September 10, 2009

Genetic mutation finding supports oxidative stress' role in aging

LIFE EXTENSIONS September 09, 2009
A report published online during the week of September 6-12, 2009 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences confirmed the impact of oxidative damage on the body's genetic material, which causes mutations that lead to aging, cancer and other disordered states.
Researchers at Oregon State University, Indiana University, the University of Florida and the University of New Hampshire tracked genetic mutations in the roundworm C. elegans for 250 generations: the equivalent of 5,000 human years. The worms accumulated 391 genetic mutations, which is over 10 times as many as have been discovered in similar studies. The majority of mutations were linked to guanine, a DNA nucleotide that is especially sensitive to oxidative damage.
"Most life on Earth depends in some form on oxygen, which is great at the production of energy," explained lead researcher and Oregon State University assistant professor of zoology Dee Denver. "But we pay a high price for our dependence on oxygen, because the process of using it is not 100 percent efficient, and it can result in free oxygen radicals that can damage proteins, fats and DNA. And this process gets worse with age, as free radicals accumulate and begin to cause disease."
"Genetic mutations in animals are actually pretty rare, they don't happen very often unless they are induced by something," she noted. "The value of using this roundworm is that it reaches reproductive age in about four days, so we can study changes that happen through hundreds of generations, using advanced genome sequencing technology."
"The research showed that the majority of all DNA mutations bear the signature of oxidative stress," Dr Denver concluded. "That's exactly what you would expect if you believe that oxidative stress is an underlying cause of aging and disease."
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2009_09.htm#genetic-mutation-finding-supports-oxidative-stress-role-in-aging

Reader's Hair Loss from Lack of B-12

The Topeka Capital-Journal  09-10-09
Dear Dr. Gott: I read your column a while ago about a 77-year- old woman who was experiencing hair loss. At the age of 75, I, too, was losing my hair. My doctor checked my vitamin B-12 level, and it was very low. I was started on the tablets that dissolve under my tongue.
It has been just a few months since I began the B-12 and I now have a thick, healthy head of hair again. Perhaps this suggestion will help the woman and maybe some of your readers suffering hair loss.
Dear Reader: There is evidence hair loss may be connected with a deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals, specifically B-12, zinc and biotin. We sometimes fail to realize that the body is a system designed to function as a complete unit. As part of that unit, hair requires proper nutrition .
Some sources of the vitamin include milk, eggs, poultry, fish, shellfish and fortified cereals. Some people may also require injections of the vitamin in order to achieve better absorption .
Dear Dr. Gott: My loved one has primary progressive aphasia. He can't remember anyone's name, including his own. All nouns are forgotten, and even 30 seconds after you remind him, he has forgotten again. This is a horrible disease.
Dear Reader: Primary progressive aphasia (also known as frontotemporal dementia or Pick's disease) is a rare neurological condition that affects a person's ability to speak. Language capabilities become increasingly impaired over time. The condition may be acquired because of brain damage that may have occurred from stroke, tumor or head injury .
Symptoms vary from person to person and include difficulty identifying objects, failure to understand written words, the misuse of grammar and pauses in speech when searching for words. Oddly, those pauses generally don't occur when making small talk. Symptoms usually begin between 55 and 60 years of age and worsen over time. Risk doesn't increase with age, and it is unusual for FTD to present after the age of 75. The condition is more common in men than in women .
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8731&Section=Vitamins

Eating Less the Key to Living Longer

The New Straits Times  09-10-09
FASTING is a common thread in all major religions of the world. Indeed, we all fast when we sleep every day which may account for some of the positive effects of sleeping - more energy, rejuvenation and healing.
It has long been known that eating less could mean living longer. Scientists call it "calorie restriction".
The Sept 21, 2007 issue of the journal Cell published a report by scientists at Harvard Medical School, Cornell University, and the National Institutes of Health. This reveals new information which infers how calorie restriction leads to longevity.
Harvard Medical School's associate professor of pathology David Sinclair and his colleagues show that calorie restriction activates a gene known as NAMPT. This causes NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) to accumulate within the mitochondria, the energy centre of the cell.
This increases the activity of mitochondrial enzymes produced by the genes SIRT3 and SIRT4, strengthening the mitochondria, increasing energy output, and slowing the aging process of the cell, a process also activated by exercise.
SIRT3 and SIRT4 are members of a class of genes known as sirtuins that play a role in longevity. Another member of the sirtuin family, SIRT1, was previously found to increase longevity when stimulated by resveratrol, a compound that occurs in red grapes (and hence red wine).
The finding further fuels the suspicion of some researchers that the mitochondria plays a vital role in longevity.
Cells can survive without other intracellular energy sources as long as the mitochondria are intact and functioning.
Commenting on his team's "mitochondrial oasis hypothesis", Dr Sinclair explained, "Mitochondria are the guardians of cell survival.
"If we can keep boosting levels of NAD in the mitochondria, which in turn stimulates buckets more of SIRT3 and SIRT4, then for a period of time the cell really needs nothing else."
We are not quite sure how this happens. However, scientists in the team did see normal cell-suicide programmes reduced. This is the first time ever that SIRT3 and SIRT4 have been linked to cell survival.
"We've reason to believe now that these two genes may be potential drug targets for diseases associated with aging," Dr Sinclair stated.
"Theoretically, we can envision a small molecule that can increase levels of NAD, or SIRT3 and SIRT4 directly, in the mitochondria. Such a molecule could be used for many age-related diseases."
Indeed, calorie restriction is the most effective and well- documented pathway to longevity in animal studies.
Both the average and total life spans of yeast, rotifers, water fleas, nematodes, fruit flies, spiders, fish, hamsters, rats, mice, and dogs have been extended significantly by decreasing normal calorie consumption by 30 per cent to 40 per cent.
It is important to note that we are looking at double digit per cent increase in lifespan. This means adding potentially tens of years to the human lifespan.
Fasting must have been common in our evolution where our ancestors had to go through phases of "feast and famine" in order to survive.
This is what animals in the wild do even today. We know that these animals are healthier than perhaps the overfed pets in our living rooms.
The goal of calorie restriction is to achieve a longer and healthier life by:
* eating fewer calories
* consuming adequate vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients
In other words, calorie restriction does not mean nutrient restriction. You eat foods that are very dense in terms of nutrients but really low in calories. This means cutting out all those "empty calories".
Sugars and flours generally contain very little nutrition for their calorie content.
They also have high glycemic indices, which means that your body absorbs them quickly, leaving you wanting more.
Eat green leafy vegetables and non-leafy vegetables. Both contain the highest content of a wide variety of nutrients for their calorie content.
By volume (and often by calories), vegetables are the major component of many calorie restricted but not nutrient deficient diets.
Carefully select your protein and fat sources. Both protein and fat are required macronutrients, but their form can have a significant influence on a person's risk factors for a wide variety of diseases.
Make sure your protein intake is sufficient but not overly abundant.
Your proteins must be complete and balanced. A complete protein contains all the essential amino acids, while a balanced protein contains all those amino acids in ratios that are most useful to human biophysiology.
Select monounsaturated fats, avoid saturated fats, and consume some Omega-3 fats
Foods containing monounsaturated fats include olive oil, almonds, hazelnuts, and avocados.
Most of your fat intake should be from these foods. A very small amount of fat should be in the form of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fatty fish (eg salmon) and flax oil.
Here is a word of caution. Fatty foods, even healthy choices, are high in calories so carefully track your intake to stay within your calorie goal.
Calorie restriction can continue beyond the fasting month and be a way of a long and healthy life.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8732&Section=Nutrition

Get Rid of Boomer Fatigue

Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.  09-10-09
Many people start feeling tired when they hit their 50's, and blame it on their age. That's probably not the case at all. A lack of energy at mid-age and older is more often due to dietary deficiencies. For example, the reason I can ride BMX and ski race at my age is because I've done a lot of research about what the boomer body needs - and I make sure my body receives it.
As we hit mid-age, our bodies get less efficient at absorbing many factors of the B group of vitamins from food; especially B6 and B12. These are essential nutrients. The B6 factor helps metabolize amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. It's also needed to make melatonin, which helps us sleep, as well as seratonin, the hormone that prevents depression and keeps us feeling in a good mood.
B12 is involved in nerve function, mood and energy. A deficiency of this B factor causes fatigue, makes us feel lethargic and mentally dull. It's also suspected as a possible cause of Alzheimer's disease. But many boomers have real problems absorbing this nutrient, so taking a vitamin B supplement can prevent a deficiency and eliminate its symptoms.
As people hit their 50's and beyond, they often drift into dangerous dietary habits that cause serious nutritional deficiencies; especially if they live alone. After his divorce, my friend Joe began living on frozen dinners, especially inexpensive cartons of pasta. Ten years ago, he was an active cyclist, skier and hiker. Today, his hands tremble, his teeth are loose, and he doesn't have the energy to do more than watch television and run his vacuum. He refuses to believe that the cause of his rapid aging could be the convenience of living on microwave meals.
There is quite a bit of scientific research showing the diets of people living alone often deteriorate. Don't let that happen to you if you're in that situation. Don't live on prepared or fast food; make the effort to prepare your own meals from scratch. Make a big batch of stew or soup, divide it into portions and freeze them. If you have a problem chewing harder foods such as meat or beans, grind them up or use a crock pot to soften them.
As we get older, our taste buds tend to fade and we don't have as accurate a sense of thirst. That means spending time on cooking loses importance, and we also tend to get dehydrated. But preparing healthy meals is essential for those middle-aged and beyond. So is taking certain supplements, such as calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous, all of which are harder to absorb as we age. It helps prevent age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, Alzheimer's, heart disease and more.
Taking the time to prepare nutritious meals will make sure you get the minerals needed by the boomer body. Taking a vitamin and mineral supplement will make up for the frequent boomer problem of not being able to absorb enough necessary nutrients from your food.
Eat what your body needs, and boomer fatigue, often due to diet rather than age, may never be a problem for you.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8733&Section=Vitamins

Onion compound may protect colon from cancer: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 10-Sep-2009

Increased intakes of the compound quercetin, found in onions and apples, may reduce the risk of developing cancer of the colon by 50 per cent, says a new study.
However, dietary intakes of the compound were not associated with beneficial effects on rectal health, researchers report in the British Journal of Nutrition.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen, Ireland's National Cancer Registry Ireland and the University of Ottawa add that increased intakes of flavonols in general were associated with a 40 per cent reduction in the risk of dev eloping colorectal cancer.
Flavonoids can be split into a number of sub-classes, including anthocyanins found in berries, flavonols from a variety of fruit and vegetables, flavones from parsley and thyme, for example, flavanones from citrus, isoflavones from soy, mono- and poly-meric flavonols like the catechins in tea, and proanthocyanidins from berries, wine and chocolate.
A vast body of epidemiological studies has linked increased dietary intake of antioxidants from fruits, vegetables wine, chocolate, coffee, tea, and other foods to reduced risks of a range of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
In order to examine the benefits of a flavonoid-rich diet with respect tocolorectal cancer risk, the researchers performed a case-control study involving 264 people with confirmed colorectal cancer and 408 healthy, cancer-free controls.
Colorectal cancer accounts for nine per cent of new cancer cases every year worldwide. The highest incidence rates are in the developed world, while Asia and Africa have the lowest incidence rates.
Since tea if the main dietary source of flavonoids in the UK, the researchers sought to distinguish between total dietary and non-tea intake of four flavonoid subclasses - flavonol, procyanidin, flavon-3-ol, and flavanone.
The participants were drawn from a “tea-drinking population with a high colorectal cancer incidence”, said the researchers, led by Janet Kyle.
While no association between total dietary flavonoids and the incidence of colorectal cancer was observed, when Kyle and her co-workers considered only flavonoids from non-tea sources and the specific site of the cancer, a significant protective effect was documented for non-tea flavonols and colon, but not rectal, cancer.
“We concluded that flavonols, specifically quercetin, obtained from non-tea components of the diet may be linked with reduced risk of developing colon cancer,” concluded the researchers.
The researchers did not study the mechanism behind the potential beneficial effects, but an earlier study from UCLA (Cancer, 2008, Vol. 112, pp. 2241-2248) suggested that flavonoids may act by blocking the formation of blood vessels that tumours develop so they can grow and spread, a process called angiogenesis. A potential role in apoptosis, or naturally programmed cell death, may also be occurring.
Source: British Journal of Nutrition  “Dietary flavonoid intake and colorectal cancer: a case-control study”
Authors: J.A.M. Kyle, L. Sharp, J. Little, G.G. Duthie, G. McNeill
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Onion-compound-may-protect-colon-from-cancer-Study

