• Testing for Hypothyroidism Can Be Tricky
• Vaccine Court Awards Millions to Two Children With Autism
• Substantial Reduction of PMS Symptoms Enjoyed by Women Taking Vitamin E
• New Study Touts Big Health Benefits of Resveratrol
• Omega-3s and Heart Health
• Gimmicky Nutraceuticals Deceiving Health-Conscious Consumers
• The Digestive Theory Of Aging
• Omega 3 fatty acids cut stroke risk
• Cinnamon Helps Fight Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
• Substantial Reduction of PMS Symptoms Enjoyed by Women Taking Vitamin E
• Rate of Severe Reactions Higher Than Thought in Young Children With Food Allergies
• Eating This Kind of Seafood Can Increase Belly Fat
• Alzheimer’s: Just Another Form of Diabetes?
• Taking Calcium without Magnesium Is a Health Risk
• Vitamin D Deficiency High Among Trauma Patients
• Glutathione May Reduce Symptoms of Aging
• Omega-3s and Heart Health
• Vitamin E & C Protected Against Pre-Eclampsia in Pregnancy
• Probiotics may reduce anxiety and depression, suggests study
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Shown To Prevent Or Slow Progression Of Osteoarthritis
• Vitamin E – Relief for Painful Menstruation
• Exposure to BPA Has Been Underestimated, New MU Research Says
• The Sun IS Your Sunscreen
• Organics could prevent staph-infected meat
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids are Inversely Associated with Triglyceride Levels
• Fish Oil Supplementation and Regular Exercise and Its Effect on CVD Risk Factors
• Looks Great, Less Nutritious
• Vitamin E & C Reduced Inflammation after Knee Surgery
• Toxic Chemical in Canned Food
• Warning on Arthritis Drugs
• CoQ10 Improves Blood Vessel Function in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
• Call for truth in trans fats labeling by the FDA
• Biggest Egg Seller Recalls Eggs After Salmonella Found
• Spearmint Tea: Possible Treatment for Mild Hirsutism
• Back-to-School Basics...Three Simple Tips for Healthier, Happier Kids
• Vitamin D Tied to Parkinson's Disease
• Dryer Sheets and Fabric Softeners Contain Toxic Chemicals
• Continuing Research for Blood Sugar Support
• Natural Pest Control
• NPA Says JAMA Study on Ginkgo Biloba Effects on Rate of Cognitive Decline ‘Still Misses the Boat’
•  Keep This in Mind When Buying Gifts
• Kyolic Garlic vs. statin, aspirin and placebo study
• Study: Folic Acid Reduces Heart Attack, Stroke...
• Acrylamide Reduced in Wheat Crops…
• Citrus Peel Extract May Fight Diabetes...

Testing for Hypothyroidism Can Be Tricky

A major issue has erupted in the medical community. Many doctors are now disagreeing over what tests should be done to check thyroid function. Traditionally, TSH, Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone that is released from the pituitary gland in the brain, would be checked along with the two thyroid hormones it produces, T3 and T4.

However, it has become commonplace to only test for TSH, and that is only one part of a very detailed picture. There are many other mechanisms at work in thyroid health. 

For example, healthy thyroid activity relies on:

•   Stable levels of other hormones, like estrogen and progesterone. Too much estrogen, such as from the birth control pill, will create too many thyroid-binding proteins.

•   A healthy immune system. Autoimmune hypothyroid can be missed by TSH blood panels.

•   Beneficial bacteria in the gut. Antibiotics wipe out these good microbes, which account for around 20% of the conversion of T4 to usable T3. (1)

•   An uncongested and healthy liver. The liver converts over half of T4 from the thyroid into usable T3.

•   Good adrenal function. Adrenal fatigue can slow down the function of the pituitary and hypothalamus in the brain. These three

            glands are a part of what is called the HPA axis (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis). An alert and healthy pituitary is essential for good thyroid function.

Clearly, with so many pathways available for the production and conversion of thyroid hormones, there are a lot of opportunities for something to go wrong.

Many people are diagnosed with this condition and given thyroid medication. Sometimes, this

medication will show improvements in lab analysis as hormone levels fall into normal range. But many people still have symptoms.

Tips For Treating An Underactive Thyroid

1. Work with a qualified health care practitioner

2. Populate your gut with good microbes. Remember, gut flora convert 20% of T4 into usable T3! Eat fermented foods and drink probiotic beverages with every meal!

3. Regulate your immune system

4. Address any blood sugar imbalances

Diet and lifestyle can drastically affect your adrenals, the HPA axis, and the health of your thyroid; reevaluate your current diet and lifestyle.

New Study Touts Big Health Benefits of Resveratrol

Source: anh-usa.org

Big Pharma is drooling over the prospect of getting it all to themselves.

http://www.anh-usa.org/new-study-touts-big-health-benefits-of-resveratrol/

Omega-3s and Heart Health

Vitamin D is recommended in the treatment of several health issues.  It helps control insulin levels in diabetics. It helps post menopausal women lose weight. It controls abnormal proliferation of cancer cells. Vitamin D is known to prevent hypocalcaemia by helping prevent abnormal calcium deposits and balance calcium, thereby preventing osteoporosis or arthritis. 

Research pinpoints Vitamin D aids your body in absorbing nutrients, most importantly calcium and phosphorous-vital nutrients for bone health and dental health.  It is proven to reduce stress and tension and prevents and reduces muscle spasms.

The Journal of Clinical Investigation reports D may play a pivotal role in helping keep your blood pressure healthy.  The Archives of Internal Medicine reveals the strong connection between D₃ and your cardiovascular health.  

An 18 year study performed at the Harvard School of Medicine surveyed over 14,000 men and revealed the healthy relation between proper prostate health and vitamin D levels. 

The research goes on and one and the studies with the benefits of Vitamin D continue to pour in with eye-opening facts.

There are two forms of Vitamin D that the body can synthesize and use.  One form of Vitamin D is the anti-aging miracle proving it’s effectiveness in medical journals throughout the world.  The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism regard the D₂ form of Vitamin D “worthless, cheap and ineffective.”  This form of Vitamin D is often crammed into supplements and prescription pills because it’s very “cheap”.

Scientist noted that both forms of Vitamin D raised Vitamin D blood serum levels, but while Vitamin D₂ reached its peak, and putted out in just 3 days, Vitamin D3 kept on climbing and didn’t peak for 14 days. D₃ maintained high blood serum levels for the entire study while D₂ plummeted down.

Scientist at Creighton University and Medical University of South Caroline proved with a controlled double-blind study that D₃ is 300% more effective than D₂.

The Sun

Of course, sunlight is the most well known source of Vitamin D.  Exposure to 13 rays of sunshine trigger your skin to produce Vitamin D.  Unfortunately, this time of the year the sunlight is scarce.

Getting 5–30 minutes of sun twice a week is one way to absorb enough vitamin D, according to some vitamin D researchers. Sun exposure should be on the face, arms, legs, or back — without sunscreen — during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We have the capacity to make at least 10,000 IU of vitamin D within 30 minutes of full-body exposure to the sun, with what is called a minimal erythemal dose. However, because UV radiation from the sun contributes to skin cancer, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends getting the vitamin through food or supplement sources.

There are also several factors that affect our ability to get the vitamin D we need from the sun alone:

•   Geography

•                   Individuals living above the 37th parallel will find it difficult to obtain adequate amounts of vitamin D from the sun in the winter months.

•                   Cities north of the 37th parallel include locations such as San Francisco, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Richmond. This means that a majority of the United States is north of the line.

•   Sunscreen

•                   Sunscreen with a rating as low as SPF 8 has the capability to block the absorption of the vast majority of UVB light.

•   Cloud cover

•                   Cloudy days mean a reduction in UV energy by as much as 50%. Shade cover reduces this level by an additional 10%.

•   The amount of melanin in the skin

•                   Research has shown that individuals with darker skin have a lower level of vitamin D compared to those with lighter skin.

•                   Additional research has shown that in order to absorb equal amounts of vitamin D, an African American individual requires 10 times as much sun exposure as a Caucasian individual.

•   Clothing

•                   Clothing absorbs most ultraviolet radiation. Research has shown that in countries where culture dictates that the majority of skin be covered at all times, there is a higher incidence of vitamin D deficiency.

•   Season

During the winter, although the sun might shine brightly, vitamin-producing UVF photons pass through the ozone layer at an oblique angle and are therefore absorbed by the ozone — not by the individual’s skin. Throughout the year, however, most individuals who receive the recommended amount of sun can store the fat-soluble vitamin in their fat tissue for the winter.

Fatty fish

•   30–35 µg per 1 tbsp cod liver oil

•   8–13 µg per 3 oz pink salmon

•   5–9 µg per 3 oz sardines or mackerel

•   5 µg per 3 oz tuna, canned oil

Other natural sources

•   0.5 µg per 1 medium egg yolk

•   0.3 µg per 3 oz beef liver

•   0.4–63 µg per 100 grams of mushrooms

Fortified foods

•   2.5 µg per 1 cup cow’s milk (actual content might vary)

•   2.5 µg per 1 cup orange juice

1.0 µg per 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal

Gimmicky Nutraceuticals Deceiving Health-Conscious Consumers

August 7th, 2012

     DHA Omega-3 Oils in Food = Proven 
        Beneficial by Scientific Research     

   DHA from Mutated Algae by DSM/Martek Biosciences = Unproven and Risky
 

Written by Charlotte Vallaeys
Farm and Food Policy Director, The Cornucopia Institute

To our amusement, someone in the organic food industry called The Cornucopia Institute an “anti-DHA group.”  Yes, it is true that we have, for years, challenged the addition of factory-produced algal oil as a source of DHA, a healthy omega-3 fatty acid.

Martek Biosciences Corporation, now owned by the $12 billion Dutch multinational conglomerate Royal DSM, produces the patented algal oil, “Life’sDHA™”, that is being illegally added to organic foods.

To produce its algal oils, DSM/Martek used techniques such as genetic modification, involving radiation and harsh chemicals; fermentation of the algae in conventional, GMO corn products; extraction with synthetic petroleum-derived solvents such as hexane or isopropyl alcohol; and mixing the oil with synthetic preservatives.

Their oil is then added to conventional and organic foods, including organic infant formula by Earth’s Best and Similac, and “organic” milk from Dean Foods’ Horizon label. These companies then proudly profess on their packages that the product contains the healthy nutrient DHA, and often adds the “Life’sDHA™” logo.

