Current Health News and Studies Concerning Nutrition & Exercise

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December 29, 2006: The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced yesterday that meat and milk from cloned cows, pigs, and goats are safe for consumer consumption. This is the first step towards the possibility of food products from cloned cows, pigs, and goats appearing in the marketplace.

The FDA based its decision on the fact that it has analyzed hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and studies concerning the health and food composition of cloned animals and their offspring. Its findings are that the meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring "...are as safe as food we eat every day..." (Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA's Center of Veterinary Medicine.)

(Source picture right: WebMD, January 16, 2008)

Let us keep in mind the track record of the FDA. It was they who approved the drug Vioxx which killed thousands of users. They said that it was safe too. My point is that, hidden agendas and partnerships with multinational food and drug companies aside, who knows what the long term implications may be?

The FDA has scientifically analyzed the milk and meat products of cloned animals and detected no noticeable differences between them and the milk and meat products of traditionally raised animals. But they cannot factor in the time element. Will there be negative health issues 10, 15, or 20 years down the road? Some food manufacturers such as Ben&Jerry's have elected to distance themselves from cloning. They have done this by labeling their products as not having ingredients from cows given Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) or cows that have been cloned. Kudos to these manufacturers.

The proponents of cloning say that the products of cloned cows, pigs, and goats will be superior to those currently available to the consumer. My response is that our milk and meat from cows, pigs, and goats would be of much better quality if they were raised the way God ordained them to be raised. Right now these animals are 'factory farmed'. They are not allowed to graze out in the open air, but are instead crammed in pens wallowing in their own urine and defecation. They are also constantly given antibiotics along with growth hormones.

No! The solution to inferior products is not cloning, but a return to allowing animals to graze outside and eat what God made them to eat.

January 11 2007: Continuing studies show the enormous health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. According to a Healthfocus USA trend survey, 4 out of 10 American adults want omega-3 fatty acids in their food. And in response to an enlightened public's demand for this 'good' fat, food manufacturers are introducing it into a number of their products.

Tropicana is fortifying its orange juice with omega-3; also Kelloggs is introducing omega-3 acid into its Kashi brand of cereal. I Can't Believe It's not Butter! butter has had omega-3 to it. Believe it or not but Proctor & Gamble and Iams have already introduced omega-3s into their pet foods back in the 90s.

All other means of weight reduction should be exhausted before surgery is considered. First and foremost is nutrition. All junk and fast foods and white products (rice, breads, sugar, potatoes, salt) should be eliminated. They should be replaced by all-natural whole foods. Next an exercise program must be implemented. A University of Washington study found that 1 in 50 patients die within 1 month after having gastric bypass surgery. That number jumps almost 5 times if the operation is performed by an inexperienced doctor.

Some well known examples are Nexium, Prevacid, and Prilosac. A class of drugs known as H2 blockers such as Tagamet and Pepcid are also problematic but on a smaller scale. Researchers believe that these medications make it difficult for the body to absorb calcium. Seniors who have used proton pump inhibitors for over a year have a 44% greater risk of hip fracture. The risk grows the longer these drugs are taken.

Note Heartburn and acid reflux are rarely caused by too much stomach acid. As a matter of fact, stomach acid naturally decreases with age! When in your 60s, you release 3-1/2 times less acid than you did while in your teens.

Too little stomach acid means that quantities of food lay undigested for long periods of time. This upsets your stomach. The heartburn is caused when the undigested matter gets pushed up into your esophagus causing heartburn.

Here's a test for too little stomach acid. Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar before a meal (the vinegar stimulates acid production.) If that doesn't help, buy an acid supplement known as betaine hydrochloride (HCL.) Take the dosage recommended with your meals. If either one of these natural remedies relieves your symptoms, your body is producing too little acid.

Continue taking one of those remedies and have your doctor take you off acid blockers, and stop taking antacids. More...

January 16 2007: Natural and organic foods are becoming more and more popular with consumers. With the increasing popularity, some food manufacturers are seeking to cash in on it through unscrupulous means. Greenwashing is the term given to the practice of branding processed food as natural or organic. Frequently this is accomplished through food packaging. An example is a food package containing an image of a field or a farm, or greatly enlarged veggies or fruit.

Don't be deceived by food packaging. When you purchase natural or organic food read the food label and the ingredients. Don't take for granted that all food manufacturers are honest.

January 18, 2007: January 18 2007: In an obvious move to combat the skyrocketing obesity epidemic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a report last June calling for restaurants to place more milk on their menus. Specifically the FDA report encourages fast food eateries to offer more low-fat and fat-free milk products with children's meals.

The FDA obviously wants children to drink less of the sugary sodas which contribute to childhood obesity. However milk, contrary to what we have been led to believe by the milk industry, is not the best alternative. First of all God created cow's milk for baby cows. Mother's milk is for human babys.

