Posts Tagged Vitamins
Link Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Dementia Confirmed
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on November 7, 2014
via: Mercola.com
Dr. Mercola
Vitamin D has been shown to improve a number of brain disorders, including dementia and its most severe form, Alzheimer’s disease,1 the latter of which now affects an estimated 5.2 million Americans.2
The latest mortality statistics places Alzheimer’s in the top three killer diseases in the US, right behind heart disease and cancer.3 Vitamin D deficiency is also rampant. Researchers estimate that half of the general population is at risk of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency.
Among seniors, that estimate reaches as high as 95 percent. While certainly not the sole cause of dementia, evidence suggests vitamin D may be a very important factor for successful prevention.
A wide variety of brain tissue contains vitamin D receptors, and when they’re activated by vitamin D, it facilitates nerve growth in your brain. Researchers also believe that optimal vitamin D levels boosts levels of important brain chemicals, and protect brain cells by increasing the effectiveness of glial cells in nursing damaged neurons back to health.
Vitamin D may also exert some of its beneficial effects on your brain through its anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties, which are well established.
‘Most Robust Study of Its Kind’ Confirms Link Between Low Vitamin D and Dementia
The link between low vitamin D and dementia has again been confirmed with the publication of a robust six-year long study4 conducted by an international team of researchers. As reported by Science Daily:5
“[S]tudy participants who were severely vitamin D deficient were more than twice as likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease…
[A]dults in the study who were moderately deficient in vitamin D had a 53 percent increased risk of developing dementia of any kind, and the risk increased to 125 percent in those who were severely deficient.
Similar results were recorded for Alzheimer’s disease, with the moderately deficient group 69 percent more likely to develop this type of dementia, jumping to a 122 percent increased risk for those severely deficient.”
The authors concluded that: “Our results confirm that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a substantially increased risk of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer disease. This adds to the ongoing debate about the role of vitamin D in nonskeletal conditions.”
The findings also suggest there’s a threshold level of circulating vitamin D, below which your risk for dementia increases. This threshold was found to be right around 50 nmol/L, or 20 ng/ml. Higher levels were associated with good brain health.
Based on previous research, I believe 20 ng/ml is still too low, and potentially dangerously so… When it comes to vitamin D, you really want to be in the optimal or clinically relevant range, and as the years have gone by, researchers have progressively moved that target range upward.
At present, based on the evaluation of healthy populations that get plenty of natural sun exposure, the optimal range for general health appears to be somewhere between 50 and 70 ng/ml, or 125-175 nmol/L—a far cry from the threshold suggested in this study.
Sun Exposure Is the Ideal Way to Optimize Your Vitamin D Level
I believe sensible sun exposure is the ideal way to optimize your vitamin D levels. As a general rule, you’ll want to expose large amounts of bare skin to the sun until it turns the lightest shade of pink, if you’re light-skinned.
This typically occurs in about half the time it would normally take you to burn. So if you know you tend to get sunburned after 30 minutes, you’d want to stay in the sun for about 15 minutes.
Those with darker skin may need to pay closer attention to notice when this slight reddening occurs. It’s really impossible to give any firm recommendations for how long you need to stay in the sun to optimize vitamin D production, as it varies greatly depending on a number of factors, such as:
Antioxidant levels and diet in general Age Skin color and/or current tan level Use of sunscreen Latitude and altitude (elevation) Cloud cover and pollution Ozone layer Surface reflection Season Time of day Weight Altitude
Other Alternatives: UVB emitting lights or Supplements
Your second-best option would be to use lights that emit UVB.
If your circumstances prevent either of these strategies, then you’re left with taking a vitamin D supplement. GrassrootsHealth has a helpful chart showing the average adult dose required to reach healthy vitamin D levels based upon your measured starting point. Many experts agree that 35 IUs of vitamin D per pound of body weight could be used as an estimate for your ideal dose.
Be sure to take vitamin D3—not synthetic D2—and take vitamin K2 in conjunction with it. The biological role of vitamin K2 is to help move calcium into the proper areas in your body, and without sufficient amounts, calcium may build up in areas such as your arteries and soft tissues.
This can cause calcification that can lead to hardening of your arteries—a side effect previously thought to be caused by vitamin D toxicity. We now know that inappropriate calcification is actually due more to lack of K2 than simply too much vitamin D.