To this day, algal oil does not appear on the USDA’s list of non-organic ingredients that are legally allowed in processed organic foods—and the USDA has ignored federal law by not forcing its removal.

Yes, we admit we have a problem with this source of DHA being added to organic foods.

But does that mean that we are “anti-DHA”?  Of course not!  At The Cornucopia Institute, we believe that the best source of nutrients is ….  food.  Real food.  Organic food.

We believe in food produced sustainably and responsibly:  plants grown in rich and healthy nutrient-dense soil on diverse organic farms; animals that live outdoors where they eat a natural diet, dining on fresh pastures, rather than being raised in feedlots on a concoction of corn, soybeans and synthetic nutrients; and wild fish harvested sustainably and responsibly.

It should come as no surprise that scientific research shows that these foods produced under traditional organic management are also healthier.  These peer-reviewed, published studies show these foods (pasture-based meat, poultry, milk and eggs) contain higher levels of nutrients, including beneficial fatty acids like DHA.

For example, in the 1990s, a scientist specializing in omega-3s at the National Institutes of Health tested eggs from pastured hens whose diet included insects, worms and greens from pasture.  The results showed that the eggs from the free-ranging hens contained

The free-range eggs also had a better-than-ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids while the conventional eggs had a dangerously lopsided ratio – too many omega-6 fatty acids and far too few omega-3s.  Research suggests that the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s may be more important to overall health than simply the number of grams of omega-3s a person consumes.

Art Thicke farm

The same effects on the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio have been found in dairy foods, meats and fish: when the animals eat fresh greens, the original source of omega-3 fats, they produce foods that contain much healthier levels and ratios of omega-3s, including DHA.  Foods like salmon and buffalo have historically been touted as containing healthy fats, but this is likely because, before grass-fed beef made a comeback, these were some of the last foods available from animals that actually ate a wild and natural diet of greens – algae for the wild salmon and grasses for the buffalo.

Give a cow as much green pasture as it desires, and its meat and milk’s omega-3 content increases substantially.  In contrast, confine salmon to an aquatic feedlot with feed of corn and soybeans instead of algae, and its omega-3 levels will plummet (as will levels of other healthy nutrients that give its flesh its signature salmon color – which is why farm-raised salmon now carries the label “added color”).

We believe that organic foods that claim to be high in certain nutrients – like organic milk high in DHA – should make those claims not because they have added factory-produced supplements like Martek’s algal oil, but because the food has been produced in a way that led to higher levels of naturally occurring nutrients and a healthier ratio of different types of fats.

When companies like Dean Foods raise thousands of dairy cows on Horizon’s industrial-scale dairies and then sell their milk as “organic” with added DHA algal oil, they place the family farmers who maximize grazing their animals at a competitive disadvantage.  This is especially true when consumers are led to believe that the omega-3 content of the factory-farm produced milk with added algal oil is actually as healthy as the grass-fed milk with naturally occurring omega-3s.

Organic consumers care about the source and quality of their food.  If a food claims to be high in omega-3s, or lists specific fats such as DHA, we hope shoppers will question the source.

Are the fats proven efficacious, naturally occurring, produced by an animal that ate green plants?  Or were they developed in a laboratory using genetic modification, then produced in a factory using GMO corn, synthetic solvents, and finally added to the food in a processing plant where the “Life’sDHA” logo was slapped on the carton?

The winner should be clear: real, nutrient-dense, certified organic food.  The payback for your family, in health, nutrition and flavor, will be unparalleled

The Digestive Theory Of Aging

by Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, MD

No matter how much “antiaging” therapy we do, we may only be able to slow aging down, not stop it. After all, we need to get on to our next lifetimes someday, so that future regression therapists can tell us where we’ve been, don’t we?

But as long as we’re here in this lifetime, why not take full advantage of it, stay healthy, “age gracefully,” and perhaps outlive Victor Herbert, David Kessler, and all the other folks who know everything there is to know about staying well with drugs, chemotherapy, and radiation?

“Free Radical” Theory of Aging

In our antiaging efforts, we’ve been guided by the “free radical” theory of aging, which tells us that the accumulation of “oxidative damage” is responsible for much aging, particularly the premature kind. This theory advises us to take “antioxidants” to slow the aging process, much like putting antifreeze in our cars to keep their engines from bursting in the wintertime. (Of course, the whole idea of “antioxidants” has been an absolute boon to university and other establishment types, who can now do research and tell us to take our vitamins without actually calling them vitamins, thus avoiding sounding like Adele Davis, J.I. Rodale or one of those other “health food nuts.”)

“Endocrine Theory” of Aging

Then there’s the “endocrine theory” of aging which American mainstream medicine has put to use in a rather perverse but patentable way by replacing failing human hormones with horse hormones (Premarin^®) or other dangerous molecules never before found on this planet or in human bodies (e.g., Provera,^® methyltestosterone). We can be somewhat thankful that pharmaceutical company ingenuity and drive for profit has recently produced an improvement on this approach with genetically engineered, recombinant and process-patentable human growth hormone (hGH), which not only shows some signs of being useful and not too harmful in the battle to slow aging but also maintains the usual and customary drug-company profit margins.

“Digestive Failure” Theory

The proliferation of over-the-counter and even vending-machine versions of Zantac,^® Pepcid,^® and other patent-expired “acid-blockers” has prompted this brief note to remind us all of yet another theory of aging, the “digestive failure” theory.

It’s long been noted that grandpas and grandmas have considerably more indigestion than younger folks, but their indigestion generally has been ascribed to “being older.” Not much thought has been given to the possibility that the “being older” could (at least in part) be due to the indigestion!

Let’s give it a little thought. If we have bodies made up of some 60 or so essential nutrients (essential being defined as nutrients without which we sooner or later would drop dead), then how healthy are we going to be if even one of those essential nutrients isn’t getting through very well? Like engines running on a lean fuel mixture, our cells are going to misfire, sputter, and ultimately choke. And what if a dozen or more nutrients are in short supply? How are our bodies, particularly older bodies, going to keep themselves in good repair? Like older houses, older bodies require more parts and maintenance, not less. It just makes sense that, if we’re not digesting and assimilating properly, not supplying all the cells of our bodies with a full complement of essential nutrients, we’re going to age and fall apart more rapidly.

A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association tells us that “only” 10% of “healthy” older folks have inadequate levels of stomach acid production. (Apparently, that doesn’t include all those older folks gulping down over-the-counter and vending machine Zantacs and Pepcids, persuaded of their virtues by the barrage of newly-unleashed-by-FDA direct-to-the-public TV, radio, and print advertising.) Back in the 1930s, studies by the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins on several thousand older folks told us that by age 60 nearly half of us had functionally low stomach acid. After some 27 years of nutritionally oriented medical practice, I’m more inclined to agree with the researchers at Mayo and Hopkins, especially since I’m working mostly with folks who don’t consider themselves healthy. Moreover, this problem is not limited to older people.

Inadequate Stomach Acid Production

Hydrochloric acid (HCl) supplements with and

Although research in this area is entirely inadequate, it’s been my clinical observation that calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, and many other “micro-trace” elements are not nearly as well-absorbed in those with poor stomach acid as it is in those whose acid levels are normal. When we test plasma amino acid levels for those with poor stomach function, we frequently find lower than usual levels of one or more of the eight essential amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Often there are functional insufficiencies of folic acid and/or vitamin B12.

Count the number of essential nutrients named above: 21! Although no one with a poorly functioning stomach is deficient in all of them, and no two people have the exact pattern of insufficiencies, even if “only” 10% of “healthy” older adults have this problem, that’s a large number of folks who aren’t nourishing their cells very well. Of course they’re going to age prematurely!

And having “low stomach acid” or falling for those Zantac and Pepcid commercials isn’t the only way to impair our digestive processes. A lot of us don’t have sufficient pancreatic digestive enzymes. The pancreatic enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin complete the digestion of protein started by the stomach’s enzyme pepsin. As its name implies, lipase digests fats and aids in the assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, K, and the essential fatty acids. Pancreatic amylase is necessary for carbohydrate digestion. And remember all those important “anti-aging” phytonutrients, flavonoids, carotenoids, mucopolysaccharides, and so on? They don’t just leap out of our food into our bloodstreams, they must be digested out.

Many of us have inadequate bile flow (that’s the real bile, not the mental thing) due to impaired

liver function or having our gallbladders carved out because the surgeon didn’t tell us that avoiding allergies will do the job just as well. Bile is another important digestive secretion, necessary to “emulsify” fats, oils, fat-soluble vitamins and other dietary components before they can be assimilated.

Then there’s allergy-induced malabsorption, lectin incompatibility, and that favorite medical category “idiopathic,” which means, “it’s happening (or not happening), but we don’t know why.”

And in a related matter: What about those germs so delicately termed “intestinal microflora?” These “normal” or “friendly” bacteria are responsible for some of the digestive processes, and play a vital role in production of a major proportion of the essential nutrients, vitamin K, folic acid, biotin and vitamin B12 that our bodies depend on. Since the early 1940s, the entire population of the United States (not to mention most of the rest of the world) has been so thoroughly dosed with antibiotics that our intestinal microflora in many cases isn’t even close to normal.

Detecting and Correcting

So while we’re slowing the aging process by swallowing our vitamins, minerals, and botanicals (oops, I meant antioxidants), and taking our replacement hormones (the natural or identical-to-natural versions, of course), let’s not forget to detect and correct any failures in our digestive and absorptive processes, or the digestive failure theory of aging may catch up with us while we’re preoccupied elsewhere and send us on to that next lifetime before we are really ready to be there!

Omega 3 fatty acids cut stroke risk

10/15/2012 19:21:00

By David Liu, PHD

Monday Oct 15, 2012) -- Veteran epidemiologist Dr. Susanna C. Larssona at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden and colleagues suggest in a study report published in Atherosclerosis that taking fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids supplements may help prevent stroke in women.

Dr. Larssona and colleagues analyzed data on dietary fat, cholesterol and incidence of stroke from 34,670 women aged 49 to 83 years in the Swedish Mammography Cohort who were free of any cardiovascular disease at baseline in 1997.

After adjustment for stroke risk factors, intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty

 acids (PUFAs) was inversely correlated with risk of total stroke.  

Women in the highest quintile of intake of long chain omega 3 fatty acids were 16 percent less likely to suffer total stroke, compared with those in the lowest quintile.

