Flax: Is it healthy?

Posted: Sep 10th 2008 4:26PM by Martha Edwards
Filed under: Food and Nutrition

(Click the photo for 5 Common Foods That Can Cause Cancer)

Flax is something we hear about often, and it's always praise -- in fact, health food nuts just can't get enough of it. So when one of my favourite bloggers asked the question Is Flax Bad? I was a little baffled. Bad? It's considered a superfood because of all those healthy Omega 3s! How can it be bad?

Here's the thing: Flax was recently linked to prostate cancer. It has nothing to do with Omega-3s; rather, it has to do with ALA, an organic compound in some vegetable oils that has been linked to cancer.

So what does this mean for you? Research is just in the preliminary stages, but nonethless, you might want to consider a different source of Omega-3s, such as fish oil. This goes for both men and women. For more information, head over to Mark's Daily Apple.

Gallery: Foods that fight cancer

Health Buzz: 9/11 Health Effects and Other Health News

Posted September 11, 2008

Asthma, PTSD, and Other Health Effects of 9/11

An analysis of the health of 71,437 people enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry shows that many of them may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Included in the registry—which was started in 2003 to track mental and physical health effects of 9/11—are rescue and recovery workers, commuters, area workers, Lower Manhattan residents, and passersby. Two to three years after 9/11, 3 percent of adults enrolled in the registry reported new onset of asthma since the attacks, 16 percent had likely experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, and 8 percent endured severe psychological distress. Rescue and recovery workers experienced the highest rate of asthma, and post-traumatic stress disorder was more common among those who were injured and in Hispanics and low-income registry participants. Overall, women, minorities, and low-income participants had higher rates of physical and mental problems.more....

Lung Cancer in Nonsmokers: Men Die More

Sept. 9, 2008 -- Researchers looking into lung cancers in nonsmokers have found that men seem to die from the disease more than women.

The reasons for this are not clear from the study results.

Researchers led by the American Cancer Society's Michael Thun, MD, looked at data to try to better understand how lung cancer affects men and women in different cultures and from different time periods.

They pooled information on lung cancer rates and deaths from 13 large groups representing about 2 million people around the world.

Researchers also abstracted data for women from 22 cancer registries and 10 countries in places where few women smoked.

All the participants were self-described nonsmokers.

Read More...

Study: Blood-sugar control lowers diabetics' risks

Diabetics who tightly control their blood sugar -- even if only for the first decade after their condition is diagnosed -- have lower risks of heart attack, death and other complications 10 or more years later, a large follow-up study has found.

Tight glucose control, even for the first decade after diagnosis, can carry strong benefits, a study shows." Tight glucose control, even for the first decade after diagnosis, can carry strong benefits, a study shows.

The discovery of this "legacy effect" may put new emphasis on rigorous treatment when people first learn they have Type 2 diabetes, the most common form and the type linked to obesity.

Doctors warn that people should not let their blood sugar spin out of control -- that could have serious health consequences.

"What you don't want is for people to think that they had a period of good glucose control and then they allow their blood glucose to go high -- that would be disadvantageous," said Dr. Stephen Davis, head of Vanderbilt University's diabetes and endocrinology division, who had no role in the study.

Results were published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine and were being presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes meeting in Rome.

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Vitamin B12 Tied to Brain Shrinkage

WASHINGTON (Sept. 9) - Having higher vitamin B12 levels may protect against brain shrinkage in elderly people, according to a study published on Monday.

The researchers called their findings striking, but said more information is needed before recommending that people take vitamin B12 supplements to guard against the loss of brain volume and possibly prevent declines in thinking and memory.

Foods Rich in Vitamin B-12

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Beef Feeding Research Studies Pasture Vs. Grain

 Blacksburg, Va. – Does it make a difference whether beef cattle are pasture or grain fed?

Early research results at Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences indicate that pasture-fed beef has less fat and higher conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), indicating that it may be a healthier choice. CLA is a combination of different types of fatty acids.. Animals change the chemical structure of these acids that are found in plants, in their digestive system. Studies are continuing on the value of CLA in human health.

Research into pasture- vs. grain-fed beef is in preliminary stages. The goal is to develop innovative concepts and practices to enhance the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of grassland-based beef production systems in the Appalachian Region, said Joseph P. Fontenot, the emeritus John W. Hancock Jr. Professor of animal science at Virginia Tech. The project, which includes eight Virginia Tech faculty members among 25 scientists, is in its fourth year of a 10-year study. It is partially supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service along with funding from the universities involved, West Virginia University, the University of Georgia, and Virginia Tech.

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Red Bull Can Give You a Stroke

Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. The effect was seen even in young people.

The caffeine-loaded beverage causes blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

One hour after drinking Red Bull, your blood system becomes abnormal, as might be expected from a patient with cardiovascular disease.

Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks.

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FDA Post list of Problem Drugs

If you have a drug on this list, you should call your Doctor to discuss.
List of medications with potential safety problems

The list of drugs under investigation by the Food and Drug Administration, what they are used for and the potential problem.

—R-Gene 10, a growth hormone, pediatric overdose due to labeling/packaging confusion.
—Suprane, an anesthetic, cardiac arrest.
—Cymbalta, for depression and other conditions, urinary retention.
—Intelence, an HIV medication, bleeding into joints.
—Carac and Kuric, creams for skin conditions and fungal infections, name confusion.
—Heparin, a blood-thinner, serious allergic reactions.
—Extraneal, used in kidney dialysis, low blood sugars.
—Humilin R, for diabetes, dosing confusion.
—Stromectol and Warfarin, an anti-parasite drug and a blood thinner, drug interaction.
—Tykerb, for advanced breast cancer, liver damage.
—Revlimid, for multiple myeloma, severe skin blistering and bleeding.
—Tysabri, for multiple sclerosis, skin melanomas.
—Nitrostat, for angina, overdose due to labeling confusion.
—Sandostatin LAR, for abnormal bone growth, bowel obstruction.
—Oxycontin, a pain killer, drug misuse, abuse and overdose.
—Definity, used in cardiac imaging, cardiopulmonary reactions.
—Dilantin injection, for epileptic seizures, serious skin reaction.
—Seroquel, for bipolar disorder, overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion.
—Tyzeka, for chronic hepatitis B, nerve damage.
—Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers, for juvenile arthritis, cancers in children and young adults.

