice flavonoid oil (at least 300 mg/day, preferably 900 mg/day) may contribute to prevent or ameliorate obesity and probably to prevent obesity-induced metabolic syndrome, when combined with life-style modifications including moderate calorie restriction and moderate exercise,”they concluded.
Source: Obesity Research & Clinical Practice August 2009, Volume 3, Issue 3, Pages 169-178 “Licorice flavonoid oil reduces total body fat and visceral fat in overweight subjects: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study” Authors: Y. Tominaga, K. Nakagawa, T. Mae, M. Kitano, S. Yokota, T. Arai, H. Ikematsu, S. Inoue
Licorice-oil-may-offer-weight-management-potential

Chinese Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability To Regulate Pain, UM Study Shows
ScienceDaily (Aug. 11, 2009) — Acupuncture has been used in East-Asian medicine for thousands of years to treat pain, possibly by activating the body's natural painkillers. But how it works at the cellular level is largely unknown.
Using brain imaging, a University of Michigan study provides novel evidence that traditional Chinese acupuncture affects the brain's long-term ability to regulate pain.
The results appear online ahead of print in the September Journal of NeuroImage.
In the study, researchers at the U-M Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center showed acupuncture increased the binding availability of mu-opoid receptors (MOR) in regions of the brain that process and dampen pain signals – specifically the cingulate, insula, caudate, thalamus and amygdala.
Opioid painkillers, such as morphine, codeine and other medications, are thought to work by binding to these opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord.
"The increased binding availability of these receptors was associated with reductions in pain," says Richard E. Harris, Ph.D., researcher at the U-M Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center and a research assistant professor of anesthesiology at the U-M Medical School.
One implication of this research is that patients with chronic pain treated with acupuncture might be more responsive to opioid medications since the receptors seem to have more binding availability, Harris says.
These findings could spur a new direction in the field of acupuncture research following recent controversy over large studies showing that sham acupuncture is as effective as real acupuncture in reducing chronic pain.
"Interestingly both acupuncture and sham acupuncture groups had similar reductions in clinical pain," Harris says. "But the mechanisms leading to pain relief are distinctly different."
The study participants included 20 women who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, for at least a year, and experienced pain at least 50 percent of the time. During the study they agreed not to take any new medications for their fibromyalgia pain.
Patients had position emission tomography, or PET, scans of the brain during the first treatment and then repeated a month later after the eighth treatment.
Additional authors were Jon-Kar Zubieta, M.D., Ph.D., David J. Scott, Vitaly Napadow, Richard H. Gracely, Ph.D, Daniel J. Clauw, M.D.
Funding was provided by the Department of Army, and the National Institutes of Health.
Richard E. Harris, Jon-Kar Zubieta, David J. Scott, Vitaly Napadow, Richard H. Gracely, Daniel J. Clauw. Traditional Chinese acupuncture and placebo (sham) acupuncture are differentiated by their effects on μ-opioid receptors (MORs). Journal of NeuroImage, 2009; 47 (3): 1077-1085
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810104935.htm

Amazonian Tribe Sheds Light On Causes Of Heart Disease In Developed Countries
ScienceDaily (Aug. 11, 2009) — Heart attacks and strokes — the leading causes of death in the United States and other developed countries — may have been rare for the vast majority of human history, suggests a study to be published in PLoS ONE on Tuesday, August 11.
"Understanding how physiological systems respond in [indigenous] populations helps us better understand conditions in countries like the United States at the beginning of the 20th century," said senior author Eileen Crimmins of the USC Davis School of Gerontology. "This also offers some insight into the worlds we evolved in."
Crimmins, lead author Michael Gurven (University of California, Santa Barbara) and an international team of scientists looked at a remote Amazonian tribe in Bolivia known as the Tsimane. They measured various predictors of heart disease such as hypertension, obesity, diet and smoking habits. (The Tsimane grow and harvest their own tobacco.)
"The Tsimane were chosen because they still live a relatively traditional lifestyle: fishing, hunting, engaged in horticulture, gathering, living in extended family clusters and without much access to modern amenities," Gurven explained. "There are other groups with similar lifestyles, but often those groups have very small population numbers. . . . The Tsimane population is large enough — about 9,000 — that we can study almost all of the adults over age 40."
With only limited access to medical services, half of documented deaths among the Tsimane are due to infectious or parasitic disease. About two-thirds of the population has intestinal worms, the researchers found.
"We looked at a lot of populations in both developed and developing countries, in urban and rural settings, but none live in the relatively isolated and infected conditions of the Tsimane," the researchers write.
Chronic inflammation, which may lead to damage of the arteries, is prevalent among the Tsimane. According to the study, the Tsimane also have unusually high levels of C-reactive protein, increasingly used in clinical settings to evaluate risk for cardiovascular disease.
Yet, despite these risk factors for heart attacks, the researchers found that the high levels of C-reactive protein were unrelated to risk of peripheral arterial disease (the hardening of plaque in the arteries).
In fact, peripheral arterial disease "increases with age in every investigated population except the Tsimane," according to the study. Among the Tsimane, not a single adult showed evidence for peripheral arterial disease (measured using the ankle-brachial blood pressure index).
"Neither demographic interviews nor the past 7 years of working with the Tsimane has turned up many overt cases of people dying from heart attacks," Gurven said. "The Tsimane data tell us that inflammation alone may not be destructive in terms of its effects on long-term health. However, that might only be true in the context of an active lifestyle, lean diet, and possibly (and this part is more controversial) with a history of parasitism."
The researchers note that the Tsimane may have a distinct genetic expression compared to people in developed countries. Specifically, there is overexpression of the human leukocyte antigen, which has been linked in cell studies to plaque erosion.
"We observed low levels of atherosclerosis and associated cardiovascular disease among Tsimane, suggesting that these conditions may have been rare throughout pre-industrial human history," Crimmins said. "We may not be built for the world we live in. The Tsimane are perhaps a better model for the world we are built for."
"We don't know for sure that as younger people today get older that [arterial disease] won't increase," Gurven said. "More heart disease may be on the horizon if lifestyles change rapidly."
Jung Ki Kim and Caleb Finch of the USC Davis School of Gerontology and the Andrus Gerontology Center at USC and Hillard Kaplan of the University of New Mexico also contributed to the study.
Gurven et al. Inflammation and Infection Do Not Promote Arterial Aging and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors among Lean Horticulturalists.PLoS ONE, 2009; 4 (8): e6590
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810221411.htm