Chocolate cravings: Not due to hormones, says study

Foodnavigator-USA.com, 09-Sep-2009

A woman’s craving for chocolate as she approaches the menopause is not down to hormones, but more a reaction to the stress and discomfort of the menopause, suggests new research.
While food cravings are experienced by over 75 per cent of both men and women, the increased incidence in the fairer sex, particularly around the time of the menopause and particularly for chocolate, has “not been explored”, according to scientists from the University of Pennsylvania.
Writing in the journal Appetite, Julia Hormes and Paul Rozin report that, if the cravings were due to hormonal effects, then a difference in the incidence of cravings of about 38 per cent would be expected between peri-menopausal women (around the time of the menopause) and post-menopausal women.
However, a decrease of only 13.4 per cent was noted, “suggesting that female reproductive hormones are not the principal cause of peri-menstrual chocolatecraving”, they said.
According to a report from Datamonitor, adult women are predicted to account for almost 260 million consumers by 2010 in the US and Western Europe. Increases in women's spending power, allied to their continued dominance of the household shopping in multiple-occupant households, women are reported to account for an estimated 75 per cent of all consumer packaged goods spending, says Datamonitor.
Chocolate manufacturers have enjoyed great success in targeting products to female consumers. Indeed, Mars Snackfood claims to have had considerable success with targeting its premium chocolate brand in the US, Dove, at female consumers in convenience stores.
Therefore, understanding how women react to products can lead to better positioning and marketing of products to this key demographic.
Study details
Hormes and Rozin surveyed 280 pre- and post-menopausal alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania and divided them into three distinct groups with average ages of 46, 63, and 82. Women were asked to record their cravings, including whether or not their chocolate cravings were related to their menstrual cycle.
“Post-menopausal women show only a very modest decrease in chocolate craving,” report the researchers. “This modest decrease, in the face of no drop in the liking for chocolate, may be due in some small part to the absence of a direct effect of female hormone changes in these women.
“Our results suggest that the perimenstrum is linked to chocolate craving because for some women, chocolate is a way to deal with the stress or dysphoria associated with menstruation,” they note.
“Use of chocolate to cope with or compensate for such experiences is a culturally supported response in North America.
“In North America, where chocolate has the property of being a ‘forbidden food’ for many women, discomfort may license its consumption,” concluded Hormes and Rozin.
What's happening?
Commenting on the ingredients in chocolate, the researchers noted that chocolate undoubtedly contains a lot of bioactive ingredients, including stimulants like caffeine, theobromine, and tyramine. However, unlike coffee, where consumers often refer to the pharmacological effects, consumers usually note that the sensory aspects of chocolate are the most attractive, "including its melt-in-your-mouth texture, sweetness and fragrant aroma".
"We believe that the preponderance of evidence favors a sensory account for the popularity of chocolate as a form of self-reward or indulgence, and/or as a means of coping with stress by inducing pleasure," said Hormes and Rozin.
Source: Appetite Volume 53, Issue 2, Pages 256-259  “Perimenstrual chocolate craving. What happens after menopause?”  Authors: J.M. Hormes, P. Rozin
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Chocolate-cravings-Not-due-to-hormones-says-study

Infections 'speed memory loss'
Infections outside the brain may speed memory decline in Alzheimer's disease, UK researchers say.
BBC News, September 10, 2009
In a study of 222 elderly people with Alzheimer's they found that getting infections in places like the chest or urinary tract could double memory loss.
The Southampton University researchers think this leads to higher levels of an inflammatory protein called tumour necrosis factor (TNF) in the blood.
They say better care to prevent infections is very important.
Cognitive decline
The study published in the journal Neurology followed the Alzheimer's patients for six months.
Between them 110 of the 222 subjects developed a total of 150 infections, in areas such as the chest, stomach and intestines and the urinary tract, which led to the production of TNF proteins.
These are collectively known as acute systemic inflammation events (SIEs).
“ The worse the infection the worse the affect on the memory ” 
Professor Clive Holmes, University of Southampton
Subjects with one or more SIEs during the six months follow-up had two times the rate of cognitive decline from their baseline score at the start of the study compared with those who had no SIE.
And those patients who had high baseline levels of TNF and then suffered an SIE over the following six months had a 10 fold increase in the rate of cognitive decline compared to those who were SIE free.
Further work
Professor Clive Holmes at the University of Southampton, who led the research, said they had looked at patients with mild, moderate and severe Alzheimer's disease.
"The worse the infection the worse the affect on the memory, but this is only an association at the moment.
'"One might guess that people with a more rapid rate of cognitive decline are more susceptible to infections or injury, but we found no evidence to suggest that people with more severe dementia were more likely to have infections or injuries at the beginning of the study.
“ It's important that older people, people with dementia and carers treat any infection seriously and seek medical help ” 
Dr Susanne Sorensen, Alzheimer's Society
"If further work proves that TNF is causing more brain inflammation it may be possible to use drugs that block TNF to help dementia sufferers."
Professor Holmes said although common illnesses like colds and slight wounds could also set up an inflammatory response in the body, the data from his study did not support the idea that even these could cause memory loss.
Inflammatory processes
Dr Susanne Sorensen, Head of Research, Alzheimer's Society said: "This study is an important step towards understanding the processes that occur during the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
"We know there might be a link between inflammatory processes and Alzheimer's but this is not yet fully understood.
"These findings are helping us to understand more about possible reasons for this link.
"In the meantime it's important that older people, people with dementia and carers treat any infection seriously and seek medical help. "
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust said: "This fascinating study shows that infections and inflammation may be linked to memory loss in Alzheimer's.
"We need to do more research into this and all aspects of the disease to understand its causes."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8241833.stm

Coconut Oil Extract May Be A Weapon Against Food Bacteria

ScienceDaily (Sep. 8, 2009) — Monolaurin, an extract from coconut oil could be used as a microbial agent in foods, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists.
Monolaurin has been recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is known for its antimicrobial properties. If used in combination with other antimicrobial agents, monolaurin can present an effective barrier to microorganisms.
Researchers from Zhejiang University in China studied the use of monolaurin as a nontraditional preservative in food products by combining it with commonly used antimicrobials in various concentrations and testing it on bacterial strains including Esherichia coli and on food components such as soy protein and water-soluble starch. Researchers made the following findings:

• Monolaurin combined with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)，a binding agent, was effective against Esherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis but notStaphylococcus aureus.
• When combined with the antimicrobial nisin, monolaurin was synergistically effective against all three bacteria.
• Researchers studied monolaurin’s interaction with food components and found that its antibacterial effectiveness was reduced by fat or starch but was not affected by protein.

“These results contribute to a better understanding on the use of monolaurin as a nontraditional preservative for antimicrobial purpose in food products. The antimicrobial effects of monolaurin can be increased if used together or in combination with other preservative systems,” says lead researcher Hui Zhang.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103931.htm

How Manuka Honey Helps Fight Infection

Gary, a side note to this… back in the mid-90s when I was co-spearheading a diagnostic endeavor at Chiron Corporation for a virulent expression of h.pylori that one of our scientists identified and sequenced… I came across several New Zealand studies showing Manuka honey (which is from New Zealand) eradicated h.pylori
ScienceDaily (Sep. 10, 2009) — Manuka honey may kill bacteria by destroying key bacterial proteins. Dr Rowena Jenkins and colleagues from the University of Wales Institute - Cardiff investigated the mechanisms of manuka honey action and found that its anti-bacterial properties were not due solely to the sugars present in the honey.
The work was presented this week (7-10 September), at the Society for General Microbiology's meeting at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was grown in the laboratory and treated with and without manuka honey for four hours. The experiment was repeated with sugar syrup to determine if the effects seen were due to sugar content in honey alone. The bacterial cells were then broken and the proteins isolated and separated on a system that displayed each protein as an individual spot.
Many fewer proteins were seen from the manuka honey-treated MRSA cells and one particular protein, FabI, seemed to be completely missing. FabI is a protein that is needed for fatty acid biosynthesis. This essential process supplies the bacteria with precursors for important cellular components such as lipopolysaccarides and its cell wall. The absence of these proteins in honey-treated cells could help explain the mode of action of manuka honey in killing MRSA.
"Manuka and other honeys have been known to have wound healing and anti-bacterial properties for some time," said Dr Jenkins, "But the way in which they act is still not known. If we can discover exactly how manuka honey inhibits MRSA it could be used more frequently as a first-line treatment for infections with bacteria that are resistant to many currently available antibiotics."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907013759.htm

Titanium dioxide in vitamins and supplements: Is it safe for human consumption?

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews.com September 10, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Because I take a large number of nutritional supplements, I've become increasingly concerned over the years about supplement excipients, binders and fillers. One ingredient frequently used in vitamin manufacturing is titanium dioxide, a nanoparticle powder made of fine titanium bits. It's best known as an ingredient in sunscreen, but it's also used in thousands of cosmetic products as well as nutritional products.

Yep, if you take certain vitamins made by GNC or Centrum (as well as hundreds of other companies), you are eating titanium dioxide. And this is an ingredient for which no long-term safety testing on humans has ever been conducted. In fact, according to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety, titanium dioxide may be a human carcinogen. As explained on the CCOHS website: (http://www.ccohs.ca/headlines/text1...)

Titanium dioxide has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen ''possibly carcinogen to humans''... This evidence showed that high concentrations of pigment-grade (powdered) and ultrafine titanium dioxide dust caused respiratory tract cancer in rats exposed by inhalation and intratracheal instillation*.

CosmeticsDatabase.com lists titanium dioxide as being linked to cancer, allergies, immunotoxicity and organ system toxicity, among other problems. (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/in...) Here's a list of some of the many thousands of cosmetic products containing titanium dioxide:http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/br...

That list, by the way, includes products from many well-known brands.

Titanium Dioxide in Supplements

Centrum vitamins are the No. 1 selling brand of vitamins in the U.S. It is made with synthetic vitamins. The ingredients label reads like a mish-mash of synthetic chemicals and low-cost ingredients with marginal absorption capability: (I'm bolding some of the more concerning ingredients below...)

Ingredients for Centrum Silver Ultra Women's Tablets:

Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Pregelatinized Corn Starch, Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C), Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide,Crospovidone. Contains < 2% of: Acacia, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Beta-Carotene, BHT, Biotin, Boric Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Stearate, Cholecalciferol (Vit. D3), Chromium Picolinate, Citric Acid, Corn Starch, Cupric Sulfate, Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), FD&C Blue No. 2 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, Ferrous Fumarate, Folic Acid, Gelatin, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Hypromellose, Lecithin, Lutein, Magnesium Stearate, Manganese Sulfate, Medium-Chain Triglycerides, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Modified Food Starch, Niacinamide, Nickelous Sulfate, Phytonadione (Vit. K), Polyethylene Glycol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit. B6), Riboflavin (Vit. B2), Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Borate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Metavanadate, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Sorbic Acid, Sucrose, Talc, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vit. B1), Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherols, Vitamin A Acetate (Vit. A), Zinc Oxide. May also contain < 2% of: Maltodextrin, Sodium Aluminosilicate, Sunflower Oil, Tribasic Calcium Phosphate. Contains: Soy.

Did you notice the artificial coloring chemicals, hydrogenated palm oil and the low-grade form of vitamin B12? Did you see that these vitamins containtalc and sodium benzoate? Check out this wiki page on Crospovidone, which is also found in the Centrum formula:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvi...

Notice, too, that this formula contains titanium dioxide. It's also found in numerous products from GNC, including this probiotic formula:http://www.gnc.com/product/index.js...

In fact, here's a Google search that returns 382 pages on GNC.com that mention titanium dioxide: http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C...

Vitacost bans titanium dioxide from in-house brands

Titanium dioxide is considered extremely unsafe by Vitacost, which banned the ingredient from its in-house supplements label (NSI). Soon, products from Vitacost (www.Vitacost.com) may even be labeled with a "titanium dioxide free" claim to better educate consumers.

The high-quality nutritional supplement manufacturers recommended on NaturalNews, of course, don't use titanium dioxide. You'll never find it in products from New Chapter (www.NewChapter.com) or Pure Synergy (www.TheSynergyCompany.com), for example. It's not in Dragon Herbs(www.DragonHerbs.com), Mushroom Science (www.MushroomScience.com) or Global Healing Center (www.GlobalHealingCenter.com). These are quality product companies that wouldn't even think of using titanium dioxide in dietary supplements intended for consumption.

In fact, Dr. Ed Group's GHC website offers this excellent overview of the dangers of titanium dioxide: http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/...

Most of the current debate about titanium dioxide concerns its topical use and deals with the particle size of the titanium. Coarse particles are believed to be relatively safe for topical use because they cannot be absorbed by the skin. But nano particles may pose a greater risk because there is concern they can be readily absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream. As explained by the Environmental Working Group, "Relative to larger particles, nano-scale materials can be more chemically reactive and more easily absorbed into the body. A number of studies raise concerns about potential health risks when these particles are inhaled or are absorbed through the skin or gut. Nevertheless, they are already widely used in products, including sunscreens, with no requirement that their presence be disclosed."