On the other hand, dietary cholesterol was positively correlated with the risk of total stroke, that is, those in the highest quintile of cholesterol intake were 20 percent and 29 percent more likely to  experience total stroke and cerebral infarction, respectively.

Nevertheless, total fat, saturated fat, mono-unsaturated fat, poly-unsaturated fat, α-linolenic acid, and omega-6 PUFA intakes were not correlated with stroke risk.

The researchers concluded "intake of long-chain omega-3 PUFAs is inversely associated with risk of stroke, whereas dietary cholesterol is positively associated with risk."

Long chain polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA are found in fish oil.

Cinnamon Helps Fight Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

By Jimmy Downs

Monday Sept 23, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study in International Journal of Preventive Medicine suggests that taking cinnamon supplements daily can help prevent or even treat type 2idabetes mellitus

This is a second trial in the past month to demonstrate that cinnamon can improve a range of metabolic parameters associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.

For the study,  weight, height, body fat mass,

systolic and diastolic blood pressure, the fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c (indicator for diabetes severity), total cholesterol, LDL C, HDL C, Apo lipoprotein A I and B were measured at baseline and at the end of the 8-week trial.   At the beginning of the trial, both groups had similar characteristics, dietary intakes, and physical activity.

At the end of the trial,  those receiving the cinnamon supplement improved the levels of fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, triglyceride, body weight, body mass index, and body fat mass decreased drastically compared to baseline.  

No change in any of the parameters in the control group. The cinnamon group and the control group had similar levels of glycemic status indicators, lipid profiles and anthropometric indicators

The researchers concluded "These data suggest that cinnamon may have a moderate effect in improving glycemic status indicators," in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Substantial Reduction of PMS Symptoms Enjoyed by Women Taking Vitamin E

To evaluate the effectiveness of daily vitamin E supplementation in improving premenstrual symptoms (PMS), a carefully screened population of women with PMS were given 400 IU natural-source vitamin E or placebo in randomized double blind study.  A standardized PMS questionnaire was administered to all subjects with 15 symptom categories.

 In all 15 categories of symptoms, vitamin E supplemented women reported 27 to 42% reduction of severity.  Placebo treatment was associated with moderate reduction in only 9 of 15 categories.  The researchers concluded that vitamin E supplementation appears to be a rational approach to PMS management.

“The results of the present investigation are consistent with our previous observations that alpha tocopherol supplementation reduces symptoms of PMS with no demonstrable side effects.”

London, R.S. et. al.  “Efficacy of Alpha Tocopherol in the Treatment of the Premenstrual Syndrome.” J. Reprod. Med 32:400-404, 1987.

An earlier study involved 75 women.  Those given vitamin E experienced improvement in 3 of the 4 classes of PMS symptoms on a standardized questionnaire.  Controlling for age and pretreatment score, vitamin E had a significantly greater effect than placebo.

Rate of Severe Reactions Higher Than Thought in Young Children With Food Allergies

In only 30 percent of the severe reactions did caregivers administer epinephrine, a drug that

 alleviates the symptoms of severe reactions by increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels and opening the airways. Investigators found that caregivers did not give children epinephrine for a number of reasons: the drug was not available, they were too afraid to administer it, they did not recognize the symptoms as those of an allergic reaction, or they did not recognize the reaction as severe.

"This study documenting the natural history of allergic reactions to three of the major food allergens in pre-school children provides important new information for parents, caregivers and health care workers because of the large number of children involved and the rigorous follow-up," said Daniel Rotrosen, M.D., director of the NIAID Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation, which oversees CoFAR. "The findings not only reveal that food-allergic reactions occur at a much higher rate in young children than we thought, they also suggest that more vigilance and increased use of epinephrine is needed."

Almost 90 percent of allergic reactions to egg, milk or peanut occurred after a child accidentally ate the food. The reasons for the accidental exposures included caregivers misreading food labels, not checking a food for an allergen, and unintentionally allowing a food allergen to come into contact with other foods (cross-contamination).

The study also found that approximately 11 percent of allergic reactions to egg, milk or peanut occurred after a caregiver -- most often a parent -- provided a child the allergenic food intentionally.

"Intentional exposures to allergenic food are typically reported in teenagers, who tend to take more risks or who might be embarrassed about their food allergy," says David Fleischer, M.D., the lead study author. "What is troubling is that in this study we found that a significant number of young children received allergenic foods from parents who were aware of the allergy."

CoFAR investigators are exploring possible reasons for these intentional exposures, but they speculate that it could reflect parents' at-home tests to determine if children have outgrown the food allergy. Because giving children allergenic foods could possibly result in life-threatening reactions, such testing should only be conducted under the direct supervision of a health care professional trained in performing food challenges. The study findings reinforce the importance of caregivers working closely with their doctors to understand how to effectively manage a child's food allergy.

Resource: NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "Rate of severe reactions higher than thought in young children with food allergies." ScienceDaily, 25 Jun. 2012. Web. 25 Jun. 2012.

Eating This Kind of Seafood Can Increase Belly Fat

By: Kelley Herring, Healing Gourmet

Eating seafood can provide a bevy of health benefits. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, boost your brainpower and even keep your skin looking radiant, supple and youthful.

But new research published in the journal Obesity found that a “hidden” ingredient in seafood can actually increase belly fat. And it is this “visceral” fat that is the most dangerous to your health.

Beer Bellies and Muffin Tops… from Pollutants?

In the PIVUS study, researchers measured the levels of 23 persistent environmental toxins in more than 1,000 participants. They also evaluated the amount of belly fat in nearly 300 of the participants using magnetic imaging.

The researchers found that high levels of persistent organic pollutants often found in seafood – including PCBs – were associated with a high proportion of abdominal fat.

So how do these pollutants add inches to your waistline?

They disrupt your hormonal system. This impacts the way fat is metabolized. It also increases cortisol and estrogen levels.

Man-Made “Seafood”: Concentrating the Chemicals

You may wonder how seafood gets contaminated with PCBs in the first place.

The answer is concentrated fish meal.

On average, it takes five pounds of fish meal to produce just one pound of farmed fish. And this makes farmed fish a highly concentrated source of PCBs.

In fact, the journal Science reports that farmed salmon contain ten times more toxins (PCBs, dioxin, etc.) than wild salmon. What’s more, seven out of ten pieces of farmed fish tested had concentrations of PCBs that were high enough to trigger health warnings from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

And while belly fat is certainly unsightly, PCB exposure is a lot more serious than just your appearance.  Exposure to PCBs has also been linked to diabetes, heart disease, infertility, thyroid dysfunction, neurological damage, and cancer… as well as memory and learning problems.

Take a look:

• •    A study published in Diabetes Care found that people getting the most PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants were almost 3,800% more likely to have diabetes.

• •    Infants and children with higher PCB exposures during development can experience lower IQ scores and reduced hearing.

• •    Older adults (49 to 86 years old) who ate fish containing PCBs and other contaminants had lower scores on several measures of memory and learning.

• •    Fish consumption data shows that nearly a million U.S. adults eat enough PCBs from farmed salmon to exceed the allowable lifetime cancer risk 100 times over!

Worse still, is that PCBs are actually increasing in our seafood supply. Although these chemicals have been banned for many years, the EPA found that PCBs increased 177% in seafood samples between 1993 and 2003.
 
Choosing Safe, Healthy Seafood

The good news is that you can largely protect yourself from the dangers of PCBs, while still enjoying delicious seafood. Here’s how:

1. Always choose wild seafood. By law, all fish must be marked wild or farm-raised.
2. Opt for short-lived species that are relatively low in the food chain (ie- salmon, cod, sablefish, shellfish and sardines)
3. If you do choose to eat larger, long-living species such as tuna and halibut, pick only younger, smaller members. The longer a fish has lived, the more pollutants it has accumulated over time.

 ____________________________________

ED NOTE: Kelley Herring is the Founder
and Editor of Healing Gourmet – the leading
provider of organic, sustainable recipes
and meal plans for health and weight loss.
Be sure to grab your free copies of Eating
Clean & Saving Green: Your Guide to Organic Foods on a Budget and Eat Your Way Into Shape: Flip Your Body’s Fat Blasting Switch and Melt 12 Pounds in 2 Weeks (with a delicious 7-day meal plan!).
Claim your free copies here...

 ____________________________________

A recent article about Alzheimer’s in a major health publication stated that “Age is the biggest risk factor for the disease.” The author was referring to the fact that the prevalence of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years in people over 65.

The same is true for most chronic diseases (including macular degeneration, cancer, heart disease and others). Their prevalence increases as we grow older. But this is merely a correlation. Age itself is not the “cause” of these diseases.

Degenerative diseases have very little to do with chronological aging. Instead, they are the long-term ramification of unhealthy choices. It is the end result of chronic stress, poor nutrition and toxic overload that occurs over a long period of time.

But here’s the good news: There is a lot you can do right now to protect health (and your memory) tomorrow. And the first step to protecting your memory into your golden years is to dramatically reduce your sugar intake.

Type 3 Diabetes: The Blood Sugar Connection to Alzheimer’s

Did you know that insulin isn’t just produced in the pancreas… but also in the brain?

It’s true. And just as the cells of the pancreas wear out over time due to excess levels of sugar in the diet, it can also cause brain cells to deteriorate insulin receptors there to malfunction. This can lead to those embarrassing “senior moments”… and potentially Alzheimer’s.  

In fact, researchers from Brown Medical School

are now calling Alzheimer’s “Type 3 Diabetes” and link the disease to impaired blood sugar metabolism. When these researchers looked at the brain tissue of 45 Alzheimer’s patients, they found abnormal protein deposits that were similar to those found in the pancreases of diabetic patients.

It’s no wonder that people with diabetes have a 65% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s!
 
Balance Your Blood Sugar, Protect Your BrainEating a low sugar, low glycemic diet is the best way to lose weight, reduce cravings, boost mood, reduce inflammation and balance hormones.

It also happens to be one of the best ways to reduce the risk of chronic disease – including Alzheimer’s.

Eating less sugar equates to better brain health by reducing inflammation.

Low glycemic foods - like vegetables, leafy greens, wild seafood, grass-fed meats and nuts -  enter the bloodstream at a slower rate than higher glycemic foods - like grains, starches and sweets. Delaying the entry of carbohydrates into the bloodstream reduces the production of insulin, which in turn, reduces the generation of an inflammatory compound called arachidonic acid.

