Exercise Addiction

Good physical fitness doesn’t just happen — it requires a commitment to exercise and activity. But when does it go too far?
If you organize your life around your exercise routine, obsess over workouts to your friends and family, and feel happiest when you’re breaking a sweat, your commitment to exercise could have turned into an addiction. In fact, about 10 percent of high-performance runners and body builders may be addicted to their labor of love.
What Exercise Addiction Looks Like
Addictions are marked by some standard signs, a few of which can be extended to exercise:

• Withdrawal symptoms, such as unusual irritability, when you cannot engage in the activity
• Tolerance, meaning you need increasing amounts of the substance or behavior over time
• Significant conflicts in your life, such as missing work or avoiding other responsibilities, caused by the compulsion to engage in the addictive behavior

Committed, non-addicted fitness enthusiasts view exercise as an important element of their lives — but not the central or most important part. Someone with an addiction to exercise is likely to experience physical, financial, and social problems as a result of the behavior, whereas a committed exerciser will not exercise to the point where it interferes with aspects of his or her life.
Is Exercise a Positive Addiction?
Some researchers have called an addiction to exercise a “positive addiction” because it usually contributes to overall fitness, rather than other addictions such as drinking, drug use, gambling, and smoking. Exercise addicts, for instance, smoke less than other groups of people.
Most people feel good when they exercise, and the reasons are many. Exercise has been shown to reduce levels of cortisol, regulating stress responses, while increasing levels of endorphins and other neurotransmitters that make people feel better. Exercise can also help improve sleep habits and elimination, while helping to prevent disease and other health problems. It also alleviates symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Over-Exercising Can Cause Emotional and Physical Harm
But as is true with any addiction, obsessive behavior typically causes the addict to withdraw from relationships or damage relationships. Also, although exercise offers many positive effects, an addiction to exercise can be detrimental to overall fitness.
Physical dangers of exercise addiction that are harmful to your wellbeing include:

• The risk of dehydration
• An increased tendency to suffer from insomnia
• Sports injuries such as shin splints, broken bones, cartilage, and ligament damage
• An increased risk of menstrual abnormalities in women

How Does an Addiction to Exercise Develop?
Several factors may contribute to exercise addiction. The addiction may be driven by an eating disorder, low self-esteem, or distorted body image. Compulsive exercise habits are often present in people who have anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Some people may crave the feeling they get from prolonged rhythmic exercise, which can activate the body’s central opioid systems and regulate stress responses in the body.
Ironically, exercise can also provide therapeutic benefits in the treatment of addiction, depression, and anorexia nervosa — it all depends on the amount.
The bottom line? If your exercise routine causes more frustrations in your life than it does positive fitness benefits, consider talking to your doctor or adjusting your workout habits to evaluate any potentially addictive behavior.

Probiotics and Weight Loss

Probiotics and Weight Loss

You may already be familiar with taking probiotics to counter stomach complaints or reduce the diarrhea that results from taking antibiotics. Probiotics, the “friendly bacteria,” are touted as an aid in improving immunity and managing digestion, but whether they have a significant role in weight loss is still up for debate.
Before you can decide whether to add probiotics to your diet, it helps to know what they are. “Probiotics are foods that contain live bacteria or other organisms that may promote your health,” says Amy C. Brown, PhD, RD, associate professor in the department of complementary and alternative medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. “They are naturally found in fermented dairy products and other fermented foods or beverages.” Probiotics are also available in supplement form.

Probiotics and Weight Loss: The Debate
“Recently the research world has been buzzing about how probiotics may help with weight loss,” says Brown. The theory is that probiotics may affect the way that energy (calories) is digested and therefore could help regulate the process by which energy can be used by the body, including becoming fat.
Brown recommends caution in the face of any such research: Probiotics are not magic diet pills, and they definitely do not give you license to stop counting calories or following your diet.
“I can tell you that the very minute those minor changes probiotics cause in relationship to metabolic pathways related to obesity occur, they will be immediately wiped out with an extra spoonful or sip of anything containing calories,” she says. In fact, a sugary yogurt could have more calories than probiotic benefit.

The Health Benefits of Probiotics
The recommendation to include probiotics in a healthy diet dates back to the 1930s. Probiotics can be used to help:

• Diarrhea from infection, food poisoning, or antibiotics
• Treat urinary tract infections
• Prevent or treat yeast infections
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Eczema
• Reduce the risk of bladder cancer returning
• Protect against colon cancer
• Improve the immune system

When the digestive tract is out of balance, people experience a lot of discomfort, says Brown. Probiotics are used to maintain that balance. “A balanced or ‘normal’ [digestive] flora may competitively exclude possible [harmful] organisms, stimulate the intestinal immune system, and produce nutrients and other [beneficial] substances,” Brown explains.
The Risks of Excess Probiotics
Researchers do not yet know how safe it is to eat a lot of probiotics. Some people experience gas or bloating as a reaction to these organisms.
“Probiotic research is in its infancy. It’s difficult to tell what would happen if you introduce a large amount of a certain bacteria through dietary supplementation,” cautions Brown, adding that probiotics have to be kept refrigerated. Many people unknowingly buy inactive supplements that haven’t been handled correctly.
How to Include Probiotics in Your Diet
While probiotics are available in supplement form, Brown emphasizes that it is best to get them from your diet if possible. Try:

• Dairy products with live cultures, such as yogurt and buttermilk
• Miso soup, which is made from fermented soybean paste
• Poi, fermented taro root paste
• Natto, fermented soy beans
• Tempeh, caked fermented soybeans
• Sauerkraut, fermented cabbage
• Kombucha tea, fermented sweet tea brew

As long as you keep counting calories adding probiotics to your diet may be good for your health and your weight. Just remember that its chief benefit may be more geared toward your well-being rather than your weight loss.

Salmonella and E-Coli Can Thrive In Fruits and Veggies

Salmonella and E. Coli Can Thrive Inside Tissues Of Fruit & Vegetables











Sanitizing the outside of produce may not be enough to remove harmful food pathogens, according to a Purdue University study that demonstrated that Salmonella and E. coli can live inside plant tissues.

E. coli 0157:H7 was present in tissues of mung bean sprouts and Salmonella in peanut seedlings after the plants' seeds
were contaminated with the pathogens prior to planting.

Food science researchers said seeds could be contaminated in such a manner before or after planting through tainted soil
or water.

"The pathogens were in every major tissue, including the tissue that transports nutrients in plants," said researchers, whose results were published in separate papers in the Journal of Food Protection and Food Research International.

Researchers specializing in botany and plant pathology, said finding pathogens inside plants has been challenging because tests require slicing off pieces of the plants, which can move the bacteria from the outside to the inside or vice versa. It becomes difficult to know where a pathogen might have been before the plant was cut.

"The results are often imprecise because the methods allow bacteria to move," they said

In a new study, researchers used a fixative to freeze the location of the bacteria in the plant tissues before slicing samples. Antibodies labeled with fluorescent dye were used to detect the pathogens, a process called immunocytochemistry.