The nutrient profile for cow's milk is completely wrong for humans. In addition to its alien nutrient profile, approximately 70% of the world's population lacks the enzyme needed to digest cow's milk. This is called lactose intolerance.

Although the United States ranks high among the world's consumers of milk and milk products, we yet have one of the world's largest rates of osteoporosis. Absorption is the problem. Much better alternatives are collard and turnip greens, broccoli and canned salmon or sardines (with the bones intact.)

Plant sources of calcium are better absorbed by the body. There's more. A recent study by researchers at the Harvard Medical School found that the more milk children drank, the more weight they gained! Further, the study suggests that significant weight would not be lost if soda is replaced by milk.

About one-third or 3 million dairy cows are given the hormone recombinant bovine growth hormone marketed under the name Posilac. This artificial hormone unnaturally increases the cow's milk production. BGH (bovine growth hormone) contains high levels of the natural growth hormone IGF-1. IGF-1 has been linked to colon, breast and prostate cancer.

Loren Codain, PhD, a professor in the department of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, believes that children should be encouraged to skip milk, chicken nuggets and French fries and substitute fresh fruits, vegetables, and water. Cow's milk has been linked to medical problems ranging from acne to obesity and from cardiovascular disease to prostrate cancer.

Statistics from the media tell us that the number one killer of Americans is heart disease, and that cancer is not too far behind. The truth however will shock you. Note the following numbers from 2001. The deaths due to heart disease was 699,697; the deaths from cancer was 553,251; the number of deaths which were related to our health care system was 783,936! As enormous as this number is, it is merely the tip of the iceberg. It is estimated that as little as 5% and no more than 20% of all iatrogenic incidents are reported.

Iatrogenic is from the Greek word iatros meaning 'physician;' -genic means 'induced by.' Iatrogenic therefore means a disease induced or caused by a physician.

January 19 2007: Only 25% of America's medical schools offer a mandatory course in nutrition. And of those that do, a doctor receives only about 3 hours of nutrition training out of his four years of medical study! The dean of admissions at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine admits, "...We teach people how to treat disease."

January 27 2007: Data from a large federal study shows that Americans drink almost 1/4 of their total daily caloric intake. These calories are predominately in the form of soft drinks. Nearly 50 percent of Americans over the age of 4 drink sugary beverages on any given day. These beverages consist of soft drinks, fruit drinks and presweetened iced teas.

One can of Coke contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar! And on average, the typical American drinks almost 54 gallons of soft drinks every year. This comes to over a gallon a week!

Research is now able to give you the blow-by-blow impact of Coke specifically, and all sodas in general, on your body. First ten minutes. 10 teaspoons of sugar flood your system. This amounts to 100 percent of the recommeded daily intake (RDI) This much sugar would make you vomit due to intense sweetness if it were not for the phosphoric acid which dilutes the flavor.

Within 20 minutes. Your blood sugar spikes. Your liver responds to the resulting insulin rush by turning large amounts of sugar into fat.

Within 40 minutes. Your body finishes absorbing all of the caffeine. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your liver injects more sugar into your bloodstream.

At around 45 minutes. Your body increases its dopamine production. Dopamine stimulates the pleasure centers of your brain. Heroine will give you the identical effect.

After 60 minutes. You will begin to have a sugar crash! More...

February 1, 2007: Trans fatty acids replaced saturated fats in processed food in the early to mid '80s because it was discovered that saturated fat (#73) raised LDL (bad) cholesterol. Now we know that trans fats are worse. They not only raise LDL cholesterol, but simultaneously lower the good cholesterol (HDL.)

With the push to ban trans fats, food manufacturers are searching for a replacement. Many are settling for interesterified fat. This fat increases the shelf life of food just like trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils.) But research conducted in Malaysia and at Brandeis University reveals that 'interesterification' raises blood sugar and lowers insulin. These are common precursors to diabetes.

It is hard not to be cynical about a business that uses cheap foreign labor, and treats that labor force inhumanely, offers its American labor force expensive health coverage, and requires overtime but doesn't pay overtime. There is a reason why Wal-Mart is the number retail giant in the world. I don't trust Wal-Mart and I don't agree with its business practices. Deception in the organic food market is predicated on the fact that consumers are more concerned about their health, and are spending big dollars on organic products. Retail stores like Wal-Mart and giant food corporations see an opportunity to boost profits by false or deceptive advertising.

February 7, 2007: Conditions which can cause a major outbreak of Mad Cow disease in the United States are in place. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow disease, is carried in an animal's brain or central nervous system.

Factory-farmed cows are fed slaughterhouse by-products--parts from other dead animals. If these dead animal parts are infected, that infection will be transmitted to live animals. The testing for mad cow disease is woefully inadequate for the tons of beef slaughtered annually.

As a matter of fact, the United States currently violates all four recommendations as outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent the spread of Mad Cow disease into human population. These recommendations are:

Europe tests 1 out of every 4 cows for Mad Cow disease; Japan tests 100% of cattle earmarked for human consumption.