Heavy teens run risk of severe liver damage

Although disease is becoming more common in obese kids, few are tested
TRENTON, N.J. - In a new and disturbing twist on the obesity epidemic, some overweight teenagers have severe liver damage caused by too much body fat, and a handful have needed liver transplants.

Many more may need a new liver by their 30s or 40s, say experts warning that pediatricians need to be more vigilant. The condition, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver failure or liver cancer, is being seen in kids in the United States, Europe, Australia and even some developing countries, according to a surge of recent medical studies and doctors interviewed by The Associated Press.

The American Liver Foundation and other experts estimate 2 percent to 5 percent of American children over age 5, nearly all of them obese or overweight, have the condition, called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.more..,.

Taking Organic to the Extreme

Ever dream of owning your own farm? Some shoppers are cutting out the middleman and buying a share of the...
more...

Take a hint from squirrels; eat nuts daily

BY LISA DONOVAN ldonovan@suntimes.com

This time of year, squirrels and passers-by without manners load up on the black walnuts from our neighbor's tree.

For the squirrels, the process of cracking open the nuts involves dropping the deep-green, tennis-ball shaped goodies from the treetops. Smashed, the ball reveals its contents: A black-shelled walnut.

The more civilized thieves simply slice their way to the nut, cracking it open with a V-shaped nutcracker.

That's a tough way to get the handful -- or 1/3 cup to be precise -- of tree nuts that dietitians recommend humans eat each day. In addition to walnuts, almonds, Brazils, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and macadamias all grow in trees.

Studies show that scant amount, eaten five or more times weekly, may reduce the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease, says Maureen Ternus, executive director of the California-based International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation.

Ternus, a dietitian, says a recent survey showed 34 percent of Americans ate nuts, but only about half of the 1.5 ounces recommended daily.

Even so, U.S. Department of Agriculture figure show more Americans are turning to tree nuts. Consumption has jumped 45 percent in the last decade.

Ternus says the nuts provide the trifecta of protein, good fats and fiber. Combined, you get that full feeling from just a little bit.

But for years, the nut industry has had to battle the bad p.r. that nuts are too high in calories and fat.

As with everything, portion control is important, Ternus says. She likes the slogan "it's a handful, not a canful." A 1.5-ounce serving of almonds and cashews is 240 calories, while the meaty and heavier macadamias and pecans are 300 calories. Contrast that to a one-ounce bag of most pretzels, which has 110 calories and 1 gram of dietary fiber -- something many dietitians say should be a guide for those looking to eat healthy. Many dietitians suggest that 3 to 4 grams per serving should be the minimum, and almonds and pecans deliver there, with just over 4 grams per serving.

Despite the presence of our neighbor's black walnut-producing tree, with its gorgeous fern-like leaves, most of the nuts Americans eat come from farms in the United States. California grows pistachios, almonds and walnuts, while Oregon grows most of the hazelnuts we eat. Pecans come from the South, particularly Georgia. Hawaii and Australia provide most of the macadamia nuts we consume. Obviously Brazil nuts are imported as are cashews, which come from India.

Curious about an unusual edible or kitchen tool? Want to share some mysteries in your own cabinets? E-mail the Food Detective at ldonovan@suntimes.com.

Daily Ibuprofen May Raise Heart Risks for Elderly

Ibuprofen may raise the risk of heart attacks and other fatal and serious problems when elderly people take it daily for arthritis, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

They said the popular over-the-counter pain reliever was the only drug in the class that includes aspirin and other analgesics to raise the risk of serious heart disease -- along with the now-withdrawn COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx.

Merck and Co. Inc pulled Vioxx, known generically as rofecoxib, off the market in 2004 because studies showed it raised the risk of heart attack and stroke.more..

20 Diseases And Conditions Directly Attributed To Being Overweight

Carrying around excess weight to the point of being obese is becoming an epidemic in North America. While one of the initial concerns with obesity is usually all about how you look and how you feel about yourself as a person, the longer the problem exists for you the more medical problems are going to arise, some of which can be fatal.

Obesity is a growing concern especially because overweight rates have doubled among children and tripled among adolescents. This increases the number of years that they are exposing themselves to dangerous health risks associated with obesity. While it is difficult to truly predict the future impact of obesity, there is strong scientific agreement that obesity significantly increases the risk of serious chronic diseases and contributes to overall mortality.

Read More...

How to Tell When Leftovers Go Bad

Scientists Answer the Age-Old Question of When It's Time to Toss That Food

By LAUREN COX
ABC News Medical Unit
Aug. 12, 2008

To toss or not to toss: Exactly when leftovers become trash has fueled arguments of couples, roommates and co-workers since the dawn of the refrigeration.

Rotting Butter on a Plate in a Fridge

(Jonathan Kitchen/Digital Vision/Getty Images)

Does moldy bread go in the trash, or just get a trim around the green spot? Can Sunday's leftovers be Friday's meal? What about that day-old ground beef?

While scientists have developed methods to detect spoilage -- for example, sensors that go off when milk changes consistency or a polymer to detect bacteria growth in meat -- until these are available on a mass scale, food science and safety experts have some tips.