But you don’t have to know all the chemistry behind the glycemic index and how inflammation works in the body to get the brain-protecting benefits of a low glycemic diet.

Simply base your meals around leafy greens, bright colored non-starchy vegetables, grass-fed meats, pastured poultry and wild fish to keep your body and brain in tip top shape – at any age!

Taking Calcium without Magnesium Is a Health Risk

Written By:
Carolyn Dean, MD, ND

In 2011 the NIH reported that approximately 43% of the U.S. population (including almost 70% of older women) use dietary supplements containing calcium. What’s not said is that without balancing their calcium with proper amounts of magnesium, they may be at risk.

There is a growing amount of scientific evidence pointing to high calcium–low magnesium intake leading to calcification, or hardening, of arteries (atherosclerosis—the number one cause of death in the US), osteoporosis and osteoporotic bone fractures. A 2011 British Medical Journal study showed a higher risk of heart disease and stroke in women taking calcium supplements.

Most people, and the majority of MDs, do not understand certain key facts about calcium and its sister mineral, magnesium:

• Typically, less than half of calcium intake is actually absorbed in the gut. Of the remainder, some is excreted (but causes constipation on the way out), and the rest helps to form kidney stones, gallstones, heel spurs, atherosclerotic plaque in artery walls, and breast calcifications.

• Magnesium stimulates the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones, all the while lowering the likelihood of osteoporosis, some forms of arthritis, heart attack and kidney stones.

• Adequate levels of magnesium are essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and vitamin D. Magnesium actually converts vitamin D into its active form.

• Recommendations for calcium intake vary greatly. In the United States, adults are told to take 1,000 mg per day and women over 50 are told to take up to

 1,500 mg. In the United Kingdom, the RDA is 700 mg daily, while the World Health Organization recommends only 400–500 mg.

Often supplementation is taken without consideration for the amount of calcium in the diet both from food sources and from water (some tap and mineral waters). Many people, especially those consuming dairy products, have high-calcium diets. This can lead to a greater amount of unabsorbed calcium unopposed by magnesium

The commonly accepted ratio of 2:1 calcium to magnesium found in many cal-mag supplements traces back to the French scientist Dr. Jean Durlach, who stipulated the 2:1 ratio as an outermost not-to-be-exceeded level when considering calcium intake from all sources (food, water and supplements). This has been largely misunderstood and has been taken instead as an outright recommendation.

The fact that most people do not get their minimum daily requirement of magnesium exacerbates the situation. The high calcium–low magnesium diet of most Americans when coupled with calcium supplementation can give a Ca to Mg imbalance of 4: or 5:1 or higher, which constitutes a walking time bomb of impaired bone health, compromised muscles and nerves, and heart disease.

Magnesium is a "safer" product than calcium because it is excreted more completely and doesn’t build up in the body. Most people can supplement with magnesium citrate powder orally and get positive results. The easily obtainable Natural Calm is the one I recommend. Building up to 300 mg twice a day is a good treatment dose, and sipping it in water throughout the day keeps it from causing any laxative effects.

The only people who should avoid self-administering of magnesium are those with heart block (the type that requires a pacemaker), myasthenia gravis (because their muscles are already too relaxed), bowel obstruction, and people on kidney dialysis.

Vitamin D Deficiency High Among Trauma Patients

Researchers have linked a lack of vitamin D with muscle weakness, bone fractures, and the inability of bones to fully heal. In a new study, investigators sought to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among orthopaedic trauma patients.

Investigators reviewed the medical records of 1,830 adult (ages 18 and older) patients at a university Level 1 trauma center from Jan. 1, 2009 to Sept. 30, 2010. Participants with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/mL were categorized as "deficient," and those with levels between 20 and 32 ng/mL, "insufficient" (levels between 40 and 70 ng/mL are considered "healthy").

Thirty-nine percent of all patients were vitamin D deficient, and another 38.4 percent had insufficient levels of vitamin D. Patients ages 18 to 25 had the lowest levels of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency of any age group, and yet 29 percent were deficient, and 54.7 percent, insufficient.

"Vitamin D deficiency affects patients of all ages and is more prevalent than we thought it was," said Brett D. Crist, MD, lead investigator and co-director of the Orthopaedic Trauma

With the new data showing that a significant number of patients have deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D, physicians should consider treating fracture patients with a supplement to ensure optimal outcome, said Dr. Crist, who provides vitamin D and calcium supplements to all trauma patients in his care, except to those patients for whom higher levels of calcium are not recommended.

"Although we've gone to treating most patients with weekly high dose vitamin D, in addition to daily vitamin D and calcium, continual monitoring of vitamin D levels is important," said Dr. Crist. Vitamin D deficiency is "easy to manage," and "can prevent future fractures and improve healing of current fractures."

It is extremely difficult to naturally obtain enough vitamin D. An adult needs at least 1,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D (10 glasses of milk and one fish meal each day), and a child, 400 to 800 IUs for good health, depending on age, weight and growth.

Glutathione May Reduce Symptoms of Aging

It’s no surprise that the body changes with age. Movements become more difficult, and it’s easy to worry about pain and injury. Older adults have been shown to have reduced concentrations of glutathione.  By taking cysteine and glycine, glutathione may be regained to young adult levels.

Glutathione protects the body’s overall immunity by being a powerful defense mechanism in its antioxidant properties, acting as a shield barrier. Glutathione is made from three amino acids: glutamate, cysteine and glycine. Glutathione levels decrease with age and may be replenished with a cysteine and glycine supplement.  A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition measured the effects of glycine among younger and elderly subjects. 16 individuals were divided into two groups based on their age range of 60-75

and 30-40. The 60-75 age group had lowered concentrations of glycine and cysteine compared to the other group. After this group received additional cysteine and glycine, glutathione levels significantly increased while decreasing oxidative stress.  Due to natural declines in giutathione as we age, it may be important to consider taking supplemental cysteine and glycine.

Sekhar R, Patel S, Guthikonda A, Reid M, Balasubramanyam A, Taffe G, and Jahoor F. “Deficient Synthesis of Glutathione Underlies

Oxidative Stress in Aging and Can Be Corrected by Dietary Cysteine and Glycine Supplementation.” The American Journal

of Clinical Nutrition. American Society for Nutrition. Web. 25 Aug. 2011.

Omega-3s and Heart Health

Vitamin E & C Protected Against Pre-Eclampsia in Pregnancy

Researchers conducted randomized trials in 283 at-risk pregnant women taking 400 IU of
natural-source vitamin E with 1000 mg of

Probiotics may reduce anxiety and depression, suggests study

By Nathan Gray, 30-Aug-2011

Related topics: Health and nutritional ingredients, Science

Probiotic bacteria may have the potential to alter brain neurochemistry, affecting anxiety and depression-related disorders, says new research.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrated that mice fed with Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 showed significantly fewer stress, anxiety and depression-related behaviours than those fed with just broth.

Moreover, the research team, led by Professor John Cryan at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre in University College Cork, Ireland, reported that ingestion of the bacteria resulted in significantly lower levels of the stress-induced hormone, corticosterone.

“This study identifies potential brain targets and a pathway through which certain gut organisms can alter mouse brain chemistry and behaviour,” said Cryan.

“These findings highlight the important role that gut bacteria play in the bidirectional 

Gut-brain interactions

The authors noted the increasing, but largely indirect, evidence pointing to an effect of the gut microbiota on the central nervous system.

“Together, these findings highlight the important role of bacteria in the bidirectional communication of the gut–brain axis and suggest that certain organisms may prove to be useful therapeutic adjuncts in stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression,” they added.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1102999108
“Ingestion of Lactobacillus strain regulates emotional behavior and central GABA receptor expression in a mouse via the vagus nerve”
Authors: J.A. Bravo, P. Forsythe, M.V. Chew, E. Escaravage, H.M. Savignac, et al

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Shown To Prevent Or Slow Progression Of Osteoarthritis

Exposure to BPA Has Been Underestimated, New MU Research Says

Results indicate BPA accumulates more rapidly within the body than previously thought

June 06, 2011

Story Contact(s):
Steven Adams, AdamsST@missouri.edu, 573 882-8353

Cheryl Rosenfeld, associate professor in biomedical sciences and Bond Life Sciences investigator, found BPA in diet has been underestimated by previous lab tests.

This is the first study to examine concentrations of BPA in any animal models after exposure through a regular, daily diet, which is a better method to mirror the chronic and continuous exposure to BPA that occurs in animals and humans. Cheryl Rosenfeld, associate professor in biomedical sciences and Bond Life Sciences investigator, is the corresponding lead author of the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives on June 6.

The authors continuously exposed the mice to BPA through their feed, which is considered the primary route of exposure to this chemical in animals and humans. In previous studies examining the effects of BPA, mice were exposed to BPA only through a one-time administration. Following the exposure through the diet, a significantly greater increase in the active form of BPA, which is the greatest threat as it is the form that can bind to sex steroid receptors and exert adverse effects, was absorbed and accumulated in the animals.

“People are primarily and unknowingly exposed to BPA through the diet because of the various plastic and paper containers used to store our

The study notes that more than 8 billion pounds of BPA are produced every year, and more than 90 percent of people in the United States have measurable amounts of BPA in their bodies.

“We believe that these mouse model studies where the BPA exposure is through the diet is a more accurate representation of what happens to BPA as the human body attempts to processes this toxic substance,” said Rosenfeld. “When BPA is taken through the food, the active form may remain in the body for a longer period of time than when it is provided through a single treatment, which does not reflect the continuous exposure that occurs in animal and human populations. We need to study this further to determine where the ingested BPA becomes concentrated and subsequently released back into the bloodstream to be distributed throughout the body.”

The study, “Comparison of Serum Bisphenol A Concentrations in Mice Exposed to Bisphenol A through the Diet versus Oral Bolus Exposure,” is available online starting June 6.

Funding from this study came from a National Institute of Environmental Health and Sciences challenge grant program that was established to investigate the biological effects of exposure to BPA.

The Sun IS Your Sunscreen

Dear Health-Conscious Reader,

Corporations would have you believe the sun is a cancer-causing ball of radiation threatening our planet.  But the fact is, the sun protects you from cancer. It enhances your health and is vital to your well-being.

One of the most important ways the sun protects you is through your skin, which makes vitamin D from its ultraviolet type B rays. And it’s vitamin D that keeps you from getting not just skin cancer, but more than a dozen others.