Mad Cow disease has an incubation period of decades. The beef industry is powerful, and protected by the United States Department of Agriculture. Loopholes in the law allow the cattle industry to carry on business as usual. American beef eaters may be infected with the human version of this disease, Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease. That would make them walking time bombs.

February 8, 2007: A new study from Italy found that too much bread raises the risk of renal cell carcinoma (kindey cancer.) Records of 2,301 Italians were examined to find out if there was some association between certain foods and kidney cancer. An associaton was clearly established. High consumption of refined bread consumption raises the risk of kidney cancer.

Almost all of the bread eaten by Italians is refined white bread. This is true I suspect for Americans also. The increased cancer risk doesn't surprise me. White products, whether they be bread, rice, or sugar, have a high glycemic index. Lead researcher, Francesca Bravi, ScD said the following: "It's possible that refined cereals may have affected the process of carcinogenesis by influencing the levels of insulin-like growth factors--the highets quintile of bread eaters were consuming about 28 portions a week."

The Italian research team noticed the exact opposite with Italians eating vegetables. More than 200 studies have demonstrated that diets which are high in fruit and vegetables lowers the risk of cancer. Here is a quote which is so very true, "The whiter the bread, the quicker you're dead". The next quote also applies to all white, refined products (rice, flour, sugar, etc.), "if it's white, it ain't right...".

February 10, 2007: It shouldn't come as a surprise that foods made from natural ingredients are much healthier than those made from synthetics and chemicals. Margarine contains trans fatty acids. Besides being high in dangerous trans fats, margarine: (1) triples the risk of coronary heart disease (2) increases total cholesterol and the bad cholesterol (LDL) (3) lowers the good cholesrerol (HDL) (4) increases cancer risk by up to 5 times (5) reduces the quality of breast milk (6) lowers immune response and (7) lowers insulin response.

Although butter has slightly more saturated fats than margarine, some saturated fat is healthy while any amount of trans fat is unhealthy. Using butter increases the absorption of nutrients form other foods. Margarine increases the risk of heart disease in women by 53% as compared to eating the same amount of butter (Harvard Medical Study.)

Butter has been used for centuries while as the new kid on the block, margarine is less than one hundred years old. Did you know that margarine is only one molecule away from being plastic?

These bone-building nutrients are calcium and magnesium. Blood pressure drugs known as ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers or beta-blockers rob the body of coenzyme Q-10. A Yale University study discovered that the popular Alka-Seltzer could increase the risk of heart attacks by up to 50%! More...

March 6, 2007: The Federal Drug Administration allows food manufacturers to claim their products are trans fat free if a serving contains less than one-half gram of trans fatty acids. If you happen to purchase any processed product such as frozen foods, cake and frosting mixes, etc., read the ingredient label. If you see partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oil, it contains trans fats.

Trans fats are very prevalent in processed foods. Note some of the following which you can find in any supermarket. In the category of spreads: Blue Bonnet Stick margarine contains 1.5 grams of trans fats; Fleischmann's stick has 2 grams trans fat; Land O'Lakes stick has 2.5 grams trans fat. Packaged foods: Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines and Pillsbury cake mixes contain between 1/2 to 1.5 grams trans fat; Duncan Hines Classic Vanilla Frost has 1.5 grams trans fat; Keebler Ready Crust, Graham has 2 grams trans fat; Old El Paso Taco Shells has 2.5 grams trans fat. Frozen Foods: Pepperidge Farm Three-Layer Cake, chocolate fudge has 3.5 grams trans fat; Betty Crocker Complete Meals Chicken & Buttermilk Biscuits has 2.5 grams trans fat; Kid Cuisine All-American Fried Chicken has 1.5 grams trans fat. Baked Goods: Pillsbury Ready to Bake Sugar Cookies has 1.5 grams trans fat; Betty Crocker Warm Delights, cinnamon has 2 grams trans fat.

No amount of trans fat is good. All processed food should be avoided as much as possible. At the very least, learn to read ingredient labels and avoid all products containing hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils. These trans fat containing oils are much worse than saturated fats. Home-made cakes and cookies are much better and a lot healthier for anyone.

March 15, 2007: Why is it that the French can eat high fat butter, cream and cheese and not have the cardiovascular problems that we in America have? (This was true up until a few years ago anyway.) This is known as the French paradox. Claude Fischler, PhD, a nutritional sociologist at the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) wrote about this paradox in Psychological Science in 2003. He noted that the French eat smaller portions than Americans, eat more fruit and vegetables, use natural ingredients, and take their time eating, savoring their food.

