Archive for December, 2009

Our bodies need omega-3 fatty acids for numerous normal functions, such as controlling blood clotting and building cell membranes in the brain, and since our bodies cannot make omega-3 fats, we must get them through food.

There are 3 main omega-3s in foods. The shortest is alpha-linolenic acid, with 18 carbons and 3 double bonds. It is the only omega-3 found in plants. The richest sources are the oils of flax seed, canola, and walnuts or seed oil capsules.

The other major omega-3s are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are sometimes described as “long-chain” because they have 20 or more carbons. They are found mainly in fish – particularly deep water fish or fish oil capsules and some types of marine plankton.

In 2002, the American Heart Association released a scientific statement, “Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease,” on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on heart function (including antiarrhythmic effects), hemodynamics (cardiac mechanics) and arterial endothelial function. The link between omega-3 fatty acids and CVD risk reduction are still being studied, but research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids can amongst a wealth of other benefits:

• Decrease risk of arrhythmias
• Decrease triglyceride levels
• Decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
• Slightly lower blood pressure
• Lower cholesterol

What do documented medical epidemiological and observational studies show?

Epidemiologic and clinical trials have shown that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD incidence. Large-scale epidemiologic studies suggest that people at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids.

The ideal amount to take isn’t clear. Evidence from prospective secondary prevention studies suggests that taking EPA+DHA ranging from 0.5 to 1.8 grams per day (either as fatty fish or supplements) significantly reduces deaths from heart disease and all causes.

The most compelling evidence for the cardiovascular benefit provided by omega-3 fatty acids comes from three large controlled trials of 32,000 participants randomized to receive omega-3 fatty acid supplements containing DHA and EPA or to act as controls.

These trials showed reductions in cardiovascular events of between 19% and 47%. Overall, these findings suggest that intake of omega-3 fatty acids, whether from dietary fish sources or fish oil supplements, should be increased, especially in people with or at risk for coronary artery disease.

The evidence that omega 3 short chain fatty acids had a beneficial effect was inconclusive. This may be attributed to the poor conversion of alpha-linolenic acid in the human body.

Now here comes the problem.

We know that it is always preferential, where possible, to gain our vitamins and minerals directly from our diet, and although with some vitamins and minerals it is not possible to get therapeutic amounts simply from our diet, this is not the case with omega 3.

It is relatively easy to consume enough “oily” fish from 3 or 4 servings per week, to get all of the health benefits associated with DHA and EPA.

So where is the problem!

Mercury poisoning

Mercury is a heavy metal that occurs in several forms, all of which can produce toxic effects.

Symptoms typically include impairment to vision, hearing and speech, disturbed sensory sensation and a lack of coordination.

The type and degree of symptoms exhibited will depend upon the individual toxin, the level of poisoning, and the duration of exposure.

The consumption of fish is by far the most significant source of ingestion-related mercury exposure in humans.

Nearly all fish contain some amounts of methylmercury.

How does this element get into our fish supply?

Mercury occurs both naturally and from man-made sources. Some of it can be traced to coal-burning power plants. Smokestacks release toxic mercury emissions which rain down into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Bacteria convert the mercury to a form that’s easily absorbed by insects and other small organisms. Mercury moves up the food chain as small fish eat the small organisms and big fish eat the smaller fish. The highest concentrations accumulate in large predators such as shark, swordfish and tuna.

In 1969, the FDA first set an action level for total mercury in fish; 0.5ppm (part-per-million) was considered the maximum safe limit. (Action levels represent the limit at or above which FDA will take legal action to remove a product from the market.)

In 1979, the action level was raised to 1ppm.

In 1984, there was another major change. The FDA stopped measuring on a basis of total mercury and instead started checking levels in terms of methylmercury only.

In 1998, the FDA stopped widely testing for mercury in fish. I wonder why!!!

If you think that mercury poisoning of humans rarely happens, or it never happened to anyone you heard of – read on:

In December 2008 Jeremy Piven, actor and star of the HBO series “Entourage,” unexpectedly pulled out of the Broadway revival of “Speed-the-Plow” due to high levels of mercury in his body following a high-fish diet.

According to Piven’s doctor, blood tests showed the actor had a Methylmercury level “six times the upper limit typically measured.”