Deadly and Invisible

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Researchers Say Vitamin D Might Prevent Disorders, Including Multiple Sclerosis

 

Linda Young - AHN Editor

Newark, NJ (AHN) - Researchers say that people who get plenty of the sunshine Vitamin D may end up preventing certain diseases.

Having more of the vitamin that serves as the principal regulator of calcium in the body, may also protect against specific autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS) according to Sylvia Christakos, PhD, of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.

In addition, having more Vitamin D in the body might prevent the production of malignant cells, such as breast and prostate cancer in their bodies, Christakos found.

Read More...

Why Purchasing Meat at Whole Foods May be a Risky Proposition

August 15th, 2008 admin Posted in Natural health |

The request of connector cows at Whole Foods Market has drop a newborn prominence on Nebraska Beef of Omaha, digit of the country’s maximal meatpackers. Seven grouping in Massachusetts, from ages 3 to 60, were sickened by E. coli from cows bought at Whole Foods stores. The aforementioned lineage has sickened 31 grouping in 12 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada.
The Whole Foods connector cows was among 1.2 meg pounds of Nebraska Beef recalled on Friday. The processor also recalled 5 meg pounds produced in May and June after its cows was blamed for added E. coli occurrence in heptad states.
Sanitation violations over the time sextet eld at Nebraska Beef, include:

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Flu Shot Doesn't Reduce Death Risk

The widely-held perception that the influenza vaccination reduces overall mortality risk in the elderly does not withstand careful scrutiny, according to researchers in Alberta. The vaccine does confer protection against specific strains of influenza, but its overall benefit appears to have been exaggerated by a number of observational studies that found a very large reduction in all-cause mortality among elderly patients who had been vaccinated. Read More

Stress May Raise Breast Cancer Risk

Young women who experience more than one stressful life event are at greater risk of developing breast cancer, but a general feeling of happiness and optimism may help guard against the disease, Israeli researchers report. Read More

Some Diabetes Drugs Carry Big Heart Risks

A class of oral drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes may make heart failure worse, according to an editorial published online in Heart Wednesday by two Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty members.

“We strongly recommend restrictions in the use of thiazolidinediones (the class of drugs) and question the rationale for leaving rosiglitazone on the market,” write Sonal Singh, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of internal medicine, and Curt D. Furberg, M.D., Ph.D., professor of public health sciences. Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are the two major thiazolidinediones.Read More

How Light Deprivation Causes Depression

How Sunlight Can Improve Your Mental Health

The association between darkness and depression is well known. Now a new study reveals the profound changes that light deprivation causes in your brain. Neuroscientists kept rats in the dark for six weeks. The animals not only exhibited depressive behavior but also suffered damage in brain regions known to be underactive in humans during depression. Further, neurons that produce norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, which are common neurotransmitters involved in emotion, pleasure and cognition, were observed in the process of dying. This neuronal death may be the mechanism underlying the darkness-related blues of seasonal affective disorder. The dark-induced effects may stem from a disruption of the body’s clock. When an organism’s circadian system is not receiving normal light, that in turn might lead to changes in brain systems that regulate mood, the lead researcher said.

Read More...

Is Your Organic Food Really Organic?

The USDA has announced that they are putting 15 out of 30 federally accredited organic certifiers they audited on probation, allowing them 12 months to make corrections or lose their accreditation. At the heart of the problems were imported foods and ingredients from other countries, including China. Chinese imports have made headlines for contaminated pet food, toxic toys, and recently, certified organic ginger contaminated with levels of a pesticide called aldicarb that can cause nausea, headaches and blurred vision. The ginger, sold under the 365 label at Whole Foods Market, contained a level of aldicarb not even permissible for conventional ginger, let alone organics. The Chinese government does not allow foreigners to inspect Chinese farms, and even if a Chinese inspector notices illegal pesticide use, he or she might feel pressured to stay silent.

Imported foods found with unacceptable pesticide levels have drawn attention to the USDA's shoddy certification process.

When you buy food with a "USDA organic" label, do you know what you're getting? Now is a good time to ask such a question, as the USDA just announced Monday it was putting 15 out of 30 federally accredited organic certifiers they audited on probation, allowing them 12 months to make corrections or lose their accreditation. At the heart of the audit for several certifiers were imported foods and ingredients from other countries, including China.

Read More...

European agency warns of possible Botox side effects

View larger image

Months after US authorities sounded the alarm, European officials are warning of dangerous possible side effects from the wrinkle-smoothing injection Botox, according to a German news report. The London-based European Medicines Agency had by August 2007 recorded more than 600 cases of negative effects potentially linked to the popular cosmetic treatment, Focus news weekly reported in its issue to be released Monday. In 28 cases Botox users died. In Germany the Federal Institute for Medication and Medical Products has received 210 reports with a suspected link to Botox, which is used by millions around the world to iron out wrinkles. Five cases were lethal, Focus said. Botulinum toxins including Botox are approved in the United States and Europe to treat a variety of conditions including spasms of the eyelids or neck, the easing of facial lines or excessive sweating. Read More

Learn what God Says about your diet.....

Clean and Unclean

God's Dietary Laws:

Abolished in the New Testament?

READERS: The purpose of this article is not to condemn or insult those who hold to the standard Christian teaching that God�s dietary laws are abolished under the New Covenant. The purpose of the article is to examine the New Testament passages which are commonly quoted in support of this teaching, and to show that these passages do not really teach what most Christians think they teach.

  The Bible tells us that there was a distinction between clean and unclean animals for at least a thousand years before the Torah was given to Moses. This distinction between clean and unclean animals is mentioned in Gen. 7:2 and 8:20, in the account of Noah�s Flood. Genesis does not tell us which animals were clean and which were unclean, but it is obvious that Noah knew the difference.

About a thousand years later, when the Torah was given to Moses, God went into great detail and listed which animals were clean (kosher; fit for human consumption) and which were unclean (non kosher; not fit for human consumption). The entire 11th chapter of Leviticus is devoted to this subject. A shorter version of the list is repeated in Deuteronomy 14.