Although their butter, cream and cheese is loaded with saturated fat, it is natural, and needed in limited quantities by the body. America's obesity epidemic is as much a product of artificial chemicals such as trans fat, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and monosodium glutamate (MSG) as it is of enormous portion sizes. Trans fat, which is so ubiquitous in America, is much worse than saturated fat. The French do not supersize their meals like we do. Their portion sizes are much smaller. They also take their time eating. America's consumption of fruit and vegetables is not nearly as much as it should be because most people fill up on sodas, and high fat and high sugar processed food.

March 22, 2007: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a compound used to manufacture plastic containers and to line tin cans (canned fruit, vegetables, soda, baby formula, etc.) Animal studies have shown that BPA is toxic and is associated with serious diseases in people.

It has been linked to birth defects of the male and female reproductive systems. It is also linked to breast and prostate cancers, insulin resistance and to infertility. BPA was invented in the 1930s in a search for synthetic estrogens.

Laboratory tests on mice and rats found that low doses of BPA can cause:

BPA exposure is a health concern. The following list contains 10 tips on how you can reduce your exposure:

If you do not wish to part with your plastic containers, check the bottom for the recycle label . Avoid using containers which have a label of 7. It may contain BPA. Containers with recycling labels 2, 4, and 5 do not contain BPA.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) conducted a demographically diverse test on a group of about 400 people in the United States. The test showed that 95 percent of the test group had BPA in their urine samples.

March 28, 2007: It comes as no surprise that television food commercials are targeted at children. CNN reported today that 40 percent of children's food commercials are candy, snacks and fast food. "The vast majority of the foods that kids see advertised on television today are for products that nutritionists would tell us they need to be eating less of, not more of, if we're going to get a handle on childhood obesity", says Vicki Rideout of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Kaiser Family Foundation researchers kept tabs on 13 television networks between May and early September of 2005. In it's study, "Food For Thought: Television Food Advertising To Children in the United States", they reported that 2,613 advertisements featuring food and drinks were specifically aimed at children and teenagers. Children ages 8-12 see the most food ads on television at an average of 21 per day or 7,600 per year. Children under 8 years of age see 1 announcement on fitness or nutrition for every 26 food ads; for preteens it is 1 for every 48; for teens it is 1 for every 130!

Following is the breakdown of processed foods advertised to children:

The Kaiser Family Foundation also reports that this type of television advertising is much greater than advertising for toys or video games. The American Obesity Association says that a little over 15 percent of children ages 6 to 11 and those 12 to 19 are obese. At the request of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, the Institute of Medicine reviewed the latest research in 2005 and reached the conclusion that food and beverage marketing does have an impact on the eating habits of children.The institute also stated that the advertisements are out of balance with recommended healthful diets.

The multinational food corporations know that children are very impressionable, and that they are the future customers of tomorrow. They also know that when children go to the store with their parents, they will ask for the products that they see advertised on television every day. The candies, snack and fast foods are very tasty and very additive. And being as non-nutritious as they are, these junk foods promote bad health and eventual disease. Our children are being set up for future prescription drug use for the degenerative diseases that they will develop from years of eating high sugar, salt, and fat junk food products.

July 2, 2007: a recent study shows that Americans are not getting enough choline. Choline is a part of the B-complex of vitamins.

Only ten percent of Americans meet the recommended dietary intake for choline. The Institute of Medicine recognizes the following daily AI (adequate intake):

One average egg yolk has 125.5 mg of choline which makes eggs a perfect source.

Choline has an essential role in the normal functioning of all cells. This includes brain and nerve function, liver metabolism and the transportation of nutrients throughput the body.

According to population-based research, infants from mothers whose diets were deficient in choline were four times more likely to have neural tube defects such as spina bifida. This was true even when other nutrients which impact birth defects, such as folic acid, were enough.

Choline is essential for proper fetal and infant brain development. It also reduces the risk of heart disease. Like folate, choline is involved in the breaking down of homocysteine.

A deficiency of choline can in turn lead to a deficiency of folic acid. This can cause homocysteine, an amino acid that promotes plaque build-up on artery walls, to develop.

Choline is essential for healthy cell membranes and to help with memory storage and muscle control. It also assists in preventing fatigue, insomnia, and the build-up of fats in the liver.

The best source of choline is egg yolks. Other sources include organ meats, peanuts, toasted wheat germ, cod, salmon, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

The corn kernels have a little fiber together with the nutritious germ. However both are removed in conventional processing before the corn is ground to make grits and cornmeal. Whole-grain grits are called hominy. Hominy grits can be purchased at some health food stores.

The results were that all 3 minerals looked at have declined, 2 out of 5 vitamins looked at have declined, and the amount of protein dropped by 6 percent.

Look at the following examples of the nutritional decline in America's crops:

July 10, 2007: The July, 2007 edition of Journal of Clinical Investigation has a prostate cancer study which was conducted by Wake Forest University. Laboratory mice which were genetically bred to develop prostate cancer were divided into three groups.