What began as a health dietary regime caused extreme fatigue and exhaustion and could have ended with heart and cognitive problems, kidney failure and even death.

His recovery took over six months.

So what is the solution to getting enough of the correct omega 3 to maintain or improve your health without the risk of mercury poisoning?

Quite simply use a supplement, but not just any supplement. Make sure that the supplement that you use is certified pure by NSF International.

The link below will help you if you want to find an omega 3 supplier registered with NSF International.

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One great thing about aging is that we learn from experience and grow wiser. However, sometimes this does not apply to our food choices. It’s important that we understand what vitamins are important to us older folks. We have different nutritional needs than a twenty year old person may have.

We older people need more vitamins and minerals in our diet than a younger person does. Why? Because as our bodies age they get less efficient when it comes to utilizing nutritional substances. Not getting the proper amount of vitamins and minerals can lead to illness and the need for prescription medicines which further decrease our nutritional uptake capabilities. It can be a vicious circle.

Elderly people need plenty of vitamin D. This vitamin is very important for strong bones. Many older people don’t get enough of this important nutrient and suffer needlessly from broken bones due to simple falls. Easily broken bones and osteoporosis can be avoided by taking the proper amounts of vitamin D. Be sure to eat a lot of dairy products to keep your bones healthy. If you can’t eat dairy products you can easily obtain a vitamin D supplement from your local drugstore or from an online store.

Watch out for dangerous free radicals. They destroy healthy cells in your body and cause oxidation. This can lead to all kinds of problems such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts and other serious conditions. Wrinkles and saggy skin are tell-tale signs of cell damage by free radicals. You can help prevent free radical damage by taking plenty of antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E. These contain a high amount of beta carotene which protects your body from oxidation. Make sure you eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to insure you’re getting enough antioxidants. It’s also a good idea to use an antioxidant supplement such as pine bark extract, red wine extract or raspberry extract. These all contain lot’s of healthy free radical fighting antioxidants.

Vitamin K is another often neglected vitamin. It’s especially important for seniors as it helps to keep the blood circulation in good working order. It also helps the blood to clot properly. Vitamin K is known to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease too. Some great sources of Vitamin K are spinach, cabbage, green tea and dark green lettuce. Eating them fresh is best as freezing can destroy vitamin K.

Along with the vitamins already mentioned there are other important trace minerals your body needs on a regular basis. A great source of these trace minerals is green algae which is available in supplement form. Also any kind of sea vegetable such as kelp is good too.

Try to get a well balanced variety of vitamins by eating right and taking a multi-vitamin for seniors and some antioxidants every day. You’ll live longer and look and feel a whole lot better.

Brad Bahr is the author of many health related articles and websites. Find out which HGH anti-aging supplement he recommends for improving health, looking younger and feeling great every day. You can learn more about HGH Supplements at his website.

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Many of you have written to request more articles about proper nutrition for better skin. I wrote a lot about skin care products in recent years; however, as you know from previous articles I wrote, if you do not concern the inside of your body then what you apply on your skin will not work as well. So today, in response to numerous requests, I was on this subject; I am pleased to give you what you asked for.

Rejuvenating diet for your skin:

It is very important to use the right products “ON” the skin, but can significantly increase how much they can do for you to worry about what you “feed” your skin. You can actually look younger and to you in a few years of your appearance, paying attention to what you put in your mouth.

Antioxidant-rich diet to protect your body from aging effects of free radicals which cause oxidation. Free radicals are actually just unpleasant atoms become unstable due to environmental factors that we cannot control or things that we ourselves where we can control, like smoking, alcohol and other causes of instability of the atom to use your body for find ways to balance itself. This process changes the DNA of your cells, which comprises the largest organ of your body which is your skin. Oxidation and inflammation as a result of this process are the biggest causes of skin aging.

If you are a regular reader, I have knocked on the head with the benefits of eating a diet rich in antioxidants. Here are some products to include in your diet and why:

Water: Daah, this time “should” obviously is not it? You’ll be surprised how many of us suffer from dehydration and did not even know. Wait until your thirst before drinking water means that you are already dehydrated. Not enough water will lead to your skin to look dry and yellow.

Tomatoes: Lycopene in tomatoes may actually impede the Sun-induced aging, but also neutralizes free radicals.

