It's amazing what a difference a few easily achievable lifestyle changes can make in a person's health, and it is also encouraging to see studies such as the one in today's article published in the mainstream media. A simple walking regimen alone -- even without other changes such as a healthy diet -- can dramatically reduce risk for disease.
Just as poor habits add up and have accumulative negative effect on our health, so it is with choices that lead toward wellness. Don't feel you have to do everything right. Just begin to begin, and if you are consistent, you will find it easier to implement additional changes that will improve your health. The important thing is to make a decision to get started and become committed to sticking with the process of change.
Study Shows Regular Exercise Might Prevent Onset Of Diabetes In Black Women
22 Dec 2008
Taking a brisk walk several times a week for exercise appears to reduce black women's risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study published this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology, Reuters Health reports. Few studies have been conducted on the benefits of exercise among black women, according to Reuters. For the study, Julie Palmer of Boston University and colleagues used data from the ongoing Black Women's Health Study that followed 45,000 black women from 1995 to 2005.
Researchers found that those who said they walked for a minimum of five hours weekly for exercise were one-third less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who did not walk. The risk of being diagnosed with the disease was significantly lower among women who said they regularly took a brisk walk even when taking into account possible contributing factors such as age, income and diet. The study included a large number of obese women and they too appeared to have a lower risk for developing diabetes if they exercised regularly.
Palmer said, "This is important, because it suggests a way to reduce diabetes risk even among the women who are at highest risk of the disease," adding, "The finding that brisk walking for a few hours a week or longer reduces diabetes risk may be the most important finding of all. This is something almost all women can do in the course of their daily lives."
Researchers also found that women who watched television for five or more hours a day were 86% more likely to develop diabetes than those who watched less than one hour per day (Norton, Reuters Health, 12/18).
An abstract of the study is available online.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com:80/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=133880
Monday, January 5, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Natural Ways to Beat the Flu
Today's article gives some practical methods of naturally preventing the flu that take a very holistic approach to wellness and disease prevention in general. Despite all the propaganda about flu shots, the truth is that they expose people to dangerous toxins and simply don't work very well to boot. Living a lifestyle that includes healthy choices such as stress management techniques, a nutritious organic diet, plenty of pure water, enough quality sleep, and supplementation with herbs and vitamins is the only approach that ever has or ever will keep us well, whether we are fighting the flu or any other type of illness.
As we come to the end of '08 and turn the page on a new calendar, it is important to reemphasize that our health is directly related to the choices we make on a daily basis. Perhaps if we can learn to take on the necessary changes needed to improve our health on a "one day at a time" approach, we can begin to develop the consistency that will lead to a lifestyle of wellness. When weighing all the demands on our time and finances, it is important to remember that there is nothing more valuable in this world than our spiritual and physical health. I wish you all a blessed and healthful New Year that is filled with the joy of living well.
Reduction in Stress Can Save You from the Flu
by Deanna Dean, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) There is a host of conclusive studies indicating something as simple as reducing stress could save you from a nasty cold or debilitating flu this season. We all know about recommendations to wash our hands often, get enough sleep and drink fluids, but Dr. Sheldon Cohen, PhD, a leading expert on stress related illnesses, has concluded from studies that the singular strategy to keep your immune system and general health strong and avoid catching a cold or the flu, is to reduce stress.
He says 25 years of research in this area shows conclusively that there is a distinct connection between stress and infection. Biologically, stress raises blood levels of cortisol, an important hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is involved in many important bodily functions, but when high blood levels of cortisol are maintained from chronic stress for prolonged periods of time, the negative consequences are dire on many fronts- cognitive impairment, high blood pressure, thyroid suppression, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, increase in abdominal fat, and, a compromised immune system. Stress makes it harder for your body to naturally fight off infections. One of the best strategies to stay healthy and flu-free this holiday season is to lower stress and engage in activities that have proven to lower stress levels like prayer, meditation, exercise, deep breathing exercises and spending time outside enjoying nature.
No one doubts that we live in a stress laden world, which may explain why Prozac and Valium are two of the most prescribed drugs today that can leave the user with unsavory side effects. Alternative physicians encourage a natural approach suggesting the addition of herbs and dietary supplements to help lower your body's response to stress and keep your immune system strong.
Proven to boost immune response to invading viruses are herbs called nervines which act as nerve tonics to feed, strengthen, regulate and rehabilitate frazzled nerves. Holy Basil is one recommended by Dr.James LaValle PhD, ND, CCN, author and founding director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute. He says it's important to get products that are standardized because they will have consistent amounts of the active ingredients. He mentions that Holy Basil should have a standardization of 1-2.5% ursolic acid.