Orthodox Jews take these commandments literally, and do not eat pork, shellfish, or any of the other forbidden meats. Christians, on the other hand, feel that there is nothing wrong with eating these things. Many Christians (and doctors and nutritionists, too) will admit that people would be a lot healthier if they followed God�s dietary laws, and a small number of Christians actually do make an effort to avoid meat from unclean animals. But the great majority of Christians do not view the dietary laws as Divine commandments which ought to be obeyed.

A number of arguments have been put forth to support the standard Christian position. Probably the oldest argument is drawn from the Second Century Epistle of Barnabas. The writer spiritualizes the dietary laws, and says that the various unclean animals represent different types of behavior in which a Christian should not engage. While there may be alegitimate analogy here (Christians shouldn�t behave like pigs, etc.), the analogy fails to prove that God does not want His people to take the commandments literally and abstain from these meats.

Of course the most common argument against the validity of the dietary laws is the claim that God abolished them in the New Testament. This claim is often coupled with the idea that God originally gave the dietary laws because people didn�t have refrigeration in Old Testament times. I�ve got news for you. People didn�t have refrigeration in New Testament times, either. If God�s dietary commandments had anything at all to do with the absence of refrigeration, He wouldn�t have "abolished" them until about a hundred years ago, when refrigeration was invented.

There are six New Testament passages which can give the impression that God did, indeed, abolish the dietary commandments which He established in the Old Testament. However, a close look at these passages reveals that they really prove no such thing. The only way a person can use any of these passages to "prove" the nullifying of the dietary laws is to: 1) ignore the context of the passage; 2) ignore the historical background of the passage; 3) ignore what the rest of the Bible says about the subject; 4) ignore the implications and logical conclusions of this theological position.

Before we look at the six New Testament passages, let us consider two important questions:

1) Were the dietary laws, as written in the Bible, man-made traditions, or were they commandments of God? Bible-believers must admit that these were commandments which God expected His people to obey;

2) Did the Son of God teach His disciples to disobey the commandments of God? Some might think this is a ridiculous question, yet this is exactly what some Christians actually believe Jesus did in Matt. 15, the first passage we will look at.More

 

Realted:

A List of Clean Fish (Edible according to God)

PAUL AND UNCLEAN MEATS

Despite Frustrations, Americans Are Pretty Darned Happy

The World Values Survey (WVS) is the work of a global network of social scientists who perform periodic surveys addressing a number of issues. The latest surveys, taken in the United States and in several developing countries, showed increased happiness from 1981 to 2007 in 45 of 52 countries for which substantial time series data was available.

Researchers responsible for the analysis, from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research (ISR) in Ann Arbor, say the overall rise in reported happiness is due to greater economic growth, democratization and social tolerance.

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Just in Time for Labor Day

Steven Raichlen's 10 Grilling Commandments

1. BE ORGANIZED. Have everything you need for grilling -- the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, and equipment -- on hand and at grillside before you start grilling.

2. GAUGE YOUR FUEL. There’s nothing worse than running out of charcoal or gas in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals 3 inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you’re planning to cook. (A 22 1/2-inch grill needs one chimney’s worth of coals.) When cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least one-third full.

3. PREHEAT THE GRILL TO THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE. Remember: Grilling is a high-heat cooking method. In order to achieve the seared crust, charcoal flavor, and handsome grill marks associated with masterpiece grillmanship, you must cook over a high heat. How high? At least 500°F. Although I detail this elsewhere, it is worth repeating: When using charcoal, let it burn until it is covered with a thin coat of gray ash. Hold your hand about 6 inches above the grate. After 3 seconds, the force of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. When using a gas grill, preheat to high (at least 500°F); this takes 10 to 15 minutes. When indirect grilling, preheat the grill to 350°F.

4. KEEP IT CLEAN. There’s nothing less appetizing than grilling on dirty old burnt bits of food stuck to the grate. Besides, the food will stick to a dirty grate. Clean the grate twice: once after you’ve preheated the grill and again when you’ve finished cooking. The first cleaning will remove any bits of food you may have missed after your last grilling session. Use the edge of a metal spatula to scrape off large bits of food, a stiff wire brush to finish scrubbing the grate.

5. KEEP IT LUBRICATED. Oil the grate just before placing the food on top, if necessary (some foods don’t require that the grates be oiled). Spray it with oil (away from the flames), use a folded paper towel soaked in oil, or rub it with a piece of fatty bacon, beef fat, or chicken skin.

6. TURN, DON’T STAB. The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with tongs or a spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork -- unless you want to drain the flavor-rich juices onto the coals.

7. KNOW WHEN TO BASTE. Oil-and-vinegar-, citrus-, and yogurt-based bastes and marinades can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking time. (If you baste with a marinade that you used for raw meat or seafood, do not apply it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.) When using a sugar-based barbecue sauce, apply it toward the end of the cooking time. The sugar in these sauces burns easily and should not be exposed to prolonged heat.

8. KEEP IT COVERED. When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such as a whole chicken, leg of lamb, or prime rib, use the indirect method of grilling or barbecuing. Keep the grill tightly covered and resist the temptation to peek. Every time you lift the lid, you add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.

9. GIVE IT A REST. Beef, steak, chicken -- almost anything you grill-will taste better if you let it stand on the cutting board for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat juices, which have been driven to the center of a roast or steak by the searing heat, to return to the surface. The result is a juicier, tastier piece of meat.

10. NEVER DESERT YOUR POST. Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it’s cooked. This is not the time to answer the phone, make the salad dressing, or mix up a batch of your famous mojitos. Above all, have fun. Remember that grilling isn’t brain surgery. And that’s the gospel!