"This shows us as close to what was in the plant when it was living as possible; The number of bacteria increased and persisted at a high level for at least 12 days, the length of the studies." able to count hundreds of bacteria in almost every type of tissue, they explained.

Proper sanitization would eliminate Salmonella and E. coli
from the surface of foods, but not inner tissues, Cooking
those foods to temperatures known to kill the pathogens
would eliminate them from inner tissues.

Researchers continue to study the pathogens to determine how they survive inside plant tissues and possible ways to eliminate them. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service funded their work.

Story Source: Purdue University.
Journal References:

"Identification of the Cellular Location of Internalized Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Mung Bean, Vigna radiata,
by Immunocytochemical Techniques" Journal of Food Protection, 2011;

"Internalization of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in plants: A review." Food Research International, 2011

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Plant Sterols Support Heart Health

Discover The Power Of Nature's Plant Sterols For Supporting Heart-Health Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Are Good Sources Of Plant Sterols and Provide The Best Defense For Protecting Cardiovascular Health! What are plant sterols? Plant sterols (also known as phytosterols) are naturally occurring substances found in plants and vegetables. They are naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. Why are plant sterols important to health? Research has shown that plant sterols combined with a heart healthy eating regimen may reduce risk for heart disease. The sterols work by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. This lowers the LDL (low density cholesterol) also known as the 'bad' cholesterol by 6-15%, without lowering the good cholesterol, known as the HDL (high density cholesterol). Clinical research trials have documented safety and effectiveness for use by everyone, including adults, seniors and children. It's also important to also know plant sterols do not interfere with cholesterol lowering medications. The National Cholesterol Education/Adult Treatment III program guidelines recommend plant sterols as part of a heart healthy eating plan. Eating a low fat, heart healthy diet includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, plant sterols, plus regular physical activity help reduce the risk of heart disease. The Food & Drug Administration has approved the health claim regarding the role of plant sterols esters in reducing risk of heart disease. Effectiveness has been shown with dosages of 2 to 3 grams of plant-derived sterols per day; This higher intake is needed for beneficial heart-healthy effects. It is important to eat a healthy variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Refer the Food Guide Pyramid as an example of the number of servings you should eat from each food group every day. If weight loss is desired, select the lower number of recommended servings, but it's essential to select from all food groups daily. Keep your arteries clear and your heart strong... Regularly consume the right fresh fruit or vegetable juices, use margarine instead of butter, always choose low fat salad dressing with olive oil, eat calcium-rich cheese and yogurt. . Plant sterols are good for your heart... Plant sterols, also known as phytosterols, are found in all plants. The best dietary sources of plant sterols are vegetables, seeds and nuts. Interestingly, plant sterols are structurally similar to cholesterol molecules, and they are able to block the absorption of cholesterol from the gut into the blood stream. The plant sterols not only block absorption of the cholesterol in the foods that you choose to eat, they also block the reabsorption of the cholesterol in the bile from the liver. That is crucial because the cholesterol in the bile is actually 4 to 5 times more than the cholesterol in your diet. This ends up lowering the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. The benefits of plant sterols are well accepted... The US Food and Drug Administration allows foods containing the appropriate amount of plant sterols to claim "heart healthy" on their labels. Also, The National Cholesterol Education Program of the National Institutes of Health specifically recommends plant sterols to lower cholesterol. If your cholesterol is high, science suggests you can reasonably expect to lower your cholesterol up to 15 percent in as little as two weeks. For example, if your cholesterol is 225 ( on the borderline where many doctors would want to consider drug treatment), research suggests you could be at 192 in as little as two weeks. Use supplements and look for foods enriched with plant sterols... Even though all plants contain plant sterols, they are not in sufficient quantity in the typical American diet to have a significant impact on cholesterol levels. Thus to get these benefits to your cholesterol, it is important to supplement your diet.. In addition to dietary supplements, there are new foods enriched with plant sterols. Look for the plant sterols heart healthy label. They can be found in orange juice, cheese, cereal, instant oatmeal, dairy substitutes, granola bars, yogurt, and in many more healthy foods. Be sure to eat a healthy diet... You do need to eat a healthy diet for all of this to work. This includes eating lots of high-fiber, low fat foods like oatmeal, fruit, vegetables and lowering your intake of animal fats, trans-fats, and fried foods. Eat more fish, nuts and mono-unsaturated vegetable oils (olive oil, canola oil) each sources of good heart healthy fats. Go the distance. Diet and regular exercise are essential... Limiting your intake of cholesterol-raising animal products (red meats) and tans-fatty acids as well as getting at least 30 minutes (or more) of aerobic exercise daily will go a long way toward keeping your cholesterol levels in check and maintaining a healthy and strong heart. This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Purple Potatoes: Excellent Source of Phytonutrients

Purple Potatoes: Excellent Source Of Healthful Phytonutrients And Demonstrate Blood Pressure Benefits Two servings of potatoes each day could reduce blood pressure without causing weight gain, according to new research. The team of food scientists reported on the research conducted on a group of 18 overweight people with high blood pressure at the 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society. They reported that average diastolic blood pressure readings dropped by 4.3 percent, and average systolic blood pressure readings dropped by 3.5 percent after consuming between six and eight potatoes twice daily, for a one month period. Unfortunately, the potato has an unwarranted negative reputation that has led many health-conscious people to eliminate them from their diets. People typically think of potatoes to be "fattening, high-carbs, non-nutritious, empty calories" In reality, when potatoes are simply prepared steamed or microwaved, without frying and served without butter, margarine or sour cream, one potato has only 110 calories and provides healthful phytochemicals and vitamins. The research was conducted with purple potatoes cooked in a microwave oven without oil; Not done with fried potatoes or buttered mashed potatoes. The purple potatoes used in the study are becoming more readily available in supermarkets and specialty food stores as well as farmers' markets. They explained that although purple potatoes were used in the current study (the purple skin is especially rich in phytochemicals) they also believe that red-skin potatoes and white potatoes may have similar effects. The team monitored volunteers' blood pressure, finding that the average diastolic blood pressure dropped by 4.3 percent and the systolic pressure decreased by 3.5 percent, while none of the study participants gained weight. Vinson noted that other studies have identified compounds in potatoes that have effects in the body similar to those of the well-known ACE-inhibitor medications - a mainstay for treating high blood pressure. Other phytochemicals in potatoes occur in amounts that rival broccoli, spinach and Brussels sprouts, and also may be involved, Vinson added. Vinson said that he strongly suspects a future study using white potatoes, now in the planning stages, will produce similar results. This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Vitamin C Beneficial for Asthmatic Children

