MSN Health & Fitness News
Rats fed herbal extract showed significant decrease in blood sugar levels-- Kevin McKeever
FRIDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Daily drinks of chamomile tea with meals may help prevent the complications of diabetes, report researchers in Japan and the United Kingdom.
The findings, published in the Sept. 10 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, are based on feeding chamomile extract to a group of diabetic rats for 21 days. Those on the chamomile supplement experience a significant decrease in blood glucose levels. The extract also appears to inhibit ALR2 enzymes and sorbitol, whose elevated levels are associated with increased diabetic complications.
Complications for diabetes include loss of vision, nerve damage and kidney damage.
The researchers said they hoped their work leads to the development of a new chamomile-based drug for type 2 diabetes.
More information
The American Diabetes Association has more about diabetes.
SOURCE: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, news release, Sept. 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Chamomile Tea May Ward Off Diabetes Damage
St. John's Wort: An Ancient Medicinal Plant
By Sonja Flesch-Reiss
Epoch Times Staff
Beware: Natural Substance Knock-Offs in FDA Pipeline are Dangerous
Some of the natural substances taken through the FDA approval process don't appear to be dangerous. Omacor, the FDA approved fish oil, is only a problem because it is so expensive compared to regular fish oil -- although taxpayers bear the brunt of this price difference, because Medicare won't reimburse any other fish oil.
However, there are other natural substances coming through the FDA approval process that are even more troubling. Pipex Therapeutics is seeking approval for Trimesta, a knock-off of natural estriol -- a substance that the FDA has just effectively banned.
But Trimesta may not be a safe version of natural estriol. Trimesta is a taken by mouth, which is known to be a greater risk factor for endometrial cancer than taking the hormones transdermally (through the skin).
And the FDA has already approved Prestara, another drug company version of a natural hormone, in this case DHEA. Prestara is taken at an oral dose of 200 mg daily, which is much too high for women; even doses of 50 mg in women may cause facial hair and other undesirable side effects.
Meanwhile, there are now bills in Congress calling for a ban DHEA. Supposedly the concern is about athletes’ use of synthetic steroids. But contrary to false claims, no one can make synthetic steroids out of DHEA. The real reason to ban natural DHEA is to knock out the competition for expensive knock-off drugs.
Click here for article source
Dietary Linoleic Acid May Help Prevent Hypertension
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 05 - The results of a study published in the August issue of Hypertension suggest that there is an inverse relationship between dietary linoleic acid and blood pressure. This relationship is appears stronger in patients who are not receiving a dietary or medical intervention.
"Findings from observational and interventional studies on the relationship of dietary linoleic acid, the main dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid, with blood pressure have been inconsistent," Dr. Katsuyuki Miura, of Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan, and colleagues write.
Dr. Miura's group used data from the International Study of Macro-Micronutrients and Blood Pressure to examine the association between dietary linoleic acid and blood pressure in 4680 men and women between the ages of 40 and 59 years from 17 population samples in China, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States.
Data on nutrient intake were obtained from four in-depth 24-hour dietary recalls per person and two timed 24-hour urine collections per person. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured eight times at four visits.
Click here to continue reading article at Medscape TodayBenefit of Wheatgrass - Why People are so Crazy over Wheatgrass Despite its Nasty Taste
By Ruth Tan
What is the Benefit of Wheatgrass?
Wheatgrass is a plant grown from the Red Wheatberry that is moving to the top of the nutritional tree. It's an incredible health elixir. Some people call wheatgrass juice "beer before it's beer"; technically, it is young wheat, but non-alcoholic. Commercials describe the benefit of wheatgrass very vividly - "a shot glass of chlorophyll-laden wheat grass juice is like drinking one day's worth of sunshine".
In recent years, wheatgrass juice has become one of the more popular health beverages and can be found at virtually any fresh juice shop and health store in where I live. Sales of wheatgrass products are booming worldwide. However, a glass of chlorophyll is not easy to go down, many people cringe at the thought of consuming one ounce of this "miracle food" because of its raw pungent taste. Nowadays, it's common to find honey, and lemon, being added to wheatgrass juice to make it more palatable. And the latest concoction I found at the shops was wheatgrass juice with apple juice, which really tasted fantastic!
Now, let's look at each of the benefit of wheatgrass and understand why it's so popularly consumed despite its nasty taste.