There are many herbs known to have calming effects. Among them are: Blue Vervain- allays fevers in virus colds, Damania- serves as a tonic for the nervous system, Spearmint- used to soothe nerves, Valerian-can serve as a substitute for Valium, and Scullcap-considered one of the best nerve tonics.
Garlic has been used throughout recorded history as a medicinal aid. It's an excellent herb for maintaining health. According to recently published summaries from Oxford, one of its most potent health benefits includes its ability to enhance the body's immune cell activity.
Vitamins are important as well. When distress attacks our adrenal glands the main nutrient, pantothenic acid, is burned away. Pantothenic acid, vitamin B-5, is known as an anti-stress vitamin. However, when we're under stress there is an increased need for the full spectrum of B-complex vitamins. They work best synergistically, meaning they work best when taken together rather than isolating one particular B vitamin. Also, they are water soluble and any excess is excreted and not stored in the body, so they have to be replaced daily. One thing to keep in mind during the holidays when a few of us might over indulge, is over consumption of alcohol and sugar destroys vitamin B.
Vitamin C and Zinc have long been touted as essential supplements when you experience the first sniffles, but there are controversies still surrounding their effectiveness in fighting the common cold. Nevertheless, Dr. Cohen says, "These nutrients do work better when we're not fighting uphill against stress-induced immunity suppression."
Diet of course plays a key role in diminishing stress and boosting the immune system. Eat a natural, unprocessed, balanced diet to avoid deficiencies that add undue stress to the body systems. If you exercise strenuously, eat healthy, unrefined carbohydrates in order to reduce a blood level increase in the stress hormone mentioned earlier, cortisol, and to limit the degree of exercise induced immune depression.
There are many strategies we can adopt to avoid the flu this season, but the one act of reducing stress can be the simple approach that will keep your immune system strong and protect your health.
http://www.naturalnews.com/z025122.html
As we come to the end of '08 and turn the page on a new calendar, it is important to reemphasize that our health is directly related to the choices we make on a daily basis. Perhaps if we can learn to take on the necessary changes needed to improve our health on a "one day at a time" approach, we can begin to develop the consistency that will lead to a lifestyle of wellness. When weighing all the demands on our time and finances, it is important to remember that there is nothing more valuable in this world than our spiritual and physical health. I wish you all a blessed and healthful New Year that is filled with the joy of living well.
Reduction in Stress Can Save You from the Flu
by Deanna Dean, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) There is a host of conclusive studies indicating something as simple as reducing stress could save you from a nasty cold or debilitating flu this season. We all know about recommendations to wash our hands often, get enough sleep and drink fluids, but Dr. Sheldon Cohen, PhD, a leading expert on stress related illnesses, has concluded from studies that the singular strategy to keep your immune system and general health strong and avoid catching a cold or the flu, is to reduce stress.
He says 25 years of research in this area shows conclusively that there is a distinct connection between stress and infection. Biologically, stress raises blood levels of cortisol, an important hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is involved in many important bodily functions, but when high blood levels of cortisol are maintained from chronic stress for prolonged periods of time, the negative consequences are dire on many fronts- cognitive impairment, high blood pressure, thyroid suppression, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, increase in abdominal fat, and, a compromised immune system. Stress makes it harder for your body to naturally fight off infections. One of the best strategies to stay healthy and flu-free this holiday season is to lower stress and engage in activities that have proven to lower stress levels like prayer, meditation, exercise, deep breathing exercises and spending time outside enjoying nature.
No one doubts that we live in a stress laden world, which may explain why Prozac and Valium are two of the most prescribed drugs today that can leave the user with unsavory side effects. Alternative physicians encourage a natural approach suggesting the addition of herbs and dietary supplements to help lower your body's response to stress and keep your immune system strong.
Proven to boost immune response to invading viruses are herbs called nervines which act as nerve tonics to feed, strengthen, regulate and rehabilitate frazzled nerves. Holy Basil is one recommended by Dr.James LaValle PhD, ND, CCN, author and founding director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute. He says it's important to get products that are standardized because they will have consistent amounts of the active ingredients. He mentions that Holy Basil should have a standardization of 1-2.5% ursolic acid.
There are many herbs known to have calming effects. Among them are: Blue Vervain- allays fevers in virus colds, Damania- serves as a tonic for the nervous system, Spearmint- used to soothe nerves, Valerian-can serve as a substitute for Valium, and Scullcap-considered one of the best nerve tonics.
Garlic has been used throughout recorded history as a medicinal aid. It's an excellent herb for maintaining health. According to recently published summaries from Oxford, one of its most potent health benefits includes its ability to enhance the body's immune cell activity.