Here’s the proof in black and white:

• • A study by the journal Anticancer Research says very clearly that the more you make vitamin D from UVB rays, the lower your chances are of dying from 15 kinds of cancer. (1)

• • Another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that vitamin D can lower the chance you’ll get cancer by 77 percent. (2)

• • The European Journal of Cancer looked at cancer rates all over the world. Their study says plainly that vitamin D production in the skin decreases the likelihood you’ll get any of these cancers: stomach, colorectal, liver and gallbladder, pancreas, lung, breast, prostate, bladder and kidney cancers.(3)

• • A study done for the journal Nature shows that the active form of vitamin D (calcitriol or D3), and its derivative vitamin D2, both cause skin cancer cells to die.(4)

• • And did you know that people who work outside like construction workers, roofers and lifeguards have a much lower risk of skin cancer than those who work inside? (5)

I could go on …

Meanwhile, if you followed conventional medical advice, you’d be putting sunscreen all over your body.  But sunscreen lowers your body’s ability to make vitamin D by up to 95 percent.

Today, I’m going to show you how to let the sun work with your body to prevent cancer. Keep reading to find out what’s really in sunscreens, when you should use sun protection and safe ways to help prevent sunburns.

We Were Made to Live Under the Sun

If you’ve been to a doctor, turned on the television, been on the Internet, or read a magazine lately, you’ve probably heard some formof this message:

“The sun causes cancer. If you’re going outside, wear sunscreen no matter what. No excuses.”

Does it seem as though scientists think nature must be wrong? I get the feeling they think millennia of trial and error resulted in a mistake with our survival. And even worse, that we need some kind of intervention – some synthetic chemicals – to make it right again.
The truth is, your body already has everything it needs to properly protect itself from the sun’s UV rays. The real problem isn’t the sun. It’s that you might not spend enough time outdoors to trigger these natural defenses.

Let me explain...

Your native ancestors survived outdoors just fine. They lived and worked in the sun’s rays every day. They didn’t use sunscreen and they didn’t burn themselves to a crisp or die off from diseases caused by the sun.

Why? Because our bodies are designed perfectly to live in our natural environment.

When you’re out in the sun, your body itself takes action. Besides making vitamin D, which I talked about earlier, your body also starts to produce another natural protectant. A built-in sun block called melanin.

Melanin is what causes your skin to darken or tan. And with just a little bit of sunshine every day – 20 minutes if you have light skin and up to three times longer if your skin is darker – you’re stimulating melanin production.

By slowly developing this basic darkening, you allow yourself even more time in the sun without risk of burning.

Sunscreen – A Toxic Skin Cocktail

Corporations and modern doctors want you to put on sunscreen to block UVB rays. We’ve already seen how this affects vitamin D production. But sunscreen has another effect. It delivers chemicals and known carcinogens into your skin…chemicals that are banned in other countries.

One of the main chemicals used in sunscreens to filter out UVB light is octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC).

OMC can be found in 90 percent of sunscreens on the market even though studies found it can kill mouse cells – even at extremely low doses. And it becomes even more toxic when it’s exposed to sunlight. Other harmful chemicals include benzophenone and avobenzone.  These attack the cells in your body causing premature aging. They are also estrogen mimics that can create hormonal imbalances, cause allergic reactions and skin irritation, and are known to promote the onset of breast cancer.(6)

And there’s plenty more. Below is a chart of some of the common chemicals found in sunscreen that you should avoid.

It’s Tough to Get Enough

The problem is that even if you have the best intentions, there are a dozen other obstacles in the modern world besides sunscreen that keep you from getting enough sunshine:

1. We wear clothing.
2. We don’t migrate with the sun.
3. We don’t live near the equator.
4. We work inside during the day.
5. We drive cars that block the sun.

And during the winter months, it’s not uncommon – even if you live in a warm, sunny climate like I do in South Florida – to get less sunshine just because the days are shorter.  When that happens, you produce less melanin, and become more sensitive to the sun when you are exposed.

You’ll need to be careful until melanin production kicks in again and can help prevent your skin from burning.

Fortunately, there are ways you can help defend your skin until you can get more sunshine without chemical sunscreens:

1. One way to help your skin is to boost the three nutrients your body uses to produce its master antioxidant, SOD (superoxide dismutase). SOD is your best defense against harmful molecules that attack your skin.  The best food for this job is blueberries. You probably know blueberries are good for your brain, and that they have beta carotene and lots of vitamins. But the real power of the blueberry is that it has all three co-factors for SOD – copper, zinc and manganese. Eat a cup of blueberries every day, especially during the winter, and you’ll be doing your skin a big favor.
2. Another excellent skin-defender is any food that has the omega-3 EPA. In one study of using omega-3 to reduce ultraviolet radiation sensitivity, researchers found that EPA supplementation reduces sensitivity to UV rays by 36 percent. And the chemical changes to skin induced by UV radiation exposure were cut in half.(7) The study concluded: “Longer-term [EPA] supplementation might reduce skin cancer in humans.”  The best sources for EPA are small, cold-water fish like herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardines. Eggs and grass-fed beef also are good sources. Grass-fed beef has double the omega-3s of grain-fed beef.  In addition, you can get omega-3s in some plant-based sources like Sacha Inchi nuts, butternuts, walnuts and chia seeds. But these omega-3s are in the form of alpha linolenic acid, which then has to be converted to EPA in the body.
3. If you are going to be out in the sun for a long time, and you haven’t had a chance to let your body generate enough melanin to darken you up a bit, you should use a natural sunscreen. Choose one made from natural ingredients like zinc oxide. It’s been used all over the world for over 75 years as a safe sunscreen. And unlike chemical sunscreens that absorb ultraviolet light, zinc oxide sits on top of your skin to reflect and scatter UV rays.

Zinc oxide works even better when you add shea butter. That way, your pores won’t clog and you’ll add extra moisture to keep your skin smooth.

To Your Good Health,
 
Al Sears, MD
___________________________________________________________

Sources:

1 Grant, W.B. et al, “The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates,” Anticancer Research 2006; 26:2687-2700
2 Lappe, J.M., et al, “Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of a randomized trial,” Am. J. Clin. Nutr. June 2007;85(6):1586-91
3 Tuohimaa, P., et al, “Does solar exposure, as indicated by the non-melanoma skin cancers, protect from solid cancers: vitamin D as a possible explanation,” Eur. J. Cancer July 2007;43(11):1701-12
4 Danielsson, C., et al, “Differential apoptotic response of human melanoma cells to 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogues,” Cell Death Differ. 1998; 5:946
5 Elwood, J.M., et al, “Cutaneous Melanoma in Relation to Intermittent and Constant Sun Exposure – The Western Canada Melanoma Study,” Int. J. Cancer 1985;35:427
6 Hanson, K., et al, “Sunscreen enhancement of UV-induced reactive oxygen species in the skin,” Free Radical Biology & Medicine 2006
7 Rhodes, Lesley E., et al, “Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on UVR-related cancer risk in humans,” Carcinogenesis March 2003; 24 (5): 919-925

Nearly half of meat and poultry—47 percent—sold at U.S. grocery stores is infected with Staphylococcus aureusbacteria. And more than half of those bacteria are resistant to three classes of antibiotics, according to a new study.

To get these results, researchers collected and analyzed 136 samples — covering 80 brands — of beef, chicken, pork and turkey from 26 retail grocery stores in five U.S. cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Flagstaff and Washington, D.C. Through DNA testing, researchers found that the food animals were the major source of contamination.

“The fact that drug-resistant S. aureus was so prevalent, and likely came from the food animals themselves, is troubling, and demands attention to how antibiotics are used in food-animal production today,” said Lance B. Price, PhD, senior author of the study and Director of TGen’s Center for Food Microbiology and Environmental Health, in a release.

Antibiotic use on food animals concerns health officials because this practice is contributing to the rising number of antibiotic-resistant strains of disease in humans. “Scientists have found that the abuse of antibiotics—namely the sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics to prevent illness when there is overcrowding, not the treatment of an infection—has resulted in antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said Barbara Haumann, senior writer/editor for the Brattleboro, Vt-based Organic Trade Association. “This means that antibiotics for use in treating human illness are becoming less effective, and, in some cases, totally ineffective. This is a serious issue.”

The Cambridge, Mass.-based Union of Concerned Scientistshas said that agricultural use accounts for 70 percent of all antibiotics used in the U.S., and this practice “provides resistant bacteria with a direct route into people’s kitchens.” In December 2010, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration estimated that 29 million pounds of antibiotics were sold for livestock use in 2009. In June 2010, the FDA released a policy statement recommending that agricultural uses of antibiotics should be limited to assuring animal health. According to the OTA, conventional meat producers feed animals antibiotics “to compensate for overcrowding and unsanitary conditions” and to promote weight gain and feed efficiency.

The U.S. government routinely surveys retail meat and poultry for four types of drug-resistant bacteria, but S. aureus is not among them, reported the study authors. The types of health problems linked to S. aureus range from mild skin infections to life-threatening diseases, such as pneumonia and blood poisoning, according to the National Institutes of Health.

What to do at the farm

Some meat advocacy organizations criticized the small sample size and the funding source for the study. The research was supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts as part of The Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming, which is working to phase out theoveruse of the drugs in food animal production. Also, the Washington, D.C.-based American Meat Institute pointed out that “these bacteria are destroyed through normal cooking procedures,” and, thus, aren’t necessarily a health risk.

“They’re right,” said Charles Benbrook, PhD, chief scientist for the Boulder, Colo.-based The Organic Center. “Adequately cooking meat definitely reduces the risk of contamination.” However, Benbrook noted that if people aren’t careful about cleaning cutting boards or the containers in which they store meat, a high-risk situation can result. “Let’s face it, people are busy and aren’t as careful as they should be," Benbrook said. "Sometimes juices and blood get around the kitchen. That’s where the risk is. That bacteria can hang around the fridge and get picked up by raw foods.” Or, let’s say you touched raw meat while making a meal and failed to thoroughly clean your hands. If you then prepared your baby’s bottle, the bacteria could infect the child. If this bacteria is resistant to antibiotics, any resulting sickness could be untreatable. 