That same page, however, (http://www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report...) admits there are few studies that have really looked at the titanium dioxide nano particle absorption issue in regards to cosmetics. EWG concludes titanium dioxide is unlikely to be absorbed by the skin, but it calls for more studies to be sure.

There are even fewer studies that look at whether titanium dioxide is safe for human ingestion, and that's potentially a far more serious issue. Although vitamin manufacturers will of course claim "there's no evidence of harm" from titanium dioxide in nutritional supplements, the reason there's no evidence is because they haven't done any long-term safety tests on titanium dioxide.

The "common sense test" asks the question: Does titanium dioxide occur naturally in the indigenous human food supply? The answer to that is, of course, absolutely not. That's why holistic nutritionists and nutritionally-aware consumers are increasingly seeking to avoid this ingredient in anything they eat or swallow. If it's not part of the food supply in nature, and if it hasn't been proven safe for human consumption, why would you want to introduce an unnatural chemical into your diet in the first place?

The jury is still out on titanium dioxide, but until it's proven safe, NaturalNews recommends readers avoid this ingredient and only purchase nutritional supplements made without it. Fortunately, there are a great many supplement brands available today without titanium dioxide (and other bizarre excipients). Just read the ingredients labels before you buy.
http://www.naturalnews.com/027000_titanium_titanium_dioxide_vitamins.html

Food Scarcity to Bring Down World Governments, Cause Global Chaos

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com September 10, 2009

(NaturalNews) Food shortages are the biggest threat to global security today, and will soon lead to the collapse of more and more states, according to a warning published in Scientific American by Lester Brown, founder the Worldwatch Institute and founder and head of the Earth Policy Institute.

"For many years I have studied global agricultural, population, environmental and economic trends and their interactions," Brown writes. "The combined effects of those trends and the political tensions they generate point to the breakdown of governments and societies."

The consequences of the growing worldwide food crisis are so severe, Brown warns, that it could "bring down not only individual governments but also our global civilization. ... Our continuing failure to deal with the environmental declines that are undermining the world food economy -- most important, falling water tables, eroding soils and rising temperatures -- forces me to conclude that such a collapse is possible."

Brown notes that demand for food has been growing at a pace that far outstrips growth in supplies. Global grain consumption has exceeded production in six of the past nine years, leading to record shortages in grain stores. At the start of the 2008 harvest, these stores were at one of their lowest levels ever, with only 62 days worth of grain. This situation contributed to a universal surge in food prices, which resulted in riots around the world.

If this situation is not remedied, Brown warns, riots will be only the beginning.

"If the food situation continues to deteriorate, entire nations will break down at an ever increasing rate. ... States fail when national governments can no longer provide personal security, food security and basic social services such as education and health care," he writes.

Because food shortages are driven in large part by environmental degradation, however, Brown warns that there can be no "quick fix" to the problem. Only a radically new way of looking at things -- addressing, at a minimum, the problems of soil degradation, water shortage and global warming -- can save the entire global system from collapse.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026996_food_food_scarcity_food_shortages.html

Prevent Bone Loss: Calcium Ineffective Without Balanced pH

Ethan Huff, NaturalNews.com September 10, 2009

(NaturalNews) If asked what they consider to be the primary component in maintaining healthy bones, most people would probably suggest calcium, and lots of it. But like one writer puts it, ingesting calcium by itself is like trying to build a brick wall without the mortar; the other vital components to structural integrity are missing from the equation. Current research is suggesting that maintaining the proper pH level in the blood is the primary factor in maintaining overall bone health, with calcium playing a supporting role in achieving this end.

Maintaining pH balance in the body has become an important subject of modern health research as it is being concluded that general wellness is predicated upon it. The human body is designed to maintain a pH level of roughly 7.3, or a slightly alkaline state, in order to properly assimilate nutrients and fend off disease. Drawing continually from alkaline-forming compound reserves that are maintained through proper nutrition, the body is able to self regulate as long as it is receiving an alkaline-rich diet. Without it, the body can drop into the acidic range with no recourse, making it susceptible to diseases like osteoporosis and cancer.

Dr. Otto Warburg, a medical doctor and one of the leading German biochemists of the twentieth century, won a Nobel Prize in 1931 for discovering that cancer cells are anaerobic, meaning they function without the presence of oxygen. Oxygen actually inhibits the growth of cancer cells and ultimately kills them. Based upon his foundational research, many nutrition-based doctors and scientists have been able to conclude that an alkaline-rich diet is able to keep the blood oxygenated and the cells healthy.

What does all of this have to do with calcium and bone loss? Calcium is an isolated mineral that requires other vitamins and minerals in order to properly assimilate and function as intended. Additionally, only in an oxygen-rich alkaline environment is calcium able to build strong and healthy bones. The problem lies in the fact that the typical Western diet is highly acid-forming, rendering calcium intake largely ineffective.

Most people identify milk and other types of dairy products as the primary sources for obtaining calcium. Dairy products are acid-forming foods that, apart from adequate intake of alkaline-forming foods, can severely compromise pH balance in the body. In the case of a threatening imbalance, the body begins to draw alkaline-forming compounds from the bones, including calcium, to maintain proper pH. As a result, the body can actually leech more calcium than it is receiving, leading to osteoporosis and other serious diseases.

The solution to avoiding pH imbalance and the resulting calcium leeching is to maintain a rich alkaline-forming diet by avoiding excess acid-forming foods. Professor Jurgen Vormanne of the Institute for Prevention and Diet in Ismaning, Germany has developed a helpful food chart that outlines foods and their pH effect on the body. There are also other helpful food charts available online that will assist in understanding acid- and alkaline-forming foods.

Some of the best alkaline-forming foods include most fruits and vegetables as well as certain teas, mineral water, and various fermented foods. Among the best alkaline-forming foods are figs, raisins, lemons, limes, carrot and other legume juices, garlic, stevia sweetener, and sea salt, to name just a few.

It is important to keep in mind the difference between acidic foods and acid-forming foods; acidic foods such as lemons actually create an alkalizing effect in the body while milk and most dairy products, though not acidic in taste, create an acid-forming effect in the body.

Maintaining healthy bones first requires proper nutrient intake in order to maintain a balanced pH level, allowing the blood to effectively assimilate calcium and the necessary nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, and vitamin D which work correspondingly to maintain and fortify the bones. Apart from one another these crucial components will not perform as intended, but together they are a powerhouse of bone-building material and defense against osteoporosis.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026997_calcium_food_foods.html

Drug side-effects blamed for 20% of hospital readmissions

The Guardian, Monday 7 September 2009

One in five people who are re-admitted to hospital after having been sent home are suffering from the side-effects of the drugs they have been given, according to a study. Emma Davies, a research pharmacist at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS trust and colleagues analysed the records of 1,000 people treated at a large Liverpool hospital and found that 403 came back within a year of discharge. The drugs most likely to cause problems were aspirin, to prevent strokes and heart attacks, and diuretics, used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.

High levels of lead in bone hard on the heart
Last Updated: 2009-09-08 16:26:22 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Lots of lead in the bones may make for an unhealthy heart, new research suggests.
Older men with the highest levels of the metal in their bones were more than twice as likely to die over the study's 9-year follow-up than their peers with the lowest bone lead levels, while their risk of dying from heart-related causes was nearly six times greater, Dr. Marc G. Weisskopf of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and his colleagues found.
"This is yet another prod to try and raise the issue of bone lead being at least as important to monitor as blood lead," Weisskopf told Reuters Health. He pointed out that US occupational standards for lead exposure are currently based on measuring blood levels, which can return to normal a few months after exposure ends. Bone lead, on the other hand, can show exposure that happened years or even decades ago.
"What our work is suggesting is that that [blood lead] may not tell the whole story," he added. "Just because someone's blood lead level has dropped down doesn't mean they are necessarily safe or free from these concerns."
While suggestions that lead might be bad for the heart date back at least to Hippocrates, Weisskopf and his team note in the journal Circulation, the relationship between exposure to the toxic metal and heart health is still poorly understood. However, they add, high levels of blood lead have been tied to increased risk of death from many causes.
In the current study, the researchers looked at 868 men participating in a long-term study of aging. Their average age was about 67. Weisskopf and his colleagues tested levels of lead in the men's kneecaps and in their shin bones.
During follow-up, 241 of the men died. Those who ranked in the top third based on their bone lead levels were 2.52 times more likely to die, and 5.63 times more likely to die from heart-related causes, than men with the lowest levels.
Once the researchers adjusted for age, smoking, and race, they found that the men with the highest bone lead levels were more than eight times as likely as those with the least lead in their bones to die of ischemic heart disease caused by blocked arteries.
While it's not clear how lead might hurt the heart, Weisskopf noted that there are many plausible mechanisms; it could damage the "autonomic" nervous system, which controls the heart; boost blood pressure; or harm heart tissue.
Measuring bone lead could one day prove useful for identifying people at increased risk of heart disease, Weisskopf noted, but at present testing is cumbersome and expensive -- and it's very difficult to take bone samples.
While people in the United States are exposed to far less lead than they used to be, thanks to the phasing out of leaded gasoline and lead paint, people in many other parts of the world still face heavy exposure to the toxic metal, the researcher said.
The current findings may help explain why heart-related deaths are declining in developed nations, but is on the rise in some developing countries, he and his colleagues say.
SOURCE: Circulation, September 22, 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/09/08/eline/links/20090908elin005.html

Study raises concerns over CoQ10 for cognitive health

Nutraingredients.com, 09-Sep-2009

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) may not benefit mental function, and at high doses equivalent to 1700 mg per day may even be damaging, say findings from a mouse study.
Scientists from the University of North Texas Health Science Center and the University of Southern California report that, contrary to previous reports on the anti-ageing properties of CoQ10, prolonged, high-dose CoQ10 may speed up the loss of cognitive function associated with ageing.
“We did not detect any deleterious consequences from prolonged intake of a lower dose of CoQ10 (estimated human equivalent of 500 mg/day),” lead researcher Michael Forster told NutraIngredients. “However, none of the anticipated beneficial effects were observed.”
Of mice and men
Responding to the study, Andrew Shao PhD, vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, at the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade organization, told NutraIngredients that the study’s relevance to the average consumer is “questionable”.
“The fact is, no matter how rigorous the research, extrapolating from rodents to humans has inherent limitations and requires many assumptions,” said Dr Shao, who co-authored a risk assessment on CoQ10 in 2006, published in Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.
“Even if doses exceeding 1500 or 3000 mg CoQ10 per day were to cause harm (which we have yet to see in humans), no one is advocating such doses be used to prevent cognitive decline or maintain cardiovascular health,” he said.
“The dose at which such adverse effects might occur in humans from CoQ10 has still not been established; this study does not change that,” said Dr Shao.
Vitamin-like
CoQ10 has properties similar to vitamins, but since it is naturally synthesized in the body it is not classed as such. With chemical structure 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-decaprenyl-1,4-benzoquinone, it is also known as ubiquinone because of its 'ubiquitous' distribution throughout the human body.
The coenzyme is concentrated in the mitochondria - the 'power plants' of the cell - and plays a vital role in the production of chemical energy by participating in the production of adenosince triphosphate (ATP), the body's co-called 'energy currency'.
There is an ever-growing body of scientific data that shows substantial health benefits of CoQ10 supplementation for people suffering from angina, heart attack and hypertension. The nutrient is also recommended to people on statins to off-set the CoQ-depleting effects of the medication. Other studies have reported that CoQ10 may play a role in the prevention or benefit people already suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.
However, according to results of the new mouse study, high doses may not be beneficial, and may even be damaging.
Mouse data
Prof Forster and his co-workers fed mice a control diet, or the same diet supplemented with 0.68 mg/g (low dose) or 2.6 mg/g (high dose) CoQ10 from four months of age until 25 months.
By looking at levels of different CoQs in various parts of the brain, they noted that both CoQ9H2 and CoQ10H2 were increased in a segment of the brain called the cerebral cortex. No increases were observed in other regions of the brain, they said.
No improvements in age-related declines in muscle strength, balance, coordinated running, or learning/memory were observed in the low-dose group. On the other hand, the higher dose was associated with decreases in hearing and response to shock stimuli, as well as an impairment of the spatial learning and memory.
Neither CoQ10 diets affected the lifespan of the animals, added the researchers.
“These findings do not support the notion that CoQ10 is a fitness-enhancing or an ‘anti-ageing’ substance under normal physiological conditions,” wrote the researchers.
Human equivalents
The low and high-dose diets would be equivalent to human doses of about 500 and 1700 mg/d, respectively, said the researchers, after adjusting for body weight differences between humans and mice.
“It would be fair to comment that the upper safe limit of 1200 mg per day recommended by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) is lower than the estimated human equivalent (1700 mg/day) of the dose leading to cognitive impairment in our mouse studies,” Dr Forster told this website.
“On the other hand, these numbers are a bit too close for my taste; based on our results one might be hesitant to take CoQ10 at 1200 mg/day for any length of time,” he added.
The Texas and Californian-based researchers conclusion that 500 mg per day therefore represents the upper safe limit is at odds with conclusions drawn by the CRN in 2006, which proposed a safe upper limit of 1,200 mg per day (Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 2006, Vol. 45, pp. 282-288).
“Correction for body weight (as they have done in this paper) does not necessarily address all the issues with this kind of extrapolation,” Dr Shao told NutraIngredients.com. “For that reason, and because we felt there were ample human data available, our 2006 risk assessment did not consider animal data,”he said.
“This study adds little to the understanding of CoQ10 safety other than the fact that high doses can have adverse effects in mice. High doses of anything (eventually) can have adverse effects on any species,” said Dr Shao.
Source: Journal of Nutrition “Prolonged Intake of Coenzyme Q10 Impairs Cognitive Functions in Mice”
Authors: N. Sumien, K.R. Heinrich, R.A. Shetty, R.S. Sohal, M.J. Forster
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Study-raises-concerns-over-CoQ10-for-cognitive-health