Vitamins are important as well. When distress attacks our adrenal glands the main nutrient, pantothenic acid, is burned away. Pantothenic acid, vitamin B-5, is known as an anti-stress vitamin. However, when we're under stress there is an increased need for the full spectrum of B-complex vitamins. They work best synergistically, meaning they work best when taken together rather than isolating one particular B vitamin. Also, they are water soluble and any excess is excreted and not stored in the body, so they have to be replaced daily. One thing to keep in mind during the holidays when a few of us might over indulge, is over consumption of alcohol and sugar destroys vitamin B.
Vitamin C and Zinc have long been touted as essential supplements when you experience the first sniffles, but there are controversies still surrounding their effectiveness in fighting the common cold. Nevertheless, Dr. Cohen says, "These nutrients do work better when we're not fighting uphill against stress-induced immunity suppression."
Diet of course plays a key role in diminishing stress and boosting the immune system. Eat a natural, unprocessed, balanced diet to avoid deficiencies that add undue stress to the body systems. If you exercise strenuously, eat healthy, unrefined carbohydrates in order to reduce a blood level increase in the stress hormone mentioned earlier, cortisol, and to limit the degree of exercise induced immune depression.
There are many strategies we can adopt to avoid the flu this season, but the one act of reducing stress can be the simple approach that will keep your immune system strong and protect your health.
http://www.naturalnews.com/z025122.html
Monday, December 29, 2008
Common Cancer Screen Prone to Errors
The colonoscopy has long been recommended for people over the age of 50 and for younger individuals who have a history of colon cancer in their family, and is in fact one of the most commonly performed tests in America. While it can be a valuable tool when used appropriately, there is evidence that a disturbingly high percentage of these procedures fail to find cancer or the precursors that could indicate a risk for colon cancer. If you choose to undergo a colonoscopy, be sure to have it done by a provider who has a lot of experience, and a proven track record for safety and the ability to properly interpret the results.
While there is some valuable information in the article below, it is inaccurately titled, as a colonoscopy is not actually a preventative measure. The only way to prevent colon cancer is to practice a lifestyle of wellness that includes a whole foods based diet that is heavy on foods such as organic raw fruits and vegetables. It is also important to maintain good colon health by drinking plenty of pure water and regularly cleaning the colon using a quality oxygen-based cleanser. Exercise also helps to promote regularity, another way to keep the colon operating efficiently and thus prevent disease as well. The health of the colon/digestive tract is one of the primary issues that will dictate whether we are living well or simply existing in a state of disease. It is also where 75-80% of the immune system is located. Only a healthy digestive tract can properly absorb nutrients and remove waste from the body. You may want to consider doing a colon cleanse followed by the Optimum Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse to start the New Year, especially if you have overindulged in rich or unhealthy foods over the Holidays.
Colonoscopy Only Prevents 60% of Colon Cancer Cases
Washington (dbTechno) - According to a new study, having a colonoscopy come back negative does not mean you do not have colon cancer in some cases, as it has been found that the screening can possibly contain errors, missing some colon cancer cases.
A new Canadian study was published this week in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, and focused on the effectiveness of the colonoscopy screening for colon cancer.
What they found may surprise you, as the screening, which is commonly recommended, may not be as accurate as once thought.
Researchers carried out the study on patients to see if the screening could successfully detect colon cancer.
They discovered that the screening was not effective in finding cancer in the right side of the colon.
Colon cancer in this area is very hard to detect, and can prove to be deadly.
Overall, the colonoscopy screenings missed the majority of the cancers on the right side, and over 30% of cancers in the left side of the colon.
Doctors now believe these screenings may prevent around 60% of colon cancer cases, rather than the 90% originally believed.
http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2008/12/18/update-colonoscopy-only-prevents-60-of-colon-cancer-cases/
While there is some valuable information in the article below, it is inaccurately titled, as a colonoscopy is not actually a preventative measure. The only way to prevent colon cancer is to practice a lifestyle of wellness that includes a whole foods based diet that is heavy on foods such as organic raw fruits and vegetables. It is also important to maintain good colon health by drinking plenty of pure water and regularly cleaning the colon using a quality oxygen-based cleanser. Exercise also helps to promote regularity, another way to keep the colon operating efficiently and thus prevent disease as well. The health of the colon/digestive tract is one of the primary issues that will dictate whether we are living well or simply existing in a state of disease. It is also where 75-80% of the immune system is located. Only a healthy digestive tract can properly absorb nutrients and remove waste from the body. You may want to consider doing a colon cleanse followed by the Optimum Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse to start the New Year, especially if you have overindulged in rich or unhealthy foods over the Holidays.
Colonoscopy Only Prevents 60% of Colon Cancer Cases
Washington (dbTechno) - According to a new study, having a colonoscopy come back negative does not mean you do not have colon cancer in some cases, as it has been found that the screening can possibly contain errors, missing some colon cancer cases.