Hundreds Of New Species Discovered In Eastern Himalayas
ScienceDaily (Aug. 11, 2009) — Over 350 new species including the world’s smallest deer, a “flying frog” and a 100 million-year old gecko have been discovered in the Eastern Himalayas, a biological treasure trove now threatened by climate change.
A decade of research carried out by scientists in remote mountain areas endangered by rising global temperatures brought exciting discoveries such as a bright green frog that uses its red and long webbed feet to glide in the air.
One of the most significant findings was not exactly “new” in the classic sense. A 100-million year-old gecko, the oldest fossil gecko species known to science, was discovered in an amber mine in the Hukawng Valley in the northern Myanmar.
The WWF report The Eastern Himalayas – Where Worlds Collide details discoveries made by scientists from various organizations between 1998 and 2008 in a region reaching across Bhutan and north-east India to the far north of Myanmar as well as Nepal and southern parts of Tibet Autonomus Region (China).
“The good news of this explosion in species discoveries is tempered by the increasing threats to the Himalayas’ cultural and biological diversity,” said Jon Miceler, Director of WWF’s Eastern Himalayas Program. “This rugged and remarkable landscape is already seeing direct, measurable impacts from climate change and risks being lost forever.”
In December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to reach an agreement on a new climate deal, which will replace the existing Kyoto Protocol.
The Eastern Himalayas- Where Worlds Collide describes more than 350 new species discovered - including 244 plants, 16 amphibians, 16 reptiles, 14 fish, 2 birds, 2 mammals and at least 60 new invertebrates.
The report mentions the miniature muntjac, also called the “leaf deer,” which is the world’s oldest and smallest deer species. Scientists initially believed the small creature found in the world’s largest mountain range was a juvenile of another species but DNA tests confirmed the light brown animal with innocent dark eyes was a distinct and new species.
The Eastern Himalayas harbor a staggering 10,000 plant species, 300 mammal species, 977 bird species, 176 reptiles, 105 amphibians and 269 types of freshwater fish. The region also has the highest density of Bengal tigers in the world and is the last bastion of the charismatic greater one-horned rhino.
WWF is working to conserve the habitat of endangered species such as snow leopards, Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, red pandas, takin, golden langurs, Gangetic dolphins and one-horned rhinos.
Historically, the rugged and largely inaccessible landscape of the Eastern Himalayas has made biological surveys in the region extremely difficult. As a result, wildlife has remained poorly surveyed and there are large areas that are still biologically unexplored.
Today further species continue to be unearthed and many more species of amphibians, reptiles and fish are currently in the process of being officially named by scientists.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810162148.htm

Humans 'Damaging The Oceans' In Profound Ways
ScienceDaily (Aug. 11, 2009) — There is mounting evidence that human activity is changing the world’s oceans in profound and damaging ways.
Man-made carbon emissions “are affecting marine biological processes from genes to ecosystems over scales from rock pools to ocean basins, impacting ecosystem services and threatening human food security,” the study by Professor Mike Kingsford of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University and colleague Dr Andrew Brierley of St Andrews University, Scotland, warns.
A new review, published in the latest issue of the journal Current Biology, says that rates of physical change in the oceans are unprecedented in some cases, and change in ocean life is likely to be equally quick.
These include changes in the areas fish and other sea species can inhabit, invasions, extinctions and major shifts in marine ecosystems.
“In the past, the boundaries between geological ages are marked by sudden losses of species. We may now be entering a new age in which climate change and other human-caused factors such as fishing are the major threats for the oceans and their life,” Andrew and Mike say.
“Given how essential the oceans are to how our entire planet functions it is vital that we intervene before more tipping points are passed and the oceans go down the sort of spiral of decline we have seen in the world’s tropical forests and rangelands, for example.”
Man-made carbon emissions are now above the ‘worst case’ scenario envisioned by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), causing the most rapid global warming seen since the peak of the last Ice Age. At the same time the carbon is acidifying the oceans, with harmful consequences for certain plankton and shellfish.
“At current emission rates it is possible we will pass the critical level of 450 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere by 2040.  That’s the level when, it is generally agreed, global climate change may become catastrophic and irreversible,” they add. “At that point we can expect to see the loss of most of our coral reefs and the arctic seas.”
“The climate is currently warming faster than the worst case known from the fossil record, about 56 million years ago, when temperatures rose about 6 degrees over 1000 years. If emissions continue it is not unreasonable to expect … warming of 5.5 degrees by the end of this century.”
Scientists expect ocean oxygen levels to decline by about six per cent for every one degree increase in temperature and areas in the sea which are low in oxygen to grow by at least 50 per cent. This has major implications for the world’s most productive fishing waters in the cool temperate regions. The seas provide around one sixth of humanity’s protein food – and any loss in fisheries production will have a direct impact on us, he adds.
Besides the changes induced by carbon emissions, the oceans are also under assault from over-fishing, increased UV exposure, toxic pollution, alien species and disease. The combined effect is to weaken the ability of many species to withstand these multiple stresses.
Another risk is that warming will unlock vast reserves of frozen methane in the seabed, triggering uncontrollable, runaway global warming.
“In the face of such terrifying changes even large scale interventions such as establishment of very large networks of Marine Protected Areas are unlikely to be effective,” Mike cautions. “On a global scale, an immediate reduction in CO2 emissions is essential to minimize future human-induced climate change.”
The oceans can also play a role in the proposed solution of eliminating carbon emissions, by producing clean energy from wind, wave and tide – potentially – by triggering phytoplankton blooms with fertilisers to absorb more carbon from the atmosphere, or using the seabed to store CO2. However these require far more research to be sure.
“It may already be too late to avoid major irreversible changes to many marine ecosystems.  As history has shown us, these marine-based changes could have major earth-system consequences,” the scientists conclude.
Andrew S. Brierley, and Michael J. Kingsford. Impacts of climate change on marine organisms and ecosystems. Current Biology, 2009; DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2009.05.046
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729092538.htm

Flu drugs of little use for children: Study

REUTERS 10 August 2009

LONDON: Children should not routinely be given flu drugs like Tamiflu since there is no clear evidence they prevent complications and potentially harmful side effects may outweigh any benefits, British researchers said on Monday. 

"While morbidity and mortality in the current pandemic remain low, a more conservative strategy might be considered prudent, given the limited data, side effects such as vomiting, and the potential for developing resistant strains of influenza," they said. 

Governments around the world have built up stockpiles of Roche's Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza to deal with the current H1N1 swine flu pandemic. 

In Britain, hundreds of thousands of doses of Tamiflu have been handed out to people with the disease, of whom around half are children. But Matthew Thompson from the University of Oxford and colleagues reported in the British Medical Journal that while antivirals shortened the duration of flu in children by around a day, they didn't reduce asthma flare-ups or the likelihood of children needing antibiotics. 

Tamiflu was also linked to an increased risk of vomiting, which can be serious in children. The analysis was based on a systematic review of seven previous clinical studies looking at use of Tamiflu and Relenza in seasonal flu outbreaks in children aged 1 to 12 years. 

Thompson said there was no reason to think the conclusions would not also apply to the current relatively mild outbreak of swine flu.

Flu-drugs-of-little-use-for-children-Study/articleshow/4877660.cms

What you eat or drink may help you get pregnant

Times of India 10 August 2009

LONDON: What goes inside a body may have a significant effect in improving female fertility, suggests a study. 

Dr. Emma Derbyshire and her team, from Manchester Metropolitan University, has found that controlled diet may enhance the chances of getting a positive pregnancy test, even to the point of being as effective as IVF treatment. 

The researchers observed that while intrauterine insemination and ovarian stimulation showed a success rate of 33% in conception, dietary advice was virtually as effective, giving a 32% success rate, reports Times Online. 

They suggest that some efforts that may help increase a woman's chances of becoming pregnant, and delivering a healthy baby. 

These included restrictive methods like abstaining from alcohol, cutting down on caffeine levels or switching to decaffeinated versions. 

Emphasis was also put on the inclusion of plenty of fruit and vegetables in daily diet, which could help to put off the reproductive years.

What-you-eat-or-drink-may-help-you-get-pregnant/articleshow/4877727.cms

Homeopathy can cure swine flu, claims practitioner

Times of India 9 August 2009

MUMBAI: At a time the country is grappling with H1N1 virus and Tamiflu tablet is belived to be the only solution, a well-known medical practitioner today claimed that people can have a cost-effective treatment in homeopathy for swine flu. 

"The people can take some of cost-effective and clinically proved homeopathic medicines for swine flu treatment as well as prevention," Batra's Positive Clinic's chairman and managing director, Dr Mukesh Batra, said. 

Batra recommends `Oscilococcinium 30' and `Influenzium 200' for swine flu prevention as well as to improve the immune system among the general public towards the flu. 