Eating cereal can reduce childhood obesity, study claims

Nutraingredients.com, 08-Sep-2009

Regular consumption of breakfast cereal can lower cholesterol and reduce obesity in children, according to new research.
The study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association and part funded by General Mills, found that children who ate cereal more frequently had a higher percentage of energy from carbohydrate and protein and a lower percentage from total fats. Higher cereal consumption was also associated with higher fiber intake and higher sucrose intake and with reduced intake of cholesterol and a lower body mass index.
The report observed children’s cereal consumption over an average period of seven and a half years from aged eight to ten at baseline to 17 at final visit. Its findings tally with research released last year by The General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition in Minneapolis, which found that eating cereal at breakfast time can help people manage their weight and eat more healthily throughout the rest of the day.
Cereals under scrutiny
It comes at a time when cereal manufacturers are coming under increasing scrutiny from governments and consumer watchdogs for the high levels of sugar, salt and fat contained in their products.
The positive nutritional effects of eating cereals were observed to a greater degree in boys than in girls. Boys were found to be more likely to consume cereal than girls and consumed it in greater portions.
Micronutrient intake (vitamin C, vitamin D, folate, calcium, iron and zinc) was significantly associated with cereal consumption for both sexes. Only sodium intake showed no correlation with eating cereal.
The linear trend for total serum cholesterol in relation to frequency of cereal consumption was significant for boys but not for girls. Across visits, boys who ate cereal more often had lower total serum cholesterol.
Link with weight gain
The relationship of cereal consumption to BMI was statistically significant in boys indicating that lower BMI was linked with more days of cereal consumption across visits. The trend for girls was not significant.
Researchers concluded that cereal consumption can contribute to a healthy dietary pattern and nutrient intake that is favorably associated with cardiovascular risk factors such as lipid levels and BMI, particularly among boys.
Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association.  "Consumption to Nutrient Intake, Blood Lipids, and Body Mass Index of Children as They Age through Adolescence" Authors: A. M. Albertson, S. G. Affenito, R. Bauserman, N. M. Holschuh,
A. L. Eldridge, B. A. Barton.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Eating-cereal-can-reduce-childhood-obesity-study-claims

New Role Of Vitamin C In Skin Protection; Relevance To The Cosmetics Industry

ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2009) — Researchers at the University of Leicester and Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology in Portugal studied new protective properties of vitamin C in cells from the human skin, which could lead to better skin regeneration.
The work, by Tiago Duarte, Marcus S. Cooke and G. Don Jones, found that a form of Vitamin C helped to promote wound healing and also helped protect the DNA damage of skin cells. Their findings have been published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
This report is the latest in a long line of publications from these researchers, at the University of Leicester, concerning vitamin C. Previously, the group has published evidence that DNA repair is upregulated in people consuming vitamin C supplements. The researchers have now provided some mechanistic evidence for this, in cell culture, using techniques such as Affymetrix microarray, for looking at gene expression, and the ‘Comet’ assay to study DNA damage and repair.
Tiago Duarte, formerly of the University of Leicester, and now at the Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology in Portugal, said: “The exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation increases in summer, often resulting in a higher incidence of skin lesions. Ultraviolet radiation is also a genotoxic agent responsible for skin cancer, through the formation of free radicals and DNA damage.
“Our study analysed the effect of sustained exposure to a vitamin C derivative, ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (AA2P), in human dermal fibroblasts. We investigated which genes are activated by vitamin C in these cells, which are responsible for skin regeneration.
“The results demonstrated that vitamin C may improve wound healing by stimulating quiescent fibroblasts to divide and by promoting their migration into the wounded area. Vitamin C could also protect the skin by increasing the capacity of fibroblasts to repair potentially mutagenic DNA lesions.”
Even though vitamin C was discovered over 70 years ago as the agent that prevents scurvy, its properties are still under much debate in the scientific community. In fact, the annual meeting of the International Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine, which will be held this year in San Francisco (USA), will feature a session dedicated to vitamin C, entitled “New discoveries for an old vitamin".
Dr Marcus S. Cooke from the Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine and Department of Genetics, at the University of Leicester, added: “The study indicates a mechanism by which vitamin C could contribute to the maintenance of a healthy skin by promoting wound healing and by protecting cellular DNA against damage caused by oxidation”. “These findings are particular importance to our photobiology interests, and we will certainly be looking into this further”.
These results will be of great relevance to the cosmetics industry. Free radicals are associated with premature skin aging, and antioxidants, such as vitamin C, are known to counter these highly damaging compounds. This new evidence suggest that, in addition to ‘mopping up’ free radicals, vitamin C can help remove the DNA damage they form, if they get past the cell’s defences.
The study has the potential to lead to advances in the prevention and treatment of skin lesions specifically, as well as contributing to the fight against cancer.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908203742.htm

Cutting 'Hidden' Salt Could Lower Nation’s Blood Pressure

ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2009) — Many people think twice before adding a dash of salt to their food, but don’t realize that the majority of dietary sodium comes from packaged foods and eating out, according to a new study.
Reducing sodium intake to recommended levels could result in 11.1 million fewer cases of high blood pressure each year and reduce health care costs by as much as $18 billion as an added benefit, say researchers led by Kartika Palar, a doctoral fellow at Pardee RAND Graduate School.
In the United States, the maximum daily sodium recommendation is 2,300 milligrams but the average person consumes 3,400 milligrams per day, according to the study.
The authors simulated models of different sodium-reduction scenarios, pulling from population-level data on sodium intake, blood pressure and medication use from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 1999 to 2004.
The study appears in the September/October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.
Jasminka Ilich, Ph.D., a professor at Florida State University, is not affiliated with the study. Since the surveys were done several years ago, she said, “It is possible that the actual intake of sodium in the population has changed due to already huge public education and efforts to reduce sodium [therefore] rendering lower dollar savings than calculated in this study.”
Ilich agrees with the authors that bringing sodium intake to down to recommended levels would be a major undertaking.
“Sodium is present in all foods, but most abundantly in processed foods. On average, individuals get over 70 percent of their sodium from processed foods. Therefore, there isn’t much leverage in reducing table salt or added salt during cooking,” Ilich said.
“Policy interventions that target processed and restaurant foods, which account for the majority of average sodium intake in the U.S. — not salt added at the table — may be especially promising,” Palar said.
Ilich said the most efficient approach would be to educate the public about reading labels and about substituting or avoiding foods with high sodium content.
She said there is controversy about whether all people with hypertension would see improvement with sodium reduction. “There is another school of thought, according to which only sodium-sensitive people, about 6 percent of the adult population, can lower their blood pressure by reducing sodium intake,” Ilich said.
Palar K, Sturm, R. Potential societal savings from reduced sodium consumption in the U.S. adult population. American Journal of Health Promotion, 24(1), 2009
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908104207.htm

High Fruit And Vegetable Intake Linked To Antioxidant Status And Cognitive Performance In Healthy Subjects

ScienceDaily (Sep. 9, 2009) — Researchers at the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I of the Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany, investigated the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake, plasma antioxidant micronutrient status and cognitive performance in healthy subjects aged 45 to 102 years. Their results, published in the August issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, indicated higher cognitive performance in individuals with high daily intake of fruits and vegetables.
Subjects with a high daily intake (about 400 g) of fruits and vegetables had higher antioxidant levels, lower indicators of free radical-induced damage against lipids as well as better cognitive performance compared to healthy subjects of any age consuming low amounts (< 100 g/day) of fruits and vegetables. Modification of nutritional habits aimed at increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, therefore, should be encouraged to lower the prevalence of cognitive impairment.
The work was performed in collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Department of Geriatrics at Perugia University, Italy, and the Department of Neurology of the St. Elisabeth Hospital in Cologne, Germany.
Dr. M. Cristina Polidori, currently at the Department of Geriatrics, Marienhospital Herne, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Germany, explains: “It is known that there is a strong association between fruit and vegetable intake and the natural antioxidant defenses of the body against free radicals. It is also known that bad nutritional habits increase the risk of developing cognitive impairment with and without dementia. With this work we show a multiple link between fruit and vegetable intake, antioxidant defenses and cognitive performance, in the absence of disease and independent of age. Among other lifestyle habits, it is recommended to improve nutrition in general and fruit and vegetable intake in particular at any age, beginning as early as possible. This may increase our chances to remain free of dementia in advanced age.”
These findings are independent of age, gender, body mass index, level of education, lipid profile and albumin levels, all factors able to influence cognitive and antioxidant status. The relevance of the findings is also strengthened by the large sample that included 193 healthy subjects.
Further studies are planned that will include larger subject cohorts, patients with Alzheimer’s disease at different stages and patients with mild cognitive impairment without dementia.
Polidori MC, Pratico D, Mangialasche F, Mariani E, Aust O, Anlasik T, Mang N, Pientka L, Stahl W, Sies H, Nelles G. High fruit and vegetable intake is positively correlated with antioxidant status and cognitive performance in healthy subjects. J Alzheimers Dis, 17:4 (August 2009)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090909064910.htm

Low Vitamin D Increases Flu Death Risk in Kids
Dr. Mercola 
September 09 2009

So far, Swine flu, H1N1, has killed thirty-six children in U.S. and analysis of CDC data indicates Vitamin D deficient children at higher risk of death. The CDC did not realize they discovered this. However, anyone familiar with the Vitamin D literature will recognize it.
Almost two-thirds of the dead children had epilepsy, cerebral palsy, or other neurodevelopmental conditions like mental retardation. All of these neurological conditions are associated with childhood Vitamin D deficiency. Exacerbating the problem further, many of these kids take anticonvulsant drugs, which lower Vitamin D levels.

58 million American children are Vitamin D deficient; 7.6 million are severely deficient. When researchers looked at more than 6,000 American kids (age one to 21) who were carefully selected to be representative of the average American child. 9 percent of the kids had 25(OH)D levels less than 15 ng/mL and 70 percent had levels less than 30 ng/mL.
http://blogs.mercola.com/sites/vitalvotes/archive/2009/09/09/Low-Vitamin-D-Increases-Flu-Death-Risk-in-Kids.aspx

Top 15 Houseplants for Improving Indoor Air Quality
OrganicJar.com   September 3, 2009
 (OrganicJar) In the late 1980s, a study by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) was conducted to find ways to purify the air for extended stays in orbiting space stations. The study resulted in excellent news for homeowners and office workers everywhere, because it concluded that common houseplants not only make indoor spaces more attractive, they also help to purify the air!
While it’s a well known fact that plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen through photosynthesis, the NASA/ALCA study showed that many houseplants also remove harmful elements such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air.
The advantage that houseplants have over other plants is that they are adapted to tropical areas where they grow beneath dense tropical canopies and must survive in areas of low light. These plants are thus ultra-efficient at capturing light, which also means that they must be very efficient in processing the gasses necessary for photosynthesis. Because of this fact, they have greater potential to absorb other gases, including potentially harmful ones.
In the study, NASA and ALCA tested primarily for three chemicals: formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene. Formaldehyde is used in many building materials including particle board and foam insulations. Additionally, many cleaning products contain this chemical. Benzene is a common solvent found in oils and paints. Trichloroethylene is used in paints, adhesives, inks, and varnishes.
NASA noted that some plants are better than others in treating certain chemicals. For example, English ivy, gerbera daisies, pot mums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and Mother-in-law’s Tongue were found to be the best plants for treating air contaminated with benzene. The peace lily, gerbera daisy, and bamboo palm were very effective in treating trichloroethylene. Additionally, NASA found that the bamboo palm, Mother-in-law’s tongue, dracaena warneckei, peace lily, dracaena marginata, golden pathos, and green spider plant worked well for filtering formaldehyde. After conducting the study, NASA and ALCA came up with a list of the most effective plants for treating indoor air pollution.
The recommended plants are listed below. Note that all the plants in the list are easily available from your local nursery.
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1. Oxycardium Philodendron, heartleaf philodendron, Philodendron scandens
2. Elephant Ear Philodendron, Philodendron domesticum
3. Massangeana, cornstalk dracaena, Dracaena fragrans
4. English Ivy, Hedera helix
5. Spider Plant, Chlorophytum comosum
6. Janet Craig, Janet Craig dracaena, Dracaena deremensis
7. Warneckii, Warneck dracaena, Dracaena deremensis
8. Weeping Fig, Ficus benjamina
9. Golden Pothos, Epipiremnum aureum
10. Peace Lily, Mauna loa, Spathiphyllum
11. Selloum Philodendron, Philodendron selloum
12. Chinese Evergreen, Aglaonema modestum
13. Bamboo or reed palm, Chamaedorea sefritzii
14. Snake Plant, Sansevieria trifasciata
15. Red-edged Dracaena, Dracaena marginata