Magnesium Is Also Important for Vitamin D Activity
Magnesium is another important player—both for the proper function of calcium, and for the activity of vitamin D, as it converts vitamin D into its active form. Magnesium also activates enzyme activity that helps your body use the vitamin D. In fact, all enzymes that metabolize vitamin D require magnesium to work. Magnesium also appears to play a role in vitamin D’s immune-boosting effects. As noted by magnesium expert Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD, ND:6
“The effectiveness and benefits of vitamin D are greatly undermined in the absence of adequate levels of magnesium in the body. Magnesium acts with and is essential to the activity of vitamin D, and yet most Americans do not get their recommended daily allowance (RDA) of this important mineral.”
As with vitamin D and K2, magnesium deficiency is also common, and if you’re lacking in magnesium and take supplemental calcium, you may exacerbate the situation. Vitamin K2, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D all work in tandem with each other, which is why it’s important to pay attention to their ratios. Vitamin A, zinc, and boron are other important cofactors that interact with vitamin D, and indeed, zinc deficiency has also been identified as a contributing factor to Alzheimer’s disease.
When taking supplements, it can be easy to create lopsided ratios, so getting these nutrients from an organic whole food diet and sensible sun exposure is generally your best bet. Dietary sources of magnesium include sea vegetables, such as kelp, dulse, and nori. Vegetables can also be a good source. As for supplements, magnesium citrate and magnesium threonate are among the best.
More than 80 reasons to use honey as a DIY home remedy for better health and good eats
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News on August 1, 2012
via: NaturalNews
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
By: JB Bardot
[NaturalNews] Everyone knows honey tastes sweet and is delicious mixed with tea and lemon; but chances are you never realized how many health-related uses this versatile food possesses. It makes a wonderful DIY home remedy that helps to cure many conditions that ail you. The best honey is one that is totally raw, organic and contains the honeycomb in the jar. It should include royal jelly, propolis and bee pollen for maximum health benefits.
Medicinal Uses
~ Moisturize skin with a mixture of honey, eggs and flour
~ Honey is antibacterial and makes a powerful antiseptic to cleanse and heal wounds and prevent scabs from sticking to bandages
~ Kills viruses and bacterial infections when mixed and eaten with raw, minced garlic
~ Boosts energy, reduces fatigue, stimulates mental alertness, strengthens immunity, provides minerals, vitamins, antioxidants
~ Restores eyesight, relieves a sore throat, makes an effective cough syrup
~ Prevents heart disease by improving blood flow and prevents damage to capillaries
~ Regulates the bowels; cures colitis and IBS
~ Soothes burns, disinfects wounds, reduces inflammation and pain, promotes faster healing
~ Reduces anxiety and acts as a sedative; creating calm and restful sleep, alkalizes body’s pH
~ Anti-cancer agents protect against the formation of tumors
~ Relieves indigestion and acid reflux, heals peptic ulcers
~ Makes a great lip balm and refreshing herbal wash or lotion
~ Destroys bacteria causing acne, prevents scarring
~ Flushes parasites from liver and colon
~ Heal diabetic ulcers with topical applications
~ Mix with powdered herbs for topical applications or to reduce bitterness when taken internally
~ Smooths and exfoliates facial skin, reduces surface lines, softens dry skin on elbows and heels
~ Add to green coconut water for supercharged athletic drinks
~ Relieve hangovers by eating honey the morning after
~ Protect hair from split ends with a honey conditioner; honey rinse promotes shiny hair
~ Soften hard water by adding honey to bath water
~ Speeds metabolism to stimulate weight loss
~ Improves digestion with natural enzymes
~ Mix honey and lemon with warm water first thing in the morning for an effective cleanse
~ Anti-fungal properties cure vaginal yeast infections and athlete’s foot
~ Relieve hay fever by chewing on honeycomb
~ Protects topically and internally against pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA
~ Builds immunity to hay fever allergens by mixing honey and bee pollen and take early in season
~ Quenches thirst and relieves heat stroke; stops hiccups
~ Lessens the effects of poisons and toxins
~ Has mild laxative properties
~ Relieves asthma when mixed with black pepper and ginger
~ Controls blood pressure when mixed with fresh garlic juice
Honey and Cinnamon
~ Mixing honey, cinnamon and hot water in varying amounts relieves arthritis, bladder infections and abdominal gas; lowers LDL cholesterol, and improves digestion. Additionally, it kills the flu and other viruses, slows the aging process, restores hearing and relieves bad breath.