"The homeopathy medicine 'Gelsemium 30' has been proved effective clinically in the treatment of swine flu in France a decade back and has been reported in the British journal of Clinical Medicine," Batra said. 

Similarly, treatment for swine-flu was done in Spain during 1917-18 war period with 'Bryonia 30' and proved effective, he said. 

In the case of Spanish flu, homeopathy brought mortality rate from 30 per cent to one per cent, he claimed.

Homeopathy-can-cure-swine-flu-claims-practitioner/articleshow/4874614.cms

Men who do housework are better at attracting women

Times of India,  8 August 2009

WASHINGTON: Women have a thing for men who are prepared to 'chip in' around the house, according to a new study. 

The Oxford University study looked at relationships in 13 countries to reach the conclusion. 

Researchers quizzed 13,500 men and women aged between 20 and 45 from each country about gender, housework and childcare responsibilities. 

The research ranked British men as the third most likely to win women's hearts through their devotion to domestic life. 

Swedes and Norwegians topped the table while Australian men came in last, rated as the least attractive in terms of pulling their weight around the house. 

The study examined marriage and cohabitation rates across the developed world and compared them to attitudes towards the roles of men and women at home. 

Based on their responses, each country was given a rating on an "egalitarian index", which was then compared against the number of couples living together. 

Dr Almudena Seville-Sanz, of the university's Centre for Time Use Research, said: "This study shows that in egalitarian countries there is less social stigma attached to men doing what was traditionally women's work. 

"This leads to men in egalitarian societies taking on more of a domestic role so the likelihood of forming a harmonious household becomes greater, resulting in a higher proportion of couples setting up households in these countries."
Men-who-do-housework-are-better-at-attracting-women/articleshow/4871000.cms

I may have given you this one before from a different source.
Blueberry leaves can halt hepatitis C virus

Times of India,  8 August 2009

WASHINGTON: A chemical in blueberry leaves halts reproduction of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which infects 200 million people worldwide and can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. 

Currently, there is no vaccine for HCV, and though a combination drug regimen can clear HCV infection, this treatment is only about 60 percent effective and poses risks of severe side effects. 

Hiroaki Kataoka and colleagues at the University of Miyazaki (U-M) in Japan believed that since HCV is localised in the liver and can take 20 years or more to develop into disease, a dietary supplement might help slow or stop disease progression. 

So they screened nearly 300 different agricultural products for potential compounds that suppress HCV replication and uncovered a strong candidate in the leaves of rabbit-eye blueberry (native to the southeastern US). 

They purified the compound and identified it as proanthocyandin (a polyphenol similar to the beneficial chemicals found in grapes and wine). 

While proanthocyandin can be harmful, Kataoka and colleagues noted its effective concentration against HCV was 100 times less than the toxic threshold, said a U-M statement. 

Similar chemicals are found in many edible plants, suggesting it should be safe as a dietary supplement. Researchers now hope to explore the detailed mechanisms of how this chemical stops HCV replication. 

These findings appeared in Friday's edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Blueberry-leaves-can-halt-hepatitis-C-virus/articleshow/4871756.cms

Omega-3 fish oils linked to better semen quality

Nutraingredients.com, 10-Aug-2009

Infertile men have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their sperm than fertile men, suggests new research that opens up the possibility for supplements to boost sperm quality.
The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was also found to be higher in infertile men, according to findings from a study with 150 men in Iran in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Nutrition.
“These results suggest that research should be performed to assess the potential benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation as a therapeutic approach in infertile men,” wrote the researchers, led by Mohammad Reza Safarinejad from Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, Iran.
“To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating the association of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on semen quality, and seminal plasma anti-oxidant capacity in infertile and fertile men,” they added.
Being the first such study, the researcher noted that “there is a need for future, large, prospective studies to confirm the results of the present study”.
The study adds to a small but growing body of evidence supporting the importance of balance between omega-3 omega-6 fatty acids.
Study details
Safarinejad and his co-workers measured levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the blood plasma and spermatozoa of 82 infertile men who suffered from defective production of spermatozoa, and 78 fertile men.
Specifically, they looked at levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the levels of omega-6 fatty acids, such as linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA).
According to their results, fertile men were found to have higher blood and sperm levels of all three omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, infertile men had significantly higher blood ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids.
Levels of AA were higher in the infertile men, added the researchers, while the ratios of AA to DHA and EPA were also higher.
The AA to DHA or EPA ration was also linked to lower sperm counts, and decreased sperm motility.
“A high proportion of omega-6 fatty acids in the spermatozoa is a distinctive feature of infertile men. There is a growing body of evidence that the fatty acid composition of sperm membranes, determine their physiological characteristics,”wrote the researchers.
“The data tend to support a possible beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation among patients with [defective production of sperm],” said the researchers.
The findings are biologically plausible, noted the researchers, with DHA, for example, known to be present in the membranes of spermatozoa.
Caveats
The researchers note that the results of this study are limited to Iranian men and therefore cannot be generalised to other populations. They also note that no data was collected about dietary or supplemental intakes of fatty acid-containing foods.
Source: Clinical Nutrition Published online ahead of print, "Relationship of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids with semen characteristics, and anti-oxidant status of seminal plasma: A comparison between fertile and infertile men"
Authors: M.R. Safarinejad, S.Y. Hosseini, F. Dadkhah, M.A. Asgari

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Omega-3-fish-oils-linked-to-better-semen-quality

Lutein, blackcurrant extract may reduce visual fatigue: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 10-Aug-2009

A supplement containing lutein, zeaxanthin and blackcurrant extract may reverse signs of visual fatigue, according to a new study from Japan and Singapore.
Visual fatigue, caused by many factors, not least staring at computer monitors for long hours, may be eased a daily supplement containing blackcurrant fruit extract (200 mg), lutein (5 mg), and zeaxanthin (1 mg), according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial.
The findings, published in the journal Applied Ergonomics, adds to the ever growing body of science supporting the eye health benefits of lutein and zeaxanthin.
Lutein, a nutrient found in various foods including green leafy vegetables and egg yolk, has a ten-year history in the dietary supplement market as a nutrient to reduce the risk of age related macular degeneration (ADM). It is often used in combination with zeaxanthin.
The global lutein market is set to hit $124.5 million (€93 million) in 2013, according to a 2007 report from Frost & Sullivan.
According to the report, manufacturers need to address this growing maturity in dietary supplements by identifying new and potentially lucrative application segments that offer opportunities for the continued growth of the lutein market.
Looking at visual fatigue
Researchers from Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan and Singapore's Cerebos Pacific Limited, which supplied the supplement used in the study, recruited 22 people to participate, 13 of whom actually completed the study.
The subjects were randomly assigned to receive either the lutein supplement, or placebo, for two weeks, followed by two weeks of washout, and a further two weeks with the opposite intervention.
After completing a two hour visual proof reading task, the researchers measured signs of visual fatigue, including so-called eye fixation related potentials (EFRP).
“EFRP is thought to reflect the total functioning of the visual system, consisting of the retina, the muscle of the pupil, the muscles involved in eye movements, and central nervous system functioning,” explained the researchers.
“In the present study, [a supplement containing lutein, zeaxanthin, and blackcurrant extract]may have had beneficial effects on visual functioning that served to counteract or prevent fatigue induced by the proof reading task,” they added.
“Overall, our results suggest that a combination of lutein, zeaxanthin and blackcurrant extract can aid recovery from visual fatigue,” they concluded.
Source: Applied Ergonomics
Volume 40, Issue 6, Pages 1047-1054
“The effect of lutein supplementation on visual fatigue: A psychophysiological analysis”
Authors: A. Yagi, K. Fujimoto, K. Michihiro, B. Goh, D. Tsi, H. Nagai
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Lutein-blackcurrant-extract-may-reduce-visual-fatigue-Study

Phthalates Danger: Chemicals in Plastics Put Unborn Babies At Risk
S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  August 10, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Chemicals called phthalates are frequently used in vinyl and other plastic products, including personal care products, children's toys, and medical devices -- despite the fact research has suggested these compounds can play havoc with the function of the human endocrine system and potentially cause a host of health problems, especially in children. In fact, as covered previously in Natural News, studies that found these toxins could be linked to childhood obesity (http://www.naturalnews.com/026427_p...) and, because phthalates are hormone disrupters, they may also interfere with the normal development of baby boys' genitalia(http://www.naturalnews.com/010145.html). Now comes research that suggests parents need to worry about their kids' exposure to these chemicals even before their offspring are born. 