A new Canadian study was published this week in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, and focused on the effectiveness of the colonoscopy screening for colon cancer.
What they found may surprise you, as the screening, which is commonly recommended, may not be as accurate as once thought.
Researchers carried out the study on patients to see if the screening could successfully detect colon cancer.
They discovered that the screening was not effective in finding cancer in the right side of the colon.
Colon cancer in this area is very hard to detect, and can prove to be deadly.
Overall, the colonoscopy screenings missed the majority of the cancers on the right side, and over 30% of cancers in the left side of the colon.
Doctors now believe these screenings may prevent around 60% of colon cancer cases, rather than the 90% originally believed.
http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2008/12/18/update-colonoscopy-only-prevents-60-of-colon-cancer-cases/
Monday, December 22, 2008
My, How Times Have Changed
As we enter Christmas week, I thought a light-hearted (no pun intended) look at how our societal views regarding body weight have changed might be fun. From an historical perspective, it is interesting to see how the scale has migrated from a novelty in the family room to the privacy of the bathroom. This article also seemed timely to me because when you review the health news highlights of the past year, 2008 might be labeled the "Year of Obesity." Back in the 1800's, the majority of people, other than the wealthy, still did physical labor and ate a fairly simple diet based on homegrown, whole foods for the most part. Obesity was not an issue, as it is in today's world of fast-food restaurants and lethargy.
However, as with most things in this day and age, it is not all that cut and dried. Yes, we have created a monster of disease and poor health with our modern diets and lifestyles. Yes, Americans are sadly obese as a whole. So the obvious answer to these concerns is lifestyle changes that lead towards wellness, right? Of course this is true, but in the wacky world of Big Pharma and commercial "medicine," more press has been given to drugs that allow people to eat whatever they want and skimp on exercise (and still lose weight) and other obesity "solutions" such as fad diet products that promise fitness but only expose individuals to more health risks. In addition, we have governmental agencies that are increasingly tolerant of genetically modified foods and who have an agenda to block natural supplements and make it difficult for citizens to get their hands on any real food at all. So, enjoy the article below, but also keep in mind that as we enter the New Year, the battle for healthcare freedoms is becoming more and more of an issue. If we as individuals and as a Nation are to find wellness, we must have access to the nutritional building blocks that are needed in order to accomplish this goal.
Once Upon A Time, Scales Were Displayed In Parlors, Not Hidden In Bathrooms
15 Dec 2008
Stepping onto a scale after a calorie-filled holiday season isn't an activity many 21st-century Americans relish.
But in the late 19th century, scales were all the rage at festive gatherings - the 1800s' answer to Guitar Hero.
"A family would think it fun to weigh themselves before and after a big holiday dinner to see how much they had gained," said Deborah I. Levine, Ph.D., an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Modeling Interdisciplinary Inquiry Fellowship Program in the Humanities and Social Sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.
"Knowing your weight was a novelty, a kind of parlor trick, before scales became widely available through mass production," said Levine.
Instead of being hidden away in a bathroom, home scales in the late 19th century often resided in prominent places in parlors, where family and guests would gather to socialize, likely alongside other popular 19th-century devices for body measurement. They were garbed to fit in their elaborately decorated environments.
"Parlor scales, which use the same technology that many doctors' office scales use today, often were made with highly polished wood, with inlay designs and semi-precious stones," Levine said.
However, in the early 20th century, attitudes about weight evolved. Medical and life insurance industries set weight "norms" for healthy individuals, and Americans began to see being over- or underweight as hazardous.
A person's weight became more than just a number, Levine said. It was health information, and having too big or too small a figure could mean serious consequences. A fun fact to be shared and compared among family and friends was transformed into a statement about a person's health and even moral character.
As the public's perception of weight changed, so did scales' places in fine society, Levine said. They were banished from their lofty spots in parlors to kitchens and finally, to bathrooms. Sequestered scales no longer needed to impress, and their ornate decorations gave way to the plain white or gray often seen today.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=133005
However, as with most things in this day and age, it is not all that cut and dried. Yes, we have created a monster of disease and poor health with our modern diets and lifestyles. Yes, Americans are sadly obese as a whole. So the obvious answer to these concerns is lifestyle changes that lead towards wellness, right? Of course this is true, but in the wacky world of Big Pharma and commercial "medicine," more press has been given to drugs that allow people to eat whatever they want and skimp on exercise (and still lose weight) and other obesity "solutions" such as fad diet products that promise fitness but only expose individuals to more health risks. In addition, we have governmental agencies that are increasingly tolerant of genetically modified foods and who have an agenda to block natural supplements and make it difficult for citizens to get their hands on any real food at all. So, enjoy the article below, but also keep in mind that as we enter the New Year, the battle for healthcare freedoms is becoming more and more of an issue. If we as individuals and as a Nation are to find wellness, we must have access to the nutritional building blocks that are needed in order to accomplish this goal.