A Powerhouse of Nutrients and Vitamins: Nourishes and Strengths the Body
In the form of fresh juice, wheatgrass contains 70% of chlorophyll with high concentrations of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, a huge spectrum of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulfur, cobalt, zinc, and protein, and other nutrients needed for our health and well-being. It properties are important for cardiovascular and immune system function, strengthening heart and arterial tissue, lowering blood fat, and useful in the treatment of degenerative disease and reducing inflammation. Each teaspoon of wheatgrass juice has only about 10-15 calories per and no fat or cholesterol. A benefit of wheatgrass is that it provides a remarkable whop of energy. A 1-oz shot glass of it's juice is equivalent in food-vitamin value to two and a half pounds of leafy green vegetables! On an empty stomach, it is assimilated into the blood in just 20 minutes! Humans can't eat wheatgrass directly as the strong cellulose is too woody and fibrous for the long and complex intestines in humans. Grass-eating animals like cows and horses, goats have short intestines.
Click here to continue reading article at Natural Cures & Remedies
Soy has staying power as healthy option
By Sarah Hills
Latest news headlines
23-Sep-2008 -
Consumers in the US are increasingly turning to soy as a healthy choice as they constantly change their eating habits to improve nutrition, according to a study from the United Soybean Board.
Soy is popular for its potential health benefits and versatility and 85 percent of consumers view soy as healthy, the survey showed. This is an increase of 26 percentage points compared to 1997.
The 2008 Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition survey, which is the 15th annual research study sponsored by the USB, also shows that a growing number of consumers specifically seek out soy foods to aid in weight management and promote heart health as well as to reduce the risk of some cancers.
Meanwhile food companies are taking note. According to the Mintel Global New Products Database, between 2000 and 2007 more than 2,700 new foods with soy as an ingredient were introduced in the US. This includes 161 new products last year alone.
The USB report describes soy as “a promising long-term phenomenon” and states: “Turning to soy protein, the ongoing trend toward healthy, versatile foods and an increase in offerings at mainstream grocery stores has promoted the increase of trial and awareness of soy foods and beverages.
“In 1997, 18 percent of consumers surveyed had tried soymilk. Today, this number has more than doubled to 40 percent, and consumption of other soy foods such as edamame and tofu are also on the rise.”
Consumers also continue to recognize soybean oil, commonly labeled as vegetable oil, as one of the healthiest cooking oils. It is relatively low in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol and zero grams of trans fat, which have been linked to health risks as diverse as cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.
Click here to continue reading article at Nutra Ingredients USA
Monday, September 22, 2008
Acupuncture Reduces Painful Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatments
Ancient Therapy Challenges Benefits of Modern Medicine
By JOHN MCKENZIE
Sept. 22, 2008
A new medical study finds that acupuncture, an ancient form of healing that has been around for thousands of years, is as good as, or better than modern medicine in helping ease the side effects of breast cancer treatment.
The findings, which were presented today at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's annual meeting in Boston, suggest that this ancient therapy can give cancer patients a wide range of benefits above modern medicine.
Cancer treatments, like chemotherapy, which kills breast cancer cells, can wreak havoc on a woman's body, throwing many into menopause with severe symptoms.
"I got about two hot flashes an hour," said Susan Azar, 43, a breast cancer survivor. "Very intense ones where you would break out in a sweat."
The "conventional" remedy for Azar's chemotherapy-induced hot flashes is a daily anti-depressant. But these pills can produce side effects of their own, including dizziness, nausea and constipation.
In an effort to find a way to alleviate some of chemotherapy's symptoms, Azar enrolled in a clinical trial to receive acupuncture once or twice a week, for 30- to 45-minute sessions.
"Two to three weeks into the study, you start to notice the hot flashes, the intensity and the frequency would decline," Azar said.
Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese therapy, practiced for thousands of years, uses very thin needles to reduce pressure at specific points. Most patients do not feel any pain from the needles.
Click here to continue reading article at ABC Health News
Friday, September 19, 2008
Chamomile Tea May Ward Off Diabetes Damage
Rats fed herbal extract showed significant decrease in blood sugar levels
-- Kevin McKeever
FRIDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Daily drinks of chamomile tea with meals may help prevent the complications of diabetes, report researchers in Japan and the United Kingdom.
The findings, published in the Sept. 10 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, are based on feeding chamomile extract to a group of diabetic rats for 21 days. Those on the chamomile supplement experience a significant decrease in blood glucose levels. The extract also appears to inhibit ALR2 enzymes and sorbitol, whose elevated levels are associated with increased diabetic complications.
Complications for diabetes include loss of vision, nerve damage and kidney damage.
The researchers said they hoped their work leads to the development of a new chamomile-based drug for type 2 diabetes.
More information
The American Diabetes Association has more about diabetes.