For an average home of under 2,000 square feet, the study recommends using at least fifteen samples of a good variety of these common houseplants to help improve air quality. They also recommend that the plants be grown in six inch containers or larger.
http://organicjar.com/2009/1917/

'Dung of the devil' plant roots point to new swine flu drugs

American Chemical Society, September 9, 2009
Scientists in China have discovered that roots of a plant used a century ago during the great Spanish influenza pandemic contains substances with powerful effects in laboratory experiments in killing the H1N1 swine flu virus that now threatens the world. The plant has a pleasant onion-like taste when cooked, but when raw it has sap so foul-smelling that some call it the "Dung of the Devil" plant. Their report is scheduled for the Sept. 25 issue of ACS' Journal of Natural Products, a monthly publication.
In the study, Fang-Rong Chang and Yang-Chang Wu and colleagues note that the plant, Ferula assa-foetida, grows mainly in Iran, Afghanistan and mainland China. People used it as a possible remedy during the1918 Spanish flu pandemic that killed between 20 to 100 million people. Until now, however, nobody had determined whether the plant does produce natural antiviral compounds.
Chang and Wu identified a group of chemical compounds in extracts of the plant that showed greater potency against influenza A (H1N1) than a prescription antiviral drug available for the flu. "Overall, the present study has determined that sesquiterpene coumarins from F. assa-foetida may serve as promising lead components for new drug development against influenza A (H1N1) viral infection," the authors write.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-09/acs-ot090909.php

Regular aerobic exercise reduces health concerns associated with fatty liver

Benefits are not dependent on weight loss

Wiley Blackwell Medical News, September 9, 2009
Researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia determined that patients with a sedentary lifestyle who engage in routine physical activities lower their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The lower risk of problems associated with fatty liver was not contingent upon weight loss, but a direct result from the increased aerobic exercise. The results of this study are published in the October issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease affects 30% of the adult population and the majority of obese individuals. The condition, where fat accumulates in the liver of those people who drink little or no alcohol, can cause inflammation or scarring of the liver with more serious cases, known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, possibly progressing to liver failure.
A study, led by Jacob George, M.D. from Westmead Hospital at the University of Sydney, included 19 obese adults who had a body mass index >30 kg/m2 and reported a sedentary lifestyle. Baseline measurements were performed to determine hepatic triglyceride concentration (HTGC) and hepatic lipid saturation index (SI), intramyocellular triglyceride (IMTG) levels, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) or amount of fat stores in the abdomen, cardiorespiratory fitness, blood biochemistry, and measurements for body height and weight. Volunteers either received 4 weeks of aerobic cycling exercise (12 subjects) or a placebo (7 participants), which involved regular stretching.
At the end of the 4-week period, measurements were again taken from each participant. Body weight and body mass index (BMI) remained unchanged, but cardiorespiratory fitness significantly improved in the exercise group versus placebo. Researchers noted a 21% reduction of HTGC and 12% VAT volume in those participants who were subject to regular exercise. "Our data provides the first direct experimental evidence that regular aerobic exercise reduces fatty liver in obesity without concurrent changes in body weight or abdominal fat," explained researchers.
Individuals who are obese are at risk for a number of cardiovascular and metabolic health concerns, including heart disease and diabetes. "Our observation of the beneficial effect of regular exercise itself on liver and abdominal fat should refocus the debate on the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of obesity and NAFLD," concluded Dr. George. Past studies have shown that exercise adherence appears to be more sustainable over time than weight loss. "Further studies of the long-term benefit of routine physical activity on lowering HTGC and its impact on obesity and NAFLD should be explored," suggested Dr. George.
"Aerobic exercise training reduces hepatic and visceral lipids in obese individuals without weight loss," Nathan A. Johnson, Toos Sachinwalla, David W. Walton, Kate Smith, Ashley Armstrong, Martin W. Thompson, Jacob George. Hepatology; Published Online: June 15, 2009 (DOI: 10.1002/hep.23129); Print Issue Date: October 2009. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122457375/abstract

Studies of the Arctic Suggest a Dire Situation

TIME  September 05, 2009
Climate change is happening everywhere, but nowhere faster than in the Arctic, where annual temperatures in the far North are warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe. Sea ice on the polar cap is shrinking and permafrost is melting, putting animals like the polar bear — and the Arctic people who depend on them — in increasing danger.
While there's no doubt that the Arctic is warming — year after year, it becomes more clearly visible — it is actually a new phenomenon. In a new study published in the Sept. 4 Science, researchers led by Darrell Kaufman at Northern Arizona University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research constructed a climate record of the Arctic over the past 2,000 years, and found that the region had been cooling for almost all of that time period. Summer temperatures in the Arctic cooled by an average of 0.2 degrees C each thousand years, thanks chiefly to wobbles in the Earth's orbit around the sun that gradually reduced the amount of sunlight hitting the Arctic. Left unchecked, the Arctic would have continued that slow cooling for thousands of more years, until the Earth's orbit wobbled again. (See pictures of the effects of global warming.)
But then something else happened — us. The Science researchers found that during the 20th century, as human beings began pouring greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the Arctic stopped cooling and started warming. Even though the Arctic is still gradually getting less sunlight, it's still getting hotter — summer temperatures in the Arctic are 1.4 degrees C higher than they would have been if the cooling had continued unabated, according to the study. The most recent decade recorded — from 1999 to 2008 — was the warmest of the past 2,000 years. The recent warming trend has been so strong that researchers say it might have even kept the Earth from slipping into a new Ice Age — although now, of course, the world needs to deal with the opposite problem.
Another study released this week by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) examines that problem and its potential future effects — and it's not pretty. The WWF researchers found that Arctic sea ice is melting at a faster rate than expected, and that the massive land sheets in Greenland and parts of Antarctic are vulnerable. The report predicts that global sea level will rise more than 3 ft. by 2100, significantly higher than scientists had previously believed. "What we're finding is truly sobering," says Martin Sommerkorn, the senior adviser for the WWF's Arctic Program. (See the top 10 green ideas of 2008.)
The study also found that the methane locked in Arctic permafrost is increasingly at risk of being released if warming continues — a positive feedback cycle that would accelerate climate change. But the impacts of a hotter Arctic go beyond that. The WWF study found that as the Arctic warms, it could alter weather patterns beyond its borders, affecting temperature and rain patterns in Europe and North America. "The Arctic is the global refrigerator for the climate system," says Sommerkorn. "Change it, and you might see even more dry summers in the Southwest and wetter winters in the Mediterranean." It's another reminder that in this season of climate change politics, we're running out of time to make a difference.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1920435,00.html

Anti-cancer compound in American mayapple

United Press International 09-08-09
STARKVILLE, Miss., Sep 8, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers say a common weed -- the American mayapple -- may have anti-cancer properties.
An Asian cousin -- Podophyllyum emodi -- is nearly extinct because it produces podophyllotoxin and the compound and its derivitives has been used in drugs treating lung and testicular cancer, brain tumors, lymphoblastic leukemia, psoriasis and malaria.
Researchers at Mississippi State University in Starkville and the University of Mississippi in Oxford confirm that mayapple colonies in the eastern part of the United States can be used for the development of high podophyllotoxin cultivars to provide the base for commercial production of podophyllotoxin in the United States.
"The objective of this study was to estimate podophyllotoxin concentration in American mayapple across its natural habitats in the eastern United States and to identify high podophyllotoxin types that could be used for further selection and cultivar development," study leader Valtcho Zheljazkov said in a statement.
The findings are published in HortScience.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8726&Section=Disease\

Sex Twice A Week: Reduces Flu Risk, Heart Disease, Depression

McClatchy-Tribune Information Services 09-08-09
Sure sex is enjoyable, but would you believe it's good for you, too? There are some surprising health benefits to sex that can not only put a spring in your step but help you to achieve better health overall. Understanding just how sex is good for you and what it can offer to your bigger picture of health can be quite enlightening. So if you needed a reason for sex before, now you can find several that can prove just how sex is good for you and what it can do to make you feel better and even look better.
Health Benefits Of Sex You Never Knew
1. It Can Boost Your Immune System. There are studies that show having sex at least once to twice a week releases certain antibodies within the body that help to boost the immune system. This results in less colds and viruses and ultimately creates a better picture of health. So it goes to show that regular sex can boost the immune system and leave an individual less likely to catch the common cold or flu.
2. Sex Burns Calories. Though many recognize that sex is a physical activity in nature, they may not realize that it is legitimately an activity that burns some major calories. This means that you can enjoy sex on a regular basis and look at it as an excellent and enjoyable way of burning excess calories. Who would have thought that something enjoyable could help you keep up with your fitness regimen?
3. It Reduces the Likelihood of Depression. Studies show that those individuals who engage in regular sex are far less likely to suffer from depression. This is due in large part to the fact that certain hormones and endorphins are released during sex that can leave a person feeling happier. So the more frequently one engages in sex, the happier they are overall, and the less likely they are to feel any sort of depression in the long run.
4. It Can Help with Pain Relief. Along the same lines as a reduction in depression is the fact that sex can act as a sort of pain relief. As endorphins and certain hormones are released throughout the body, they go to work on relieving any pain felt within the body. So if you are suffering from a headache, sore throat, or any sort of minor pain, sex can go after the pain and help to relieve it. No more excuses of having a headache apply here!
5. Reduces Your Risk of Heart Disease. Your risk of heart disease or even stroke goes down dramatically when you engage in regular sex, at least twice a week that is. The body responds well to this physical activity and therefore your chances of developing heart disease later in life go down dramatically.
Need I say more? Probably not, and this is probably a good place to stop. But isn't is just wonderful to know that one of nature's most basic activities is good for you in so many ways?
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8724&Section=Disease

Whole flaxseed, but not oil, may cut cholesterol
Last Updated: 2009-09-07 9:13:40 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Adding whole flaxseed to your diet, but not flaxseed oil, may help lower your cholesterol levels, hint the combined results of multiple studies.
Flaxseed is seen as a heart-healthy food as it contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, digestion-aiding compounds called lignans, and alpha linolenic acid, which is linked to heart health.
However, individual studies on flaxseed's impact on blood cholesterol levels have yielded mixed results.
This led Dr. Xu Lin, at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai, and colleagues, to pool results from 28 studies involving more than 1,500 men and women to try to clarify the impact whole flaxseed and its derivatives have on cholesterol levels. Average whole flaxseed or flaxseed oil intake was about one tablespoon daily.
The findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, link whole flaxseed with reductions in total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol.
Total and LDL cholesterol reductions with whole flaxseed intake were stronger in women, particularly postmenopausal women, than men, and in people with higher cholesterol concentrations at the outset, the researchers note.
Whole flaxseed, however, did not appear to significantly alter levels of harmful triglycerides or "good" HDL cholesterol.
Lin's group also noted declines in total and LDL cholesterol, but not HDL cholesterol or triglycerides, associated with taking supplements of flaxseed lignans (about 430 milligrams on average), but no reductions associated with flaxseed oil supplements.
The investigators suggest, based on their findings, that eating whole flaxseed may be a "worthwhile dietary approach" for preventing high cholesterol.
They call for further large-scale investigations to assess the impact flaxseed and flaxseed compounds have among men and women at risk for heart disease.
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2009
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/09/07/eline/links/20090907elin008.html