A long-term fix, according to Benbrook, begins on the farm. The first step is to end the creation of new antibiotic-resistant genes on livestock farms. “We know how to do this: Stop using sub-therapeutic antibiotics on farms,” Benbrook said. To ensure that meat has been produced without antibiotics, retailers and consumers can choose products bearing the organic label, according to the OTA. These certified organic operations are federally regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The next step is to promote animal health and reduce stress, so the animals’ immune systems can handle bacteria that are a normal part of environment. “Conventional agriculture has gone overboard in maximizing the speed of animal growth,” Benbrook said. “Sure, the animals put on a lot of fat and grow fast, but they’re not healthy, and they’re susceptible to bacteria. Whether conventional or organic, farmers have to place a higher premium on healthy animal development.”

And the last step is to prevent cross-contamination of meat at the slaughterhouse, which can spread antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

What to do at the store

“Choosing foods bearing the organic label is the only way consumers can be sure meats and dairy products they buy have been produced without the use of antibiotics,” according to the OTA’s position paper on the issue.

Beyond being free of antibiotics, Diana Crane, spokesperson for Seattle-based PCC Natural Markets, said that “organic meats are ‘cleaner’—meaning free of harmful bacteria—than nonorganic meats.” As evidence, she pointed to a 2010 study published by Consumer Reports, which found that the store-brand organic chickens the magazine tested never had salmonella.

PCC is a certified organic retailer that sells antibiotic-free, organic beef and poultry, none of which come from CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations)—a situation “that contributes to the need for antibiotics and the spread of infection,” Crane said. The store staff educate shoppers on PCC standards and practices related to raw meat sourcing through the retailer’s website, monthly newspaper and in-store signage.

To take action on this issue, retailers and consumers can join PCC and other groups in their support of the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (H.R. 1549/S. 619). If passed, the PAMTA would require the FDA to review approvals for animal feed uses of seven classes of antibiotics that are viewed as important to human medicine. Approvals could be reversed for antibiotics the FDA finds are overused, resulting in antibiotic resistance

House Advances Budget With Significant Cuts to FDA

by Helena Bottemiller | May 25, 2011

system limited and called for more testing, as
the most recent example of why Congress should support strengthening FDA's oversight of food products.

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), chair of the subcommittee, emphasized the austere budget circumstances in which Congress is operating. It's "been tight for all of us," he said. "We have tried our best to focus on waste and duplication."

Consumer and regulatory advocates blasted the proposal as a threat to public health.

"FDA is a pre-eminent public health agency that assures that our food supply is safe and that drugs, vaccines and medical devices are safe and effective," said Christopher Waldrop, an Alliance for a Stronger FDA board member and director of the Consumer Federation of America's Food Policy Institute. "Multiple times every day, Americans use products for which FDA has oversight responsibilities. There is no back-up if the agency isn't there."
 
"FDA's job is much like national defense - -essential to our nation's well-being --- and providing protection that is too often taken for granted until a crisis occurs," said Richard Buckley, who also serves on the board for the Allaince, and is VP of Federal Government Affairs, at AstraZeneca. "Now is not the time to cut the FDA, even with economic pressures to decrease the deficit. A strong FDA is welcomed by the industries it oversees and spurs innovation that drives our economy."

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are Inversely Associated with Triglyceride Levels

A study investigated the association of omega-3 serum levels and triglyceride levels in Caucasian- American men, Japanese men, and Japanese- American men. The results of the study revealed that participants across all three groups with elevated concentrations of EPA and DHA in blood cell membranes also had lower triglycer­ide concentrations and blood lipid levels. The participants with increased levels of omega-3s achieved these levels through dietary and supplemental omega-3 fatty acid intake and the study was appropriately adjusted for factors

including age, body mass index, smoking history, and alcohol consumption. Since elevated levels of triglycerides are associated with coronary heart disease, the study also suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may have potential in reducing overall mortality.

Motoyama, K.R., Curb, J.D., Kadowaki, T., El-Saed, A., Abbott, R.D., Okamura, T., Evans, R.W., Nakamura, Y., Sutton-Tyrrell, K., Rodriquez, B.L., Kadota, A., Edmundowicz, D., Willcox, B.J., Choo, J., Katsumi, N., Otake, T., Kadowaki, S., Kuller, L.H., Ueshima, H., & Sekikawa, A. (2009). As­sociation of serum n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with lipids in three populations of middle-aged men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90:49-55.

Fish Oil Supplementation and Regular Exercise and its

Effect on CVD Risk Factors

Obesity trends in our country are on the rise, and this excess weight is often associated with many cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This study aimed to design an interven­tion that targeted these risk factors. Subjects were instructed to use omega-3 supplements and regular aerobic exercise, alone or in combination, for three months. After the three-month trial, results were analyzed based on the effects each treatment had on the individuals’ body composition and CVD risk factors.

The results of this study found that regular fish oil supplementation of a moderate dose that was high in DHA improved many of the subjects’ risk factors including plasma triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and flow mediated dilatation (which is a measure of the diameter of the brachial artery). The results of the study also revealed that both fish oil supplementation and regular exercise helped to reduce overall body fat in test subjects.

Hill AM, Buckley JD, Murphy KJ, & Howe PRC. Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;8k5:1267-1274

Eating your vegetables was a lot better for you in the 1950's. Veggies weren't as pretty then, but they had a lot more vitamins and minerals than their modern counterparts. Today's crops are bred for size and color-not nutrients.

USDA data shows that compared to fifty years ago: Tomatoes have 58% less calcium, 46% less vitamin A, and almost a third less iron.  Carrots have 40% less iron. Broccoli has less than half the amount of vitamin A and calcium.

Vitamin E & C Reduced Inflammation after Knee Surgery

Researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute in Oregon conducted a clinical trial to determine whether supplementation with vitamins E and C prior to knee surgery of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) would have an anti-inflammatory effect.  Inflammation after ACL surgery is known to increase muscle atrophy (wasting), and vitamins E and C have been proven to exert anti-inflammatory effects.

 Nineteen patients scheduled for ACL surgery were instructed to consume 400 IU of natural vitamin E and 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily, or placebo, from two weeks prior up until 12 weeks after surgery (supplements provided by Carlson Laboratories).  Blood samples were taken before supplementation and then again at various points after surgery to compare inflammatory markers and vitamin concentrations in active and placebo groups.

 A difference in blood IL-10 concentrations (IL-10 is an anti-inflammatory cytokine that is produced by the body in response to inflammation) was observed between the active and placebo groups after surgery.  Higher levels of IL-10 are indicative of more severe oxidative stress.  The vitamin E and C group experienced a significantly small rise in IL-10 than the placebo group 90 minutes after surgery, suggesting that vitamins E and C had reduced inflammation and decreased the body’s requirement for this natural anti-inflammatory compound. 

This reduction in IL-10 may theoretically result in a reduction in muscle loss in the active group.  An additional summary analyzing the data at 12 weeks post-surgery will be published at a later date to clarify this issue.

 At the same time a reduction in IL-10 levels was observed in the active group, a significant drop in blood vitamin C levels was also witnessed.  The study authors propose that this drop in vitamin C reflects its use as an anti-inflammatory mediator, thereby blunting the full IL-10 response.

 Further studies are warranted to better elucidate this anti-inflammatory response of vitamins E and C after surgery.

Baker T, Leonard SW, et al.  Modulation of inflammation by vitamin E and C supplementation prior to anterior cruciate ligament surgery.  Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 2009;46:599-606.

Toxic Chemical In Canned Food?

In 2009, the nonprofit Consumers Union found BPA in over 90% of the canned foods it tested, including Progresso Vegetable Soup, Annie's Home Grown Organic Cheesy Ravioli, Similac Advanced Infant Formula, Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup and many other popular products.  This chemical does not belong in our food. Shop For the Good of It for quality, non-toxic, safe and healthy food.

Warning on Arthritis Drugs

Federal regulators added stronger warnings to a group of best selling drugs used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, saying they can increase the risk of cancer in children and adolescents.

 After more than a year of review, Food and Drug Administration scientists said the drugs appear to increase beyond 2 ½ years. 

The agency studied several dozen reports of cancer in children taking the drugs, some of which were fatal.  Half the cases were lymphomas, a cancer that attacks the immune system.

 The FDA will bolster the “black box” warning on the five drugs sold in the U.S., including Abbott Laboratories Humira, Johnson & Johnson’s Remicade and Simponi, and Enbrel, which is co-marketed by Amgen Inc. and Wyeth.

CoQ10 Improves Blood Vessel Function in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

CoQ₁₀ is required for energy production and also functions as an antioxidant in cell membranes and blood lipids.  Statin therapy, often prescribed for patients elevated cholesterol levels, can reduce CoQ₁₀ production, and lower blood levels of CoQ₁₀.  Statins inhibit the cholesterol-producing enzyme that also produces CoQ₁₀.  People on statin therapy often take coenzyme Q₁₀ to maintain blood levels to support energy levels, and to prevent muscular discomfort associated with statin use.

A recent study suggests that CoQ₁₀ may also improve cardiovascular health by improving endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes on statin therapy.  The endothelium lines the inside surface of blood vessels and is involved in the regulation of blood flow.

Increased dilation (relaxation) of a blood vessel in response to increased blood flow is called flow mediated dilation (FMD), and this process is impaired in endothelial dysfunction. Researchers gave statin-treated type 2 diabetes patients either 200mg of CoQ₁₀ daily or placebo for 12 weeks.  These patients also had endothelial dysfunction.  The researchers measured flow mediated dilation (FMD) before and after the treatment with CoQ₁₀ or placebo.  The results showed an improved FMD score in patients given CoQ₁₀.  The researcher concluded that “CoQ₁₀ supplementation improved endothelial dysfunction in statin-treated diabetic patients, possibly by altering local vascular oxidative stress.”

Call for Truth in Trans Fats Labeling by the FDA

Published: Monday, January 3, 2011 - 09:30 in Health & Medicine

Did you know that when you pick up a product promoted as trans fat free, you may still be ingesting a significant amount of this potentially harmful substance? An article by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine student Eric Brandt, published in the January/February 2011 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, reveals that misleading labeling practices can result in medically significant intake of harmful trans fat, despite what you read on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved labels. Indeed, consumers' inability to identify high-risk foods may cause individuals to exceed the daily recommended value of 1.11 grams of trans fat from processed foods and lead to adverse long-term health side effects. Ingestion of trans fat is a known public health concern. Top national health organizations, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and American Heart Association, suggest trans fats be ingested in limited quantities. However, current FDA labeling protocol and policy prevents the public from accessing the true amount of trans fat contained in their food products.