~ Applying honey, cinnamon and hot olive oil topically prevents hair loss as well as stops a toothache
Honey as food
~ Make salad dressing using honey
~ Sweeten baked goods with honey instead of sugar
~ Smear honey on toast for a mid-afternoon energy snack
~ Preserve fruit by adding honey to water and pouring over fresh fruit in canning jars
~ Make fresh fruit jams with honey instead of sugar
~ Use for making honey wines and beers
Warning
Never give honey to babies under the age of one due to the risk of botulism. Honey caries botulism spores and babies don’t have enough immunity for proper protection.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.health.com
http://www.pioneerthinking.com
http://voices.yahoo.com
http://alislaah4.tripod.com/moreadvices2/id18.htm?
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/health-benefits-of-honey.html?
http://homesteadbasics.com
Health Basics: What are probiotics?
Posted by EndlessMemories in Cancer, Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on July 25, 2012
via: NaturalNews
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
By: S. D. Wells
[NaturalNews] Probiotics are Nature’s truest form of antibiotics. These microscopic organisms (microflora) help the body build long-lasting immunity to a host of illnesses and diseases, including allergies, irritable bowels, viruses, bacterial infections, and yes, cancer! No vaccination or prescription medicine in the world could ever come close to this safe and beneficial way of balancing the body’s billions of microbes. Probiotics not only help create this balance but also help maintain it for years and years, hence the name probiotic, which means “for life.” (http://www.usprobiotics.org/basics.asp)
This all natural way of supplementing your defense system is vital in today’s frightening, non-nutritional jungle of toxic food and medicine. Many people, especially in the United States, are surrounded by bad influences, and though the number of organic enthusiasts is on the rise, there exists a wealth of information regarding immunity and natural defense against chemicals and toxic food “agents” which slips past the guards and invades our system, attempting to inflict damage on our DNA. (http://www.bioinventia.com/probiotec.html)
Probiotic cultures prevent damage before it occurs
Probiotic cultures not only prevent damage from being done to our cells, they strengthen our immune system and beat down cancer cells before they ever have a chance of multiplying. Probiotics weaken mutagenic activity, so your good cells keep winning the battles, and most importantly, the DNA war.
The majority of microbes in the intestine are not harmful, but rather play an important role in normal growth and development, but when the balance or pH is thrown out of whack, especially in the intestines, major problems begin doing “structural” damage to our system, and reinforcement is often needed, above and beyond a healthy diet. Also, probiotics can be used to counter the over-consumption of antibiotics so typical in the average American diet, which is often chock full of non-organic meats and dairy products that come from animals shot up with varying forms of antibiotics. Antibiotics are also prominent in municipal drinking water, because it’s “too expensive” for cities to filter them out.
It has been estimated that there are more bacterial cells (microbes) in the human body than there are cells. If you know high school math, there are bacterial cells numbering around 10 to the 14th power, or 100,000,000,000,000. Break that down into an estimated 1,000 different species, which make their homes in humans. Like all animals, humans have microbes on our skin, in our mouths, in our stomachs, our digestive tracts, and in other private places. But wait, before you go internet hunting for pictures of bacteria located in the intestines or the colon, watch out because you’re computer may need updated “virus” protection too!
Eliminate ignorant fear and learn about your inner ecosystem
Just as Earth and Mother Nature have a delicate balance which needs to be maintained, our bodies have their own “inner ecosystem,” which is like having a rainforest in your digestive track. When your ecosystem is balanced, your intestines are teeming with beneficial bacteria and micro flora to keep your immune system strong.
Consuming probiotics native to the human digestive tract encourages the production of antibodies, which in turn protects the system from allergies, infections (viral, fungal and bacterial), IBS, and cancer. In fact, probiotics build defense against disease by enabling your body to build a natural defense, unlike vaccinations. Vaccines are now often crossbred viruses, bacterial strands, mixed up with aluminum and formaldehyde, which shock the system into a panic type of reaction, which is a form of “wild guess” methodology for establishing only short term immunity at best.