Virus might be one cause of prostate cancer-study
Last Updated: 2009-09-07 16:00:49 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A virus known to cause leukemia and tumors in animals can be found in some prostate tumors and might be one cause of prostate cancer, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
They found xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus or XMRV in 27 percent of the human prostate tumors they looked at, especially aggressive tumors.
The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may offer ways to better identify dangerous prostate tumors and to make drugs or vaccines to treat or even prevent prostate cancer.
"Our analysis of 233 cases of prostate cancers and 101 benign controls showed an association of XMRV infection with prostate cancer, especially with more aggressive tumors," Dr. Ila Singh of the University of Utah and Columbia University in New York and colleagues wrote.
Viruses have recently been found to cause some cancers -- notably the human papillomavirus or HPV that causes cervical cancer and some cases of penile, anal and head and neck cancers.
Merck and Co. and GlaxoSmithKline now make vaccines to prevent HPV infections.
The market for a vaccine to prevent prostate cancer or for better drugs to treat it could be enormous. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide after lung cancer, killing 254,000 men a year globally.
"The lifetime risk for developing prostate cancer is one in 6 in the United States, and globally, 3 percent of men die of prostate cancer," Singh's team wrote.
The researchers were scanning for genetic material from any viruses in prostate tumors.
"We found that XMRV was present in 27 percent of prostate cancers we examined and that it was associated with more aggressive tumors," Singh said in a statement.
"We still don't know that this virus causes cancer in people, but that is an important question we're going to investigate."
XMRV is a retrovirus, a kind of virus that inserts its genetic map into the cells it infects.
This act alone can kill a cell or turn it cancerous by affecting its genes. Singh said she was looking to see if this might be going on with XMRV.
"Is the virus associated with cancers in tissues other than the prostate or in gynecologic malignancies? How is XMRV transmitted? These are all intriguing questions that deserve further exploration," the researchers wrote in their report.
Just last month, U.S. researches estimated that 1 million U.S. men had been diagnosed and treated for tumors that would never have harmed them.
"Many cases of prostate cancer are unlikely to manifest themselves during the patient's lifetime. There is a clear need for better markers to detect cancers that pose a significant health threat and to specifically target these for therapy," Singh's team wrote.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/09/07/eline/links/20090907elin014.html

How broccoli can protect your arteries
Last Updated: 2009-09-04 12:00:13 -0400 (Reuters Health)
LONDON (Reuters) - It's long been thought that broccoli is good for your heart, and now British scientists think they know why.
Researchers at Imperial College London have found evidence a chemical in broccoli and other green leafy vegetables could boost a natural defence mechanism that protects arteries from the clogging that can cause heart attacks.
In a study funded by the British Heart Foundation charity and conducted on mice, the researchers found that sulforaphane -- a compound occurring naturally in broccoli and other brassicas -- could "switch on" a protective protein which is inactive in parts of the arteries vulnerable to clogging.
"We know that vegetables are clearly good for you, but surprisingly the molecular mechanisms of why they are good for you have remained unknown for many years," said Paul Evans of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College.
"This study provides a possible explanation for how green vegetable consumption can promote a healthy heart."
Scientists already know that arteries don't clog up in a uniform way, but that there are bends and branches of blood vessels -- where blood flow is disrupted or slower -- which are much more prone to the build-up of fatty plaques that cause heart disease.
Evans said his research found that in the more vulnerable areas, a normally protective protein known as Nrf2 is inactive.
"What our study showed was that sulforaphane can protect those regions by switching on the Nrf2," he said.
The research, reported in the journal Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, was conducted using purified sulforaphane, not broccoli. Researchers said the next step was to test the effect of the chemical as it is found in vegetables.
"We now need to go and test this with broccoli smoothies, as it were, and compare that with the effect of purified sulforaphane," Evans said, adding that if the vegetable form proved less effective, there could be an argument for taking sulforaphane in pill form.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/09/04/eline/links/20090904elin006.html

Antioxidant-rich juices boost heart health: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 07-Sep-2009

Consuming antioxidant-rich raspberry juice or tea may prevent artery hardening, and lead to improvements in heart health, say results of a European wide research.
Measures of atherosclerosis were reduced in hamsters with high cholesterol levels following consumption of raspberry, strawberry and bilberry juices and green and black tea, with the benefits were significantly greater for raspberry and green tea, according to findings published in the journal Food Chemistry.
Consuming the equivalent of 275 ml by a 70 kg human led to reductions in fat deposits in the aorta of up to 96 per cent after 12 weeks, report researchers from the University of Montpellier 2, the University of Parma, and the University of Glasgow.
“These findings suggest that moderate consumption of berry juices and teas can help prevent the development of early atherosclerosis,” wrote the researchers, led by Montpellier’s Jean-Max Rouanet.
Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and is reported to cost the EU economy about €169bn ($202bn) per year.
The authors also note that, while all of the beverages exerted beneficial effects, the composition and concentration of individual phenolic compounds varied substantially between the five beverages. “This indicates that anti-atherosclerotic effects can be induced by a diversity of phenolic compounds rather than a few specific components,” they said.
Study details
Dr Rouanet and his co-workers divided 60 male Syrian golden hamsters into 6 equal groups and fed them a high-fat diet supplemented with Bouvrage raspberry, bilberry, or strawberry juices (obtained from Ella Drinks
Dr Rouanet told NutraIngredients that hamsters were used because their development of atherosclerosis is similar to humans.
At the end of the study the berry juices and teas were associated with an inhibition of fatty deposits in the aorta ranging from 79 per cent for the bilberry juice to 96 per cent for the green tea, with the other juices in between.
“We have demonstrated that berry juices and teas fed to hamsters under atherogenic diet are able to facilitate a very strong inhibition of aortic fatty streaks deposition,” said the researchers. “These effects are physiologically relevant as they were induced by a daily supplement equivalent to 275 ml of beverage consumed on a daily base by a 70 kg human.”
“Thus, polyphenol-rich berry juices and green and black tea intake may be of significant relevance to clinical and public health,” they concluded.
Source: Food Chemistry
Volume 118, Issue 2, Pages 266-271
“Berry juices, teas, antioxidants and the prevention of atherosclerosis in hamsters”
Authors: J.-M. Rouanet, K. Décordé, D. Del Rio, C. Auger, G. Borges, J.-P. Cristol, M.E.J. Lean, A. Crozier
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Antioxidant-rich-juices-boost-heart-health-Study

High flavanol chocolate can protect skin from UV damage

Nutraingredients.com , 04-Sep-2009

High flavanol chocolate can help protect the skin against UV damage although marketing on this claim may be challenging.
Eating chocolate produced by a method which preserves the high antioxidant content can significantly increase the skin’s minimal erythema dose (MED) – the dose of UV needed to make the skin go red – according to a recent study.
Thirty subjects were given either the high flavanol chocolate (manufactured by Barry Callebut using its patented Acticoa method) or the low flavonol chocolate, an identical recipe but manufactured using a normal method.
The subjects were given a 20g portion of their allotted chocolate daily and after 12 weeks the MED of those in the high flavanol group was more than double that of the low flavanol group.
Although the MED is a marker of photoprotection, study author Stefanie Williams warned that this is not a replacement for sun cream.
“The SPF provided by UV filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide is significantly higher than that offered by flavanol rich substances. This is an additional measure,” she said.
The chocolate’s effect is due to the very high flavanol content of the chocolate and its antioxidant properties, she explained. “A 20g portion of the chocolate contains 660mg of flavanols, whereas one green tea serving would contain 47mg and red wine about 160mg.”
Manufacturing method preserves flavanols
Chocolate, even the dark variety, produced by a normal manufacturing method does not have such strong antioxidant effects, she continued, as a number of different steps including heat in the manufacturing process reduce the flavanol content.
High flavanol chocolate produced using this method is already on the market and fits neatly into the beauty from within trend. However, companies need to tread carefully before making skin health claims for this kind of product.
An aspect of the 2006 nutrition and health claims regulation that is yet to be resolved centres on a nutrition profiling scheme that would prevent products high in sugar, saturated fat and salt from making health claims of any kind.
As chocolate has a relatively high fat and sugar content it could be impossible for the brand to make any health claims relating to its high antioxidant content, skin health or otherwise.
Barry Callebut, which has patented the Acticoa technology, is currently working with individual processors to reduce fat and sugar content in the hope of making it acceptable under the proposed legislation.
Source: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
Volume 8, Pages 169-173
Eating chocolate can significantly protect the skin from UV light 
Stefanie Williams, Slobodanka Tamburic, Carmel Lally
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/High-flavanol-chocolate-can-protect-skin-from-UV-damage

Essential Oils From Common Spices Are Possible Allies In Food Safety

ScienceDaily (Sep. 8, 2009) — Oregano, allspice and garlic essential oils (EOs) can be effective, natural barriers against E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria, according to a study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists. The new study from government researchers revealed that oregano oil was found to be the most effective antimicrobial, followed by allspice and garlic.
Researchers at Processed Foods Research and Produce Safety and Microbiology units of Western Regional Research Center from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investigated the effectiveness of the oils by incorporating them in thin, tomato-based antimicrobial coatings known as edible films. In addition to its flavor properties, tomatoes are reported to possess numerous beneficial nutritional and bioactive components that may benefit human health. Edible tomato films containing antimicrobials may protect food against contamination by pathogenic microorganisms.
Testing was done by laying the films on top of the bacteria and also by exposing the bacteria to the vapors arising from the film. According to researchers:

• Oregano oil consistently inhibited the growth of all three bacteria.
• Garlic oil was not effective against E. coli or Salmonella, but was effective against Listeria.
• Oregano and allspice oils were effective against E coli and Salmonella. Vapor tests of oregano and allspice oils indicated that these two oils diffuse more efficiently through the air than through direct contact with the bacteria.
• Listeria was less resistant to EO vapors while E. coli was more resistant.

“Incorporating essential oils into edible films provides a new way to improve the safety and shelf life of foods, which will provide multiple benefits to consumers,” says lead researcher W. X. Du.
Edible films for fruits and vegetables can serve as carriers for food additives including plant-derived, safe antimicrobials. The increased interest in antimicrobial films is the result of increased consumption of contaminated fresh-cut produce.
In a related study from the same USDA research group, it was found that cinnamon, allspice and clove might have a new use in the kitchen. Essential oils (EOs) from these plants could be used to protect food from bacteria according to a study in the Journal of Food Science. They evaluated the physical and antimicrobial properties of allspice, cinnamon and clove bud oils in edible films of apple puree after 24 and 48 hours. Edible films and coatings on food products can serve as carriers for a wide range of beneficial food additives, including antimicrobials. The oils were incorporated into edible apple puree film at ranges of 0 to 3 percent. Researchers found:
The antimicrobial activity of cinnamon oil was significantly greater than allspice and clove bud oils against E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria.

• Edible films containing 3 percent or less of cinnamon oil were found to be effective against the three pathogens.
• Salmonella showed the least resistance to the EOs, while Escherichia coli showed the most.
• Low concentrations (1 percent and 1.5 percent) of allspice and clove bud oils suppressed the growth of Listeria.

“The results show that apple-based films with allspice, cinnamon or clove bud oils were effective against the three bacteria. The essential oils have the potential to provide multiple benefits to consumers,” says lead researcher R. J. Avena-Bustillos.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103626.htm

Oxidative Stress Is Underlying Cause Of Huge Numbers Of Genetic Mutations, Study Finds

ScienceDaily (Sep. 7, 2009) — A study that tracked genetic mutations through the human equivalent of about 5,000 years has demonstrated for the first time that oxidative DNA damage is a primary cause of the process of mutation - the fuel for evolution but also a leading cause of aging, cancer and other diseases.
The research, just published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also indicated that natural selection is affecting the parts of the genome that don't contain genes – supposedly "junk" DNA that increasingly appears to have important roles in life processes that are very poorly understood.
The analysis was done by scientists at Oregon State University, Indiana University, the University of Florida and University of New Hampshire, in studies supported by the National Institutes of Health.
This research was unusual, scientists say, because the model animal used for the study, a type of roundworm called C. elegans, was tracked through 250 generations and in that period of time accumulated 391 genetic mutations through normal life processes. That's more than 10 times as many mutations as have ever before been tracked in a study such as this.
Several Nobel Prizes have been awarded based on studies done with this roundworm, which was the first animal to have its entire genome sequenced. And despite their vast evolutionary separation as life forms, this tiny roundworm and humans still share comparable forms of DNA maintenance.
"Genetic mutations in animals are actually pretty rare, they don't happen very often unless they are induced by something," said Dee Denver, an assistant professor of zoology at OSU and principal investigator on the study. "The value of using this roundworm is that it reaches reproductive age in about four days, so we can study changes that happen through hundreds of generations, using advanced genome sequencing technology."
Genetic mutations can take various forms, such as a disruption in the sequence of DNA bases, larger deletions of whole sections of DNA, or other events. They are a fundamental part of the biological process of life and the basis of evolution, allowing organisms to change – sometimes in ways that are good and lead to greater survival value, sometimes bad and leading to decline or death. But the process is difficult to study and a real understanding of the driving forces behind mutation, its frequency, and the types of mutation that happen most often has been elusive, researchers say.
A primary finding of the new study is that a predominant number of genetic mutations – most, but not all of them – are linked to guanine, one of the four basic nucleotides that make up DNA and form the genetic code of life. Guanine is known to be particularly sensitive to oxidative damage.
"Most life on Earth depends in some form on oxygen, which is great at the production of energy," Denver said. "But we pay a high price for our dependence on oxygen, because the process of using it is not 100 percent efficient, and it can result in free oxygen radicals that can damage proteins, fats and DNA. And this process gets worse with age, as free radicals accumulate and begin to cause disease."
This is one of the first studies, Denver said, that is clearly demonstrating the effects of oxidative damage at a genome-wide scale.
"The research showed that the majority of all DNA mutations bear the signature of oxidative stress," Denver said. "That's exactly what you would expect if you believe that oxidative stress is an underlying cause of aging and disease."
Beyond that, however, the study also found that mutation and natural selection is also operating in the "junk DNA" parts of the roundworm, which actually comprises about 75 percent of its genome but traditionally was not thought to play any major role in life and genetic processes. This suggests that these poorly-understood and little appreciated parts of the genome may have important biological roles that are not yet known, Denver said.
Oxidative stress for decades has been suspected as a mechanism for some of the processes that lead to aging and disease, and it has been studied extensively for that reason. This research provides a better fundamental understanding of the genetic impacts of oxidative stress and its role in both genetic disease and evolution, researchers say.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090907162318.htm