SOURCE: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, news release, Sept. 10, 2008
In Pain? Take One Masterpiece, Three Times a Day
Hospitals Should Pay Attention to Aesthetics, Scientists Say
Sept. 19, 2008
THE power of art to heal emotional wounds is well known, but could contemplating a beautiful painting have the same effect on physical pain?
To investigate, Marina de Tommaso and a team from the University of Bari in Italy asked 12 men and women to pick the 20 paintings they considered most ugly and most beautiful from a selection of 300 works by artists such as da Vinci and Botticelli.
They were then asked to contemplate either the beautiful paintings, or the ugly painting, or a blank panel while the team zapped a short laser pulse at their hand, creating a pricking sensation.
The subjects rated the pain as being a third less intense while they were viewing the beautiful paintings, compared with contemplating the ugly paintings or the blank panel. Electrodes measuring the brain's electrical activity suggested a reduced response to the pain when the subject looked at beautiful paintings
While distractions are known to reduce pain in hospital patients, de Tommaso says this is the first result to show that beauty plays a part. "Hospitals have been designed to be functional, but we think that their aesthetic aspects should be taken into account too," she says.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks
Internet Travel Monitor - Industry News
August 27, 2008
NEW YORK, NY –
1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies)
2. AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants)
3. Safeco Field (Seattle Mariners)
4. PETCO Park (San Diego Padres)
5. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox)
6. Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals)
7. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers)
8. Coors Field (Colorado Rockies)
9. Turner Field (Atlanta Braves)
10. (tie) Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Rays)
(tie) Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Source: PETA
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Organic Produce Will Soon Be Cheaper Than Conventional Produce
By Dr. Mercola
A study suggests that the rising price of oil could soon make cereal crops grown with chemical fertilizers more expensive than those produced more naturally.
Industrial farming relies on fertilizers made from fossil fuels. These fertilizes are used to replace nutrients in the soil. Organic farming, however, improves soil fertility through crop rotations, and is therefore less affected by oil prices.
With oil predicted to reach $200 a barrel within five to 10 years, the profit margin on organic wheat, barley and oil seed rape could soon be significantly higher than for the same crops produced by non-organic methods.
Sources:
Daily Telegraph September 2, 2008
These treehouses for grownups offer a unique way to get back to nature
By JOHN LEE
SPECIAL TO THE P-I
Nature-loving travelers searching for an idyllic woodland retreat are flocking to an unusual British Columbia sleepover that offers a rustic, squirrel's-eye view of the world.
Suspended several yards above the fern-lined forest floor by sturdy, tree-attached guide ropes, Vancouver Island's Free Spirit Spheres resemble shiny wooden Christmas baubles -- or giant sci-fi movie eyeballs -- nestled among the foliage.
But these two sibling treehouses are not just for the birds. Their exteriors are hand-built from yellow cedar or Sitka spruce encased in clear, waterproof fiberglass, while their interiors recall the homey aesthetics of a cozy Hobbit house.
Each has an ingenious, wood-lined living space filled with cabin conveniences such as comfy beds, surround-sound systems and porthole windows overlooking strapping maple and cedar trees.
Created by Tom Chudleigh -- his workshop is on the bucolic 5-acre property -- each sphere is accessed via a spiral staircase. Eve, the smaller of the two with a diameter of 9 feet, attracts singles or couples who don't mind bumping into each other. Its built-in bed, table and seating are functional and comfortable and twin portholes survey the surrounding branches, sun-dappled pond and two wandering geese.
Click here to continue reading article and see more pictures at Seattle PI.com
Fish oil appears to help against heart failure
By MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer
Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:47 AM ET
MUNICH, Germany - Fish oil supplements may work slightly better than a popular cholesterol-reducing drug to help patients with chronic heart failure, according to new research released Sunday.
Chronic heart failure is a condition that occurs when the heart becomes enlarged and cannot pump blood efficiently around the body.
With few effective options for heart failure patients, the findings could give patients a potential new treatment and could change the dietary recommendations for them, said Dr. Jose Gonzalez Juanatey, a spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, who was not connected to the research.
"This reinforces the idea that treating patients with heart failure takes more than just drugs," Juanatey said.
The study findings were published online in the medical journal The Lancet on Sunday. They were simultaneously announced at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in Munich.
Click here to continue reading article at Yahoo News
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating
Want To Do Your Body a World of Good? It's as Easy as Expanding Your Grocery List.
By JONNY BOWDEN, Ph.D.
July 9, 2008
Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.
Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription.
Beets
These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor under-neath their rugged exterior.
Why they're healthy: Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye's powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments -- called betacyanins -- that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.
How to eat them: Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.
You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Click here to continue reading article at ABC Health News