Vitamin C May Be Beneficial For Asthmatic Children: New Study Vitamin C has a beneficial effect against asthma, according to a study published in the journal "Clinical and Translational Allergy" The benefits depend on the age of asthmatic children, on their exposure to molds or dampness, and on the severity of their asthma. Research scientists from the University of Helsinki in Finland analyzed the effect of 0.2 grams (200 mg) per day of vitamin C on 60 asthmatic children (aged 7 to 10 years.) The effect of vitamin C on the forced expiratory volume per one second (FEV1) was modified by age and exposure to molds or dampness. In the younger children aged 7.0 to 8.2 years with no exposure to molds or dampness, vitamin C administration increased the FEV1 level by 37%. In the older children aged 8.3 to 10 years with exposure to molds or dampness in their bedroom more than one year before the study, vitamin C increased the FEV1 level by only 21%. The effect of vitamin C on the asthma symptoms was modified by age and the severity of asthma symptoms. In the younger children aged 7.0 to 8.2 years with mild asthma symptoms, the benefit of vitamin C was greatest. In the older children aged 8.3 to 10 years who had severe asthma symptoms, the benefit of vitamin C was smallest. The researchers conclude that there is strong evidence that the effect of vitamin C on asthmatic children is heterogeneous. They consider that it is important to carry out further research to confirm their findings and to more accurately identify the groups of children who would receive the greatest benefit from vitamin C supplementation. Story Source: University of Helsinki Journal Reference: "Vitamin C and asthma in children: modification of the effect by age, exposure to dampness and the severity of asthma" Clinical and Translational Allergy, 2011; This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Dairy Derived Phospholipids Beneficial

Dairy-Derived Phospholipids May Be Beneficial For Stress-Related Problems and Memory Performance Research Focuses On Dairy-Based Ingredients For Cognitive and Mental Function Memory problems associated with chronic stress may be eased by phospholipids derived from milk, suggests a new study from Germany. Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial indicated that chronically stressed men who received a daily beverage fortified with phospholipid had significantly better memory performance compared with men receiving placebo. "Our data suggest that phospholipid improves the ability of the organism to adapt to chronic stress. A dose of 1 percent phospholipid may be protective in participants who are persistently exposed to chronic stress with respect to both physical and mental health," wrote researchers from Diagnostic Assessment and Clinical Research Organization (Daacro) in Germany. Long-Term Stress and its Damaging Effects According to the American Psychological Association , stress can affect everyone at some time, and can lead to both mental and physical health issues. While some stress can be beneficial, extreme and long-term stress can produce detrimental effects to the "immune, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and central nervous systems", adds the APA. For the new study, the researchers recruited 75 chronically stressed men aged between 30 and 51, and randomly assigned them to receive cow's milk with 0.5 or 1 percent phospholipids, or a placebo for six weeks. Phospholipids are the predominant lipids found in the cell membranes. The researchers note that phospholipids "are most concentrated in the brain and have a variety of regulatory and structural functions such as activity modulation of receptors, enzymes, and signaling molecules". After six weeks of supplementation, the researchers reported no differences between any of the groups in response to acute stress, but participants aged over 41 and receiving the high dose phospholipid milk did display a significantly better memory performance as measured using the Trier Social Stress Test, compared to similarly aged participants in the other two groups. Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers report that the effects are likely to be linked to the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), which reportedly allows "adaptation to stressful challenges". "Because the hippocampus affects HPAA function, one may speculate that the supplementation of PL-enriched milk may improve cortisol availability and memory function in the elderly population via restoring hippocampal functions in our population consisting of chronically stressed men," they added. Source: Nutrition Research Volume 31, Issue 6, Pages 413-420 "Milk-based phospholipids increase morning cortisol availability and improve memory in chronically stressed men" This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Blood Vessel Stiffness

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Now Reported To Reduce Blood Vessel Stiffness

Scientifically-Supported Studies Demonstrate
Important Benefits of Omega-3 Nutritional Lipids
And Fish-Derived Oils For Cardiovascular Health...

A review of the scientific literature reveals that omega-3 fatty acids offer a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness, states a new review from Australia.

According to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, analysis of data from ten clinical trials revealed that omega-3 fatty acids were associated with an improvement of both pulse wave velocity and arterial compliance, both are measures of the stiffness of arteries.

"The findings of the present study reveal that supplementation with omega-3 offers a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness," wrote researchers from the NICM Centre for Study of Natural Medicines and Neurocognition in Australia.

"Reduction in arterial stiffness by Omega-3 may account for some of its purported cardio-protective effects."

Heart Health Benefits and More...

The heart health benefits of consuming oily fish, and the omega-3 fatty acids they contain, are well-documented, being first reported in the early 1970s in The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To date, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been linked to improvements in blood lipid levels, a reduced tendency of thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate improvements, as well as improved vascular function.

Beyond heart health, omega-3 fatty acids, (EPA and DHA) have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of certain cancers, good development of infants during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behavior and mood.

Review Details...

The reviewers conducted the first meta-analysis to examine the effects of omega-3 supplementation on the stiffness of arteries.

The literature yielded ten randomized and controlled adult human clinical trials. Four trials measured pulse wave velocity and six measured arterial compliance.

"Meta-analysis revealed that omega-3 was statistically significant in effectively improving both PWV and arterial compliance," wrote the researchers.

Daily Dosages...

A recent article, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition concluded that daily doses of omega-3s of at least 250 milligrams are required to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death and other heart conditions.

A dose of at least 250 mg of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (LCFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), was associated with a 35 percent reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.

In addition, such doses were associated with a 'near-significant' 17 percent decrease in the risk of 'total fatal coronary events', according to a team of researchers from academia and industry.

"Thus, the intake of 250 mg omega-3 long-chain omega-3 fatty acids per day may, indeed, be a minimum target to be achieved by the general population for the promotion of cardiovascular health," wrote authors from Cantox Health Sciences International.

Source: British Journal of Nutrition
(Published online)
"Do long-chain n-3 fatty acids reduce arterial stiffness? A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice,diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Folate Reported to Help Reduce Risk of Pre-Menopausal Breast Cancer

Folate Now Reported To Help Reduce Pre-Menopausal Breast Cancer Risk

Specific Vitamins & Minerals Studied For Cancer Risk Reduction, Women's Health...

Increased intakes of folate (folic acid) may reduce the risk of breast cancer, and the benefits appear linked to a woman's menopausal state, suggests a new study.

Pre-menopausal women with the highest average intakes of folate from the diet are at a 40 percent reduced risk of developing breast cancer, according to new findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The study was conducted with women in China where there's no mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid, during the course of the study. In the US, grain products have been fortified with folic acid since 1998.

As a result, only 13 percent of the Chinese women had folate levels that matched or exceeded the US recommended dietary allowance, wrote researchers from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and the Shanghai Cancer Institute.

"Thus, it is possible that the relation with folate intake among pre-menopausal women may be due to a difference in folate insufficiency versus sufficiency.

"In support of this possibility, the present study appeared to have a threshold effect for folate intake that was achieved between the first and second quintiles of intake, with no added benefit beyond that level," the researchers explained.

Over one million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, with the highest incidences in the US and the Netherlands. China has the lowest incidence and mortality rate of the disease.

Hormone-sensitive estrogen-receptor (ER) positive and progesterone-receptor (PR) positive tumors are said to be the most common type diagnosed among breast cancer patients in the US. These tumors are stimulated to grow by the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Study Details

Data from Shanghai Women's Health Study (1997-2008) for 72,861 participants aged between 40 and 70 was used to assess potential relationships between intakes of folate, niacin, and vitamin B6 and B12 and incidence of breast cancer.