A new study set to be published in the Journal of Pediatrics raises the strong possibility that phthalate exposure in the womb contributes to low birth weight in infants. This is an issue of critical importance because low birth weight is the leading cause of death in children under five years of age. What's more, low birth weight also increases the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease as children grow into adulthood. 

Dr. Renshan Ge of the Population Council in Shanghai, along with researchers from Fudan University and Second Military Medical University in China, investigated the associations between in utero phthalate exposure and low birth weight. Between 2005 and 2006, they studied 201 pairs of newborn infants and their mothers. Of the 201 babies in the research project, 88 came into the world with lower than normal birth weight. 

To measure any phthalate levels in the babies, the scientists analyzed samples of the infants' meconium (the first bowel movement that occurs after birth) as well as umbilical cord blood. The results? Measurable levels of phthalate and phthalate metabolites were found in more than 70 percent of the samples. And the newborns with low birth weight were found to consistently have the higher levels of phthalates.

"The results showed that phthalate exposure was ubiquitous in these newborns, and that prenatal phthalate exposure might be an environmental risk factor for low birth weight in infants," Dr. Ge said in a statement to the media.

Even in the face of mounting evidence that serious health problems can arise fromhormone-disrupting chemicals, the U.S. government has been slow to regulate phthalates (http://www.naturalnews.com/023158_p...). And it is, unfortunately, difficult to avoid exposure to the toxins because they are found in all kinds of products, including those used by children, such as dolls, inflatable toys and vinyl toys and bibs. In fact, if a vinyl product is flexible, it probably contains phthalates unless the label specifically says it made without the compounds.

Even careful reading of labels can be confusing because some manufacturers use various chemical names when they list phthalates. For example, DEHP, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate are forms of phthalates often used in as medical devices such as IV bags and tubing. DBP stands for di-n-butyl phthalate and is found in nail polish products while DEP, or diethyl phthalate, is often an ingredient in deodorants, hair gels and other personal care products. 

Reference:
Phthalate Levels and Low Birth Weight: A Nested Case-Control Study of Chinese Newborns, by Zhang Y, PhD, Lin L, MD, Cao Y, PhD, Chen B, MD, Zheng L, MSC, Ge R, MD, , DOI 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.04.007.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026813_phthalates_chemicals_birth_weight.html

Vitamin D Key to Healthy Brain
David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  August 10, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Sufficient vitamin D intake may play a critical role in maintaining brain function later in life, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Manchester and published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

"This is further evidence from observational studies that vitamin D is likely to be beneficial to reduce many age-related diseases," said Tim Spector of King's College London, who was not involved in the study. "Taken together with similar data that shows its importance in reducing arthritis, osteoporotic fractures, as well as heart disease and some cancers, this underscores the importance of vitamin D for humans and why evolution gave us a liking for the sun."

Researchers measured blood levels of vitamin D in more than 3,000 European men between the ages of 40 and 79 then had the men undergo various tests of mental function, including memory and information processing. They found that the men with the highest blood levels did best on the test, while those with the lowest levels performed worst.

Another study earlier this year also found that higher levels of vitamin D appeared to protect against age-related cognitive decline.

The researchers were not able to determine which biological pathways vitamin D might act through to protect the aging brain, but they hypothesized that it might increase levels of protective antioxidants, increase key hormone levels, or suppress a hyperactive immune system that can lead to brain degeneration.

The researchers warned that vitamin D deficiency is widespread, especially among the elderly, who have decreased absorption from both food and sun sources.

Vitamin D is synthesized by the body when the sun is exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays. The average light-skinned person can get enough vitamin D from roughly 15 minutes of sun on their face and hands per day, significantly less than the time it takes to burn. Darker skinned people, the elderly, and those living far from the equator (particularly during the winter) may need more sun to synthesize the same amount.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026811_Vitamin_D_blood_elderly.html

Durian is the Healing King of All Fruits
Sheryl Walters, NaturalNews.com  August 10, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Durian is a little known fruit from Asia that has an extremely pungent smell and an amazingly sweet taste. The smell of the durian fruit is so bad that many hotels in the areas where durian grows will not allow their guests to have the fruit in their rooms. But those who brave the smell are quickly won over by its beautiful taste and amazing health benefits. Unlike most fruits the durian is left to fall from the tree as this is a sign that it is ripe to eat. People in the local villages of South East Asia, where the durian is most common, call it "The King of Fruits," and they will clear the floor under the trees near to harvest time and then camp near them for up to two months just to make sure they get the fruit at its peak. This is a truly exceptional and healing fruit.

Health Benefits of Durian

Traditionally the durian fruit was seen as a powerful aphrodisiac, while women would eat the ashes from burnt durian skins to help them recover after child birth. But concoctions made from the leaves of the durian tree were also used to help reduce swelling and cure skin disease. More recently nutritionists have claimed that the durian fruit can help lower cholesterol and cleanse the blood as well as cure jaundice and alleviate fevers.

Experts even say that you can rid yourself of yeast infections such as thrush through eating the durian fruit. This is because of the durian's high iron content that helps the white blood cells in our body make specific chemicals that kill off the infection.

The durian is also packed with amino acids as well as Vitamins B, C and E and many people are even comparing the sweet custard like centre of the durian fruit to the goji berry for its high levels of anti oxidants. These anti oxidants help slow down the destruction of cells from free radicals such as pollution and smoking; in doing so, they decrease the effects of aging on the skin giving you a younger more refreshed look.

Among the amino acids found inside the durian is tryptophan. Tryptophan is essential for making and maintaining serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is the hormone in the body that regulates our happiness. People with low serotonin levels tend to have short tempers, are often moody and suffer from depression. This means that not only will eating the durian fruit help keep your body running smoothly but it will also increase your general happiness and wellbeing.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026800_durian_health_serotonin.html

Now is the Time for Your Fall Garden Plans
Aaron Turpen, NaturalNews.com  August 9, 2009 

(NaturalNews) When gardeners get to late summer, they begin to think about their harvest and winter time plans. Often overlooked by the home or hobby gardener, though, is the fall garden. This can be one of the most productive times for a garden, rather than the winding down and cleanup many consider it to be.

Summer crops like beans and peas are in and no longer producing in the garden. Rather than leave the plants as they are or, worse, pull them up and leave the ground bare, many gardeners are now putting in their late crops.

Many cold-tolerant varieties are popular fall garden plants:

• beets
• broccoli
• cabbage
• carrots
• rutabagas

These are just a few.

As you plan your fall garden, the number one thing to know is when the Killing Frost date is for your area. This is the date that the frost comes in cold and long enough to kill off most plants - including your garden.