Each group was fed diets with different ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. Group one fed a ratio of 1:1 had a 60 percent survival rate; group two fed a 20:1 ratio had a 10 percent survival rate; group three with a 40:1 ratio had no survivals.

The ideal ratio of omega-6/omega-3 in the human diet should be 1:1. The Western diet provides ratios anywhere from 20:1 to 40:1. A UCLA study conducted last year found that PSA levels and prostate cancer growth rates lessened when omega-6/omega-3 ratios were closer to the ideal.

A recent mouse study carried in the British Journal of Cancer showed that prostate cancer had spread to the bone marrow when the level of omega-6 was high. When the level was closer to what it should be, the cancer did not spread.!

July 11, 2007: A study published in Epidemiologic Review concluded that by the year 2015, 8 years from now, 75% of American adults will be overweight. Currently the statistics are 65% of American adults are overweight while 33% are obese.

The study's conclusion is based on current trends. Unfortunately, overweight and obesity are not abating. The study also found that by 2015, 41% adults will be obese, up 8% from current levels. 24% of children and adolescents will be overweight or obese by 2015. Women between the ages of 20 and 34 have the fastest growing rates of overweight and obesity.

July 16, 2007: Polish researchers conducted a study concerning the nutritional value of clear apple juice versus cloudy apple juice. They used 2 different varieties of apples. The researchers made a clear juice and a cloudy juice from each variety.

The antioxidant content of the cloudy juice was almost double that of the clear juice. The clear juice had as little as 1/4 the polyphenol content as the cloudy variety.

The researchers also concluded that home made juice is much healthier than commercial, store-bought products. No big surprise there.

When shopping for any juice, look for unfiltered and cold-pressed brands. Juice produced by cold-pressed methods keep most of the nutrients intact through very low heat.

July 17, 2007: The American Heart Association recently released a statement which said that moderate weight training is beneficial for people with heart disease. "...just like we once learned that people with heart disease benefited from aerobic exercise, we are now learning that guided, moderate weight training also has significant benefits," said Mark Williams, professor of medicine at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska.

Heart disease patients should observe the following cautions:

Weight training is not recommended for heart patients who have uncontrolled high blood pressure or heart rhythm disorders, unstable heart disease, infections in and around the heart, and a few other serious heart related problems.

July 19, 2007: There is a link between chlorine exposure and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries.) Chickens (whose arteries are similar to humans) who were fed chlorine had their arteries scarred. When this happens, the body protects itself by applying a thin layer of cholesterol over the damaged area.

Dr. Joseph Price in his book Coronaries/Cholesterol/Chlorine noted that the steady increase in heart disease rates parallels the increase of chlorine in water, paper, clothing, insecticides, paints and cleaning products.

July 23, 2007: Researchers at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia looked at 162 small studies on exercise for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. They concluded that aerobic exercise helps to fight fatigue. The researchers said that weight training should be included too.

Commenting on the subject, Aaron Miller, MD, medical director of the Corrine Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, stated that exercise at every stage of the disease is important. Although the fact that the rise in body temperature is problematic for some MS patients, it is not harmful though uncomfortable. It is not a reason to avoid exercise.

July 24, 2007: A recent study found that regular soda consumption (diet and regular) may be linked to increased risk factors for heart disease and diabetes. The study said that adults who drank one or more sodas a day had about a 50 percent greater risk of metabolic syndrome. "On average, soda drinkers tend to eat more calories, consume more saturated fat and trans fat, eat less fiber, exercise less and be more sedentary," Dr. Ramachandran Vasan of Boston University School of Medicine, the study's author, said in a telephone interview.

The study used over 6,000 middle-aged men and women who were watched for over 4 years. The risk of heart disease and stoke doubles when a person has metabolic syndrome.

July 31, 2007: researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden conducted a study on the relationship between sugar and pancreatic cancer. In 1997 77,797 men and women were recruited. They filled out a questionnaire about added sugar (to tea, coffee, cereal, etc.) And their consumption of sugar in soft drinks, desserts, etc.

The participants who ate the most sugar had double the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Researchers theorize that high sugar consumption leads to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) which in turn increases insulin demand and decreases insulin sensitivity. This makes the pancreas work harder.

Leptin is critical in eliminating obesity. Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that tells you when you have eaten enough. When you are full, leptin reduces appetite and starts the fat burning process. This hormone also tells the liver what to do with the glucose (blood sugar) it has stored.

Just as a person can become insulin resistant, he can also become leptin resistant. When that happens, leptin miscommunicates with the brain. Instead of telling the brain to stop eating, it tells the brain that you are still hungry. You also begin storing more fat.

The excess fat that is stored produces even more leptin which is supposed to tell the hypothalamus region of the brain that there is too much fat stored. The brain becomes leptin resistant. As sugar gets metabolized in the fat cells, the fat releases surges in leptin. This constant exposure to leptin de-sensitizes the brain, hence it becomes resistant.