During the course of the study 718 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed. After analyzing the numbers, the researchers report no link between vitamin B6 and B12 intakes and the risk of breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women.

Only folate intake was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer and this was limited to pre-menopausal women. Specifically, average intakes of 404 micrograms per day
were associated with a 42 percent reduction in the risk of breast cancer, compared with average intakes of 194 micrograms per day.

Source: American Journal of Epidemiology
2011, Volume 173, Issue 10, (Pages 1171-1182)
"Dietary B Vitamin and Methionine Intakes and Breast Cancer Risk Among Chinese Women"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

New Cholesterol Study...

New Cholesterol Study Reveals Patterns Of Protective Vitamin E Oxidant Activities

Important New Vitamin E Cardiovascular Health Research Continues From Queen's University Belfast, UK...

Research investigating the effects of tocopherols on cholesterol markers has suggested that the vitamin E molecules have different oxidation patterns depending on the compound they are attached to.

The study, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, suggests that alpha- and gamma- tocopherols, both are forms of vitamin E, have contradictory oxidant activities, depending on the lipoprotein being oxidized.

Lipoproteins such as high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) are proteins that transport lipids such as cholesterol and triglycerides through the bloodstream. HDL is associated with being a marker of "good" cholesterol and LDL is associated with "bad" cholesterol.

Researchers from Queen's University Belfast, UK report that while the tocopherols both offered protection against oxidation with very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) both regarded as "bad" cholesterol, the tocopherols had a pro-oxidation effect when incorporated
into high density lipoprotein (HDL).

The researchers said that the pro-oxidant activity of both tocopherols toward HDL "may go some way to explain why supplementation studies with vitamin E have not been able to display cardio-protective effects."

The Vitamin E Tocopherols...

The oxidation of plasma lipo-proteins is "a pivotal event in the development of atherosclerosis" according to the researchers.

As a result, numerous experimental studies have strongly suggested a major role for oxygen-derived free radicals in the development of the disease, they added.

"It has been demonstrated that antioxidant vitamins can protect against oxidative injury and are therefore believed to provide protection against a myriad of diseases," said the authors.

There are 8 known forms of vitamin E: 4 forms of tocopherol, and 4 forms of tocotrienols, all of which are known to be antioxidants. Significantly more research attention has focused on the tocopherol forms, with many clinical trials investigating their role in preventing cardiovascular disease.

The Belfast-based scientists report that much of the research has focused on tocopherol's effects during LDL oxidation, with little attention being paid to VLDL and HDL. The team therefore questioned whether alpha- and gamma- tocopherols become incorporated into VLDL, LDL and HDL and influence their oxidation potential.

Vitamin E Study Details...

In an in vitro investigation, the researchers reported that both alpha- and gamma- tocopherol became incorporated into VLDL, LDL and HDL. However, they said that the vitamin derivatives showed conflicting effects in the lipo-proteins.

The tocopherols were found to protect VLDL and LDL against oxidation, and "surprisingly, the incorporation into HDL demonstrated pro-oxidant properties," reported the team.

In a similar study both tocopherols were again incorporated into all three lipoproteins, protecting VLDL and LDL against oxidation; but enhancing the oxidation of HDL.

They said their results may have physiological implications: "HDL is suggested to be responsible for the majority of reverse cholesterol transport in humans and is considered to be an atheroprotective molecule; however, when it becomes dysfunctional, for example, by oxidation, it loses these protective properties and may instead yield detrimental effects.

Most interestingly, these results have helped separate particular facts from a great deal of information about possible mechanisms whereby tocopherol is ineffective during large-scale supplementation studies in bringing about cardioprotective benefits," the researchers concluded.

Source: The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
(Published online)
"The two faces of α- and γ-tocopherols: an in vitro and ex vivo investigation into VLDL, LDL and HDL oxidation"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Man Sues White Castle Because He Can't Fit In Booth!

How silly is this!!!

A rotund gentleman [?] is suing fast food chain White Castle because he can't fit into their booths!

Uhm.... doesn't it make more sense to simply lose weight?

Check it out here.

Pine Bark Extract and CoQ10 Benefit Heart Failure Patients

Pine Bark Extract and CoQ10 Demonstrate Benefits For

Heart Failure Patients

Antioxidants, Carotenoids, Phyto-Nutrients, Herbal & Plant Extracts For Supporting Cardiovascular Health Is The Focus Of Important New Research...

A combination of Coenzyme Q10 and an extract from French Maritime Pine Bark may improve blood flow and general heart health in heart failure patients, reports a new study from Italy.

According to findings published in Panminerva Medica, 12 weeks of daily supplementation with 350 milligrams of CoQ10 and 105 milligrams of pine bark extract (Pycnogenol brand-Horphag) were associated with a improvements in blood pressure and heart rate, compared to a group of people who did not take the supplements.

Furthermore, the combination of the nutrients increased the amount of blood pumped by the heart by 22 percent, reported researchers from Chieti-Pescara University, Italy.

"Coenzyme Q10 has been extensively researched for its ability
to strengthen the heart muscle, specifically in patients with heart failure. Preclinical trials have suggested that Pycnogenol (pine bark extract) strengthens heart chamber walls and dilates arteries."

"These preliminary observations suggest that the respective contributions of Coenzyme Q10 and Pycnogenol may significantly improve heart health."

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, an estimated 400,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure in the US each year.

Heart failure is develops as a result of high blood pressure (hypertension), when with heart chamber walls wear out and heart muscle weaken. The disease can be disabling, costly and potentially deadly and is characterized by the heart's inability to pump or eject sufficient amounts of blood to the organs.

"Many conditions that lead to heart failure cannot be reversed, but heart failure can often be medically managed with good results," the researchers explained.

"This study shows that a combination of Pycnogenol (pine bark extract) and CoQ10 offers an effective, natural solution as adjunct for heart health management."

Study details

The Italian researchers recruited 53 heart failure patients aged between 54 and 68 were randomly assigned to receive either the pine bark extract and CoQ10 supplement combination or placebo for 12 weeks.

Results showed that systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased following the CoQ10-pine bark combination, from 139.2 to 133.2 mmHg and 82.3 to 77.3 mmHg, respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased from 140.3
to 139.5 mmHg and 83.4 to 81.2 mmHg, respectively, in the placebo group.

In addition to increases in the amount of blood pumped by the heart, the researchers also reported

improvements in heart rate were also observed in the pine bark extract and CoQ10 supplement group from 78.4 to 74.2 beats
per minute, compared with a decrease from 79.1 to 78.4 in the placebo group.

"The association of pine bark extract and CoQ10 may offer an important therapeutic option in the management and costs of heart failure, without side effects and with a very good tolerability," stated the researchers.

"These initial observations warrant further investigation of the nutritional supplement combination with a much larger number of heart failure patients including a broader range of clinical pictures," they concluded.