Most almanacs for your area will have this date, usually as an approximate. The Farmer's Almanac publishes a Killing Frost calendar every year and you can find yours online:

With the date of the frost known, count back 14-15 weeks and that will be the optimum date to begin starting seeds. For most, this date is mid-July or early August.

Those summer crops that are no longer productive can be pulled from the garden and thrown on the compost heap. The space is now for the fall garden. Before planting the new crops, though, it's a good idea to do some soil maintenance.

Add an inch of manure or compost to the top of the soil. Then press the seeds or starters through this into the earth to promote aeration. If compost tea is available, spread that on the entire garden.

The next issue that comes with the fall season is pests. This is the time of year when crickets, grasshoppers, and a lot of other nasties get busy destroying gardens. To combat them, the first line of defense will be healthy plants with strong root systems and good nutrition. Healthy plants can stave off many attacks from pests and some even produce their own natural insect repellents.

Chickens kept near the garden are also good insect destroyers. Diatomaceous earth can be spread around and in the garden to safely (and naturally) keep insects under control as well.

Many parts of North America can enjoy a fall garden's bounty well into winter. It's even possible to be eating freshly-picked spinach and salad lettuces at Christmas time.

Don't miss out on your chance to enjoy and reap the benefits of a great fall garden!
http://www.naturalnews.com/026805_crops_seeds_compost.html

Coconut Oil Can Promote Weight Loss by Increasing Metabolism Naturally
Elizabeth Walling, NaturalNews.com  August 8, 2009 

(NaturalNews) With all the dangers associated with thermogenic stimulants, it's no wonder a growing number of people shy away from them. This leaves us to wonder if there is a way to boost the metabolism naturally without resorting to popping pills full of chemicals and caffeine. The secret to a healthy metabolism and a wealth of energy is no fad stimulant: it's pure extra virgin coconut oil.

Coconut oil primarily consists of medium-chain fatty acids. These triglycerides can speed up the metabolism because they are so easily digested and converted into energy. Long-chain fatty acids, like those in polyunsaturated oils, are more difficult for the body to break down and use for energy. Instead, long-chain fatty acids are usually stored as fat in the body.Several scientific studies have exhibited these principles.

One study examined the effect of medium-chain fatty acids on metabolism. Participants' metabolism was evaluated before and after a meal rich in these fats. On average, metabolism increased by 48 percent. In obese individuals, the increase was as high as an astounding 65 percent. Studies have shown this thermogenic effect can last for 24 hours.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that medium-chain fatty acids were three times more effective at raising the metabolism than long-chain fatty acids. Researchers concluded that replacing long-chain fatty acids with medium-chain fatty acids was an effective method for weight loss. Another study from the same journal showed that eating medium-chain fatty acids increases metabolism and also helps burn off stored fat.

Coconut oil can support a healthy weight in other ways as well:

- Coconut oil slows down the digestion of food, which helps you feel fuller after a meal. Many people notice that after adding coconut oil to their diet, they are less prone to snacking.

- Because it slows digestion, coconut oil also helps prevent blood sugar fluctuations after a meal by slowing the rate carbohydrates are broken down into blood glucose.

- The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil destroy candida, a condition of yeast overgrowth in the body which triggers symptoms of weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, fatigue and many others. Eliminating candida is an important part of achieving permanent weight loss.

- Coconut oil is excellent for detoxification. It cleanses the body of many infirmities, balances the digestive tract and nourishes all cells in the body. These benefits restore your health and pave the way for natural weight loss.

Tips for Using Coconut Oil to Increase Metabolism:

- Start small. If you've never taken coconut oil before, start with one teaspoon a day and slowly work up to 3-6 tablespoons per day. This will help your body adjust to the beneficial effects of coconut oil.
- The kind of coconut oil you choose is very important. Organic, unrefined extra virgin coconut oil is the best choice since it preserves all the natural goodness of the oil.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026808_coconut_oil_metabolism_fatty_acids.html

Fish Oil Relieves Joint and Back Pain, Reducing Need for NSAIDs
Melanie Grimes, NaturalNews.com  August 8, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Fish oil contains two naturally occurring fatty acids, EPA and DHA. These fatty acids stimulate the body's anti-inflammatory processes and help relieve joint pain, much the same as NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors, but without the side effects. An excess of proinflammatory messenger molecules causes joint pain, and consumption of fish oil prevents this build up.

Both EPA and DHA are necessary for many functions in the body, but are not manufactured in the body in quantities sufficient for their use. Eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, aids in the anti-inflammatory response of the body to pain. The fatty acid is converted to messenger molecules that relive both pain and inflammation in joints. EPA has the additional effect of preventing omega-6 fats from causing pain and inflammation.

Resent research has shown that a diet high in EPA fish oil reduced lower back pain in over 50% of sufferers. One hundred and twenty five participants with back pain were given 850 mg of EPA and 200 mg of DHA a day, and over half were able to discontinue prescription pain medication. Seventeen clinical trials have confirmed these results. The protocol of two to three grams of EPA and DHA a day for three months has been shown to reduce the intensity of joint pain, morning stiffness, painful joints, joint tenderness and the need for prescription pain medications, such as NSAIDs.

One of the causes of joint pain is the over-consumption of omega-6 fats in the modern American diet. Omega-6 fats are a necessary part of the diet; however, vegetable oils and overprocessed foods sway the balance that the body needs between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. The best ratio for health is an omega-6:omega-3 ratio of 3 to 1, but most Americans consume a ratio of 15 to 1. This is the cause of much chronic inflammatory joint and back pain.

Fish oil can be obtained from fatty fish, such as salmon, or in food supplements. Because of the pollution in the ocean, the source of the fresh fish must be evaluated to ensure that the fish does not contain mercury. One way to ensure this is by purchasing food supplements containing EPA and DHEA and the proper balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Be certain to note if the fish oil supplements are fresh and free of mercury, as tested in labs meeting the international pharmaceutical standards. Fresh fish oil should not have a bitter or fish-like taste.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026806_fish_oil_back_pain_EPA.html