Populating your “gut” with beneficial micro flora improves your skin, helps maintain healthy weight, and provides energy and overall well-being. Many people who have never heard of probiotics or don’t understand their function may be “turned off” to the concept if educated improperly at first. (http://www.renewlife.com)
Benefits of a healthy gut
The second someone reads a typical probiotic label or description reading something like, “Over 6 billion bacteria in each tablet,” it seems overwhelming, and some consumers might set the product back on the shelf, but at that point, they’re selling themselves short of a healthy gut.
Probiotics benefits: here’s where a little education goes a long way:
• protects babies and children from future allergies.
• aids in digestion.
• fights off viral, fungal and bacterial infections.
• helps saliva enzymes in the mouth, throat, and esophagus break down food before it ever reaches the stomach and intestines.
• balances chime (gastric juices in stomach) which complete the breakdown of proteins, fats and carbohydrates before food leaves the stomach!
• helps body absorb nutrients (opposite action of soda) in first 4 to 6 hours, before gastrointestinal acids reach them.
• helps expel food within 24 hours, before it starts becoming a toxin in your system, affecting your immunity.
• aids with lactose intolerance, helping intestinal microbes produce vitamins (very important for people with IBS and Crohn’s disease).
• builds resistance to pathogenic bacteria.
• acts on pre-carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds that induce genetic mutation.
Smart shoppers look for enteric coated probiotics, which have a special coating so they are protected as they pass through the stomach and reach the intestines, where most of the microbial balancing is needed. Other conditions that may improve quickly from probiotic supplementation include: diarrhea, elevated blood cholesterol, hypertension, kidney stones, necrotizing enterocolitis, oral health, and vaginosis.
If all of these descriptions boggle the non-medical mind or aren’t easily “digestible,” just remember that probiotics equip your entire body with DNA armor against toxins that try to attack your cells. In fact, artificial sweeteners are one of the greatest cancer causing food agents because they trick the body into ingesting them because they taste sweet. Beware of the big three: Aspartame, Sucralose and Sorbitol, especially!
Disease is no joke. Your body needs armor to fight the good fight. Supplement with Nature’s best kept secret and never let the “Trojan horses” of the food, drink, and medicine world sneak into your temple (body) and attack your Royal forces.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.usprobiotics.org/basics.asp
http://www.bioinventia.com/probiotec.html
http://nutritionbyte.wordpress.com/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0905c.shtml
http://www.usprobiotics.org/basics.asp
http://www.naturalnews.com/031293_probiotics_children.html
http://www.healingdaily.com/detoxification-diet/probiotics.htm‘
Codex Alimentarius: UN Food Securitization Scheme
Posted by EndlessMemories in Codex Alimentarius, Control Grid, FDA, Health, News on July 9, 2012
via: OccupyCorporatism
by Susanne Posel
July 9, 2012
In 2008, using the toxic industrial chemical melamine in liquid infant formula, 6 babies died while more than 303,000 became deathly ill from exposure in China. At the time, the UN Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) had allowed for the maximum limit of 1 milligram per kilogram of formula. Now the CAC has revised that maximum to 0.15 millgrams per kilogram of formula.
Melamine is a dangerous chemical used in the manufacturing of dishes and kitchen cooking-ware. The Chinese used the chemical in a watered-down solution in infant formula under the guise that it tested positive for protein enrichment. However, using a man-made chemical in consumptive sources does not make sense when nutritional value is a concern.
Chinese rice and wheat gluten also contain melamine and was found in concentrations of dangerous levels when pet food exported from the region was tested in 2007. The cats and dogs that ate the food died from kidney failure,says WHO.
Reports have also concluded that melamine has caused the development of kidney stones and other kidney damage in adults.
The CAC is a UN intergovernmental body made up of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), 170 international governmental representatives ; including the European Commission. Under the CAC, the UN seeks to take over food prices internationally by controlling food trade and reforming consumer health.
They oversee international food standards and make sure that government implement them with the influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Right now, in Rome, Italy, the CAC are having their 35th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. On their agenda is the Draft Codex Strategic Plan 2014-2019 where the CAC are developing a “science-based and globally applicable international standards for food and promote use of these standards by countries.”
At the meeting, the CAC decided on maximum uses of the toxic chemical ractopamine, an MRLs, which enhances the leanness of livestock meat. Separate permits for beef and pork will be established to “take down any trade barriers caused by an improper ban on the use of ractopamine,” according to US representatives.
Imported beef into the US contains residue of ractopamine.