August 2, 2007: The American Heart Association together with the American College of Sports Medicine issued new exercise guidelines. They replace the guidelines issued in 1995.

Healthy adults should engage in moderate intensity aerobic exercise (brisk walk, light jogging) for at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week. Vigorous intensity aerobic exercise can be done for at least 20 minutes, 3 days a week.

The guidelines also recommend weight lifting employing 8 to 10 different exercises on 2 non-consecutive days a week. Adults 65 and over (#36) should also consider lifting weights.

Inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle are linked to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, obesity, and breast and colon cancer.

August 6, 2007: the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine reported on 42 studies concerning the diabetes drug Avandia. These studies used approximately 28,000 patients of whom 15,560 were taking the drug.

The patients taking the drug Avandia had a 43 percent increased risk of having a heart attack. There was also a 64 percent increased risk of dying from cardiovascular causes. Avandia is marketed by GlaxoSmithKline.

Says Dr. David Graham, a drug safety scientist at the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), "[keeping Avandia on the market] makes no medical sense and violated the principle taught us all in medical school...First do no harm..." Dr. Graham added, "...a wrong decision will cost thousands of lives..."

Unfortunately, Dr. Graham's colleagues at the FDA did not agree. The panel voted 22 to 1 to keep the deadly drug on the market.

August 8, 2007: there are some physical signs resulting from a vitamin D deficiency. Some people may experience pain in their bones known as osteomalacia. You may have a vitamin D deficiency if there is pain or discomfort when you press your thumb against the sternum (located in the center of your chest), shinbone, or forearm. Another possible sign is teeth that ache or throb. A condition known as head sweating is a sign. If your scalp experiences pain when you comb or brush your hair, it could indicate a vitamin D deficiency. More...

Researchers at McGill University and the University of Manitoba in Canada have found that antibiotics given to infants doubles their risk of developing asthma by the time they are 7 years old. More...

August 9, 2007: about 40 years ago consumers began replacing butter, lard, and cod liver oil with margarine and shortening. Within 20 years there was an increase in depression, heart disease, and a decrease in fertility.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that researchers found that for every 2% calories from trans fatty acids consumed, the risk of ovulatory infertility more than doubled. The switch from natural butter and lard to artificial chemical compounds greatly reduced the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet.

August 10, 2007: the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a study of 84,500 women on the risk of developing diabetes from eating french fries. Data was correlated over a period of 20 years.

Those who ate french fries once a week were 21% more likely to get diabetes than the women who didn't eat any. Eating 5 servings per week of any type of white potato resulted in an increased risk factor of 14% over those who ate less than half a serving per week.

White potatoes, be they french fries, baked, or mashed, have a high glycemic index. Sweet potatoes are much better for you.

August 11, 2007: researchers at the University of Tennessee studied 80 women and walking; they found that walking more than the average 5,000 steps per day results in a lower bodyfat percentage and slimmer hips and waists. The University of South Carolina performed a similar study. They looked at 109 men and women and found that people who took less than 5,000 steps a day were on average heavier than people who took more than 9,000.

August 13, 2007: people with the highest levels of magnesium have a 27% lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute on Stockholm, Sweden reviewed 7 large magnesium studies. Four of the studies tracked diet only while the other three tracked diet plus supplement use.

The 7 studies had a combined 286,000 participants. Six out of 7 studies showed a significant association bewteen high magnesium levels and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes risk dropped by 15% for every 100 mg (milligram) increase in magnesium.

Magnesium levels are taxed by high stress and menstruation. Heavy starch, alcohol, diuretics, and some prescription drug use (antibiotics for instance) can increase magnesium loss through the urine.

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium for men is 400 mg a day; for women it is 310 mg a day. The preferred forms of magnesium is magnesium glucomate and chelated magnesium. More...

August 14, 2007: visceral, also known as belly or abdominal fat, is dangerous as it is a risk factor for heart disease. This fat can now be detected by a simple, noninvasive test.

The test is called the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity test. It detects the presence of visceral fat surrounding the internal organs by measuring how efficiently blood flows throughout the body. Visceral fat hampers that flow.

September 1, 2007: According to registered dietician Bonnie T. Jortberg, senior instructor in the department of family medicine at the University of Colorado at Denver & Health Sciences Center, there are five foods which can prevent heart attacks.

Former president of the American Diabetes Association, Larry Deeb, commented, "For people with diabetes, this is spectacular news. It shows how important both kinds of exercise are. Take your pick, and you'll lower A1C. Exercise can lower blood sugar level almost as much as any single pill you can take."

September 24, 2007: Bad news concerning the effects of obesity continue to mount. This time it is fatty liver disease being found in children. Like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease was once confined to adults.