Source: Panminerva Medica
Volume 52, Supplement 1 to No 2, Pages 21-25
"Investigation of Pycnogenol in combination with coenzymeQ10 in heart failure patients "

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice,diagnosis or treatment. Contact your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

Grape Polyphenols Fight Against Diabetes

Grape Polyphenols Demonstrate Strong Fight Against Diabetes

Antioxidant compounds from red grapes may prevent the
build up of fat in muscle tissue and positively impact the
body's response to insulin, hormone responsible for sugar
and fat metabolism, reports a new study from France.

Researchers from the University of Montpellier in the South
of France report that laboratory subjects fed a high-fat and high-sugar diet, supplemented with grape polyphenols demonstrated a lower accumulation of fat in muscle tissues.

Diets high in saturated fats are reported to negatively impact insulin resistance, whereby cells do not respond adequately
to the normal levels of insulin produced by the body, a marker
of the onset of diabetes, explained the researchers in the
British Journal of Nutrition.

The affect of fat on insulin sensitivity is said to occur via changes to the compositions of cell membranes, particularly
the phospholipids in the membrane. The new study sought to identify if consumption of a polyphenol-rich extract from grapes could change the composition of fat in muscle cell membranes, with a particular focus on phospholipids and triglycerides.

In a controlled Lab environment, subjects were divided into three groups: The first group was fed a standard diet, while
the other two groups received a diet containing high levels
of fat and sugar. One of the high-fat, high-sugar groups
received an additional extract of grape polyphenols.

Results showed that subjects receiving the grape extract
had lower triglyceride levels in the cell membranes of their muscles, compared to the high-fat, high-sugar-fed subjects.
In addition levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids
in the phospholipid portion of the membranes were found
to increase in the grape-fed subjects.

The high-fat, high-sugar diet was found to alter gene
expression in muscle cells, but these changes were reversed
in the subjects given the grape extract, said the researchers.

"In conclusion, the grape polyphenol extract modulated membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition and decreased muscle triglyceride content in high-fat, high-sugar diet-fed subjects," reported the researchers.

"The PPE lowered gene and protein expression, probably decreasing fatty acid transport and lipid accumulation within skeletal muscle," they added.

"These effects of the PPE are in favor of a better insulin sensibility."

Source: British Journal of Nutrition (Published online)

"A grape polyphenol extract modulates muscle membrane fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only,

and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Contact your healthcare professional for medical and nutritional consultation.

The Power of Plant Sterols for Heart Health

Discover The Power Of Plant Sterols For Supporting Heart-Health What are plant sterols? Plant sterols (also known as phytosterols) are naturally occurring substances found in plants and vegetables. They are naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. Why are plant sterols important to health? Research has shown that plant sterols combined with a heart healthy eating regimen may reduce risk for heart disease. The sterols work by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. This lowers the LDL (low density cholesterol) also known as the 'bad' cholesterol by 6-15%, without lowering the good cholesterol, known as the HDL (high density cholesterol). Clinical research trials have documented safety and effectiveness for use by everyone, including adults, seniors and children. It's also important to also know plant sterols do not interfere with cholesterol lowering medications. The National Cholesterol Education/Adult Treatment III program guidelines recommend plant sterols as part of a heart healthy eating plan. Eating a low fat, heart healthy diet includes eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, plant sterols, plus regular physical activity help reduce the risk of heart disease. The Food & Drug Administration has approved the health claim regarding the role of plant sterols esters in reducing risk of heart disease. Effectiveness has been shown with dosages of 2 to 3 grams of plant-derived sterols per day; This higher intake is needed for beneficial heart-healthy effects. It is important to eat a healthy variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need. Refer the Food Guide Pyramid as an example of the number of servings you should eat from each food group every day. If weight loss is desired, select the lower number of recommended servings, but it's essential to select from all food groups daily. Keep your arteries clear and your heart strong... Regularly consume the right fresh fruit or vegetable juices, use margarine instead of butter, always choose low fat salad dressing with olive oil, eat calcium-rich cheese and yogurt. . Plant sterols are good for your heart... Plant sterols, also known as phytosterols, are found in all plants. The best dietary sources of plant sterols are vegetables, seeds and nuts. Interestingly, plant sterols are structurally similar to cholesterol molecules, and they are able to block the absorption of cholesterol from the gut into the blood stream. The plant sterols not only block absorption of the cholesterol in the foods that you choose to eat, they also block the reabsorption of the cholesterol in the bile from the liver. That is crucial because the cholesterol in the bile is actually 4 to 5 times more than the cholesterol in your diet. This ends up lowering the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood. The benefits of plant sterols are well accepted... The US Food and Drug Administration allows foods containing the appropriate amount of plant sterols to claim "heart healthy" on their labels. Also, The National Cholesterol Education Program of the National Institutes of Health specifically recommends plant sterols to lower cholesterol. If your cholesterol is high, science suggests you can reasonably expect to lower your cholesterol up to 15 percent in as little as two weeks. For example, if your cholesterol is 225 ( on the borderline where many doctors would want to consider drug treatment), research suggests you could be at 192 in as little as two weeks. Use supplements and look for foods enriched with plant sterols... Even though all plants contain plant sterols, they are not in sufficient quantity in the typical American diet to have a significant impact on cholesterol levels. Thus to get these benefits to your cholesterol, it is important to supplement your diet.. In addition to dietary supplements, there are new foods enriched with plant sterols. Look for the plant sterols heart healthy label. They can be found in orange juice, cheese, cereal, instant oatmeal, dairy substitutes, granola bars, yogurt, and in many more healthy foods. Be sure to eat a healthy diet... You do need to eat a healthy diet for all of this to work. This includes eating lots of high-fiber, low fat foods like oatmeal, fruit, vegetables and lowering your intake of animal fats, trans-fats, and fried foods. Eat more fish, nuts and mono-unsaturated vegetable oils (olive oil, canola oil) each sources of good heart healthy fats. Go the distance. Diet and regular exercise are essential... Limiting your intake of cholesterol-raising animal products (red meats) and tans-fatty acids as well as getting at least 30 minutes (or more) of aerobic exercise daily will go a long way toward keeping your cholesterol levels in check and maintaining a healthy and strong heart. This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Favorite Things Friday - Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 1-dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

1-cup all natural peanut butter [sugar free]

1-cup Splenda

1-egg

1-tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation:

Mix ingredients well.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Flatten slightly with fork tines that have been dipped into Splenda.

Bake at 350-degrees farenheit until golden brown [about 15 minutes].

Calories: per cookie: 141

Carbs: 8g

Fats: 11g

Protein: 5g

Sodium: 66mg

Treasure Chest Thursday - My Favorite Bread Machine Recipe

Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

Add ingredients to your machine's pan in order listed:

1 cup water

1-tsp salt

2-tbsp oil

2-tbsp sugar

3 cups whole wheat flour

1-tbsp bread machine yeast

Bake on medium brown bread setting.

Makes 1-1/2 lb. loaf.

Makes 11 slices.