Natural Compounds, Chemotherapeutic Drugs May Become Partners In Cancer Therapy

ScienceDaily (Sep. 7, 2009) — Research in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University suggests that some natural food compounds, which previously have been studied for their ability to prevent cancer, may be able to play a more significant role in treating it – working side-by-side with the conventional drugs that are now used in chemotherapy.
A new study just published in the International Journal of Cancer examined the activity of chlorophyllin and found that, on a dose-by-dose basis, it was 10 times more potent at causing death of colon cancer cells than hydroxyurea, a chemotherapeutic drug commonly used in cancer treatment.
Beyond that, chlorophyllin kills cancer cells by blocking the same phase of cellular division that hydroxyurea does, but by a different mechanism. This suggests that it – and possibly other “cocktails” of natural products – might be developed to have a synergistic effect with conventional cancer drugs, helping them to work better or require less toxic dosages, researchers said.
“We conclude that chlorophyllin has the potential to be effective in the clinical setting, when used alone or in combination with currently available cancer therapeutic agents,” the researchers wrote in their study.
The concept of combining conventional or new cancer drugs with natural compounds that have been shown to have anti-cancer properties is very promising, said Rod Dashwood, professor and director of the Cancer Chemoprotection Program in the Linus Pauling Institute.
“Most chemotherapeutic approaches to cancer try to target cancer cells specifically and do something that slows or stops their cell growth process,” Dashwood said. “We’re now identifying such mechanisms of action for natural compounds, including dietary agents. With further research we may be able to make the two approaches work together to enhance the effectiveness of cancer therapies.”
Chlorophyllin is a water-soluble derivative of chlorophyll – the green pigment found in most plants and many food products that makes possible the process of photosynthesis and plant growth from the sun’s energy. Chlorophyllin is inexpensive, and animal studies plus human clinical data suggest that it can be ingested at relatively high levels without toxicity.
In the new study, researchers found that pharmacologic doses of chlorophyllin caused colon cancer cells to spend more time than normal in their “synthesis phase” in which DNA is duplicated. Timing is critical to the various phases of cell growth, researchers said, and this disruption started a process that ultimately led to cell death, the study found.
In particular, the presence of high levels of chlorophyllin caused a major reduction in the level of ribonucleotide reductase, an enzyme critical to DNA synthesis, researchers found. This is also the mechanism of action of hydroxyurea, one drug already being used for cancer chemotherapy.
“In cancer research right now there’s interest in approaches that can reduce ribonucleotide reductase,” Dashwood said. “At the doses used in our experiments, chlorophyllin almost completely stops the activity of this enzyme.”
Further research is needed both in laboratory and animal studies, with combinations of chlorophyllin and existing cancer drugs, before it would be appropriate for human trials, Dashwood said. Chlorophyllin, in general, is poorly absorbed from the human gastrointestinal tract, so it’s unclear what levels might be needed for therapeutic purposes or how well they would work.
Other dietary agents also might have similar potential. Work just published by LPI researchers in the journals Carcinogenesis and Cancer Prevention Research explored the role of organic selenium compounds in killing human prostate and colon cancer cells. Colorectal and prostate cancers are consistently among the leading causes of cancer mortality in the United States, and will account respectively for 18 percent and 9 percent of all cancer deaths in 2009, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society.
In the recent studies, a form of organic selenium found naturally in garlic and Brazil nuts was converted in cancer cells to metabolites that acted as “HDAC inhibitors” – a promising field of research in which silenced tumor suppressor genes are re-activated, triggering cancer cell death.
“Whether it’s HDAC inhibition leading to one manner of cancer cell growth arrest, or loss of ribonucleotide reductase activity leading to another, as seen with chlorophyllin, there’s significant promise in the use of natural products for combined cancer therapies,” Dashwood said. “These are areas that merit continued research.”
These studies were supported by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Other collaborators included researchers from the New York Medical College and the Penn State College of Medicine. Further information on chlorophylls and selenium compounds can be found on the web at: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090831130808.htm

New Research: Yoga Better Than Western Medicine for Back Pain

S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  September 8, 2009 

(NaturalNews) According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), low back pain is an enormous health and economic problem in the U.S. In fact, Americans spend at least $50 billion annually on the condition. It's the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work days. 

Although most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days, the NINDS web site states low back pain can become chronic and lead to more serious conditions. However, new research shows there's natural, drug-free and effective help for those with chronic low back pain -- the ancient practice of yoga. 

A study just published in the journal Spine found that a group of low back pain sufferers who regularly practiced yoga postures had less pain, improved function, and a better mood. What's more, they were far less likely to take drugs for their back problem than a matched group who received standard medical therapy.

"Proponents of yoga have long described its benefits in reducing back pain," researcher Kimberly Williams, Ph.D., of West Virginia University's Department of Community Medicine said in a statement to the media. "But not everybody was convinced. This is a much bigger, much more rigorous evaluation than had been done before."

The $400,000 study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), covered three years and involved 90 people. All had mild to moderate functional disability from their back pain. Half were randomly assigned to study Iyengar style yoga and half received conventional medical therapy. Those practicing yoga took 90 minute classes two times a week for 24 weeks, working with postures targeted to relieve chronic low-back pain. 

The classes were taught by certified instructors of Iyengar yoga. Iyengar yoga. One of the world's most widely-practiced forms of yoga, Iyengar yoga emphasizes individualized asanas (postures) to build strength, stamina, balance and flexibility. Classes also typically end with a deeply relaxing asana.

The research team followed up on with the research participants both during the trial and six months after the medical therapy or yoga classes ended. The results were dramatic: the yoga group had far less pain, less functional disability and less depression when compared with the control group. "These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention (yoga)," Dr. Williams stated.

The research team found that a significantly greater proportion of yoga subjects reported improvements in their conditions after both 12 and 24 weeks of taking yoga classes. When those in the yoga group did have pain, it was less intense. "There was also a clinically important trend for the yoga group to reduce their pain medication usage compared to the control group," the authors of the study concluded.

The Spine study is another example of how mainstream Western medicine is finally taking a look -- and validating -- the health benefits of yoga. AsNaturalNews previously reported, researchers have also already found yoga can help prevent middle-age weight gain (http://www.naturalnews.com/026878_y...), alleviate postpartum depression (http://www.naturalnews.com/025562_y...) and treat post traumatic stress syndrome (http://www.naturalnews.com/026201_y...). A Wake Forest University study published earlier this year In Psycho-Oncologydocumented that yoga practice significantly reduced depression and increased feelings of peace and meaning in women with breast cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/025740.html), too.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026992_yoga_medicine_back_pain.html

Treating Psoriasis with UVB light is easier than you think

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  September 8, 2009  

(NaturalNews) Ultraviolet (UV) treatment of psoriasis is just as safe when carried out at home as when performed in a clinic, according to a study conducted by researchers from Utrecht University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and published in the British Medical Journal.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease in which scaly red patches form on the skin. Because UV radiation is known to suppress the immune system and reduce inflammation, UVA and UVB rays are commonly used to alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis. The treatment lasts eight to ten weeks, however, with three visits per week. Because the treatment must currently be performed at a hospital, this can impose a significant burden on some patients.

Researchers compared the effects of UVB therapy on 200 psoriasis patients who were treated either at a hospital or with a home UVB phototherapyunit. They found that there was no significant difference between the two types of treatment in safety or effectiveness, and that patients who received treatment at home reported higher levels of satisfaction and perceived the treatment as less of a burden than those treated at a hospital.

"We knew a lot of dermatologists are not convinced of the safety and effectiveness of UVB phototherapy but our theory was they should be equally safe," said lead researcher Mayke Koek. "One of the most important findings was a lot of patients treated at home were more satisfied." 

Alex Anstey of Royal Gwent Hospital in Wales said that limiting UV treatments to hospital settings restricts medical care to those who live near bighospitals.

"In my area there are very large numbers of people who don't have access to phototherapy," he said, "which is a shame as it's a very effective and safe treatment." 

A UVB treatment bed costs between £5,000 and £10,000 ($8,000-$16,000), which Anstey noted is cheaper than many biological therapies currently on the market as psoriasis treatments. He also suggested that hospitals could lend out the beds for the course of a patient's treatment.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026989_psoriasis_hospital_phototherapy.html

Greatest Health Risk Isn’t Cancer or Heart Disease; It’s Lack of Exercise

S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  September 7, 2009 

(NaturalNews) We are constantly bombarded with gloom and doom news stories warning us that heart disease is America's number one killer, followed closely by cancer. What's more, there's a worldwide epidemic of diabetes and fear mongers are also warning that swine flu, H1N1, is lurking around every corner about to plunge us into a pandemic. But what is really the biggest threat to your health? According to epidemiologist and researcher Steven Blair, the gravest public health problem of the 21st century is Americans' physical inactivity and it poses the greatest risk of ill health to Americans. Simply put, sitting on your butt instead of moving your body in your daily life and exercising can be deadly.

Unfortunately, an enormous number of Americans, around 50 million, are living sedentary lives. That puts these coach potatoes at increased risk of health problems and early death, Blair recently said in an address to the American Psychological Association's (APA) 117th Annual Convention held in Toronto. "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," he stated. 

Blair pointed to research showing that around 25 to 35 percent of American adults are inactive. They work sedentary jobs, engage in no regular physical activity program, are generally inactive around the house and most don't even do their own yard work. "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 majorpublic health problem," Blair said in a statement to the media. 

A professor of exercise science and epidemiology at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, he is recognized as one of the world's leading experts on exercise and its health benefits. Blair was the senior scientific editor of the 1996 U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health. 

His extensive research comes involves the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS), an ongoing study started in 1970 which includes more than 80,000 people. In addition to keeping track of the participants medical histories, scientists periodically have measured the participants' body composition and body mass index (BMI). Each volunteer in the study also underwent a stress test. 

The results, Blair told the APA, show that the fitness level of the research subjects has turned out to be a significant predictor of life span. For example, a follow-up study of 40,842 ACLS participants concluded a poor fitness level accounted for about 16 percent of all deaths in both men and women -- and these are deaths that most likely would have been avoided if these people had simply spent about half an hour a day walking. What's more, this percentage of deaths was significantly higher than when other risk factors were considered, including obesity, smoking, high cholesterol and diabetes. The ACLS also found that men who were only moderately fit lived six years longer than men who would qualify as sedentary couch potatoes. 

Blair revealed that exercise can help beat breast cancer, too. An examination of 14,811 women patients in the ACLS showed that those who very fit were 55 percent less likely to die from breast cancer than women who were not in good shape. This huge reduction in breast cancer deaths was calculated after the researchers controlled for BMI, smoking, family history of breast cancer and other possible risk factors. Blair also explained in his APA presentation that recent emerging evidence shows exercise is good for brain health and can delay the mind's decline. 

"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," Blair said in a statement to the press. "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.naturalnews.com/026986_health_cancer_disease.html

Insect repellent DEET is toxic to brain cells

S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  September 7, 2009 

(NaturalNews) If you insist on using chemical laden insect repellents containing DEET, you may be getting more than you bargained for -- including damage to your central nervous system. In fact, scientists writing in the open access journal BMC Biology don't just say that more studies should be done to confirm DEET's potential neurotoxicity to humans. The researchers are calling for more investigations of the chemical to be conducted on anurgent basis. The reason? They suspect that the potential brain cell damaging effects of DEET could be particularly harmful if used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides. And that's exactly the way DEET is normally used in products applied to both adults and kids in order to prevent mosquito bites.

French scientists Vincent Corbel from the Institut de Recherche pour le Developement in Montpellier and Bruno Lapied from the University of Angers headed a team of researchers who studied the mode of action and toxicity of DEET, also known by the chemical name N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide. "We've found that DEET is not simply a behavior-modifying chemical but also inhibits the activity of a key central nervous systemenzyme, acetycholinesterase, in both insects and mammals," Corbel said in a statement to the media.