Fat-Bellied Monkeys Suggest Why Stress Sucks

TIME, Saturday, Aug. 08, 2009
It's no secret that stress isn't good for you. But what's less clear is how social stressors like a high-pressure job or a failing marriage affect your physical well-being.
Researchers at Wake Forest University who study stress in monkeys think they may have discovered a clue: fat. More specifically, the particular form of fat called visceral fat that tends to build up in the abdomen (those dreaded beer bellies and love handles). Researchers believe this abdominal fat lodges deep within visceral organs, such as the heart, liver and blood vessels, and may be an indicator of increased heart attack risk. In a study of 42 female monkeys, the scientists found that those with the most social stress — in the monkeys' case, that meant being at the bottom of the social hierarchy — packed away the most fat around the middle.
"For years now there has been a recognition that the pattern in which people lay down fat is associated more with health than the absolute amount of fat," says study co-author Carol Shively, a pathologist at Wake Forest. "Fat cells that live in the visceral depot behave differently than cells that live in other areas of the body."
Recent evidence suggests that visceral fat cells are active, unlike the fat cells found elsewhere in the body just under the skin, known as subcutaneous fat. Those fat cells are essentially just storage sinks for calories. But visceral fat cells actively secrete hormones and other agents that affect the metabolism of sugar and the way the body burns calories. In people, visceral fat has been linked to metabolic changes, such as higher blood pressure and blood sugar levels, that increase risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Shively and her colleagues also knew that people who produce excessive amounts of the stress hormone cortisol tend to have bulky waistlines; they have apple-shaped bodies, rather than pear-shaped. So the researchers wanted to examine all these factors — stress, abdominal fat and health risk — in one study. The problem, of course, is that measuring the relationship between stress and visceral fat in people in a controlled fashion isn't easy. So, the team turned to monkeys. For nearly two and a half years, she and her team fed the animals a typical Western diet, with 40% of calories coming from fat, measured their cortisol levels and used CT scans to calculate the amount of visceral fat each monkey carried.
The monkeys were housed in groups of four, automatically prompting them to establish a linear hierarchy of dominance. The dominant monkey in each group experienced the least stress, according to researchers. "They were groomed more than the subordinates, and they would get relaxed. Their eyes would roll up, sort of like they were getting a massage," says Shively. Monkeys further down the power chain, however, appeared more stressed-out. They were more vigilant, constantly scanning their environment for potentially aggressive threats from the leader. They also spent more time alone, out of contact with the other monkeys.
CT scans showed that group leaders and the second most dominant monkeys showed lower amounts of visceral fat than their subordinates, who carried the bulk of their body fat in their guts. In human populations, something similar happens: Studies have linked lower social status to a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome — the condition whose symptoms include being overweight and having high blood pressure and high glucose levels — which promotes heart disease.
Together with Shively's findings, says Dr. David Katz, director and co-founder of the Yale Prevention Research Center, the human data suggests a possible cause-and-effect link: Stress may promote accumulation of visceral fat, which in turn causes metabolic changes in the body that contribute to heart disease and other health problems.
"This study shows that psychological stress, which we know can affect stress hormone levels, can have a fairly rapid influence on where extra calories go," he says. "I'm generally quite cautious about animal research but here I think we're seeing something that has direct relevance to human health as well."
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1915237,00.html

Glacier melt accelerating, federal report concludes
Reviewing five decades of data on three 'benchmark glaciers,' researchers say that shrinking glaciers clearly result from global warming.

Los Angeles Times, August 7, 2009

Reporting from Washington — The federal government Thursday released the most comprehensive study of melting glaciers in North America -- and the results show a rapid and accelerating shrinkage over the last half a century because of global warming.

One of the glaciers in the study, the South Cascade Glacier in Washington state, has lost nearly half of its volume and a quarter of its mass since 1958, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey said. The two others in the study, the Wolverine and Gulkana glaciers in Alaska, have both lost nearly 15% of their mass.

In all three cases, the melting has increased over the last two decades. The acceleration is the result of warmer, drier climates in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska caused by global warming, the researchers said.

"By having a 50-year record, you can look over what's going on, look over the meteorological, climatological record, and really get an idea of what's going on in the mountains," said Edward Josberger, a scientist with the USGS Washington Water Science Center in Tacoma, Wash., who has worked for a decade on the study.

"Climate change effects are starting to become more and more noticeable," he added, "and this is one of the effects that's being displayed."

The three glaciers in the study are known as "benchmark glaciers" because their varying climates and elevations are representative of thousands of other glaciers across the continent.

For five decades, USGS researchers have periodically measured the glaciers' size with tools including measurement stakes and photographic surveys. Their data include tallies of winter snow accumulation and summer melt.

In each case, the data show that summer melting accelerated in the last 20 years. At the same time, winter snowpacks have tapered off. The reduced accumulations and increased melts have resulted in shrinking glaciers.

South Cascade Glacier, for example, had a volume of nearly 0.06 cubic mile of water in 1958, Josberger said. By 2008, it was down to 0.03 cubic mile.

When glaciers shrink, water runoff declines, setting the stage for drier conditions in the region, particularly at the end of summer, when other supplies of water dwindle.

In the past, shifting ocean conditions explained some of the shrinking trend, the USGS researchers reported. But the latest acceleration suggests rising temperatures are "overwhelming" those natural cycles, the report concluded.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-glacier7-2009aug07,0,2419256.story

Psychological Factors Help Explain Slow Reaction To Global Warming
ScienceDaily (Aug. 10, 2009) — While most Americans think climate change is an important issue, they don't see it as an immediate threat, so getting people to "go green" requires policymakers, scientists and marketers to look at psychological barriers to change and what leads people to action, according to a task force of the American Psychological Association.
Scientific evidence shows the main influences of climate change are behavioral – population growth and energy consumption. "What is unique about current global climate change is the role of human behavior," said task force chair Janet Swim, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University. "We must look at the reasons people are not acting in order to understand how to get people to act."
APA's Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change examined decades of psychological research and practice that have been specifically applied and tested in the arena of climate change, such as environmental and conservation psychology and research on natural and technological disasters. The task force presented its findings at APA's 117th Annual Convention in Toronto in a report that was accepted by the association's governing Council of Representatives.
The task force's report offers a detailed look at the connection between psychology and global climate change and makes policy recommendations for psychological science.
It cites a national Pew Research Center poll in which 75 percent to 80 percent of respondents said that climate change is an important issue. But respondents ranked it last in a list of 20 compelling issues, such as the economy or terrorism. Despite warnings from scientists and environmental experts that limiting the effects of climate change means humans need to make some severe changes now, people don't feel a sense of urgency. The task force said numerous psychological barriers are to blame, including:

• Uncertainty – Research has shown that uncertainty over climate change reduces the frequency of "green" behavior.
• Mistrust – Evidence shows that most people don't believe the risk messages of scientists or government officials.
• Denial – A substantial minority of people believe climate change is not occurring or that human activity has little or nothing to do with it, according to various polls.
• Undervaluing Risks – A study of more than 3,000 people in 18 countries showed that many people believe environmental conditions will worsen in 25 years. While this may be true, this thinking could lead people to believe that changes can be made later.
• Lack of Control – People believe their actions would be too small to make a difference and choose to do nothing.
• Habit – Ingrained behaviors are extremely resistant to permanent change while others change slowly. Habit is the most important obstacle to pro-environment behavior, according to the report.

The task force highlighted some ways that psychology is already working to limit these barriers. For example, people are more likely to use energy-efficient appliances if they are provided with immediate energy-use feedback. Devices that show people how much energy and money they're conserving can yield energy savings of 5 percent to 12 percent, according to research. "Behavioral feedback links the cost of energy use more closely to behavior by showing the costs immediately or daily rather than in an electric bill that comes a month later," said Swim.
Also, some studies have looked at whether financial incentives can spur people to weatherize their houses. The research has shown that combined strong financial incentives, attention to customer convenience and quality assurance and strong social marketing led to weatherization of 20 percent or more of eligible homes in a community in the first year of a program. The results were far more powerful than achieved by another program that offered just financial incentives.
The task force identified other areas where psychology can help limit the effects of climate change, such as developing environmental regulations, economic incentives, better energy-efficient technology and communication methods.
"Many of the shortcomings of policies based on only a single intervention type, such as technology, economic incentives or regulation, may be overcome if policy implementers make better use of psychological knowledge," the task force wrote in the report.
The task force also urged psychologists to continue to expand that knowledge. Environmental psychology emerged as a sub-discipline in the early 20th century but didn't really gain momentum until the 1980s, according to the report. But the task force said studying and influencing climate change should not be left to a sub-discipline; many different types of psychologists can provide an understanding of how people of different ages respond to climate change. "The expertise found in a variety of fields of psychology can help find solutions to many climate change problems right now," Swim said. "For example, experts in community and business psychology can address the behavioral changes necessary as businesses and nonprofits adapt to a changing environment."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090807154404.htm