Nuts: Only a handful each day will give you what you need. Nuts are loaded with “good” fat that helps to plump your skin. Just be careful not to eat too much or they will plump your butt too.

Wine: Hurray, the reason to drink wine. Resveratrol found in red wine, perfect for your skin. Only one glass, though about 4oz.

Salmon: Omega-3 in salmon, along with protein to help build a strong fabric of the skin and helps keep your skin moist.

Berries: antioxidants found in berries repair and restore the skin from the inside.

Broccoli: Quercetin is another powerful antioxidant that is found in broccoli, which is a natural anti-inflammatory.

Green tea: packing punch. They have 4 to 6 cups per day, which increases the activity of the cells and help in cell turnover.

Of course, this is only a few of the food should be included in your diet every day. In order to get enough food you need in your diet, you should leave little room for the things you should not have in any case. So download the good things, and you’ll be too full there are bad things. I want a good, healthy, rich in antioxidants day!
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Water Ionizers are speedily becoming recognized as an important health product in the U.S.A. market. In Japan where water ionization got its beginnings, approximately one out of every five homes has a Water Ionizer. In the United States approximately one out of 18,000 homes has a water ionizer. The Japanese are notorious for their healthy living and longevity. Maybe there is a lesson for us in these statistics.

A high quality Water Ionizer is something every family ought to have next to their kitchen sink. Water Ionizers provide an excellent means for purifying drinking water and providing healthy Alkaline water that is loaded with Antioxidants and Minerals. As the term ionization indicates, the nature of ionized water molecules is altered or restructured. Water Ionizers change the molecular structure of water as the water passes through the water machine by applying electricity to the water as it passes through highly charged electrolysis plates where the electrical charge causes some of the water molecules to be split from H2O into H+ and OH- ions. While there is only one source water supply leading into the water ionizer machine, there are two water outputs. One output has a large number of H+ ions while the other output has a large number of OH- ions. The water that is strong in H+ is acidic while the OH- water is Alkaline. Various types of ionized water can be produced by a water ionizer.

High quality water ionizers can create water ranging from a strong Acidic pH of 2.5 all the way up to a strong Alkaline pH of 11.5. Alkaline water all the way up to 9.5 can be used for drinking water. The other types of water produced by the water ionizer can be used for cooking, cleaning, and external use such as a Beauty Water of 5.5 pH for washing the face and hair. High quality water ionizers that make Kangen Water (tm of Enagic) also generate an abundance of Antioxidants in the Alkaline water which can slow down the aging process for the reason that the Antioxidants neutralize the potentially harmful activity of Free Radicals in your cells.

High quality water ionizers also generate a strong negative Oxidative Reduction Potential also known as ORP. The stronger the negative value of ORP the better the water is in reducing oxidation. Because oxidation is the aging process, water with a powerful negative ORP is better for good health. Because just about all the forms of drinking water generally found in homes, restaurants and stores have a positive ORP which indicates the water contributes to oxidation, a high quality water ionizer can be an important investment for your family as part of your anti-aging strategy. Not all water ionizers produce a powerful negative ORP, so it is incredibly important to check out the water ionizer specifications first before acquiring an ionizer. Sadly, many people quickly become disappointed when they acquire a less expensive Water Ionizer only to discover their new machine is not reliable in producing alkaline pH water or a strong negative ORP, and the excellent results they were expecting to receive can not be realized without the correct water stats.

Excellent Quality Water Ionizers can be obtained online.

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This article is intended to be an introduction to dietary health supplements and is not in any way intended to be, nor should it be taken as, medical advice. If you have a health issue, you should always seek the advice of a health care practitioner.

To ensure that we start off correctly, I think that it is important to understand the difference between dietary health supplements and vitamins.

The term ‘vitamin’ first became popular in the early nineteenth century as a combination of the words ‘vital’ and ‘mineral’. A compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body, and must be obtained from the diet. The term vitamin does not include other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids, nor does it encompass the large number of other nutrients that promote health but are otherwise required less often

There are an almost infinite amount of dietary supplements and we shall be covering only the ones that:

a) Claim to be heart healthy or curative
b) Are very popular or widely acclaimed

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
These healthy fats have emerged as the runaway heart-helpers, with numerous studies showing they can help reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and atherosclerosis and subsequently the need for heart bypass surgery. If you’ve had a heart attack, omega-3s appear to reduce the risk of suffering another one. Fish oil is by far the best supplement source of omega-3s.