Calories per slice: 142

Carbs: 24g

Fats: 3g

Protein: 4g

Sodium: 206mg

Wordless Wednesday - Potato Soup

A little potato veggie soup to warm you on a cool fall evening!

Soluble Fiber May Reduce Belly Fat

New Study Reports Soluble Fibre May Reduce Belly Fat Increased consumption or soluble fibre may reduce the amount of deep belly fat that people accumulate, according to new research. The study has been published in Nature's Journal "Obesity" found that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fibre eaten per day, deep belly visceral fat was reduced by 3.7 per cent over five years. The researchers also reported that increased moderate activity resulted in a 7.4 per cent decrease in the rate of visceral fat accumulation over the same time. It is important to recognize that visceral fat is known to be more dangerous than subcutaneous found near the skin. "Our study is valuable because it provides specific information on how dietary fibre, especially soluble fibre, may affect weight accumulation through abdominal fat deposits; "Making a few simple changes can have a big health impact."said researchers from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre, USA. The research team examined whether lifestyle factors, including diet and frequency of exercise, were associated with a five-year change in abdominal fat of people who are disproportionally at a higher risk for developing high blood pressure and diabetes and accumulating visceral fat. The researchers reported that intake of dietary soluble fibre was associated with a decreased rate of visceral fat, but not the accumulation of subcutaneous fat; "Results from the current study reveal that increased consumption of soluble fibre led to a decreased rate of visceral adipose tissue accumulation, suggesting that increased soluble fibre intake may be instrumental in slowing this natural progression," said the researchers. Fat Risk... The negative effects of obesity has been associated with hypertension, blood lipid imbalances, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and type-2 diabetes. "Studies indicate a direct relationship between levels of visceral adipose tissue and future risk of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes," they added. "We [also] know that a higher rate of visceral fat is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and fatty liver disease," they emphasized. The researchers noted that increasing dietary fibre has been specifically recomended to help fight weight gain, with many previous studies suggesting a link between fibre intake and levels of obesity. Source: Obesity (Published online) "Lifestyle Factors and 5-Year Abdominal Fat Accumulation in a Minority Cohort: The IRAS Family Study" This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Dairy Derived Phospholipids May Be Beneficial...

Dairy-Derived Phospholipids May Be Beneficial For Stress-Related Problems and Memory Performance Research Focuses On Dairy-Based Ingredients For Cognitive and Mental Function Memory problems associated with chronic stress may be eased by phospholipids derived from milk, suggests a new study from Germany. Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial indicated that chronically stressed men who received a daily beverage fortified with phospholipid had significantly better memory performance compared with men receiving placebo. "Our data suggest that phospholipid improves the ability of the organism to adapt to chronic stress. A dose of 1 percent phospholipid may be protective in participants who are persistently exposed to chronic stress with respect to both physical and mental health," wrote researchers from Diagnostic Assessment and Clinical Research Organization (Daacro) in Germany. Long-Term Stress and its Damaging Effects According to the American Psychological Association , stress can affect everyone at some time, and can lead to both mental and physical health issues. While some stress can be beneficial, extreme and long-term stress can produce detrimental effects to the "immune, cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and central nervous systems", adds the APA. For the new study, the researchers recruited 75 chronically stressed men aged between 30 and 51, and randomly assigned them to receive cow's milk with 0.5 or 1 percent phospholipids, or a placebo for six weeks. Phospholipids are the predominant lipids found in the cell membranes. The researchers note that phospholipids "are most concentrated in the brain and have a variety of regulatory and structural functions such as activity modulation of receptors, enzymes, and signaling molecules". After six weeks of supplementation, the researchers reported no differences between any of the groups in response to acute stress, but participants aged over 41 and receiving the high dose phospholipid milk did display a significantly better memory performance as measured using the Trier Social Stress Test, compared to similarly aged participants in the other two groups. Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers report that the effects are likely to be linked to the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), which reportedly allows "adaptation to stressful challenges". "Because the hippocampus affects HPAA function, one may speculate that the supplementation of PL-enriched milk may improve cortisol availability and memory function in the elderly population via restoring hippocampal functions in our population consisting of chronically stressed men," they added. Source: Nutrition Research Volume 31, Issue 6, Pages 413-420 "Milk-based phospholipids increase morning cortisol availability and improve memory in chronically stressed men" This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Chia Seeds May Be Beneficial to Health

Naturally-Rich In Omega-3,

Chia Seeds May Offer Important Nutritional Healthcare Benefits

....Especially For Heart and Liver

Health, According To New Study

Consumption of chia seeds as a source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) may provide protection for the heart and liver, according to new research.

The study, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, reports that laboratory subjects fed chia seed supplements were protected from heart and liver problems associated with
a high-fat diet, including improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, reduced visceral adiposity, decreased liver fat, and lower cardiac and hepatic inflammation and fibrosis.

The research, from the University of Queensland, Australia, demonstrated that the chia seeds brought about lipid redistribution in the subjects, with lipids lured away from the visceral fat and the liver.

"To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of lipid redistribution with a rich dietary source of any omega-3 fatty acid associated with cardio-protection and hepato-protection," said the University of Queensland researchers.

Alpha-Linolenic Acid Benefits

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that the body cannot make, and therefore must be consumed in the diet. Good sources of ALA include: chia seeds, flaxseed, soybeans, walnuts, and olive oil.

The U.S Institute of Medicine recommends an ALA intake of 1.6 grams per day for men and 1.1 grams per day for women.

"In human diets, ALA, the essential omega-3 fatty acid, is usually derived from plant sources such as flax seed, while EPA and DHA are ingested from fish, fish oil supplements and other sea foods," explained the researchers.

Regular ALA consumption provides key health benefits including cardiovascular effects, neuro-protection, a counter to the inflammation response, and benefits against autoimmune disease. The longer-chain Omega 3's: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have received more study from scientists and more attention in the marketplace.

The researchers noted that chia seeds are the
"richest botanical source of Alpha-linolenic acid," containing nearly 60 per cent ALA.

Important New Study Details

The new research investigated the metabolic, cardiac, and liver changes following 5 per cent chia seed supplementation in high carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed subjects with low omega-3 fatty acid status.

Subjects fed the high-fat diet were found to develop hypertension, impaired glucose and insulin tolerance,
dyslipidemia, fatty livers, cardiac fibrosis and functional deterioration, inflammation and abdominal obesity.

"With the exception of elevated blood pressure and some plasma markers of liver function, dietary chia seed supplementation attenuated structural and functional changes caused by high-fat feeding," said the authors.

"Chia seed supplementation caused lipid redistribution away from the abdominal cavity... and increased omega-3:omega-6 ratio in various tissues," they added.

The supplemented subjects improved insulin and glucose tolerance, reduced visceral adiposity, decreased hepatic steatosis (fatty liver), reduced cardiac and hepatic fibrosis
and inflammation without changes in plasma lipids or blood pressure.

