Healthnotes Newswire (July 26, 2007)—Whole grains are heralded for their many health benefits, and here’s another: eating more of these nutrient-dense grains in breakfast cereals and breads, and choosing brown rice over white may actually reduce the risk of dying from inflammatory diseases.
Healthnotes Newswire (July 5, 2007)—Some people call fish “brain food,” but scientists have found that it’s good for much more than that. New research suggests that eating fish might protect the eyes.
Healthnotes Newswire (June 7, 2007)—Choosing the correct cooking method can contribute to healthy aging. New research suggests that cooking at high temperatures—as when broiling, roasting, frying, or grilling—results in toxic compounds in food that promote inflammation and increase the amount of tissue damage from free radicals (oxidative stress). These compounds, which increase risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses, are less likely to form under gentler cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, or poaching.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are created when proteins or fats react with certain sugars during high-temperature cooking. These compounds are absorbed into the body’s tissues, where they can have a number of damaging effects. In mice, for example, reducing AGEs in the diet by altering the food preparation method reduced oxidative stress, improved insulin sensitivity, and prolonged the animals’ lives.
Healthnotes Newswire (May 31, 2007)—Nutritional therapy is as effective at managing postoperative pain from endometriosis as hormone therapy, new research reports. A combination of vitamins, minerals, probiotic bacteria, and fatty acids from fish oil, combined with customized dietary changes, was found to be effective at relieving pain in women who had recently had surgery to treat endometriosis, a painful condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus occurs in abnormal locations such as the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and abdominal cavity.
Healthnotes Newswire (May 24, 2007)—People with arthritis often look for alternatives to drug medicine, but a new analysis has determined that chondroitin doesn’t reduce symptoms, despite some research to the contrary and the supplement’s loyal following of people who feel it has helped them.
Cartilage provides the cushion between bones that meet and form joints. It holds more water, is softer, and can repair and replace itself more quickly than bone. As we age, the repair process slows down and the layer of cartilage in the joints thins and can eventually disappear. Osteoarthritis is the joint condition marked by this thinning of cartilage and the resulting pain and stiffness.
Healthnotes Newswire (May 17, 2007)—A new study finds that seniors who take zinc supplements are at significantly less risk of infections, in part because of zinc’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, both of which improve immune function.
“Dietary zinc intake declines with advancing age,” said Ananda S. Prasad, MD, PhD, MACN, and lead author of the study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. “Deficiency in zinc makes elderly people more susceptible to infection, in part because cell-mediated immunity depends on the mineral.”
Healthnotes Newswire (May 10, 2007)—Coronary heart disease can be added to the list of health problems linked to trans fats, according to a study in the journal Circulation.
Not too long ago, the dangers of trans fatty acids were known only to researchers and some forward-looking healthcare practitioners. Now the term has entered the public vocabulary, and public health policy is changing as a result. The Canadian government is under pressure from the Heart and Stroke Foundation to remove this toxin from the food supply altogether. Stateside, New York’s mayor recently signed into law a bill that would restrict the use of artificial trans fats in New York’s restaurants. This is just the beginning.
Dr. Elson Haas and Liz Baughman recommend the following books on juice cleansing:
What you need to know Migraines are very painful headaches that usually begin on only one side of the head and may become worse with exposure to light.
Fats have gotten a bad rap. Cruise any supermarket aisle, and the promises of “fat free” and “no trans fats” leap from the shelf. Confused consumers trying to eat well mistakenly eschew any kind of fat - and think they’re doing their body a favor. The fact is there are good fats and bad fats and it is important to know the difference.
Here is something to chew on: eating the right kind of fat isn’t just delicious, but it is necessary for optimum health. Some fats are so important that they are called essential fatty acids, and are essential for proper cell function, brain functioning (especially in children), hormonal balance, for calming inflammation, and for maintaining healthy skin and hair.