CoQ10
At this point, there are no complete, sure bets with CoQ10. It is suspected to be beneficial in numerous applications, most notably heart-related damage, but until additional larger, longer and better-controlled studies are performed, no one can say for sure.

Currently, however, CoQ10 has shown the most definitive benefits in treating hypertension, or high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure have been shown to have less CoQ10 than normal, and CoQ10 has been shown to reduce high blood pressure in early research. The treatment of hypertension is the only CoQ10 application that has so far received a “B” rating, meaning there is good, solid scientific evidence that Co Q 10 may be helpful.

Green Tea
There are claims that the benefits of green tea include a lot of healing and preventive processes that cater to diseases like cancer, heart disease,rheumatoid arthritis, infections, impaired immune functions, and cardiovascular diseases.

The claims also suggest the benefits of green tea also help to alleviate problems with high cholesterol and improve the overall cholesterol level in the body.

It is further claimed that by drinking recommended amounts of green tea, the human body is cleansed from toxins that may cause a lot of health problems.

In 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent.
University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound found in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the cholesterol ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, high cholesterol levels, cardiovascular disease, infections and impaired immune function.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid
According to State Canadian researchers in the November 2003 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, Alpha-lipoic acid has been identified as a powerful antioxidant that is found naturally in our diets, but it appears to have increased functional capacity when given as a supplement in the form of a natural or synthetic isolate. They also noted that Alpha-Lipoic Acid supplements may help to prevent cardiovascular risk factors such as LDL oxidation and high blood pressure.

Aged Garlic
Garlic has been found to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, blood pressure, and plaque formation. One study at the University of California found that 200 mg of aged garlic extract taken daily lowered heart attack risk by 65%.

A study from December 2008 examined the effects of a standard garlic supplement versus a placebo in 42 men with hypercholesterolemia. By the end of the 12 week trial, the garlic supplement group reduced total cholesterol levels by a mean average of 7.6% and 11.5% more than the placebo group.
The LDL (”bad”) cholesterol fell by almost 14%. The participants HDL (”good”) cholesterol rose by almost 12%. The dosage found to be most effective was 600 mg a day.

A 2007 experiment examined the effects of garlic supplementation in a total of 112 volunteers. Half of the men and women were diagnosed with heart disease, the remainder were described as having at least “one or more risk factors of cardiovascular pathology”. The exact figures of this Russian study weren’t available, but the summary states that 6 months of garlic supplementation resulted in a “moderate hypolipidemic” (cholesterol lowering) and “antioxidant effect”.

The researchers concluded that people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease would likely benefit in both the short and long term from a dosage of 600 mg daily. 300 mg was the recommended dosage for those with at least one risk factor, but who lack clinical diagnosis of heart disease.

In April 2009, a review of garlic’s role in the management of high cholesterol was published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. This meta-analysis looked at 13 clinical trials that included over 1,000 participants. The authors of the study summarized their findings in the following way: “The available evidence from randomized controlled trials does not demonstrate any beneficial effects of garlic on serum cholesterol”.

Resveratrol
Resveratrol is claimed to be a key ingredient that helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces “bad” cholesterol and prevents blood clots.

Most research conducted with resveratrol has been conducted on animals, not people.
Research in mice given resveratrol has indicated that the antioxidant might also help protect them from obesity and diabetes, both of which are strong risk factors for heart disease. However, those findings were reported only in mice, not in people. In addition, to get the same dose of resveratrol used in the mice studies, a person would have to consume 100 to 1,000 bottles of red wine a day, which is why supplementation would be required to achieve such benefit.

Some research shows that resveratrol could be linked to a reduced risk of inflammation and blood clotting, both of which can lead to heart disease, but more research is needed before it can be confirmed whether resveratrol was the cause for the reduced risk.

Here is a summary from The Linus Pauling Institute:

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound found in grapes, red wine, purple grape juice, peanuts, and some berries.
When taken orally, resveratrol appears to be well-absorbed by humans, but its bioavailability is relatively low because it is rapidly metabolized and eliminated.