Current law requires that fat content of greater than five grams be listed in one gram increments, less than five grams be listed in .5 gram increments, and lower than .5 grams as containing zero grams of fat. Meaning, if a product has .49 grams of trans fat, the label can list the trans fat content as zero, thus masking a significant amount of trans fat that can exceed recommended limits and potentially lead to various adverse health effects.

In an effort to adhere to its mission and responsibility in "helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to maintain and improve their health," Brandt recommends the FDA revise its labeling protocol in order to prevent misleading the public about the amount of trans fat they are consuming. He recommends the FDA require food labels to report trans fat content in smaller increments, enabling consumers to recognize significant levels of trans fat in food products and allow one to properly manage their consumption. The suggested change will increase awareness of accurate food trans fat content, empower informed food choices, and improve public health outcomes.

BIGGEST EGG SELLER RECALLS EGGS AFTER SALMONELLA FOUND

By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Writer 11/9/10

WASHINGTON — Evidence of salmonella has been found at an Ohio egg farm that's received financing from the owner of an Iowa egg farm that was behind a massive recall earlier this year.

Cal-Maine Foods (CALM), the nation's biggest egg seller and distributor, said it is recalling 288,000 eggs the company had purchased from supplier Ohio Fresh Eggs after a test showed salmonella at the Ohio farm.

No illnesses have been reported. According to Cal-Maine Foods, the Ohio Fresh eggs were distributed to food wholesalers and retailers in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

The eggs were sold under the following labels:

• Sunny Meadow,

• Springfield Grocer,

• Sun Valley,

• James Farm.

RECALL: UPC codes and more info on recalled products

In a statement from company officials, Ohio Fresh Eggs said the farm had held back eggs from the Croton, Ohio, barn where the salmonella was found. However, through discussions with the FDA, the company discovered that some eggs from that barn were mistakenly sent to a distributor.
 

"Ohio Fresh Eggs sincerely regrets the error made on our farm, and we apologize to our customer and to consumers who may have purchased the eggs," the officials said. "We are redoubling our efforts to ensure thorough and ongoing training of our workers so that this situation is not repeated."

Cal-Maine Foods said the FDA told them about the positive sample.

Earlier this year, salmonella was found on two Iowa egg farms, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. The two companies recalled 550 million eggs in August when the products were linked to as many as 1,600 illnesses.

Austin "Jack" DeCoster owns Wright County Egg and has lent money to Ohio Fresh Eggs.

Ohio officials said DeCoster hid behind other farmers to get permits for the company in 2004. The permits listed two men who had put up just $10,000 apiece while DeCoster had pumped $126 million into the four farms, according to testimony in an administrative proceeding there. At the time, DeCoster had already been labeled a "habitual violator" of environmental laws in Iowa.

Ohio officials yanked the permits after learning about that, but an environmental appeals panel overturned that decision.

DeCoster has often tangled with the government. He has paid millions of dollars in state and federal fines over at least two decades for health, safety, immigration and environmental violations at his farms.

Spearmint Tea: Possible Treatment for Mild Hirsutism
(Excessive Hair Growth on the Human Body)

Bring Back Breakfast
A wholesome breakfast consisting of high-fiber foods such as whole grains, fresh fruit and steel-cut oats, as well as lean protein gives kids the fuel they need to start their day and stay energized.   Studies show that children who eat breakfast perform better in school and are less likely to have behavioral problems.

mood swings, irritability and behavioral problems. Most experts agree that school-age kids should get at least 9 to 12 hours of sleep every night.

Essential Supplements
A healthy body begins with good digestion, so it’s important that kids get the nutrients they need to digest their food properly and eliminate waste effectively and efficiently. Daily supplementation with fiber, probiotics and digestive enzymes can help kids get the nutritional support they need for better digestion and overall health.

Vitamin D Tied to Parkinson's Disease

People with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease ... and metabolic syndrome, which predicts diabetes and cardiovascular disease
by Craig Weatherby  

Vitamin D continues a run of positive research … a string of successes attributable to its unique, hormone-like nature and long-overlooked role in sustaining many vital bodily functions.

The results of two new studies add weight to researchers’ urgent calls to raise the recommended daily allowances for vitamin D.

First, a diet-health population study from the Netherlands supports prior indications that vitamin D helps deter key players in the cluster of six unhealthful blood fat, body fat, sugar control, and other signs called "metabolic syndrome" or MetS.

The Dutch team found that the people with the lowest vitamin D levels were 40 percent more likely to develop MetS, which raises the risk of developing diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.

Second, a population study from Finland found that the participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D were three times as likely to develop Parkinson’s.

Conversely, the Finnish volunteers with the highest vitamin D blood levels were two-thirds (67 percent) less likely to develop the brain disease. 

The current US RDA for people from infancy through age 50 is only 200 IU, and a skimpy 400 IU for people aged 51 to 70.  

Even with sun exposure considered “adequate” for internal manufacture of vitamin D – which often proves inadequate – these dietary amounts are proven unable to raise blood levels into the range associated with optimal health (80-120 nmol/L or 35-48 ng/mL). 

Most researchers call for the RDA to be raised to at least 1,000 IU and many recommend an adult RDA of 2,000 IU or more.

Let’s take a quick look at both studies.

High vitamin D levels linked to lower Parkinson’s risk

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative condition that impairs movement and balance and afflicts more than one million Americans annually … a figure expected to rise as the baby boom generation ages.

The disease affects nerve cells in several parts of the brain, particularly those that use the chemical messenger dopamine to control movement.

An epidemiological (diet-health) study by researchers from Helsinki, Finland was the first to look for associations between people’s vitamin D levels and their risk for developing Parkinson’s disease (Knekt P et al. 2010).

The Finnish team employed blood tests to confirm people’s vitamin D levels in 3,173 Finnish men and women aged between 50 and 79.

Over an unusually lengthy 29 year study period, the researchers documented 50 cases of Parkinson's disease, and found that the participants with the lowest levels of vitamin D were three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s, compared to those with the highest levels..

Why would vitamin D deter the brain disease?

We know that cells in the part of the brain affected most by Parkinson's, called the substantia nigra, have unusually high numbers of vitamin D receptors, which suggests vitamin D may be important for normal functions of these cells.

The authors suggested that vitamin D may also deter Parkinson’s through its antioxidant activities and its role in regulation of calcium levels, detoxification, modulation of the immune system, and enhanced conduction of electricity through neurons (brain cells).

The Finnish team said their results need to be confirmed in larger studies, because of

the small number of Parkinson’s cases versus the number of people in the study, and the possibility that other, unknown factors associated with having high vitamin D levels might be responsible for the link.

In an accompanying editorial, Marian Evatt, MD, MS, from Atlanta’s Emory University described the study as, “… the first promising human data to suggest that inadequate vitamin D status is associated with the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.” (Evatt ML 2010)

Low vitamin D levels linked to metabolic syndrome in seniors

Dutch researchers presented encouraging findings about vitamin D and the risk of metabolic syndrome at The Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego (Oosterwerff MM et al. 2010).

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a condition characterized by abdominal obesity, hypertension, and abnormal glucose and insulin metabolism. MetS has been linked to increased risks of both type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The study involved 1,289 white Dutch men and women aged 65 and older.

Almost half were vitamin D deficient, and about 37 percent had the cluster of physical signs called metabolic syndrome.

After they drew blood samples from the volunteers, the team’s analysis showed that those with the lowest vitamin D levels were 40 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome (MetS).

People with blood levels of vitamin D lower than 50 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) were likelier to have the metabolic syndrome than those whose vitamin D levels exceeded 50 nmol/L. 

Most researchers consider blood levels below 50 nmol/L “insufficient”. Note: There are two common measures of vitamin D status: 50 nmol/L is the same as 20 nanograms per liter (ng/mL).

No differences in risk were found between men and women.

The study supports previous findings, including a report last year, showing that about 40 percent of elderly Chinese people with MetS had insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D. (See “Vitamin D Seen to Stall Pre-Diabetic Syndrome” and “Vitamin D Clinical Trial Detects Anti-Diabetes Benefits”.)

Other research indicates that links between vitamin D levels and risk of metabolic syndrome are scientifically plausible.  

Vitamin D deficiency has previously been linked to impaired insulin secretion in animals and humans, and has also been linked to insulin resistance in healthy people. 

And another study present at the 2010 Endocrine Society meeting links higher vitamin D levels to higher (healthier) levels of insulin sensitivity … decreases in which precede and predict development of diabetes (Alvarez JA et al 2010). 

In addition to a potential link to an increased risk of MetS, vitamin D deficiency may promote or exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, common cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

There is also some evidence that high levels of the vitamin may reduce the risk of type-1 diabetes and several types of cancer.

Sources

• Alvarez JA et al. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Is an Independent Determinant of Whole-Body Insulin Sensitivity. P1-169. Endocrine Society 92nd Annual Meeting, San Diego. Accessed at http://www.endojournals.org/abstracts/P1-1_to_P1-729.pdf
• Evatt ML. Beyond vitamin status: is there a role for vitamin d in Parkinson disease? Arch Neurol. 2010 Jul;67(7):795-7.
• Knekt P, Kilkkinen A, Rissanen H, Marniemi J, Sääksjärvi K, Heliövaara M. Serum vitamin d and the risk of Parkinson disease. Arch Neurol. 2010 Jul;67(7):808-11.
• Oosterwerff MM et al. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and the Metabolic Syndrome: A Population-Based Study. P1-168. Endocrine Society 92nd Annual Meeting, San Diego. Accessed at http://www.endojournals.org/abstracts/P1-1_to_P1-729.pdf 

Dryer Sheets and Fabric Softners Contain Toxic Chemicals

Dryer sheets and fabric softeners are not only costly, but they are incredibly harmful to your health and they contribute to ozone depletion.  These laundry products are the number 2 consumer complaint behind perfumes.  This is a list of the chemicals contained in dryer sheets and fabric softeners: Alpha-Terpineol, Benzyl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Camphor, Chloroform, Ethyl Acetate, Limonene, Linalool and Pentane. Some of these chemicals appear on the EPA’s hazardous waste list. Liquid fabric softeners additionally may contain Formaldehyde.

(Listed at the end of the article is information regarding the dangers of these chemicals.)

People and pets are exposed to these chemicals by breathing the aromatic molecules in the air near the clothes or by absorbing them through the skin via direct contact with the clothes – clothing will retain some of the fabric softener/dryer sheet molecules indefinitely!  The warmth and moisture of the body dissolves these chemicals and like a sponge the skin absorbs them and takes them directly into the blood stream.  These products were designed to stay on clothing for a long period of time and slowly release their chemicals throughout the day which leads to prolonged exposure.