Once Upon A Time, Scales Were Displayed In Parlors, Not Hidden In Bathrooms
15 Dec 2008
Stepping onto a scale after a calorie-filled holiday season isn't an activity many 21st-century Americans relish.
But in the late 19th century, scales were all the rage at festive gatherings - the 1800s' answer to Guitar Hero.
"A family would think it fun to weigh themselves before and after a big holiday dinner to see how much they had gained," said Deborah I. Levine, Ph.D., an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in the Modeling Interdisciplinary Inquiry Fellowship Program in the Humanities and Social Sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.
"Knowing your weight was a novelty, a kind of parlor trick, before scales became widely available through mass production," said Levine.
Instead of being hidden away in a bathroom, home scales in the late 19th century often resided in prominent places in parlors, where family and guests would gather to socialize, likely alongside other popular 19th-century devices for body measurement. They were garbed to fit in their elaborately decorated environments.
"Parlor scales, which use the same technology that many doctors' office scales use today, often were made with highly polished wood, with inlay designs and semi-precious stones," Levine said.
However, in the early 20th century, attitudes about weight evolved. Medical and life insurance industries set weight "norms" for healthy individuals, and Americans began to see being over- or underweight as hazardous.
A person's weight became more than just a number, Levine said. It was health information, and having too big or too small a figure could mean serious consequences. A fun fact to be shared and compared among family and friends was transformed into a statement about a person's health and even moral character.
As the public's perception of weight changed, so did scales' places in fine society, Levine said. They were banished from their lofty spots in parlors to kitchens and finally, to bathrooms. Sequestered scales no longer needed to impress, and their ornate decorations gave way to the plain white or gray often seen today.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=133005
Friday, December 19, 2008
Homemade Salad Dressing for Holiday Dinner? Try Adding Honey
I ran across this article, and thought it would be an interesting follow up to our discussion earlier in the week on this blog of honey as an alternative to sugar. The article is actually adapted from a press release directed towards salad dressing manufacturers, but it gives some interesting insight as to why honey can be so beneficial to our health. For example, the antioxidant properties that act to preserve the salad dressing are also at work in our bodies when we consume honey. Free radicals are so abundant in our modern diets and lifestyles that the more antioxidants we take in through raw foods, the better off we are. High quality, organic honey, especially if locally grown, also provides needed minerals and vitamins, and acts to prevent and treat many common allergies as well.
If you are looking for something different to serve to your guests this year, offer them a generous salad made of fresh and colorful organic vegetables, nuts, flaxseed, or any number of healthy condiments, and top it off with some homemade salad dressing made with honey, organic raw apple cider vinegar, and a healthy oil such as organic extra-virgin olive oil or organic flax seed oil. You can experiment and come up with your own recipe. Who knows, you may have the makings of a new holiday tradition on your hands!
Honey Adds Health Benefits, Is Natural Preservative And Sweetener In Salad Dressings
10 Dec 2008
Antioxidant-rich honey is a healthy alternative to chemical additives and refined sweeteners in commercial salad dressings, said a new University of Illinois study.
"To capitalize on the positive health effects of honey, we experimented with using honey in salad dressings," said Nicki Engeseth, a U of I associate professor of food chemistry. "We found that the antioxidants in honey protected the quality of the salad dressings for up to nine months while sweetening them naturally."
Engeseth's study substituted honey for EDTA, an additive used to keep the oils in salad dressings from oxidizing, and high-fructose corn syrup, used by many commercial salad-dressing producers to sweeten their salad dressing recipes.
"We chose clover and blueberry honeys for the study after an analysis of the sweetening potential, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profiles of 19 honeys with varying characteristics," said the scientist.
The dressings were also compared to a control dressing that contained ingredients found in current commercial salad dressings, she said.
Engeseth explained a problem the scientists encountered in using honey in a salad dressing system. "Salad dressings are emulsions - they contain oil and water; and to keep these ingredients together in one phase, manufacturers rely on emulsifiers and thickening agents to avoid thinning of the dressing and separation of the oil and water phase," she said.
When the researchers found that enzymes in the honey broke the emulsion by attacking the starch that was used to thicken the dressing, they came up with a new formulation that used xanthan gum as a thickening agent, which they then used in all the dressings, she said.
The researchers then stored the dressings under various conditions, including 37 degrees Celsius (accelerated storage) for six weeks and 23 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius for one year, followed by an evaluation of their oxidative stability.