The CAC is priming themselves to be the “effective, inclusive, and trusted global leader in setting food standards” where they will have complete control over “food safety, quality, and food trade”. In conjunction with WHO and the FAO, the CAC will have exclusive oversight “to track progress toward [the] accomplishment of the goals” of the UN to securitize food globally.
Between 2014 – 2019 the Strategic Plan of the CAC is intended to be fully implemented by international mandate “to meet the needs” of their stakeholders and members. The specifics of the Strategic Plan, adopted by resolution by WHO will be enforced by the UN agency. FAO will be tasked with “[improving] quality and safety for food at all stage of the food chain.”
CAC believes that with population growth, climate change and “the growing demand for food” four strategic goals must be implemented with the global vision reflected by:
• UN standards on food
• Based on science
• Demanded participation of the international community
The CAC exclusively bases their food standards on scientific developments to protect public health and the global food trade. By exchanging financial support from member states for scientific research and development to ensure that food be created for the consumption of developing nations.
In these developing countries, the CAC demands participation by financial blackmail with monies from the Codex Trust Fund. They promote governmental allowance of UN programs and structures in line with sustainable national funding by the UN.
Earlier this year, President Obama announced that Codex Alimentarius would be the foundation of his new initiative to merge the pharmaceutical corporations and the US government to identify new uses for drugs that have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It was admitted that:
- There may be need for new human trials, putting the general public at a health risk
- Genetic engineering will be used to discover exclusive pharmaceutical needs for all new and old diseases
- Vitamin supplement industry will be systematically phased out
Coenzyme Q10 can prevent and treat heart disease by attacking multiple metabolic pathways
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on March 9, 2012
Natural News
[NaturalNews] Coenzyme Q 10 (CoQ10) is well known as a critical compound required by the body to facilitate normal breakdown of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) within cells into energy we need for metabolism and life itself. It should come as no surprise that this vital natural enzyme complex may hold the key to theprevention and reversal of many potentially life-threatening forms of cardiovascular disease.
Several research studies reveal that CoQ10 works at a cellular level to protect delicate DNA and reduce dangerous inflammatory levels that are closely linked to heart disease. Further evidence exists to explain how the coenzyme improves blood flow to the heart muscle and enhances vascular elasticity to prevent arterial stiffening, commonly referred to as ‘hardening of the arteries’. Scientists have also found that CoQ10 lowers unhealthy levels of oxidized LDL cholesterol by modulating gene signals involved with cholesterol metabolism.
Researchers from Spain publishing in the journalAgefound that supplementing CoQ10 while consuming a healthy Mediterranean diet lowered markers of DNA damage within cells and reduced systemic inflammation. The net effect of this human study was a dramatic reduction in biological markers associated with cardiovascular disease.
Coenzyme Q10 Lowers DNA Stress and Inflammation to Improve Heart Health
The study was conducted by placing twenty participants, aged 65 or older, on three different diets for four weeks each: a Western diet, a Mediterranean diet, or a Mediterranean diet with 200 mg of Q10. The group taking the Mediterranean diet experienced moderately lowered levels of DNA stress, largely due to the anti-inflammatory effect of a diet high in monounsaturated fats in the form of olive oil.
The group that included CoQ10 had a marked decline in all metabolic markers known to promote DNA damage and a decline in cardiovascular health problems. The study authors concluded that the Mediterranean diet plus CoQ10 “improves oxidative DNA damage in elderly subjects and reduces processes of cellular oxidation. Our results suggest a starting point for the prevention of oxidative processes associated with aging.”
A Chinese research team published in the journalAtherosclerosisexamined the effect of CoQ10 on the delicate endothelial lining of the coronary arteries. Endothelial dysfunction is known to be a progenitor to heart disease and heart attack. The scientists demonstrated that individuals placed on CoQ10 (300 mg per day for 12 weeks) showed marked improvement in arterial stiffness due to increased blood flow and improved cellular energy within their endothelial cells.
Scientific evidence is mounting to support coenzyme Q10 as a powerful tool when used to improve cellular energy levels and fight the advances of cardiovascular disease. Most new research is now evolving around the reduced form of the coenzyme known as ubiquinol. Ubiquinol has been found to be up to eight times more potent than standard CoQ10 and lasts much longer in blood circulation. It is quite apparent that most health-minded individuals should supplement with CoQ10 (50 to 300 mg per day depending on cardiovascular health) to improve energy levels and improve vascular circulation to the heart.