Fatty liver disease is being found in obese children. Boston researchers have discovered that rapidly digested carbohydrates in starchy foods cause fat accumulation in the liver. Foods like white bread, potatoes, rice, and instant oatmeal are the culprits.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease happens when 5 percent or more of the liver cells are engulfed with fat. According to Dr. David Ludwig, Director of the Optimal Weight for Life Program at Children's Hospital of Boston, fatty liver disease was once unheard of in children. This disease now affects 1 in 3 obese children.

Fatty liver disease can lead to hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver failure.

Dr. Ludwig and his team fed one set of laboratory rats with high-glycemic carbs while another set was fed low-glycemic carbs. The number of calories of both groups was identical. After six months, the rats fed the high-glycemic carbs had more body fat and greater fat build-up in the blood, and about twice as much fat in the liver.

Non-alcoholic fatty disease (NAFLD) affects almost one-third American adults and 13 percent of our children.

One function of the liver is to turn carbohydrates into fat and shuttle it into adipose (fat) tissues for storage. It is then used as fuel reserves. However, when excessive amounts of carbohydrates are eaten, especially from high-sugar and fatty foods, the liver is stressed.

Compromising the liver's ability to do its job, the delivery of fat into its storage reserves is slowed. This fat then clogs the liver.

The remedy to NAFLD is a healthy nutritional plan and exercise.

October 3, 2007: Many people associate health more with Subway than with Mickey D's (McDonalds's.) Cornell University researchers recently surveyed 500 diners as they left Subway or McDonald's.

These patrons were asked to estimate how many calories were in their meals. The average McDonald's customer guessed 876 calories but in reality ate 1,093; the Subway customer guessed 495 calories but actually ate 677.

Lead researcher Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating says, "There's a big health halo that surrounds everything related to Subway. People feel that they can justify extras like cookies and chips."

The Cornell University researchers followed both groups until dinnertime, and found that the Subway group snacked more throughout the day. They consumed an average of 112 more calories!

October 4, 2007: The number of American children currently taking prescription drugs for heartburn and other digestive problems has spiked by about 56 percent in the last few years. Researchers speculate that overweight and obesity might be the cause.

A Medco Health Solutions analysis of prescription data from 2002 through 2006 suggests that over 2 million children 18 and under took drugs for digestive and gastrointestinal complaints last year. Heartburn is commonly associated with being overweight. This gigantic leap in prescription drug use paralleled America's rising obesity epidemic.

October 8, 2007: There seems to be a certain amount of confusion concerning how much fish women who are pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or who are breastfeeding should consume. In 2001, and repeated in 2004, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recommended that this group eat no more than 12 ounces of fish per week.

A new study has come out which says that women should consume at least 12 ounces of fish per week. National Healthy Mothers and the Healthy Babies Coalition partnered with a maternal nutrition group consisting of professors of obstetrics and doctors of nutrition and recommended that pregnant women increase their intake of fish.

The controversy concerns mercury contaminated fish. Because of the FDA's 2001 and 2004 mandate, pregnant women (56 percent) were eating less and less fish. As a result, nutritional deficiencies were seen in children, and in the mothers themselves.

Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids which is vital for infant brain and nervous system development. Results of British research published in the Lancelot shows that the babies of mothers who had inadequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids had lower IQs.

The new study recognizes that fish is high in selenium. Sixteen out of the twenty-five best sources of selenium are fish. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that most of the fish eaten by Americans has higher levels of selenium than mercury. Selenium binds with mercury and renders it ineffective.

The coalition proposing that pregnant women increase their consumption of fish believe that the benefits of adequate fish consumption outweigh the mercury. Especially since the fish's high levels of selenium makes the low mercury levels harmless.

Fish is the best source of EPA and DHA, primary components of omega-3 fatty acids.

October 15, 2007: A meta-analysis which involved 16 studies and 836,941 participants linked diabetes with an increased risk of hip fractures. Researchers found that people with diabetes were 70% more likely to fracture a hip than nondiabetics.

October 17, 2007: There is accumulating evidence that Alzheimer's disease may be a form of diabetes. Northwestern University researchers have found that a poisonous protein in the brains of Alzheimer's patients removes insulin receptors from nerve cells. These neurons then become insulin resistant.

The toxic protein which destroys insulin receptors is called ADDL (amyloid beta-derived diffusible ligand.) The brain has insulin receptors located at its synapses. Insulin binds to these receptors. This starts a process which allows memories to form.

Data suggests that ADDL multiply in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and block the function of the memory.

Alzheimer's disease will soon be the third leading cause of death in the United States! It has increased 1200% over the past 20 years. America has 25% of the entire world's Alzheimer's cases!

Researchers have discovered a chemical compound in blueberries which can prevent Alzheimer's. This compound is called pterostilbene. It is also effective against demetia and age-related memory problems.

October 17, 2007: The United States Department of Agriculture has passed a resolution that all raw almonds sold in stores must be pasteurized. Pasteurization uses heat to destroy bacteria, but it also destroys beneficial nutrients.

One method of pasteurization uses propylene oxide. This chemical is classified as a possible human carcinogen.