"After nine months of storage, both types of honey were as effective as EDTA in protecting against oxidation or spoilage. Blueberry honey performed slightly better than clover," she said.
Engeseth said that many consumers prefer products with natural ingredients and that salad dressings made with honey should appeal to these consumers.
"There's such a wide range of salad dressings on the market--some unique salad dressings as well as inexpensive products that perform beautifully. If manufacturers are interested in developing salad dressings that have a healthy twist, we've demonstrated that using honey as both an antioxidant and a sweetener is one way to do this," she said.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=132503
If you are looking for something different to serve to your guests this year, offer them a generous salad made of fresh and colorful organic vegetables, nuts, flaxseed, or any number of healthy condiments, and top it off with some homemade salad dressing made with honey, organic raw apple cider vinegar, and a healthy oil such as organic extra-virgin olive oil or organic flax seed oil. You can experiment and come up with your own recipe. Who knows, you may have the makings of a new holiday tradition on your hands!
Honey Adds Health Benefits, Is Natural Preservative And Sweetener In Salad Dressings
10 Dec 2008
Antioxidant-rich honey is a healthy alternative to chemical additives and refined sweeteners in commercial salad dressings, said a new University of Illinois study.
"To capitalize on the positive health effects of honey, we experimented with using honey in salad dressings," said Nicki Engeseth, a U of I associate professor of food chemistry. "We found that the antioxidants in honey protected the quality of the salad dressings for up to nine months while sweetening them naturally."
Engeseth's study substituted honey for EDTA, an additive used to keep the oils in salad dressings from oxidizing, and high-fructose corn syrup, used by many commercial salad-dressing producers to sweeten their salad dressing recipes.
"We chose clover and blueberry honeys for the study after an analysis of the sweetening potential, antioxidant activity, and phenolic profiles of 19 honeys with varying characteristics," said the scientist.
The dressings were also compared to a control dressing that contained ingredients found in current commercial salad dressings, she said.
Engeseth explained a problem the scientists encountered in using honey in a salad dressing system. "Salad dressings are emulsions - they contain oil and water; and to keep these ingredients together in one phase, manufacturers rely on emulsifiers and thickening agents to avoid thinning of the dressing and separation of the oil and water phase," she said.
When the researchers found that enzymes in the honey broke the emulsion by attacking the starch that was used to thicken the dressing, they came up with a new formulation that used xanthan gum as a thickening agent, which they then used in all the dressings, she said.
The researchers then stored the dressings under various conditions, including 37 degrees Celsius (accelerated storage) for six weeks and 23 degrees Celsius and 4 degrees Celsius for one year, followed by an evaluation of their oxidative stability.
"After nine months of storage, both types of honey were as effective as EDTA in protecting against oxidation or spoilage. Blueberry honey performed slightly better than clover," she said.
Engeseth said that many consumers prefer products with natural ingredients and that salad dressings made with honey should appeal to these consumers.
"There's such a wide range of salad dressings on the market--some unique salad dressings as well as inexpensive products that perform beautifully. If manufacturers are interested in developing salad dressings that have a healthy twist, we've demonstrated that using honey as both an antioxidant and a sweetener is one way to do this," she said.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/printerfriendlynews.php?newsid=132503
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Regular Sleep Boosts Immune System
A new study bolsters evidence that getting enough quality sleep at night can act as a preventative measure by strengthening immune system activity to stop disease from occurring or to knock out potential infections that are present. Our bodies operate best when we act in agreement with the natural circadian rhythms triggered by daylight / darkness cycles.
As more and more is learned about the purposes of sleep, we see that this daily period of rest is critical for rebuilding and restoring virtually all systems of the body. It is also a time when many waste products are purged from the body, a necessary function in order for us to stay healthy. There's no way around it. Choosing to incorporate regular sleep into your lifestyle is not optional if you want to pursue maximum wellness.
Immune System Works Better at Night
Monday, December 15, 2008; 12:00 AM
MONDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- A good night's sleep really does a sick body good, new research says.
Stanford University research with fruit flies reveals that the immune system fights invading bacteria the hardest at night and the least during the day. The findings were to be presented Sunday at the American Society for Cell Biology annual meeting, in San Francisco.
"These results suggest that immunity is stronger at night, consistent with the hypothesis that circadian proteins upregulate restorative functions such as specific immune responses during sleep, when animals are not engaged in metabolically costly activities," Stanford researcher Mimi Shirasu-Hiza said in a news release issued by the conference organizers.
Circadian rhythm paces the human body as well as the fruit fly, running internal clock's time for eating and rest every day.