People 'get happier as they age'
Most people get happier as they grow older, studies on people aged up to their mid-90s suggest.
BBC News, August 10, 2009
Despite worries about ill health, income, changes in social status and bereavements, later life tends to be a golden age, according to psychologists.
They found older adults generally make the best of the time they have left and have learned to avoid situations that make them feel sad or stressed.
The young should do the same, they told the American Psychological Association.
Ageing society
The UK is an ageing nation - in less than 25 years, one in four people in the UK will be over 65 and the number of over-85s will have doubled.
And it is expected there will be 30,000 people aged over 100 by the year 2030.
“ For many people, older age and later life is often looked upon with dread and worry ” 
Andrew Harrop Head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged
According to University of California psychologist Dr Susan Turk Charles, this should make the UK a happier society.
By reviewing the available studies on emotions and ageing she found that mental wellbeing generally improved with age, except for people with dementia-related ill health.
Work carried out by Dr Laura Carstensen, a psychology professor at Stanford University, suggested why this might be the case.
Dr Carstensen asked volunteers ranging in age from 18 to mid-90s to take part in various experiments and keep diaries of their emotional state.
She found the older people were far less likely than the younger to experience persistent negative moods and were more resilient to hearing personal criticism.
They were also much better at controlling and balancing their emotions - a skill that appeared to improve the older they became.
TIPS FOR A HAPPY OLD AGE 
   Envisage ways to thoroughly enjoy the years ahead and imagine living to a healthy and happy 100
   Design your life and daily routines to reinforce this goal
   Don't put all your "social" eggs in one basket - invest time outside of your family and career too
Dr Charles explained: "Based on work by Carstensen and her colleagues, we know that older people are increasingly aware that the time they have left in life is growing shorter.
"They want to make the best of it so they avoid engaging in situations that will make them unhappy.
"They have also had more time to learn and understand the intentions of others which helps them to avoid these stressful situations."
Dr Carstensen said the young would do well to start preparing for their old age now.
This includes adopting a healthy daily routine and ensuring some social investment is spent outside of the workplace and family home.
Andrew Harrop, head of public policy at Age Concern and Help the Aged, said the findings were encouraging.
"For many people, older age and later life is often looked upon with dread and worry. HAVE YOUR SAY As you get older you can get more frustrated and grumpy but more importantly you gain a sense of perspective John Uriel, Wallasey
"Far too many younger people assume that getting older is a process that will inevitably mean sickness, frailty and lack of mobility and greater dependence. However, this is far from the truth in very many cases.
"Many older people lead active, healthy lives enriched by experience and learning.
"This positive advantage can be brought to bear across so many aspects of daily life which - in turn - hugely benefits our ageing society.
"It's vital that there is growing acceptance that just because someone is getting older, it doesn't mean they no longer have a significant contribution to make.
"This study is one of many which shows that later life can be a enormously positive experience."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8183522.stm

Sedentary Lives Can Be Deadly: Physical Inactivity Poses Greatest Health Risk To Americans, Expert Says
ScienceDaily (Aug. 10, 2009) — As many as 50 million Americans are living sedentary lives, putting them at increased risk of health problems and even early death, a leading expert in exercise science told the American Psychological Association.
Speaking at APA's 117th Annual Convention, Steven Blair, PED, called Americans' physical inactivity "the biggest public health problem of the 21st century."
Blair is a professor of exercise science and epidemiology at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health. He is one of the world's premier experts on exercise and its health benefits and was the senior scientific editor of the 1996 U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health.
Research has shown approximately 25 percent to 35 percent of American adults are inactive, Blair said, meaning that they have sedentary jobs, no regular physical activity program and are generally inactive around the house or yard. "This amounts to 40 million to 50 million people exposed to the hazard of inactivity," Blair said in an interview. "Given that these individuals are doubling their risk of developing numerous health conditions compared with those who are even moderately active and fit, we're looking at a major public health problem."
Blair's extensive research comes primarily from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, in which he found that fitness level was a significant predictor of mortality. The ongoing study began in 1970 and includes more than 80,000 patients. The researchers periodically measured the participants' body composition and body mass index, and each patient underwent a stress test. Researchers also looked at numerous other factors including the participants' medical histories.
One follow-up study of 40,842 longitudinal study participants showed poor fitness level accounted for about 16 percent of all deaths in both men and women. The percentage was calculated by estimating the number of deaths that would have been avoided if people had spent 30 minutes a day walking. This percentage was significantly higher than when other risk factors were considered, including obesity, smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes. The Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study also found that moderately fit men lived six years longer than unfit men.
More examination of 14,811 female patients in the ACLS showed that women who were very fit were 55 percent less likely to die from breast cancer than women who were not in good shape. This was after the researchers had controlled for BMI, smoking, family history of breast cancer and other possible risk factors.
Blair also highlighted the benefits of exercise on the mind, referring to recent emerging evidence that activity delays the mind's decline and is good for brain health overall. Blair said he thinks psychologists can be integral in helping patients understand the health hazards of being inactive and encouraging people to look for more ways to get moving. "Over the past few decades, we have largely engineered the need for physical activity out of the daily lives of most people in industrialized societies," said Blair.
The message should be simple, he said: Doing something is better than doing nothing, and doing more is better than doing less, at least up to a point. "We need numerous changes to promote more physical activity for all, including public policies, changes in the health care system, promoting activity in educational settings and worksites, and social and physical environmental changes. We need more communities where people feel comfortable walking. I believe psychologists can help develop better lifestyle change interventions to help people be more active via the Internet and other technological methods."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810024825.htm

Cancer Cells Are Protected By Our Own Immune System
ScienceDaily (Aug. 10, 2009) — During the very first few days of development of a cancer, our immune system recognizes cancer cells not as abnormal cells requiring eradication but as cells of the body that need to be protected. This result was obtained by the team led by David Klatzmann at the Laboratoire "Immunologie - Immunopathologies - Immunothérapies" (UPMC / CNRS / INSERM). It could enable major advances in the treatment of cancer.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, scientists have postulated the existence of the "immunosurveillance" of cancer, by which the immune system recognizes cancer cells(1) as being abnormal as soon as they are produced by the body, and then eradicates them. It is only when these cells escape from the immune response that a cancer develops. However, the team led by David Klatzmann, Professor at UPMC, has just revealed that this concept is inexact: the "immunosurveillance" of cancers does exist, but in fact it protects tumor cells when they appear, in the same way as any other normal cells in the body.
When an immune response is induced by the body, two types of lymphocytes (specialized immune system cells) are particularly closely involved: regulatory T-cells and effector T-cells. The former recognize components arising from the body itself and protect tissues from attack using the immune system. By contrast, effector T-cells specifically recognize foreign components and their function is to destroy them.
Most studies focused on interactions between cancer cells and the immune system are performed once cancer development is already well-advanced, when the tumor mass is already organized and detectable. The researchers in the Laboratoire "Immunologie - Immunopathologies - Immunothérapies" (UPMC / CNRS / INSERM) focused on these interactions, but during the very first few days after the appearance of tumor cells. Using animal models, they showed that appearance of the very first cancer cells triggered an immediate response by regulatory T-cells which migrated rapidly towards the tumor(2). They recognized molecules on the cancer cells that were also expressed by normal tissues in the body.
These regulatory T-cells then blocked the action of effector T-cells, thus preventing them from attacking and destroying the cancer cells. Activated at all times in order to protect healthy tissues, regulatory T-cells are mobilized much more rapidly and strongly than effector T-cells, which are resting before the tumor appears. The scientists also showed that if regulatory T-cells were absent from this first encounter between the immune system and tumor cells, effector responses of the immune system indeed developed and enabled eradication of the tumor.
Regulatory T-cells are thus the first to recognize a tumor and facilitate its development by preventing its eradication by effector T-cells. This suggests that the control of regulatory T-cells should be an essential component in the development of future therapies for cancer. This discovery also opens the way to other therapeutic opportunities, such as preventive anti-tumor vaccination.
(1) A cancer (or tumor) cell is a normal cell in the body that has undergone changes, such as uncontrolled proliferation, the invasion of adjacent tissues, the colonization of distal organs, or genetic instability, etc.
(2) Generically speaking, the term "tumor" designates an abnormal proliferation of cells. When malignant, this takes the name "cancer".
Guillaume Darrasse-Jeze, Anne-Sophie Bergot, Aurelie Durgeau, Fabienne Billiard, Benoit L. Salomon, Jose L. Cohen, Bertrand Bellier, Katrina Podsypanina and David Klatzmann. Tumor emergence is sensed by self-specific CD44hi memory Tregs that create a dominant tolerogenic environment for tumors in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation, August 3, 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090807091437.htm