Single mega-dose of vitamin D eases menstrual cramps for up to two months, study reveals
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on March 1, 2012
Natural News
Thursday, March 01, 2012
By: Jonathan Benson
[NaturalNews] It is now becoming widely known that maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D in the body boosts immunity and prevents a variety of debilitating diseases. But a new study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine has found that women with primary dysmenorrhea, a gynecologic problem in menstruating women that results in severe pelvic pain, can eliminate their immobilizing cramps for up to two months by taking a single “mega-dose” of vitamin D.
Antonino Lasco, M.D., from the University of Messina in Italy and his colleagues evaluated 40 women aged ‘8 to 40 as part of their study. Each of the women had experienced at least four consecutive painful menstrual periods within the six months prior to the study, and also had blood levels of “5-hydroxy vitamin D of less than 45 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), which is below what is increasingly being considered a normal, healthy level.
Each of the women, who reportedly has not taken calcium, vitamin D, oral contraceptives, or any other medications besides non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain, were assigned either a single, oral dose of 300,000 international units (IUs) of cholecalciferol, also known as vitamin D3, or placebo for five days before they were expected to have their next menstrual period.
After two months, overall pain in the vitamin D group dropped by a whopping 4’ percent, while no pain reduction was observed in the placebo group. And those with the most severe pain at the beginning of the study experienced the greatest reduction in pain as a result of taking vitamin D, which has huge implications for how women with primary dysmenorrhea can treat their pain naturally without having to continually take NSAIDs and other pain medications, which can result in serious side effects.
Taking 300,000 IU of vitamin D every day on a regular basis would obviously be way too much for any person to handle, as the upper limit for daily intake is somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 IU. However, taking this mega-dose every few months to alleviate menstrual pain instead of taking pharmaceutical drugs is a plausible option that appears to be both safe and effective.
“If these findings are confirmed in future randomized trials, vitamin D supplementation may become an important new treatment option for women who experience menstrual pain disorders,” wrote the authors. “Our data support the use of cholecalciferol in these patients, especially when exhibiting low plasmatic levels of “5(OH)D.”
Bladderwrack is a safe alternative to GMO soy to support women’s health
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on March 1, 2012
Natural News
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
By: Donna Earnest Pravel
[NaturalNews] Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus), a brown seaweed similar to kelp, gets its name from the air sacs that keep the plant afloat in cold sea water. Bladderwrack is a great plant source of iodine thatis essential for the human body, but the body cannot make on its own. Iodine is needed for the thyroid gland to do its job. Without iodine, the thyroid cannot produce enough hormones. This is especially important in women’s health because one of the consequences of an under-performing thyroid isthe inabilityto ovulate. In pregnancy, low thyroid function can cause high blood pressure in the mother and impaired mental function in the baby.
Iodine is also used to treat fibrocystic breast disease in women, which is a leading cause of breast cancer. According to a 2004 study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, bladderwrack performs similarly to soy in the regulation of female sex hormones. Because of this, bladderwrack can be considered a safe alternative to GMO soy to support women’s health.
Bladderwrack reduces cholesterol and regulates sex hormones in women at risk for estrogen-related cancers
In 2004, scientists explored why women in Western cultures developed estrogen-related cancers at a faster rate than women in Eastern cultures. The scientists supposed that the much higher rate of seaweed consumption in Asian countries may offer an explanation. The researchers knew that bladderwrack and other seaweeds reduced blood cholesterol levels. They also knew that lower cholesterol levels helped regulate sex hormone levels in women. The scientists decided to test whether bladderwrack, a common part of the Asian woman’s diet, helped to regulate women’s monthly menstrual cycles and balance female sex hormones. In particular, the researchers wanted to find out if bladderwrack and kelp in general would be of benefit to women who were at risk for estrogen-related cancers and other diseases.
When women of child-bearing age with a history of menstrual problems and very light and short menstrual cycles increased their consumption of bladderwrack, they noticed that their monthly periods were considerably longer. Among women at risk for estrogen-related cancers, a daily dose of 1.4 g (about one-fourth teaspoon) of bladderwrack significantly lowered estrogen levels and increased progesterone levels. Progesterone is the female sex hormone which prepares the lining of the uterus for a fertilized egg every month. Without a healthy level of progesterone, a woman cannot conceive and sustain a pregnancy.