Excerpted from 'The Barbecue Bible'



Read more of Steven Raichlen's tips at his Expert Grilling Guide.

Vitamin D

This is the Most important Website You will visit this week!

Understanding Vitamin D Cholecalciferol

The high rate of natural production of vitamin D3 cholecalciferol in the skin is the single most important fact every person should know about vitamin D because it has such profound implications for the natural human condition.

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone precursor that has recently been found to play a role in a wide variety of diseases. Current research indicates vitamin D deficiency plays a role in causing seventeen varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, and periodontal disease.

This does not mean that vitamin D deficiency is the only cause of these diseases, or that you will not get them if you take vitamin D. What it does mean is that vitamin D, and the many ways in which it affects a person's health, can no longer be overlooked by the health care industry nor by individuals striving to achieve and maintain a greater state of health. More.........

If trends continue, we’ll all be fat in 40 years

Researchers: By 2048, every American could be at least slightly overweight

NEW YORK - If the trends of the past three decades continue, it’s possible that every American adult could be overweight 40 years from now, a government-funded study projects.

The figure might sound alarming, or impossible, but researchers say that even if the actual rate never reaches the 100-percent mark, any upward movement is worrying; two-thirds of the population is already overweight.

“Genetically and physiologically, it should be impossible” for all U.S. adults to become overweight, said Dr. Lan Liang of the federal government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, one of the researchers on the study.

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Supermarket Chains Narrow Their Sights

Gordon M. Grant for The New York Times

 

Supermarket Chains Narrow Their Sights

LIAISON Joe Casa, left, and Phil Schmitt at the Schmitt farm in Riverhead, N.Y.

ONE of the biggest brand names in food this summer doesn’t carry a trademark. It’s the word “local,” which has entered the language as a powerful symbol of high quality and goodness.

 

Local blueberries mix with commercial ones at a Manhattan Food Emporium.

Supermarkets are beginning to catch on that stocking corn and tomatoes grown nearby is not enough for customers. Now they are competing with farm stands and farmers’ markets for a wider variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

It’s been a boon for local farmers. Ten years ago local produce was devalued at the wholesale Hunts Point market, said Lyle Wells, whose family has been farming on Long Island since 1660. “Now youcan’t get enough of the stuff.”

Last month Wal-Mart announced that it plans to spend $400 million this year on locally grown produce, making it the largest player in that market.

“When Wal-Mart makes a major effort to reach out to local food systems, it’s a major signal,” said Gus Schumacher Jr., a consultant to the nonprofit Kellogg Foundation and a former Massachusetts commissioner of food and agriculture, who has worked to introduce farmers to restaurateurs and retailers since the 1980s.

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Study Outcome Won't Sway Company on Eye Drug

WASHINGTON — What does a company do when there's anecdotal evidence that two of its drugs are equally effective in treating a leading cause of blindness in the elderly, one costing patients $60 per treatment and the other $2,000?

In the case of Genentech Inc., nothing.Read More

Cancer Vaccine Linked to Pancreatitis

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard

Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine, which is being advised for all young women, may be causing pancreatitis, a painful, debilitating disease that can be fatal. Australian sources reported that three women developed pancreatitis shortly after receiving the vaccine. Gardasil protects women from strains of the HPV (human papillomavirus) that cause 70 percent of all cervical cancer. But numerous cases of young women being stricken with various potentially deadly complications have arisen all over the world. Eighteen deaths have been reported as well as 8,000 adverse reactions which include paralysis and seizures. Australia alone reported over 1,000 suspected reactions to the vaccine, although most were not life-threatening and included headaches, dizziness and vomiting. Acute pancreatitis is characterized by sudden, severe abdominal pain. Pancreatic enzymes burn and irritate the pancreas, then leak out into the abdominal cavity. Complications can include heart, respiratory or kidney failure, all of which can be fatal. Dr. Amitabha Das, writing in the Medical Journal of Australia, said, “We suggest that pancreatitis be considered in cases of abdominal pain following HPV vaccination.

Vitamin D Deficiency May Lurk in Babies

Until she was 11 months old, Aleanie Remy-Marquez could have starred in an advertisement for breast milk. She took to nursing easily, was breast-fed exclusively for six or seven months, and ate little else even after that. She was alert and precocious and developed at astonishing speed, her mother said, sitting at four months and walking by eight months.

But once Aleanie started putting weight on her feet, her mother noticed that her legs were curving in a bow shape below the knees. Doctors diagnosed vitamin D-deficiency rickets, a softening of the bones that develops when children do not get enough vitamin D — a crucial ingredient for absorbing calcium and building bone, and the one critical hormone that breast milk often cannot provide enough of.

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Mystery virus kills 160

Rural Kanpur is fighting its most frightening scourge — a mystery disease that has left a long line of bodies in its trail and doesn’t seem anywhere finished.

What started from one village two weeks ago has now spread to 350 and has so far claimed 160 lives. Thousands more are bed-ridden. On an average, 15 to 20 people have been dying every day; Saturday saw the highest toll in a day: 24.

The district’s health department is somewhat confused about the nature of the disease that has struck. At the beginning, the diagnosis was viral fever. Then doctors concluded that it was falciparum malaria. But after two weeks, they have ruled out both but still don’t have an exact answer.

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Strife over shots: Should our kids play together?

 

Karey Williams never thought a parenting decision would come between her and a good friend. The two had known one another for a decade, supported each other through infertility treatment and had their first babies around the same time. But when she told the friend that

she had stopped vaccinating her daughter at age 1, the relationship abruptly ended.

“She said, ‘Well then, your child can’t come into my house,’” recalls Williams, 47, who lives in

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Early ear infections may pack on pounds later

Damage to a crucial nerve may trigger a taste for fats, sweets in some

	New research that includes studies of health records from the 1960s suggests that frequent childhood ear infections may be linked to weight gain or obesity later in life.  View related photos

 

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Will There Someday Be an Exercise Pill?