October 19, 2007: Federal health advisers have recommended that cough and cold medicines not be used anymore for children under the age of 6. The advisers say that these medicines don't work.

These outside experts told the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) that over-the-counter (OTC) medications should be studied further. This is despite the fact that they have been given to children for decades.

The recommendations applies to medications having one or more of the following ingredients:

November 16, 2007: Oranges have been given the status superfood. Authors of the book Superfoods Healthstyle, Steven G. Pratt, MD and Kathy Matthews, examined the orange and found some amazing things.

Orange pulp has twice the vitamin C as the peel, and 10 times the vitamin C as the juice. The orange contains over 60 flavonoids and 170 phytochemicals.

"We need to do something about it for our children, and for our country, because something like this could easily collapse our nation if we don't act now," Mr. Clinton said. November 30, 2007: Herman Kattlove, MD says that esophageal cancer is rising. The esophagus is the tube that transports food from the mouth to the stomach. Esophageal cancer commonly affects men and women between 55 and 85 years of age.

Major risk factors for esophageal cancer are:

December 4, 2007: A 2007 study has revealed that frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than fresh. The vitamin C content in fresh broccoli dropped 56% in 7 days. However, it only dropped 10% in 1 year when it was frozen at -4 degrees fahrenheit (-20 degrees centigrade.)

December 5, 2007: Each season brings along with it particular allergens. In the fall it's ragweed. People allergic to ragweed should also avoid sunflower seeds, melons, zucchini, cucumbers, and bananas.

Spring brings with it tree pollen allergens. During this season maple syrup should be avoided. Maple trees, as well as birch trees, pollinate in the spring. Those allergic to tree pollen will be wise to also avoid potatoes, carrots, apples, walnuts, and cherries. These foods cross-react with birch pollen.

Summer brings with it grass pollen. Avoid wheat during this time of year.

December 6, 2007: Cranberries contain compounds which have the ability to alter E. coli bacteria so that they are not able to initiate an infection. E. coli is responsible for diseases ranging from kidney infections to gastroenteritis to tooth decay. Cranberries have 5 times the antioxidant content of broccoli.

The beneficial compounds in cranberries are known as proanthocyanidins. They prevent E. coli from sticking to cells in the body. Proanthocyanidins also inhibit the ability of E. coli to make IAA, a molecule that enables bacteria to sense whether or not their population is large enough to start an infection.

December 11, 2007: Vitamin E is especially important for diabetics. A new study published online in the Journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology revealed that an antioxidant protein known as haptoglobin helps prevent inflammation in artery walls, and is an important substance in preventing cardiovascular events such as heart attacks in type 2 diabetics.

Some diabetics have a haptoglobin gene known as Hp 2-2 that has been linked to poor antioxidant protection and greater risk of heart problems.

Israeli researchers recruited more than 1,400 study participants. They were all over 55 years old, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and had the Hp 2-2 gene. They were divided into two groups. One group was given a placebo and the other group was given 400 IUs (international units) of vitamin E.

After 18 months, the rates of heart attack, stroke and death because of cardiovascular events were almost twice as high among the group given the placebo as it was in the group given vitamin E.

Medical researchers generally recommend 400 IUs of vitamin E for everyone, but at least 800 IUs for those at risk for heart disease. Be sure to get the natural vitamin E, D-alpha tocopherol and AVOID the synthetic version (dl-alpha tocopherol.)

December 13, 2007: The late Robert C. Atkins, MD (of Atkins diet fame) once said that the problem with people with high blood pressure (hypertension) isn't sodium (salt), but an imbalance between potassium and sodium levels.

There are over 25 studies which show that by increasing potassium intake, without lowering salt intake, is an effective means of lowering blood pressure. One-half of these studies demonstrate that a daily serving of potassium-rich food can reduce the risk of death by stroke by 50 percent.

Fruits high in potassium are: apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and citrus fruits. Vegetables which are high in potassium include asparagus, potatoes, green beans, avocados, lima beans, winter squash, and cauliflower. Grain products, red meat, poultry, and seafood also contain reasonable quantities of potassium.

According the the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the recommended amount of sodium (salt) that should be consumed daily is 2,300 mg, or about a teaspoon. For people who have, or are at risk for, high blood pressure, the limit is 1,500 mg daily. See...

Researchers measured the potassium in the urine of about 380 men and women aged 65 and older. Study participants with higher levels had a higher percentage of lean body mass (muscle tissue) than the ones with lower potassium levels.

January 9, 2008: Researchers at Purdue University discovered that lemon juice enhances the health benefits of green tea. Lemon juice causes more of green tea's antioxidants to pass intact through the digestive process.

Without lemon juice, only about 20 percent of green tea's antioxidants, known as catechins, remain after passing through the intestines. With lemon juice, the percentage of retained catechins shoots up to 80 percent.

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