"Thus, chia seeds as a source of ALA induce lipid redistribution associated with cardio-protection and

hepato-protection," said the researchers. They also said that the results of the new study warrant further research on the use of chia seed as a nutritional therapy for treating some signs of metabolic syndrome.

Source: The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
(Published online)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Vitamin D Helps Elderly Women

Vitamin D Can Help Elderly

Women Survive, Study Suggests

Elderly women are more likely to be vitamin D deficient with a significant risk of falls and fractures. The key conclusion in a systematic review published in the "The Cochrane Library" recent edition... Supplementing vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) to elderly women (mainly in institutional care) seems to increase survival.

A Cochrane meta-analysis published a 2 years ago demonstrated evidence for Vitamin D being beneficial
for several health concerns, but it did not specifically focus on mortality.

"We were, however, aware that more trials had been published and wanted to assess the effects of vitamin D when you added all the data together," said researchers from the Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology, at the University of Nis, in Serbia and also at The Cochrane Hepato-Biliary Group at The Copenhagen Trial Unit in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The international team of researchers identified 50 randomized trials that together had 94,148 participants. They had a mean age of 74 years, and 79% were women. "Our analyses suggest
that vitamin D3 reduces mortality by about 6%."

Interestingly, there were no significant benefits of taking other forms of vitamin D such as vitamin D2, and the active forms of the vitamin, alfacalcidol or calcitriol. However, the researchers explained that they could only find much less data relating to these types of vitamin D and so these conclusions should be interpreted with caution.

"We need to have more randomized trials that look specifically to see whether these forms of vitamin D do or don't have benefits," they said. Interestingly, the team did conclude that alfacalcidol and calcitriol significantly increased the risk of hypercalcaemia, and vitamin D3 combined with calcium significantly increased the risk of kidney stones.

"Previous reviews of preventive trials of vitamin D have not included as much information and have not examined the separate influence of different forms of vitamin D on mortality. By taking data from a larger number of trials we have been able to shed much more light on this important issue," they concluded.

Story Source:
Wiley-Blackwell (2011, July 6). "Vitamin D can help elderly women survive, review suggests"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

How Cell Death Occurs From Fat and Sugar Overload

How Cell Death Occurs From

Fat and Sugar Overload

Excess fat and sugar don't just cause people to gain excess weight and unwanted inches, but cause metabolic stress and can push some cells in the body to commit suicide. These cells don't have the ability to tolerate the toxic environment excess fat and sugar cause, and ultimately initiate their own death.

Research scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have recently discovered three unexpected culprits that help a cell overloaded with fat commit suicide. They've demonstrated that these molecules leading a cell to self-destruct are small strands of RNA, not proteins, as previously theorized..Since these small nucleolar RNAs play well-known roles in building proteins, the researchers were surprised to discover them killing cells.

The research has been published in Cell Metabolism,
and is the first study to link these small RNA molecules to the
cellular damage characteristic of common metabolic diseases like diabetes."When these three RNAs are present, the cells die in response to metabolic stress, such as exposure to large amounts of fats," says cardiologist Jean E. Schaffer, MD, the Virginia Minnich Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Washington University. "But if these three RNAs are missing, the cells don't die."

It's important to recognize that cell suicide is a natural process that protects healthy tissues from damaged cells, but the process can sometimes fall out of balance. For example,
if the cell death pathway gets shut down, damaged cells may divide and lead to cancer.

Conversely, too much cell death due to abnormal metabolites, such as high levels of fats and sugar, can impair the function of tissues in the body. This type of excess cell death is involved with diabetes complications such as heart failure. It is important to understand how abnormal metabolites cause cells to die, it will be helpful in the search for effective new therapies.

According to Dr.Schaffer, who is also the director of the Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Diabetes Research Training Center at the School of Medicine, the fact that small RNA molecules are involved in this cell death pathway is totally unexpected.

"When we set out to find genes causing cellular damage due to excess fat, we were expecting to find genes that code for proteins," she explains. "Instead, we identified an entirely new function for three small nucleolar RNAs. Unrelated to their well-defined role in the cell's protein-making machinery, we discovered they participate in how cells go on to die from overload of nutrients."

In a classic genetics experiment, the researchers initially identified a genetic region that, when disabled, allows cells to continue living in high fat and high sugar conditions. While the region codes for a protein, they demonstrated that the protein itself is not involved in initiating cell death.

"At first this result really puzzled us," Dr. Schaffer continued. "The mutation occurs in a region that encodes a protein, as we might expect. But returning the protein to the mutated cells did not return the cell death response." The three small nucleolar RNAs function together not only to promote cell death from nutrient excess, but also to promote more general mechanisms of cell death in diseased tissues.

Dr. Schaffer is a cardiologist who treats patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital; She ephasizes how a multifaceted approach is necessary to manage the complexities of metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity. Encouraging patients to reduce the amount of fat and sugar in the diet is a key strategy for treatment.

However, when dietary modification becomes ineffective, it would be helpful to have other ways to reduce cellular damage from excess fats in the muscles, heart, pancreas, liver and other organs and the team continues to pursue the search for possible treatments. "That's where our future work is headed."

This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Burroughs Welcome Foundation, the Washington University Diabetes Research Training Center and the Washington University Metabolomics facility.

Story Source:
Washington University School of Medicine
Journal Reference:
Small nucleolar RNAs U32a, U33 and U35a are critical mediators of metabolic stress.
Cell Metabolism (July 2011)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Low Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in Women Who Follow A Healthy Lifestyle

Low Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

In Women Who Follow A Healthy Lifestyle

New study examined the combination of multiple lifestyle factors and risk of SCD...

Adhering to a healthy lifestyle, including not smoking, exercising regularly, having a low body weight and eating a healthy diet, appears to lower the risk of sudden cardiac death in women, according to a new study in the July 6 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) which is defined as death occurring within one hour after symptom onset without evidence of circulatory collapse, accounts for more than half of all cardiac deaths;

There are approximately 250,000 to 310,000 cases annually in the United States. No prior studies have examined the combination of multiple lifestyle factors and risk of SCD.

Using data collected as part of the Nurses' Health Study, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and
Harvard Medical School, Boston examined the association between a healthy lifestyle and risk of SCD.

A total of 81,722 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study from June 1984 to June 2010 were included in the study, and lifestyle factors were assessed via questionnaires every two to four years.

A low-risk lifestyle was defined as not smoking, having a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, exercise duration of at least 30 minutes per day or more, consuming a Mediterranean-style diet emphasizing high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish, with moderate alcohol intake.

During the 26 years of follow-up, there were 321 cases of SCD among women in the study (average age 72 years at the time of the SCD event). All four low-risk factors were significantly and independently associated with a lower risk of SCD...

Not smoking, exercising and eating a healthy diet each were inversely associated with risk of SCD. BMI also was associated with the risk of SCD, with women having a BMI between 21 and 24.9 at lowest risk.

Women at low risk for all four lifestyle factors had a 92 percent lower risk of SCD when compared with women at low risk for none of the four lifestyle factors.