Scientists became interested in exploring potential health benefits of resveratrol when its presence was reported in red wine, leading to speculation that resveratrol might help explain the “French Paradox.”

Moderate alcohol consumption has been consistently associated with 20-30% reductions in coronary heart disease risk, but it is not yet clear whether red wine polyphenols, such as resveratrol, confer any additional risk reduction.

Although resveratrol can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in culture and in some animal models, it is not known whether high intakes of resveratrol can prevent cancer in humans.

Resveratrol administration has increased the lifespans of yeast, worms, fruit flies, fish, and mice fed a high-calorie diet, but it is not known whether resveratrol will have similar effects in humans.

At present, relatively little is known about the effects of resveratrol in humans.

The French paradox does seem to lend some weight to the argument. The paradox is the observation that the French appear to suffer a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease, despite having a diet relatively rich in saturated fats. The term French paradox was first coined in 1992 by Dr. Serge Renaud, a scientist from Bordeaux University in France.

Nattokinase
Nattokinase has been the subject of more than 17 studies, including two small human trials.

Researchers from Biotechnology Research Laboratories and JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. of Kobe, Japan, have tested its ability to dissolve a thrombus in the carotid arteries of rats. Animals that were treated with nattokinase regained 62 percent of blood flow, whereas those treated with plasmin regained just 15.8 percent.

Researchers from JCR Pharmaceuticals, Oklahoma State University, and Miyazaki Medical College tested nattokinase on 12 healthy Japanese volunteers (six men and six women, between the ages of 21 and 55). They gave the volunteers 200 grams of natto before breakfast, then tracked fibrinolytic activity through a series of blood plasma tests. The tests indicated that the natto generated a heightened ability to dissolve blood clots. On average, the volunteers’ ELT (a measure of how long It takes to dissolve a blood clot) dropped by 48 percent within two hours of treatment.
Volunteers also retained an enhanced ability to dissolve blood clots for two to eight hours. As a control procedure, researchers later fed the same amount of boiled soybeans to the same volunteers and tracked their fibrinolytic activity. These tests showed no significant change.

Conclusion:
Nattokinase is a particularly potent treatment because it enhances the body’s natural ability to fight blood clots in several different ways.
Additional benefits Include the convenience of oral administration, confirmed efficacy, prolonged effects, cost effectiveness, and the fact that it can be used preventatively. It is a naturally occurring dietary supplement that has demonstrated stability in the gastrointestinal tract.

The properties of nattokinase closely resemble those properties of plasmin in that it also dissolves fibrin directly. More importantly, it enhances the body’s production of both plasmin and other clot-dissolving agents.

Nattokinase may actually be superior to conventional clot-dissolving drugs such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activators (rt-PA), urokinase, and streptokinase, which are only effective therapeutically when taken intravenously within 12 hours of a stroke or heart attack.
Nattokinase, however, may help prevent the conditions leading to blood clots with a dose of only 2,000 fibrin units or 50 grams, of natto per day.

Terminalia Arjuna
Terminalia arjuna is a medicinal plant of the genus Terminalia, widely used by Ayurvedic physicians for its curative properties in people with heart problems including angina, hypertension and deposits in arteries.

Research suggests that Terminalia is useful in alleviating the pain of angina pectoris and in treating heart failure and coronary artery disease.

Terminalia may also be useful in treating hypercholesterolemia. The cardio protective effects of terminalia are thought to be produced by the antioxidant nature of several of the constituent flavonoids and oligomeric proanthocyanidins, while positive inotropic effects may be caused by the saponin glycosides.

There are documented studies on humans which appear to be sufficient enough to confirm the theraputic benfits of this dietary health supplement.

Pycnogenol
The extract has four basic properties – it’s a powerful antioxidant, acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, selectively binds to collagen and elastin, and finally, it aids in the production of endothelial nitric oxide which helps to dilate blood vessels.

There is a large amount of clinical trial information that appears to support the efficiency of this dietary health supplement with particular emphasis on heart health.

Supplements often undergo clinical trials and more so as they become more popular. This will mean that although every care has been taken to detail the current information accurately, as new trials are undertaken, some of this information may become redundant.

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