Could bladderwrack replace soy to promote women’s health?
Major concerns over GMO soy produced in the U.S. have many women looking for safe alternatives to soy that promote women’s health. Additonally, bladderwrack may alsohelp women with weight loss if weight gain is related to thyroid issues. It does this because iodine stimulates the thyroid gland to help regulate metabolism.
Bladderwrack is an antioxidant, which reduces free radicals known to trigger breast cancer cell growth. As demonstrated above, bladderwrack does appear to regulate female sex hormones in a similar manner to soy. The seaweed can be considered as a safe replacement for soy products.
Omega-3 foods essential to treat nerve damage after traumatic injury
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on February 27, 2012
Natural News
Friday, February 03, 2012
By: John Phillip
[NaturalNews] People that have suffered a traumatic injury face an uphill battle as they attempt to regain their health and fight the risk of depression as a long term consequence of the event. British researchers from Queen Mary at the University of London have published the result of a study in the Journal of Neuroscience that explains how omega-3 fatty acids play a significant role in preventing and protecting nerves from injury. The research focused on peripheral nerve cells which transmit signals between the brain and the spinal cord to the rest of the body. Omega-3 fats from food sources including sardines, salmon, walnuts and flax seeds provide for decreased cell death from injury and may offer significant protection against future damage.
Current research indicates that our nerves do have a limited capacity to regenerate, but recovery is severely limited depending on the extent of the injury. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the body’s normal growth and development and have been well researched for their health benefits, largely focused on brain and heart health. The body is unable to manufacture its own Omega-3 fat supply, so it is necessary to obtain sufficient intake from foods such as oily fish, nuts and seeds or through supplementation.
Omega-3 fats help prevent nerve damage and assist the repair process
Researchers studied the effect of omega-3 fats on isolated mice nerve cells, known to parallel human nerve responses. They simulated nerve damage caused from an accident or injury by either stretching the cells or starving them of oxygen. Both types of damage can kill a significant portion of nerve cells, but enrichment with omega-3 fatty acids in cells gave them significant protection and decreased cell death.
The study also examined sciatic nerve damage in the mice. They found that a high level of omega-3 fatty acids helped mice to recover from sciatic nerve injury more quickly and more fully, and that their muscles were less likely to waste following nerve damage. The team leader, Dr. Adina Michael-Titus, Professor of Neuroscience concluded “Our previous research has shown that these fatty acids could have beneficial effects in a number of neurological conditions. This new study suggests that they could also have a role in treating peripheral nerve injuries.”
The findings from this research should come as no surprise to integrative health followers. The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA are essential building blocks to all cellular structures in the body and are particularly dominant in the brain and nervous system. A healthy supply of omega-3 fatty acids allows for natural cell repair and the effective chemical and electrical communications that are important to optimal nerve function. Consuming fatty fish three to four times a week or supplementing with molecularly distilled fish oil (1 to 2.4 grams total EPA/DHA) supports the nervous system and regeneration process after injury.
Editor’s Note: NaturalNews is strongly against the use of all forms
of animal testing. We fully support implementation of humane medical
experimentation that promotes the health and well-being of all living
creatures.
Ways to naturally improve your focus and concentration
Posted by EndlessMemories in Health, News, Vitamins & Supplements on February 25, 2012
NaturalNews
Friday, February 24, 2012
By: Danna Norek
[NaturalNews] We’ve all been through periods of time where we just can’t seem to focus on any one thing. We may be scattered, easily distracted and unable to formulate consistent or productive thoughts. There are many reasons for this. Fortunately there are also many ways you can naturally improve your ability to focus so you can reach your goals and fulfill your ambitions.
Self-hypnosis
There are a variety of MP3 and CD format self-hypnosis sessions which help to synchronize thought patterns in the brain and subliminally “reprogram” the brain. There is compelling evidence that self-hypnosis works for a variety of purposes, including significant improvement in focus and concentration.
Focusing is a learned discipline. Hypnosis helps accelerate this learning process by making subliminal suggestions that you carry throughout your day. It is almost like exercising the brain and reconditioning the mind to be able to ignore distractions and achieve clarity.
Hypnosis works by inducing a relaxed state of mind. In this state, your brain is more receptive to subliminal suggestions. It is also more receptive to the various “training” exercises that different self-hypnosis programs utilize. It is in this relaxed state that you will get your biggest returns in learning how to focus and concentrate more efficiently.