 

Couch Mouse to Mr. Mighty by Pills Alone

 

Cheryl Senter/Associated Press

Mike Batista, center, with other members of the Old School P.E. class at the recreation center in Newport, N.H.

By NICHOLAS WADE

Published: August 1, 2008

For all who have wondered if they could enjoy the benefits of exercise without the pain of exertion, the answer may one day be yes — just take a pill that tricks the muscles into thinking they have been working out furiously.

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Every Bite You TakeHow Sysco came to monopolize most of what you eat

A hot dog from Yankee Stadium. Potato latkes from the Four Seasons in Manhattan. Sirloin steak at Applebee's. The jumbo cheeseburger at the University of Iowa Hospital. While it would seem these menu items have nothing in common, they're all from Sysco, a Houston-based food wholesaler. This top food supplier serves nearly 400,000 American eating establishments, from fast-food joints like Wendy's, to five-star eating establishments like Robert Redford's Tree Room Restaurant, to mom-and-pop diners like the Chatterbox Drive-In, to ethnic restaurants like Meskerem Ethiopian restaurant. Even Gitmo dishes out food from Sysco. Should you worry that one source dominates so much of what you eat?

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The Anti-Vaccine Movement Grows.....

Vaccine-wary parents spark public health worry More opt out for fear of reactions, but do they endanger everyone else?Read More

 

ALSO:

Parents sound off on childhood vaccine divide Readers describe how their personal experiences informed their decisionsRead More

Spicy or Bland? 6 Acid Reflux Myths You Should Know

 By Jessica Ryen Doyle

 iStockPhoto

Rice noodles with shrimp, vegetables and tofu.

There are three words an acid reflux patient never wants to hear: “Bland, restricted diet.”

You already feel miserable, with symptoms of heartburn and/or regurgitation.

The last thing you want to do is give up your favorite comfort foods.

You may not have to. It turns out if you are craving that spicy enchilada, you probably can eat it after all.

We sought the truth on six common acid reflux myths concerning diet:

1. Myth: You should cut back on protein.

Fact: “It’s not all proteins, only the meat proteins,” said Tanya Zuckerbrot, nutritionist and author of The F-Factor. “Foods like hummus, peanut butter and soy products like tofu are OK to eat.”...Read More

The Secret to Longevity: Get a Second Wife, Study Says

Some men may think one is bad enough. But a study suggests the key to a long life may be to get a second wife.

Researchers from the U.K.'s University of Sheffield looked at men older than 60 from 140 countries that practice polygamy and found that they lived an average of 12 percent longer than men from 49 monogamous nations, according to a report from the Times of India.

The study's findings were presented last week at the International Society for Behavioral Ecology’s annual meeting in Ithaca, New York, according to the report.

Researchers looked to previous research on women to answer why polygamous men live longer and chalk it up to a variation of the "grandmother effect."

Scientists believe women, who live considerably longer post-menopause than other mammals, do so because the longer they live the more grandchildren they have to dote on. Caring for grandchildren, it seems, gives women a reason to live long after they're no longer able to reproduce.

Doting on grandchildren, however, does not have the same life-lengthening benefits for men. But men are able to reproduce into their 60s, 70s and 80s. So it would seem, researchers said, that polygamous men experience a sort of father effect, meaning, the more wives they have, the more children they father. Fathering children gives them a reason to continue living longer than monogamous men who often stop fathering children at much earlier ages, researchers concluded.

source: Fox News

Are Secret Vaccinations Killing Soldiers?

Click Here to Hear the 6 minute interview

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The story of marine David Fey reads like a crime novel:

• Secret shots?
• Incomplete, and fake, medical records?
• Deadly illness?

But while it’s shocking, and sad, to think that the soldiers pledging their lives to defend the United States are being used as guinea pigs for unknown vaccinations, it’s nothing new.

How Many Vaccines Does the U.S. Military Require?

This information is not easy to come by, but the following table was derived from Air Force Joint Instruction 48-110, Army Regulation 40-52, BUMEDINST 6230.15, CGCOMTINST M6230.4E, dated May 12, 2004 on About.com:

Immunizing Agent	Remarks
Basic Training and Officer Accession Training
Adenovirus, Types 4 and 7	Air Force recruits receive adenovirus vaccination only when there is evidence of active disease transmission. Coast Guard Recruits only receive this when specifically directed by the Coast Guard Commandant.
Influenza (Flu Shot)	Navy and Marine Corps officer and enlisted accessions receive the influenza vaccine year round in basic training. Other service recruits receive this shot in basic only during the designated flu season (October - March)
Measles	Measles Mumps and rubella (MMR) are administered toall recruits regardless of prior history.
Meningococcal	Quadrivalent meningococcal vaccine (containing A, C, Y, and W-135 polysaccharide antigens) is administered on a one-time basis to recruits. The vaccine is given as soon as practicable after in-processing or training. This vaccine is required routinely only for recruits, although its use may be indicated in other situations based on transmission potential and risk of contracting meningococcal disease.
Mumps	Measles Mumps and rubella (MMR) are administered to all recruits regardless of prior history.
Polio	A single dose of trivalent OPV is administered to all enlisted accessions. Officer candidates, ROTC cadets, and other Reserve Components on initial active duty for training receive a single dose of OPV unless prior booster immunization as an adult is documented.
Rubella	Measles Mumps and rubella (MMR) are administered to all recruits regardless of prior history.
Tetanus-diphtheria	A primary series of tetanus-diphtheria (Td) toxoid is initiated for all recruits lacking a reliable history of prior immunization in accordance with existing ACIP guidelines. Individuals with previous history of Td immunization receive a booster dose upon entry to active duty and subsequently in accordance with ACIP requirements.
Yellow Fever	Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard only
Routine "Booster" Shots while in the Military
Influenza (Flu Shot)	Annual, during "Flu Season" (October - March)
Tetanus-diphtheria	A primary series of tetanus-diphtheria (Td) toxoid is initiated for all recruits lacking a reliable history of prior immunization in accordance with existing ACIP guidelines. Individuals with previous history of Td immunization receive a booster dose upon entry to active duty and subsequently in accordance with ACIP requirements.
Yellow Fever	Navy and Marine Corps only.
Alert Forces
Hepatitis A	Air Force Only
Typhoid	Typhoid vaccine is administered to alert forces and personnel deploying to endemic areas.
Yellow Fever	Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Navy and Marine Corps receive all receive this, regardless of "Alert Status").
When Required by Host Country to Enter
Cholera	Cholera vaccine is not administered routinely to either active or reserve component personnel. Cholera vaccine is administered to military personnel, only upon travel or deployment to countries requiring cholera vaccination as a condition for entry, or upon the direction of the appropriate Surgeon General, or Commandant (G-K), Coast Guard.
High Risk Occupational Groups
Hepatitis B
Measles
Mumps
Plague	There is no requirement for routine immunization. Plague vaccine is administered to personnel who are likely to be assigned to areas where the risk of endemictransmission or other exposure is high. Vaccine may not be effective in the prevention of airborne infection. The addition of antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for such situations.
Rabies	Rabies vaccine is administered to personnel with a high risk of exposure (animal handlers; certain laboratory, field, and security personnel; and personnel frequently exposed to potentially rabid animals in a non occupational or recreational setting).
Varicella
When Deployed to Area Where In-Theater Commander Accesses a Biological Threat
Small Pox	This vaccine is administered only under the authority of DoD Directive 6205.3, DoD Immunization Program for Biological Warfare Defense.
Anthrax	This vaccine is administered only under the authority of DoD Directive 6205.3, DoD Immunization Program for Biological Warfare Defense.

Study Questions Cost-Effectiveness

A new study suggests that giving Merck & Co.'s cervical-cancer vaccine Gardasil to women through their mid-20s may not be worth the price, despite U.S. recommendations that this age group receive the costly shot.

The study, published online Wednesday by The New England Journal of Medicine, comes as Merck already is having difficulty persuading college-age and older women to get the vaccine, which was introduced in 2006 and costs about $360 for a three-dose regimen. This has contributed to a slowdown in Gardasil sales, casting a cloud on Merck's financial outlook.Read More

Trace Arsenic in Water May Be Linked With Diabetes

CHICAGO — A new analysis of government data is the first to link low-level arsenic exposure, possibly from drinking water, with Type 2 diabetes, researchers say. The study's limitations make more research necessary. And public water systems were on their way to meeting tougher U.S. arsenic standards as the data were collected.

Still, the analysis of 788 adults' medical tests found a nearly fourfold increase in the risk of diabetes in people with low arsenic concentrations in their urine compared to people with even lower levels.

Previous research outside the United States has linked high levels of arsenic in drinking water with diabetes. It's the link at low levels that's new. The findings appear in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association.

"The good news is, this is preventable," said lead author Dr. Ana Navas-Acien of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

New safe drinking water standards may be needed if the findings are duplicated in future studies, Navas-Acien said. She said they've begun a new study of 4,000 people.

Arsenic can get into drinking water naturally when minerals dissolve. It is also an industrial pollutant from coal burning and copper smelting. Utilities use filtration systems to get it out of drinking water.

Seafood also contains nontoxic organic arsenic. The researchers adjusted their analysis for signs of seafood intake and found that people with Type 2 diabetes had 26 percent higher inorganic arsenic levels than people without Type 2 diabetes.

How arsenic could contribute to diabetes is unknown, but prior studies have found impaired insulin secretion in pancreas cells treated with an arsenic compound.

The policy implications of the new findings are unclear, said Molly Kile, an environmental health research scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health. Kile wrote an accompanying editorial in the journal.

"Urinary arsenic reflects exposures from all routes — air, water and food — which makes it difficult to track the actual source of arsenic exposure let alone use the results from this study to establish drinking water standards," Kile said.

Also, the findings raise a chicken-and-egg problem, she said, since it's unknown whether diabetes changes the way people metabolize arsenic. It's possible that people with diabetes excrete more arsenic.

The United States lowered arsenic standards for public water systems to 10 parts per billion in 2001 because of known cancer risks. Compliance was required by 2006, years after the study data were collected in 2003 and 2004.

U.S. Food Portions: Monuments to Decadence?

With soaring food prices sparking protests in many countries, and more than 800 million people going hungry every day worldwide, U.S. food portions are under scrutiny.

Portion sizes in the United States not only exceed those in less-developed countries, but also in the developed world. Americans have the highest per capita daily consumption in the world, eating 3,770 calories a day.

One fast-food chain calls its massive burger a "monument to decadence".

"We've looked at large portion sizes almost entirely in terms of whether it's healthy for us, and now we have to consider is that sort of a demand going to be sustainable," said Paul Roberts, author of The End of Food. "It would probably be a way to take pressure off of grain markets if we somehow convinced people to take smaller portion sizes."

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Nano-foods: The next consumer scare?

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Those consumers already worried about genetically engineered or cloned food reaching their tables may soon find something else in their grocery carts to furrow their brows over -- nano-foods.

Consumer advocates taking part in a food safety conference in Orlando, Florida, this week said food produced by using nanotechnology is quietly coming onto the market, and they want U.S. authorities to force manufacturers to identify them.

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MSG Linked to Obesity

People who use monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than people who don’t use it to be overweight or obese even though they have the same amount of physical activity and total calorie intake, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health study published this month in the journal Obesity.