The researchers noted that previous experiments with flies found that bacterial infection threw off the insects' circadian rhythm, and not having this internal clock working properly made them highly susceptible to infection.
In this experiment, the researchers infected the flies with two different bacteria at different times of day or night. Those infected at night were more likely to survive than those infected during the day. The researchers also detected low "phagocytic" activity -- the body's innate immune response -- in flies with a corrupt circadian clock.
SOURCE: American Society for Cell Biology, news release, Dec. 14, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121500907_pf.html
More information
The National Sleep foundation has more about How Sleep Works: 101 Ways to Get a Great Night's Sleep
As more and more is learned about the purposes of sleep, we see that this daily period of rest is critical for rebuilding and restoring virtually all systems of the body. It is also a time when many waste products are purged from the body, a necessary function in order for us to stay healthy. There's no way around it. Choosing to incorporate regular sleep into your lifestyle is not optional if you want to pursue maximum wellness.
Immune System Works Better at Night
Monday, December 15, 2008; 12:00 AM
MONDAY, Dec. 15 (HealthDay News) -- A good night's sleep really does a sick body good, new research says.
Stanford University research with fruit flies reveals that the immune system fights invading bacteria the hardest at night and the least during the day. The findings were to be presented Sunday at the American Society for Cell Biology annual meeting, in San Francisco.
"These results suggest that immunity is stronger at night, consistent with the hypothesis that circadian proteins upregulate restorative functions such as specific immune responses during sleep, when animals are not engaged in metabolically costly activities," Stanford researcher Mimi Shirasu-Hiza said in a news release issued by the conference organizers.
Circadian rhythm paces the human body as well as the fruit fly, running internal clock's time for eating and rest every day.
The researchers noted that previous experiments with flies found that bacterial infection threw off the insects' circadian rhythm, and not having this internal clock working properly made them highly susceptible to infection.
In this experiment, the researchers infected the flies with two different bacteria at different times of day or night. Those infected at night were more likely to survive than those infected during the day. The researchers also detected low "phagocytic" activity -- the body's innate immune response -- in flies with a corrupt circadian clock.
SOURCE: American Society for Cell Biology, news release, Dec. 14, 2008
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121500907_pf.html
More information
The National Sleep foundation has more about How Sleep Works: 101 Ways to Get a Great Night's Sleep
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sweets Can Be Habit-Forming
Princeton University researchers have discovered that sugar, one of the main components of the typical American diet, may have addictive properties similar to many drugs. The consumption of sweet foods increases for many people during the holiday season, but the truth is that most Americans consume way too much sugar all year round. This dietary habit leads to a multitude of health problems including diabetes, a weakened immune system, and malnutrition due to empty sugar calories replacing more nutritious foods.
Kicking the sugar habit is a very positive step that I highly recommend, especially as the New Year approaches. Try replacing sugar with a quality, locally grown honey, or stevia. But even honey and other natural alternatives to sugar should be used in moderation. Some people find that when quitting sugar it is best to avoid all sweeteners for a period of time and allow your body to adjust and get used to being without sweets. By all means, never stoop to using artificial sweeteners, as these substances are very toxic to the body. If you do whatever it takes to become free of sugar, you will be taking a major step towards overall wellness.
Study Suggests Sugar May Be Addictive
Finding might yield new insights into eating disorders, experts say
Posted December 10, 2008
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Science is verifying what many overeaters have suspected for a long time: sugar can be addictive.
In fact, the sweetener seems to prompt the same chemical changes in the brain seen in people who abuse drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology's annual meeting, in Nashville.
"Our evidence from an animal model suggests that bingeing on sugar can act in the brain in ways very similar to drugs of abuse," lead researcher Bart Hoebel, a professor of psychology at Princeton University, said during a Dec. 4 teleconference.
"Drinking large amounts of sugar water when hungry can cause behavioral changes and even neurochemical changes in the brain which resemble changes that are produced when animals or people take substances of abuse. These animals show signs of withdrawal and even long-lasting effects that might resemble craving," he said.
Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, added: "The big question has been whether it's just a behavioral thing or is it a metabolic chemical thing, and evidence like this supports the idea that something chemical is going on."
A "sugar addiction" may even act as a "gateway" to later abuse of drugs such as alcohol, Hoebel said.
The stages of addiction, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association, include bingeing, withdrawal and craving.
For the new research, rats were denied food for 12 hours a day, then were given access to food and sugar (25 percent glucose and 10 percent sucrose, similar to a soft drink) for 12 hours a day, for three to four weeks.
The bingeing released a surge of the neurotransmitter dopamine each time in the part of the brain involved in reward, the nucleus accumbens. "It's been known that drugs of abuse release or increase the levels of dopamine in that part of the brain," Hoebel said.