Start practicing meditation
Today it seems just about everyone is living a hectic lifestyle. Meditation offers a break from the frantic mentality that often clouds many workplaces and various types of careers. It allows our brain to regroup. It sharpens focus and increases mental clarity.
Many people find it frustratingly difficult to meditate. This is because they have been so conditioned to think that sitting still is “doing nothing” or a waste of time. However, meditation is actually one of the best ways to regroup and find the quiet space in the mind where energy can be gathered and laser-focused.
Studies have shown that meditation results in identifiable improvement in cognitive abilities. Participants in one recent study who meditated regularly were given concentration tests. The tests were mundane in nature and required almost no room for drifting or distractions.
Regular meditation practice proved to pay off in spades. Study participants blew away those that had not meditated regularly in these types of concentration tests. Simply practicing mindfulness and putting all distractions out of one’s mind for as little as five minutes per day has shown great benefit.
Herbs that may enhance focus
Perhaps the most well known herb that may be able to enhance your mental sharpness is ginkgo biloba. The herb is derived from the leaf of a tree by the same name. It is heavily prescribed for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients in Europe today.
There is conflicting data on whether the herb works to help restore memory loss. However, millions use this herb and swear by it effectiveness in making them think more clearly. Studies have shown that regular supplementation with this herb does appear to increase the circulation of blood to the brain. The most effective dosage of this herb is roughly 240 milligrams per day.
Ginseng root is another herb that may support improved focus. While it is primarily known for boosting energy levels, it also may be used to enhance mental and physical performance and easy anxiety. All of these benefits combined usually also result in an enhanced ability to focus and concentrate.
Is Big Pharma behind push to release critical details about H5N1 ‘super virus’?
Posted by EndlessMemories in Big Pharma & Medical Mafia, Health, News, Vaccines on February 24, 2012
NaturalNews
Thursday, February 23, 2012
By: Jonathan Benson
[NaturalNews] For the past several months, there has been an ongoing debate about whether or not to publish controversial research about a new militarized and highly-virulent strain of H5N1 avian flu capable of spreading between mammals, including between humans. The U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) holds the position that certain details about how the virus was created should be withheld from publishing, while various others in the scientific community, many of which appear to work for vaccine interests, are demanding full disclosure.
The issue stems from research conducted by Dr. Ron Fouchier and his colleagues from Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands that resulted in the deliberate creation of a weaponized form of H5N1 that spreads between mammals. Prior to this research, H5N1 transmission was limited primarily to birds, as natural forms of the virus do not typically afflict mammals (http://www.naturalnews.com/034228_bioterrorism_flu_strain.html).
But after years of warning the public that H5N1 would one day magically transform into a “super virus” capable of killing billions of people, the U.S. government and others conveniently saw their prediction come true in the form of an intentional “transformation” brought about by research, the details of which many are pushing to have published for the whole world to see. And based on recent reports, those pushing for their release appear to have dollar signs in their eyes, as gaining access to how the virus was made will allow them to create vaccines for this super virus once it is “accidentally” released into the wild.
Problem – Reaction – Solution: Militarized H5N1 could generate billions of dollars for vaccine industry while killing off billions of people
At a recent closed meeting between influenza experts and U.S. security officials that was organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), only one member of the NSABB, infectious disease expert Paul Keim of Northern Arizona University, was in attendance. And according to reports, Keim “got the hell beat out of him” by many of the others in attendance with interests in developing and promoting new vaccines for H5N1.
“It was a closed meeting dominated by flu people who have a vested interest in continuing this kind of work,” said a scientist close to the NSABB, to Reuters. These attendees included the lead researchers of the study; Dr. Bruce Alberts, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Science who indicated recently that he plans to publish the full research; those who funded the research and provided viruses for it; and several bioethicists and directors from laboratories that specialize in influenza research.
Dr. Alberts, of course, used to be president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) from 1993 – 2005 before taking on his current role as head ofScience. NAS, of course, is part of the same National Academies as the Institute of Medicine, which we exposed back in August 2011 as being directly tied to the military and medical industrial complexes that promote vaccines (http://www.naturalnews.com/033455_Institute_of_Medicine_vaccines.html).
Breakaway Consciousness 