Researchers at UNC and in China studied more than 750 Chinese men and women, aged between 40 and 59, in three rural villages in north and south China. The majority of study participants prepared their meals at home without commercially processed foods. About 82 percent of the participants used MSG in their food. Those users were divided into three groups, based on the amount of MSG they used. The third who used the most MSG were nearly three times ....Read More

Popular Moisturizers May Cause Skin Cancer

Moisturizers used by millions of people induced skin cancer in experiments on mice, a study released Thursday said, as experts expressed strong doubts over any possible risk to humans from creams.

Researchers at Rutgers University, New Jersey, in the United States tested four common skin creams on gene-altered hairless mice exposed to heavy doses of cancer-causing UV light.

The scientist who led the study, however, cautioned that rodent skin is more sensitive than human skin, while other experts said they had reservations about the relevance of the study's conclusions.....Read More

One Can of Red Bull Increases Stroke Risk

Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young people, Australian medical researchers said on Friday.

The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them "wings," caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke.

"One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease," Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper....Read More

Happiness is Key to Longer Life

Keep humming "Don't Worry Be Happy". The 1980s New Age-inspired hit got it right. New research shows being happy can add several years to life.

"Happiness does not heal, but happiness protects against falling ill," says Ruut Veenhoven of Rotterdam's Erasmus University in a study to be published next month.

After reviewing 30 studies carried out worldwide over periods ranging from one to 60 years, the Dutch professor said the effects of happiness on longevity were "comparable to that of smoking or not"... Read More

Hold off on that Broccoli!

A recent story put out by the British Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed that eating broccoli could reverse the damage to heart blood vessels caused by diabetes. BBC Gets It Wrong About Broccoli’s Curative Abilities

0 comments - 14 Aug 2008 -

Major Confusion on How to Do Breast Checks

Is there a right way to check your breasts for early signs of cancer? Many women remain confused as experts now say there is no evidence that rigorous monthly "self-examination" -- widely recommended in the United States -- reduces breast cancer deaths. Plus, it can lead to unnecessary biopsies.

Two large studies looking at a total of more than 388,000 women found that death rates from breast cancer were the same among women who rigorously self-examined as those who did not, while there were almost twice the number of biopsy operations in the self-examination group.

According to some experts, the best way for a woman to check her breasts is not to follow a strict examination routine, but to get to know what is normal, and feel them regularly for signs of any changes.

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California weighs sweeping farm animal law that opponents say would hurt egg industry

This fall, California voters will consider the most comprehensive farm animal rights law in the United States. The measure would ban cramped metal cages for egg-laying hens, metal gestation crates for pregnant sows, and veal crates for calves, all practices in which animals are kept so confined that they can barely move.

Earlier this year, the Colorado Legislature became the first in the nation to prohibit the use of gestation crates for pregnant pigs and veal crates for calves. Florida and Oregon voters have banned gestation crates, and Arizona voters banned both gestation crates and veal crates.

California's egg industry, which is the fifth largest in the country, is preparing an all-out campaign to defeat the measure. The United Egg Producers and the Pacific Egg & Poultry Association are arguing that the measure would threaten the health of hens and eggs, since hens allowed to roam free might contract avian diseases from exposure to the outside.

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Could your Granite Countertops Be Killing You?

SHORTLY before Lynn Sugarman of Teaneck, N.J., bought her summer home in Lake George, N.Y., two years ago, a routine inspection revealed it had elevated levels of radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. So she called a radon measurement and mitigation technician to find the source.

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Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

TESTING Reports of granite emitting high levels of radon and radiation are increasing.

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Some Carbs Turn to Fat Fast in Your Body

According to new research, people on low-carb diets lose weight in part because they get less fructose, a type of sugar that can be made into body fat quickly.

The study shows that the type of carbs someone eats can be as important as the amount. Although fructose is naturally found in high levels in fruit, it is also added to many processed foods, especially in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.

For the study, six healthy people performed three different tests involving drinking various mixes of glucose and fructose. Researchers found that fructose turned into body fat much more quickly, and that having it for breakfast changed how the body handled fats at lunch.

4 Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9052; 5 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019-0018; and 6 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108

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Making groceries

  Whole Foods Seeks To Define Its Prices As Bargains

As the economy sours, premium stores like Whole Foods are struggling to keep customers, reports the New York Times. To remain competitive, the pricey natural grocery store is offering guided tours to customers who want to cut costs but can't stand to set foot in Winn Dixie. More »

Starbucks Facts:

Caffeine A Medium Starbucks Coffee Has Over Four Times The Caffeine Of Red Bull, And Three More Caffeine Facts The New York Times has a study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest on the health effects of caffeine. The study analyzes various claims made about caffeine, and it also offers a useful chart listing the caffeine content in typical drinks and foods. For instance, at 320 milligrams per 16 ounces, a Starbucks grande coffee has over four times the 80 milligrams of caffeine of a Red Bull. More »

Top Drugs' Strange Side Effects

Ever experience a sudden, strong desire to gamble, or a funny feeling that you've been driving in your sleep?

It could be nothing. Or maybe it's time to finally read the warnings that came with that bottle of over-the-counter or prescription drugs you're taking. Strange as it may sound, compulsive gambling and sleep-driving are two real side effects that have been reported by patients or drug manufacturers in recent years.

In recent months, popular new anti-smoking treatment Chantix has made headlines for its array of potential side effects, which include insomnia and nightmares. In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Pfizer, the manufacturer of Chantix, had updated the drug's prescribing information to include additional warnings about the possibility of severe changes in mood and behavior in patients taking it.

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Learn what God Says about your diet.....

Most Moms Give Up on Breast-Feeding

Three out of four new moms try breast-feeding over the bottle, but most of them have quit by the time the baby reaches six months, a new study shows.

 

A report from Brigham Young University shows only 36 percent of babies are breast-fed through six months. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breast-feeding through the first year.

 

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