"The primary prevention of SCD remains a major public health challenge because most SCD occurs among individuals not identified as high risk," the researchers explained. "In this cohort of female nurses, adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle was associated with a lower risk of SCD and may be an effective strategy for the prevention of SCD."

Story Source: JAMA and Archives Journals.
Journal Reference:
"Adherence to a Low-Risk, Healthy Lifestyle and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death Among Women."
JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011;

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Yogurt May Boost Immunity In Those With Weakened Defense Systems

Yogurt May Boost Immune

Function In People With

Weakened Defense Systems

Probiotics and Prebiotics Impact On Immune System Functioning, The Topic of Important Nutritional
Healthcare Research...

Daily consumption of yogurt may boost the immune function in people with weakened defense systems, reports an important new study from Spain.

People with the eating disorder Anorexia (anorexia nervosa) are known to have a compromised immune system, due to the poor diet and bad eating habits.

According to new findings published in the European Journal of Nutrition, daily consumption of a yogurt containing Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus during a re-feeding program may boost the immune system of anorexics.

Researchers from the Department of Metabolism and Nutrition at the Instituto del Frio (CSIC) emphasized that the immune boosting benefits of the dairy product were not observed when milk was fed in place of yogurt, an observation that points to the influence of the bacterial strains in the yogurt.

"The findings suggest that the inclusion of yogurt in the re-feeding therapy of Anorexia patients may exert positive effects on the immunological markers related to the nutritional status of these patients," wrote the researchers.

Conventional Yogurt Used...

The researchers note that conventional yogurt exclusively fermented by L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus is the most consumed in the world. However, "relatively few studies have looked into the effects of this conventional yogurt, without any additional Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria strains, on the immune system in humans", they added.

The new study involved 30 anorexic and 33 health adolescents. The anorexic adolescents were randomly assigned to receive either the yogurt or semi-skimmed milk as part of their refeeding diet, while the health adolescents were also assigned to receive either the yogurt or the milk for 10 weeks.

Immune System Diagnostic Markers...

The researchers looked at the ratio of CD4+ lymphocytes to CD8+ lymphocytes, a well-established diagnostic measure of immune system functioning.

Lymphocytes are white blood cells that play a key role in immune response, while CD4+ and CD8+ refer to the presence of certain receptors on the surface of the cells. A low ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ is indicative of a suppressed immune system.

According to the findings published in the EJN, anorexics receiving the milk displayed a decrease in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, indicating a weakening of their immune system after 10 weeks. Conversely, those consuming the yogurt did not display this decline.

The researchers also reported a significant increase in levels of a molecule called interferon-gamma or IFN-gamma, an important marker of adaptive and innate immunity, in both yogurt-consuming groups (anorexic and healthy adolescents.)

"Yogurt seems to be a good alternative to prevent the decrease observed in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in anorexia nervosa patients, which means that yogurt could be a healthy food choice to include in the re-feeding therapy of these patients," they concluded.

Source: European Journal of Nutrition
Volume 45, Number 4, 225-233,
"Effects of a nutritional intervention with yogurt on lymphocyte subsets and cytokine production capacity in
anorexia nervosa patients"

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.

Simple Changes Can Make A Big Impact!

Long-Term Weight Gain...

Simple Changes In Dietary & Lifestyle Factors Have A Big Impact!

In a series of three individual studies looking at how changes in dietary intake and lifestyle factors specifically relate to long-term weight gain, Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) found that modest changes in specific foods and beverages, physical activity, TV-watching, and sleep duration were directly linked with long-term weight gain. Modifications in diet, specifically, had the strongest associations with differences in weight gain.

The study appears in the June 23, 2011, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Earlier research has focused on methods for weight loss after obesity has developed. Less is known about the key factors linked to long-term term weight gain.

An average adult gains about one pound per year. Because the weight gain is so gradual and occurs over many years, it's been difficult for research scientists and for people themselves to understand the key factors that may be responsible.

The researchers evaluated changes in multiple specific lifestyle factors and weight gain every four years over 12 to 20 years of follow-up in three separate large cohort studies, the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), the Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). The final analyses included 50,422 women in the NHS, 47,898 women in NHS II, and 22,557 men in HPFS, all of whom were free of obesity or chronic diseases at the beginning of the study.

Study participants gained an average of 3.35 lb during each four-year period, which corresponded to a weight gain of 16.8 lb over the 20-year period.

When relative associations of various lifestyle changes with weight gain were evaluated, the findings were strikingly similar in all 3 studies.

For example... The foods associated with the greatest weight gain over the 20-year study period included potato chips (for each one increased daily serving, +1.69 lb more weight gain every 4 years), other potato-based foods / products (1.28 lb), sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb), unprocessed meats (0.95 lb), and processed meats (0.93 lb).

The foods associated with less weight gain when their consumption was actually increased, including vegetables (−0.22 lb), whole grains (−0.37 lb), fruits (−0.49 lb), nuts ]
(−0.57 lb) and yogurt (−0.82 lb).

Evaluating all changes in diet together, participants in the lower 20% of dietary changes gained nearly 4 lbs more each 4 years than those in the top 20%... an amount equivalent to the average weight gain in the population overall.

Focusing only on total calories may not be the most useful way to consume fewer calories than a person expends, explain the researchers. Other measurements, such as content of total fat, energy density, or sugars, could also be misleading. More importantly, they found that eating more healthful foods and
beverages, concentrating on overall dietary quality was most useful.

The more useful dietary assessment for measurement or preventing long-term weight gain appears to be:
Improving carbohydrate quality by eating less liquid sugars (soda / pop beverages) and other sweets, as well as fewer starches (potatoes) and refined grains (white bread, white rice, breakfast cereals low in fiber, other refined carbohydrates).

Eating more minimally processed foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, yogurt) and fewer highly
processed foods (white breads, processed meats, sugary beverages).

This more healthful dietary pattern could influence long-term weight gain in many ways. including, The long term benefits are achieved through biologic effects, including changing hunger, insulin levels, or satiety, or by improving eating behaviors related to average portion sizes and patterns of foods and beverages consumed.

"These findings underscore the importance of making wise food choices in preventing weight gain and obesity," said nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH researchers. "The idea that there are no 'good' or 'bad' foods is a myth that needs to be debunked."

The results also showed that changes in physical activity and TV-viewing influenced changes in weight. Also, those who slept 6-8 hours a night gained less weight than those who slept less than 6 or more than 8 hours.

Overall, the weight-changes associated with any one lifestyle change were relatively small. However, taken together, they all added up, especially for diet. "Small dietary and other lifestyle changes can together make a big difference, for bad or good," they emphasized. "This makes it easy to gain weight unintentionally, but also demonstrates the tremendous opportunity for prevention. A handful of the right lifestyle changes will go a long way."

Support for the study was provided by the National Institutes of Health and the Searle Scholars Program.

Story Source: Harvard School of Public Health.

Journal Reference:
"Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men." New England Journal of Medicine, 2011;

"Changes in specific dietary factors may have big impact on long-term weight gain."
Harvard School of Public Health (2011, July 3)

This article is for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult with your doctor or healthcare professional for medical and nutrition advice.