DEET has been in use since its discover in l953 and is now the most common ingredient found in insect repellent preparations. It is primarily hyped as a way to keep mosquitoes at bay and doctors and insect repellant manufacturers promote DEET's use through scare tactics, suggesting you are likely to get West Nile fever from mosquito bites unless you use the chemical.

Of course, not every mosquito bite spreads any kind of infection and West Nile fever is not always serious. What's more, a host of natural strategies, from wearing long sleeves and pants in areas plagued by mosquitoes to using a variety of herbal extracts and essential oils topically, can help you avoid bug bites and stings without chemicals. Yet DEET remains promoted by the mainstream media and medical establishment as the ingredient that protects adequately against mosquito bites and disease.

Consider this worrisome statistic: each year approximately one-third of all Americans spray and slather on insect repellents containing central nervous system toxin DEET. And this is in spite of the fact that previous studies have warned of DEET's dangers. For example, earlier research by Duke University Medical Center pharmacologist Mohamed Abou-Donia, who has spent 30 years studying the effects of pesticides, found that prolonged exposure to DEET can impair functioning in parts of the brain and could result in problems with muscle coordination, muscle weakness, walking or even memory and cognition.

In the new study, Corbel and his colleagues discovered that DEET inhibits the acetylcholinesterase enzyme. This is the exact effect organophosphate and carbamate insecticides have on the body, too. Alarmingly, these insecticides are often combined in products with DEET -- and the scientists found that DEET interacts especially well with carbamate insecticides, magnifying their toxicity. "These findings question the safety of DEET, particularly in combination with other chemicals, and they highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the development of safer insect repellents for use in public health," Corbel stated.

Another study published earlier this summer in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, showed that a natural substance, cinnamon oil, shows promise as a great-smelling, environmentally friendly pesticide, with the ability to kill mosquito larvae. The researchers also believe that cinnamon oil could be a good mosquito repellant, though they have not yet tested it against adult mosquitoes. Historically, however, cinnamon oil has been used by natural health practitioners and traditional healers to repel mosquitoes and prevent their bites. 
http://www.naturalnews.com/026982_DEET_insect_repellent_insect_repellents.html

Alternative Offers Promise from Sugar, Cancer and Candida

Kim Evans, NaturalNews.com  September 8, 2009 

(NaturalNews) A new report by the American Heart Association recently turned up that Americans are swallowing 22 teaspoons of sugar each day. That's an awful lot of sugar, and as it also turns out, it only takes 2 soft drinks and 8 ounces of fruit-flavored yogurt to consume that much.

They're not even counting natural sugars from fruit, and other sources that are actually good for you. Those natural sugars, in reality, are all you need.

Sugar in the diet, particularly refined sugars, is associated not only with weight gain, but also with having decreased immune system functionality for hours after they're consumed.

In addition, sugar feeds both cancer and candida overgrowth and one oncologist is saying cancer and candida are one in the same.

This oncologist, Dr. Tullio Simoncini, has had tremendous success eliminating cancer in the body using a simple baking soda and water solution injected into or as near to the cancer as possible. This alternative treatment works because the acidic cancer is broken up by the alkaline bakingsoda. And again, he says that cancer is an advanced form of candida overgrowth, and the body's reaction to it. Unfortunately, Dr. Simoncini has been aggressively discredited by the medical establishment.

Cancers may also have large amounts of filth and man-made chemicals inside them, which is why so many cancers are associated with having toxic chemicals inside the body. Actually, the candida may be what holds all of those chemicals and filth in one location; and the process would be your body's way of containing the mess, but eventually even the containment causes problems. Candida can form hard lumps at an advanced stage, and the pockets of filth can also be hard lumps.

So, now that you know what you're doing with those not-so-innocent sodas and sugar-filled yogurts - or however you take your 22 teaspoons daily - are you ready for an alternative that won't kill you, or leave you broke and wishing you'd done things differently?

Stevia is an herbal sweetener with zero calories, no chemicals, and no effect on blood sugar. It's hundreds of times sweeter than sugar and can be used as a sweetener most anyplace you'd otherwise use sugar. You can even buy cereal or yogurt unsweetened and just add this natural sweetener on your own. A little stevia on fruit also enhances the flavor, and because it's sweeter, it may encourage you to eat more fruit instead of processedsugars.

The thing about stevia though, is that all of the brands taste different; some are delicious, while others aren't that good. You may need to try a couple of brands until you find one you like, but generally, the powdered varieties taste better than the liquid ones. Stevia can be found in the supplement section of your local health food store.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026979_sugar_cancer_candida.html

Junk food may alter genes linked to diabetes

Times of India, 2 September 2009
A team of scientists in Sweden have warned that gorging too much on fat-rich junk food may cause drastic changes to a gene that helps muscle cells burn fat.

Juleen Zierath, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, says that her team's findings may help improve the scientific understanding of how type II diabetes develops in adulthood. 

"Somehow, the environment plays on the genes we have," says the lead researcher, adding that her study provides new clues to how this happens. 

She says that it may be possible that the altered cells become so engorged with unburnt fat that they become "diabetic", and stop accepting signals from the hormone insulin, which normally triggers the absorption of glucose from the bloodstream. 

However, proving that components in the diet can permanently alter genes is itself a breakthrough, as it provides the first evidence that the food people eat may change the function of their DNA, a process scientifically known as "epigenetics". 

During the study, the researchers observed that the DNA itself remained unchanged, except for a masking process called methylation that can permanently mothball a gene by capping individual chemical units or bases. 

Before the researchers undertook this research, they had already found in a previous study that muscle cells from people with type II diabetes showed such telltale epigenetic alterations to their DNA, particularly in the PGC-1 gene, which orchestrates metabolic programmes critical to the burning of fat in mitochondria, the chambers in cells that generate energy. 

In the current study, the researchers achieved the most significant result when they exposed the healthy muscle cells to the edible fatty acid, palmitic acid. The team found that the PGC-1 gene became methylated, just as it is in people with diabetes. "The palmitic acid essentially switches off the gene," New Scientist magazine quoted Zierath as saying. 

She says that the fact that fat produces such an effect is highly significant, as it means that over-consumption of junk food may cause the same response. 

"It suggests that if you eat a fat-rich diet, something in that - either the fat itself or the build up of metabolites - triggers the methylation of genes. The net effect is that it switches off the gene," says Zierath. 

The team's analyses also reveal that the shutdown of PGC-1 led to inactivation of other genes vital for burning or transporting fat. 

Zierath says that her team’s next step will be to find out how different diets affect the methylation status of PGC-1 and other genes vital for burning energy, hoping that their efforts will lead to the discovery of a potential mechanism by which type II diabetes develops. 

A research article on her study has been published in the journal Cell Metabolism .
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Junk-food-may-alter-genes-linked-to-diabetes-/articleshow/4985481.cms

Coconut oil extract can guard against food bacteria

TIMES OF INDIA  8 September 2009
An extract from coconut oil, called monolaurin, could be used as a microbial agent in foods, according to a study. 

Monolaurin has been recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is known for its antimicrobial properties. 

When used in combination with other antimicrobial agents, it could prove to be an effective barrier to microorganisms. 

Researchers from Zhejiang University in China studied the use of monolaurin as a nontraditional preservative in food products by combining it with commonly used antimicrobials in various concentrations and testing it on bacterial strains including Esherichia coli and on food components such as soy protein and water-soluble starch. 

And they found that monolaurin combined with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) a binding agent, was effective against Esherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis but not Staphylococcus aureus. 
When combined with the antimicrobial nisin, monolaurin was synergistically effective against all three bacteria. 

Researchers studied monolaurin's interaction with food components and found that its antibacterial effectiveness was reduced by fat or starch but was not affected by protein. 

"These results contribute to a better understanding on the use of monolaurin as a nontraditional preservative for antimicrobial purpose in food products. The antimicrobial effects of monolaurin can be increased if used together or in combination with other preservative systems," said lead researcher 
Hui Zhang. 

The study has been published in the Journal of Food Science. 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Coconut-oil-extract-can-guard-against-food-bacteria/articleshow/4985608.cms

A cup of tea everyday can prevent heart disease

TIMES OF INDIA, 6 September 2009
A cup of tea everyday can cut down your risk of heart disease, a new study claims. 

The study in Glasgow and France has led to the conclusion that both green and black tea, as well as raspberry, strawberry and bilberry juices, help prevent fatty deposits from building up in arteries. 
An experiment was first done on hamsters, who were fed a high-fat diet over 12 weeks. 

The study has been published in the journal Food Chemistry. 

Hamsters develop fatty streaks in the walls of their arteries in a similar way to humans, which is a sign of heart disease.One group of hamsters was provided the high-fat diet, while another group were given additional drinks too. 

The quantity of the juice or tea the hamsters drank was equivalent to a human eating 120g of raspberries or drinking a glass of juice or mug of tea a day. The researchers observed that those hamsters that consumed the drinks had a "remarkable" reduction in fatty build-ups of up to 96 per cent. 

Professor Alan Crozier, from the University of Glasgow, who was part of the research at the University of Montpellier, said it could have the similar implication when humans come in the picture. 

"The amount they were given is about the equivalent to a human having a glass of fruit juice or a mug of tea a day... the dose is not massive. It is a nutritionally relevant dose," the Scotsman quoted him as saying. 
He explained the procedure: "The hamsters were on a high-fat diet and you get signs of heart disease with the fatty streaks in the arteries after 12 weeks. 

"One group was given just a high-fat diet and none of the juices and the teas. The results showed that in this group more than 20 per cent of the artery wall was covered with fatty streaks. 

"If you feed them the high-fat diet and a juice or tea, then there is a reduction in the fatty deposits, particularly so with the raspberry juice and green tea. But the others were very effective as well." 
It was found that the hamsters given the juice or tea had less than five per cent of the artery wall affected by fatty build-up compared to 20 per cent in those animals who did not drink. 

The protective effect apparently comes from plant-derived chemicals known as phenolic compounds and flavonoids found in the drinks
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/A-cup-of-tea-everyday-can-prevent-heart-disease/articleshow/4978544.cms

30 mins of brisk walk cuts breast cancer risk

TIMES OF INDIA  5 September 2009
Thirty minutes of brisk walking every day can significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence, according to a new study. 

“Brisk walking - about 3.0 mph on a treadmill - for three to five hours per week, or about 30 minutes a day, can net big benefits for breast cancer survivors,” said Dr. Carolyn Kaelin, a Harvard surgeon, breast cancer survivor and author of The Breast Cancer Survivor’s Fitness Plan. 

During the study, the researchers examined nearly 3,000 women up to 14 years after their breast cancer diagnosis and found that cardiovascular and aerobic physical activities reduced the likelihood of breast cancer recurrence. 

It also subsequently increased the odds of living longer. 

“Recurrence rates and deaths from breast cancer decreased by 40 percent among those who exercise at least 3-5 hours per week, compared with those who were sedentary,” said Kaelin. 

“It does not need to be running a marathon, or biking a century, but rather simply walking briskly most days on a treadmill, at a shopping mall or around a track, that further reduces breast cancer recurrence for those who have been treated for the condition. 

“For all women, in addition to physical activity helping to optimize body weight and reduce high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, scientific research is more strongly pointing to the positive effects of cardio-vascular exercise in reducing breast cancer risk and the risks of other forms of cancer, too,” she added. 

The study is published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/30-mins-of-brisk-walk-cuts-breast-cancer-risk/articleshow/4975523.cms

Educated patients have less faith in doctors

TIMES OF INDIA   4 September 2009
Well-educated heart patients tend to have less faith in their cardiologists, says a Canadian study. 

The study by York University here shows that patients who reported greater trust in their cardiologist tended to be less educated, with higher blood pressure, and also perceived greater control over their heart condition. 

The study is sync with other studies that show well-educated patients also show less trust in their family doctor, a university statement said Thursday. 

The study 'Degree and correlates of patient trust in their cardiologist' involved more than 1,000 heart patients. 

"The relationship between hypertension and greater trust suggests that such perceptions may not be based on doctor competence,'' researcher Sheena Kayaniyil was quoted as saying. 

"In addition, patients of higher socio-economic status generally have greater access to care and more opportunity to select their doctor, yet we did not see higher levels of trust in those patients,'' Kayaniyil said. 

Senior study author Grace said: "It is surprising that women are as trusting of their cardiologists as men. 

"Reports suggest that even doctors perceive cardiovascular disease as a man's disease, and there are delayed diagnoses and lower rates of interventional treatments when compared to men.'' 

The study said trust in one's doctor is directly related to patient satisfaction and improved health. 

"Trust in one's health care provider is tremendously important,'' said Grace. 

"We know that it can foster compassion and better quality of care, and can result in a higher level of treatment adherence. 

"This is particularly crucial for cardiac patients, who often have multiple recommendations from their specialist on how to manage their condition and prevent further complications,'' the senior author added. 

The study has been published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Educated-patients-have-less-faith-in-doctors/articleshow/4971457.cms