Hepatitis Healing Power Of Blueberry Leaves
ScienceDaily (Aug. 10, 2009) — A chemical found in blueberry leaves has shown a strong effect in blocking the replication of the Hepatitis C virus, opening up a new avenue for treating chronic HCV infections, which affect 200 million people worldwide and can eventually lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Among the areas of especially high Hepatitis C incidence is the Miyazaki prefecture of southern Japan, a trend that led Hiroaki Kataoka and colleagues at the University of Miyazaki and elsewhere in Japan on a search for better treatment options. Currently, there is no vaccine for HCV, and though a combination drug regimen can clear HCV infection, this treatment is only about 60% effective on average and poses risks of severe side effects.
Kataoka and colleagues believed that since HCV is localized in the liver and can take 20 years or more to develop into disease, a dietary supplement might help slow or stop disease progression. So they screened nearly 300 different agricultural products for potential compounds that suppress HCV replication and uncovered a strong candidate in the leaves of rabbit-eye blueberry (native to the southeastern US).
They purified the compound and identified it as proanthocyandin (a polyphenol similar to the beneficial chemicals found in grapes and wine). While proanthocyandin can be harmful, Kataoka and colleagues noted its effective concentration against HCV was 100 times less than the toxic threshold, and similar chemicals are found in many edible plants, suggesting it should be safe as a dietary supplement. In the meantime, the researchers now hope to explore the detailed mechanisms of how this chemical stops HCV replication.
Masahiko Takeshita, Yo-ichi Ishida, Ena Akamatsu, Yusuke Ohmori, Masayuki Sudoh, Hirofumi Uto, Hirohito Tsubouchi, and Hiroaki Kataoka. Proanthocyanidin from Blueberry Leaves Suppresses Expression of Subgenomic Hepatitis C Virus RNA. J. Biol. Chem., 2009; 284: 21165-21176
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090807120952.htm

White Tea Could Keep You Healthy And Looking Young
ScienceDaily (Aug. 10, 2009) — Next time you’re making a cuppa, new research shows it might be wise to opt for a white tea if you want to reduce your risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or even just age-associated wrinkles. Researchers from Kingston University teamed up with Neal’s Yard Remedies to test the health properties of 21 plant and herb extracts. They discovered all of the plants tested had some potential benefits, but were intrigued to find white tea considerably outperformed all of them.
Professor Declan Naughton, from the School of Life Sciences at Kingston University in South West London, said the research showed white tea had anti-ageing potential and high levels of anti-oxidants which could prevent cancer and heart disease. “We’ve carried out tests to identify plant extracts that protected the structural proteins of the skin, specifically elastin and collagen,” he explained. “Elastin supports the body’s natural elasticity which helps lungs, arteries, ligaments and skin to function. It also helps body tissue to repair when you suffer wounds and stops skin from sagging.” Collagen is a protein found in connective tissues in the body and is important for skin, strength and elasticity, he added.
Results showed white tea prevented the activities of the enzymes which breakdown elastin and collagen which can lead to wrinkles that accompany ageing. These enzymes, along with oxidants, are associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Professor Naughton said: “These enzymes and oxidants are key components of normal body processes. However, in inflammatory conditions, suppressing the activities of these excess components has been the subject of decades of research. We were surprised to find such high activity for the white tea extracts in all five tests that were conducted.”
The researchers were blown away by exactly how well the white tea had performed. “We were testing very small amounts far less than you would find in a drink,” Professor Naughton, one of the country’s leading specialists on inflammation, said. “The early indicators are that white tea reduces the risk of inflammation which is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers as well as wrinkles.”
Eight of the other plants and herbs analysed also helped protect against the breakdown of both elastin and collagen. After white tea, bladderwrack performed well followed by extracts of cleavers, rose, green tea, angelica, anise and pomegranate.
Dr Pauline Hili, Technical Director for Neal’s Yard Remedies, said: “We are really excited by this research as it helps us to remain innovative and at the cutting edge of natural skin care. Celebrating the plants used in the Neal’s Yard Remedies products and understanding their specific actions on the skin is what it is all about. The Kingston University research program helps us to create safe, highly effective and cutting-edge products so it’s an ideal partnership for us.”
Tamsyn SA Thring, Pauline Hili, Declan P Naughton. Anti-collagenase, anti-elastase and anti-oxidant activities of extracts from 21 plants. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2009, 9:27 (4 August 2009)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810085312.htm

Growth In Number Of Americans Citing No Religion May Be Slower Than Previously Reported
ScienceDaily (Aug. 9, 2009) — Americans continue to pull away from organized religion, but the rate of departure previously reported may not have been as abrupt as originally thought, according to research to be presented at the 104th annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.
Sociologists Michael Hout and Claude S. Fischer of the University of California, Berkeley, find that the previous estimate of a doubling during the 1990s of the proportion of Americans with no religion probably started earlier than 1991 and doubled over a 14- or 15-year period. New data suggest that the trend continued through 2008, likely fueled at least partially by the growing number of Americans who were raised with no religion.
The current investigation revisits the researchers' April 2002 American Sociological Review article, "Why More Americans Have No Religious Preference: Politics and Generations," using data from the General Social Survey fielded between 1973 and 2008. The General Social Survey is conducted by the National Opinion Research Center and funded by the National Science Foundation.
According to the new data, 93 percent of Americans believe in God; a figure unchanged since 1988. The group that increased was the group Hout and Fischer call "unchurched believers," those people who believe in God but report no religion.
"If you think of organized religion as having two parts—the organized part and the religious part—the church-leavers' quarrel is with the organized part," said Michael Hout, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the lead author of the study.
As originally reported in 2002, Hout and Fischer assert that politics continue to play a role in the increase in those reporting no religion preference. The sociologists note a parallel between the rising rates of non-religious Americans and the number of mentions of the "religious right" in press coverage in the past nearly four decades.
Political liberals and moderates are much less likely to report a religion now than in 1988; almost all political conservatives identify with a church now as they did twenty years ago.
"Invoking religion to promote a conservative social agenda may energize conservative members, but it alienates political moderates and liberals," Hout said. "The result has been a significant decrease in the fraction of American adults identifying with an organized religion."
Americans expressed stronger anti-religious feelings in 2008 than in 1998. For example, two-thirds of adults agreed that "religion brings more conflict than peace" in 2008 compared with just one-third in 1998. Similarly more Americans described themselves as "non-religious" in 2008 than in 1998.
Among the rising number of Americans who cite no religious preference, those who believe in either God or the afterlife outnumber those with no beliefs. In addition, the number of religiously affiliated non-believers declined sharply between 1973 and 2008.
Hout and Fischer will present the research, "The Politics of Religious Identity in the United States, 1974-2008," on Sunday, Aug. 9, at the American Sociological Association's 104th annual meeting.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810024831.htm