Chronic exposure to these chemicals usually takes years and the effects are often subtle and emerge slowly. These chemicals used in fragrant products can induce a narcotic effect in humans, while enticing a craving for more.  Some of the symptoms include headaches, nausea, fatigue, difficulty breathing, skin irritation, difficulty concentrating and remembering, cancer, dermatitis, irritation to the mucous membranes and respiratory tract, liver damage, numbness in the face and blurred vision.  There are numerous cases of SIDS associated with the use of fabric softeners and dryer sheets.  

In addition, various toxic chemicals are being emitted in the air through the dryer vent, contributing to the pollution and ozone depletion.  Some of these volatile chemicals will linger in the air for hours and pollute the air for blocks from the site of the user(s). 

Fabric softeners leave an oil coating on clothing, which don’t really leave them softer

or fluffy.  This oil builds up on the fibers and takes the absorbency out (oil repels water).  Dryer sheets and fabric softeners actually water proof clothing. 

Furthermore, fabric softeners and dryer sheets were created for synthetic fabrics.  Synthetic fabrics, when heated in a dryer, or for that matter, heated by our bodies, will emit an unfavorable smell, hence the development of these products. These products were designed strictly to mask these odors!

Reconsider the use of these products; there are safe alternatives available at your neighborhood Natural Food store or contact For the Good of It for more info.

1,4-dichlorobenzene and Para-dichlorobenzene, 1,4-Dioxane know chemicals that penetrates the skin.  Look at the ingredients of your moisturizers and other body lotions. 2-bromo-2nitropropone-1,3-diol or Bronopol used as preservative forms carcinogenic nitrosamines in cosmetics, shampoo, lotions and even baby products. 2-Butoxy-1-Ethanol or butyl cellosolve are in most aerosol propellants.  Alkyl Phenoxy, Polyethoxy, Ethanol or phenol is a natural pesticide and in everything.  Read your labels on every bottle or propellant you have in your home.  Ammonia and ammonium chloride, ammonium hydroxide, benzalkonium chloride and quaternary ammonium compounds irritate skin, eyes and breathing passages and cause skin cancer.  Take a look at your stff under the sink in the bathroom!  The EPA lists ammonia as a toxic chemical so why is it in a wide range of household cleaning products including glass cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants and more.  Watch out for Ammonium Chloride, Ammonium Hydroxide, Amyl Acetate from banana oil, pear oil that irritate skin and affect the brain cells’.  Neurotoxins cause central nervous system and depression.  It’s in your furniture polish; nail finishes, nail polish remover and perfume.  Benzalkonium Chloride is used as a disinfectant in hand soaps, dishwashing detergents, disinfectants and cleaners.  Benzenel kills off your mucus membranes, poisons you if you swallow some and the fumes are toxic.  The EPA and OSHA admit it’s threat to the public health but oven cleaners, detergents, furniture polish, spot removers, nail polish remover all have this..

As for the dryer, fabric softeners leave a sticky residue on all the components such as the moisture sensors and drum of the dryer.  This residue is very flammable, which is why on the back of some fabric softeners it’s written not to use on towels, terry cloth or fleece.  And by the way fabric softeners take the fire retardant out of baby’s clothes.

Overtime, after using dryer sheets, this waxy film can actually encase the mesh of your lint filter, causing your dryer to overwork and eventually burn out the heating element.  The number one cause of house fires is from the dryer.

Biotin and Chromium are probably the most extensively researched nutrients for blood sugar support.  Here’s just a sampling of some of that research.

▪ One double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial on Biotin showed that it sparked two specific glucose-metabolizing enzymes - called ACC and PC – into action.

▪  Another study done in Japan showed that, in experimental animals, Biotin improves the body’s ability to use glucose, without affecting insulin levels.

▪  In research done over 50 years ago, scientists discovered that Chromium could actually reverse impaired glucose metabolism.  In addition, both of these nutrients are crucial for burning protein, carbs, and fat.  They help you burn off what you eat, instead of storing it throughout the body, on your hips, thighs, and midsection!

Say goodbye to the 2 o’clock slumps and caffeine and junk fixes.

Natural Pest Control
Research Entomologist Prescribes New Form of Pest Control

An Ohio State University entomologist affiliated with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center has recommended a new, innovative and chemical free variety of pest control, in the form of beneficial nematodes. The microscopic pest-killing nematodes aim to execute the same functions as traditional chemical pesticides, but minus the potential hazardous pollution. According to the scientist, nematodes also promise to be animal, human, and environmentally friendly.

The nematode first tracks down an insect, invades its body, releases bacteria, and it is dead within 48 hours. The nematode eats the bacteria and insect to mature into an adult to reproduce hundreds of thousands of nematodes looking for a new bug. "So their life cycle continues by finding newer insects," Dr. Grewal says.

Pest-killing nematodes are tiny roundworms that can be applied through sprayers or irrigation systems to do the same job as chemical pesticides -- minus the  potential pollution. Unlike parasitic nematodes, which cause disease in plants, animals and humans, beneficial nematodes are used to fight

Nematodes eat grubs and rid lawns and groves of other common insect pests, such as black vine weevils, beetles, leas, and cutworm, by releasing a bacterium that kills the pest. Nematodes are best applied when soil conditions are wet -- right after it rains, for instance -- with a soil temperature of at least 60 degrees F. They should be applied late in the day, or when it is cool and overcast, since exposure to ultraviolet light will kill them. Nematodes are non-toxic, and start becoming effective within 72 hours of being released into the soil.

There are more than 15,000 known species of nematodes, and a single handful of garden soil may contain thousands of the creatures. They can lay more than 200,000 eggs in a single day. The nematode has an unusual skin that secretes a thick outer shell -- called a cuticle -- that is tough yet flexible, and is shed four times in the nematode's lifetime before it reaches adulthood. The head has a few tiny sense organs and a mouth so food can be pulled into the throat and crushed. Because they have no discrete circulatory or respiratory system, they are vulnerable to environmental conditions. Many nematodes can exist in a state of suspended animation (called cryptobiosis) in order to survive extreme conditions, such as dryness, heat or cold, returning to life when the environment becomes more favorable.

NPA Says JAMA Study on Ginkgo Biloba Effects on Rate of Cognitive Decline ‘Still Misses the Boat’

The study population should have been one situated closer to the onset of cognitive decline.

A study released on Tuesday in the December 23/30 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that adults who used the herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba for several years did not have a slower rate of cognitive decline compared to adults who received placebo.  The researchers analyzed results from the 2009 Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study to determine as a secondary outcome if G. biloba slowed the rate of cognitive decline in older adults who had normal cognition or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at the beginning of the study.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), saying the study “missed the boat entirely” because the universe of people studied was too limited to make broad statements about the benefits of the popular dietary supplement: [New JAMA Study on Ginkgo Biloba and Alzheimer’s Misses the Boat Entirely; NPA Member Update, November 18, 2008].

For some years, scientists have known that both bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates, two chemicals frequently found in a variety of consumer products, can mimic human hormones and disrupt the endocrine system.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a basic building block of polycarbonate plastics.  In the bloodstream and body tissues, BPA mimics the hormone estrogen.  Low levels of BPA, including those well below the current regulatory safety threshold, have been shown to affect prostate development, promote prostate tumors, affect breast tissue development and sperm counts, and possibly even create and enlarge fat cells.  Scientists have also linked BPA exposure to premature puberty, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, miscarriage, and birth defects like Down Syndrome.

For their part, phthalates are a group of industrial compounds widely used in common products. About 7.6 billion pounds are produced throughout the world each year.  The largest use of these chemicals is as a plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride and other soft plastic to keep them flexible.  Without the addition of phthalate plasticizers, these materials would be fairly stiff and difficult to use for their intended purposes.

used in food and soda can linings, toys, and dental sealants.  The molecular bonds that bind this chemical to its host material weaken over time, especially (though not exclusively) when those materials are exposed to heat, washing, or acidic materials like certain foods.  As a result, BPA is able to easily leach out of products that contain it and enter the bodies of people that some into contact with those products.  In fact, the Center for Disease Control has detected BPA in 95% of the people it tested.

Phthalates are also used as solvents that help keep other ingredients in a chemical formula dissolved and dispersed throughout the product.  Their oily texture helps lubricate other materials; and this ability to keep a chemical product evenly mixed makes phthalates an ideal additive in things like cosmetics, personal care products, perfumes, inks, and insect repellents, among many others.  Phthalates are also used in things like lotions to help them penetrate and soften skin.  In fact, these chemicals are now used in so many products and in so many places that they’ve even begun to appear as contaminants in products that don’t purposefully contain them.

Unfortunately, phthalates are easily volatized.  This means that they are readily able to leave the product they’re used in and enter the air. 

Summary of Budff’s New Clinical Study

Design: placebo-controlled, double blind, randomized trial

Formula: 2 capsules of Kyolic 108, each capsule contains AGE (500 mg),

        Vitamin B-12 (200 mcg), Folic Acid (400 mcg), Vitamin B6 (25 mg)

        And L-Arginine (200mg)

Subjects: All 58 patients treated with statin and aspirin-but only half of the
   patients treated with Kyolic 108-the other half were treated with the statin,
   aspirin and placebo.

Duration: 1 year

Results shown significantly

The Study on Kyolic was so impressive that Dr. Budooff was invited to the largest cardiovascular convention in Munich, Germany.  As the good Dr. says, “Taking Kyolic may save your life”—

P.S. -- No Side effects with those taking Kyolic – just side benefits . . .

uuPresentation Schedule of Dr. Budoff’s 2^nd Clinical Study using Kyolic 108:
     Experimental Biology (EB 2008) San Diego, CA, April 9, 2008

uuAmerican Heart Association Meeting’s on : Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis & Vascular Biology 2008, Atlanta,
      Ga April 16-18 2008

     Quality of Care and Outcome Research in Cardiovascular Diseases & Stroke Conference 2008, Baltimore,
     MD, April 30-May 2, 2008

According to a recent report in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, researchers at the University of Reading in the U.K. found that wheat grown in fields low on  sulfer had much higher concentrations of asparagines – an amino acid that, along with sugars, forms acrylamide during cooking. Acrylamide, a chemical linked to cancer and other possible ill effects, naturally occurs during