But it wasn't only the sugar that caused this effect, Hoebel explained -- it was the sugar combined with the alternating schedule of deprivation and largesse. After three weeks, the rats showed signs of withdrawal similar to those seen when people stop smoking or drinking alcohol or using morphine.
The scientists next blocked the animals' brain endorphins and found withdrawal symptoms, anxiety, behavioral depression and a drop in dopamine levels. In other words, they confirmed a neurochemical link with the rats' behavior.
But longer periods of abstinence didn't "cure" the rats. Instead, there were long-lasting effects with the animals: They ingested more sugar than before, as if they were craving the substance and, without sugar, they drank more alcohol.
The researchers speculated that some of these brain changes may also occur in people with eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, although more research needs to be done to confirm the effects in humans.
"Some say it's easy to lose weight -- you just have to shut your mouth, stop eating so much," Aronne said. "I tell them a good way to overcome global warming is if people made less carbon dioxide by breathing less. Obviously, that's absurd. You can't do it because you feel uncomfortable.
"The same thing is true of eating," he added. "Fattening food has an impact on the regulating mechanism that breaks down your sense of fullness, makes you feel an urge to go back and get that blast of sugar and this creates the vicious cycle of weight gain that we're going through."
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/12/10/study-suggests-sugar-may-be-addictive_print.htm
Kicking the sugar habit is a very positive step that I highly recommend, especially as the New Year approaches. Try replacing sugar with a quality, locally grown honey, or stevia. But even honey and other natural alternatives to sugar should be used in moderation. Some people find that when quitting sugar it is best to avoid all sweeteners for a period of time and allow your body to adjust and get used to being without sweets. By all means, never stoop to using artificial sweeteners, as these substances are very toxic to the body. If you do whatever it takes to become free of sugar, you will be taking a major step towards overall wellness.
Study Suggests Sugar May Be Addictive
Finding might yield new insights into eating disorders, experts say
Posted December 10, 2008
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Science is verifying what many overeaters have suspected for a long time: sugar can be addictive.
In fact, the sweetener seems to prompt the same chemical changes in the brain seen in people who abuse drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
The findings were to be presented Wednesday at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology's annual meeting, in Nashville.
"Our evidence from an animal model suggests that bingeing on sugar can act in the brain in ways very similar to drugs of abuse," lead researcher Bart Hoebel, a professor of psychology at Princeton University, said during a Dec. 4 teleconference.
"Drinking large amounts of sugar water when hungry can cause behavioral changes and even neurochemical changes in the brain which resemble changes that are produced when animals or people take substances of abuse. These animals show signs of withdrawal and even long-lasting effects that might resemble craving," he said.
Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City, added: "The big question has been whether it's just a behavioral thing or is it a metabolic chemical thing, and evidence like this supports the idea that something chemical is going on."
A "sugar addiction" may even act as a "gateway" to later abuse of drugs such as alcohol, Hoebel said.
The stages of addiction, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association, include bingeing, withdrawal and craving.
For the new research, rats were denied food for 12 hours a day, then were given access to food and sugar (25 percent glucose and 10 percent sucrose, similar to a soft drink) for 12 hours a day, for three to four weeks.
The bingeing released a surge of the neurotransmitter dopamine each time in the part of the brain involved in reward, the nucleus accumbens. "It's been known that drugs of abuse release or increase the levels of dopamine in that part of the brain," Hoebel said.
But it wasn't only the sugar that caused this effect, Hoebel explained -- it was the sugar combined with the alternating schedule of deprivation and largesse. After three weeks, the rats showed signs of withdrawal similar to those seen when people stop smoking or drinking alcohol or using morphine.
The scientists next blocked the animals' brain endorphins and found withdrawal symptoms, anxiety, behavioral depression and a drop in dopamine levels. In other words, they confirmed a neurochemical link with the rats' behavior.
But longer periods of abstinence didn't "cure" the rats. Instead, there were long-lasting effects with the animals: They ingested more sugar than before, as if they were craving the substance and, without sugar, they drank more alcohol.
The researchers speculated that some of these brain changes may also occur in people with eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia, although more research needs to be done to confirm the effects in humans.
"Some say it's easy to lose weight -- you just have to shut your mouth, stop eating so much," Aronne said. "I tell them a good way to overcome global warming is if people made less carbon dioxide by breathing less. Obviously, that's absurd. You can't do it because you feel uncomfortable.
"The same thing is true of eating," he added. "Fattening food has an impact on the regulating mechanism that breaks down your sense of fullness, makes you feel an urge to go back and get that blast of sugar and this creates the vicious cycle of weight gain that we're going through."
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/12/10/study-suggests-sugar-may-be-addictive_print.htm
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