Tag: Heart
The TRUTH About Cholesterol and Clogged Arteries
Source: iHealthTube.com
November 28, 2016
Have we been wrong about cholesterol all along? One of the most popular class of drugs is cholesterol lowering drugs. Why are we constantly trying to drive down cholesterol? Dr. Stephen Sinatra discusses why cholesterol is wrongly accused of being the main cause of heart trouble. Find out the truth about cholesterol and clogged arteries.
More than six teaspoons of sugar a day is dangerous for children
Source: NaturalNews.com
Samantha Debbie
September 2, 2016
A new report from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, has determined that anything more than six teaspoons (not tablespoons) of sugar per day is “dangerous” for children’s health, according to the Daily Mail.
The revelations are alarming considering the fact that most kids today consume far more sugar than the new amount recommended in this recent report. The health implications of consuming too much sugar can be severe, causing chronic illness and diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
Additionally, overloading on sugar may cause damage to the heart and brain, affecting cognitive function and psychological well-being, research suggests. Scientists participating in the research say parents are often confused about how much sugar is too much for their kids.
Sugar over-consumption is endangering children’s health, say researchers
“There has been a lack of clarity and consensus regarding how much added sugar is considered safe for children, so sugars remain a commonly added ingredient in foods and drinks, and overall consumption by children remains high – the typical American child consumes about triple the recommended amount of added sugars,” said pediatrics professor Dr. Miriam Vos.
Six teaspoons of sugar is the equivalent to one small chocolate bar, and less than a can of soda, as soft drinks contain just less than 10 tsp, according to reports.
This means that if your child has one can of soda over the course of the day they’re already exceeding the recommended limit. Most children, with the exception of those born to super duper health conscious mommies, consume not only a can of soda but plenty of sugary snacks, too.
A diagram published by the Daily Mail provides a clear outlook of exactly how much sugar exists in popular candies and drinks.
Kids who drink just one can of most sodas are likely exceeding the recommended sugar intake
For example, a regular-sized Snickers bar contains about 27 grams of sugar, or roughly 7 tsp, while a Milky Way has about 8.75 tsp. One can of Sprite contains about 8.25 tsp, while a Mountain Dew has about 11.5 tsp.
If your child has a can of soda and a candy bar in one day, their health is essentially in danger, according to this latest research based on peer-reviewed data. Researchers add that children under the age of two should have no added sugars in their diet whatsoever.
The study states that one teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4g, and therefore six teaspoons is the equivalent of 24g, which amounts to about 100 calories.
Children between the ages of four and eight should not exceed consumption of more than three teaspoons of sugar per day, or 12 g, and those nine and older should not have more than eight tsp, according to the National Institute of Health.
“Our target recommendation is the same for all children between the ages of two and 18 to keep it simple for parents and public health advocates,” the Emory University researchers said in an effort to simplify sugar intake recommendations.
They added that eating six teaspoons or less of added sugars per day is an achievable goal.
“Children who eat foods loaded with added sugars tend to eat fewer healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products that are good for their heart health,” said Prof. Vos.
“If your child is eating the right amount of calories to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight, there isn’t much room in their food ‘budget’ for low-value junk foods, which is where most added sugars are found.”
The research was published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
Sources:
The Incredible Health Benefits of Berries
Source: GreenMedInfo.com
Valerie Burke, MSM
November 2, 2015
How can one food group offer so many incredible health benefits, from preventing heart attack, stroke and dementia to protecting you from the flu? The answer is phytonutrients, and berries are simply loaded. Reading this “berry primer” will have you snatching them by the handfuls.
As the rock stars of the fruit kingdom, berries are some of the most disease preventive foods on the planet, coveted by our hunter-gatherer ancestors for millennia. Modern science is now revealing why these little red and purple beauties have been so revered—their high levels of polyphenols and other nutrients provide health benefits from head to toe.
Berries boost your immunity and calm inflammation because they’re packed so full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber—in fact, they contain some of the highest antioxidant levels of all foods. Berries protect your heart and brain and slow down aging—and they’re a cancer cell’s worst nightmare. They’re also lower in sugar than most other fruits so less likely to destabilize your insulin.
You may have heard references to polyphenols, flavonoids, flavanols, anthocyanins, and other technical terms. These can be confusing, so before we get into health benefits, let’s review some basic berry nomenclature to build a foundation for your appreciation.
Phytochemicals 101
A berry is scientifically defined as a fleshy fruit produced by the ovary of a single flower, which includes fruits not commonly considered berries such as grapes, bananas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants—but excluding strawberries and raspberries. Although various horticultural camps disagree about what constitutes a berry, this article will focus on the common culinary classification, what we see at the market labeled as “berries.”
The naturally occurring compounds primarily responsible for berries’ nutritional value are the following:
· Phytochemicals (sometimes called phytonutrients) are naturally occurring plant compounds with protective or disease preventive properties. The thousands of phytochemicals are divided into three categories: phenolic acids (which are polyphenols), flavonoids, and stilbenes/lignans.[1]
· Polyphenols are the most abundant natural antioxidants in our food supply. Examples include resveratrol (grapes), ellagic acid (nuts and berries), capsaicin (hot peppers), epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG (green tea), quercetin, tannins, and diferuloylmethanes (found only in turmeric).[2]
· Flavonoids are the most diverse group of polyphenols (there are 4,000!). Flavonoids are what give berries and other fruits and veggies their vibrant colors, as well as stellar antioxidant properties. Plants produce flavonoids to protect themselves from parasites, oxidative injury and harsh climatic conditions. Flavonoids benefit more than 200 different diseases with 79 different pharmaceutical actions, including cardioprotective, neuroprotective and antineoplastic. Flavonoids are divided in several subclasses, including flavanols (includes catechins and proanthrocyanidins), flavones, isoflavones (soy), and anthocyanins.
· Anthocyanins are pigments giving plants (including berries) their deep red, purple and blue colors. The darker the berry, the more anthocyanin it contains. This pigment has significant cardioprotective, neuroprotective and antitumor properties, as well as many others.
Berries and Your Heart
One of the most remarkable gifts from berries is the protection they afford your heart, which results mostly from their anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins support the endothelial lining of your circulatory system by improving blood pressure, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, enhancing capillary strength, inhibiting platelet formation, and preventing the buildup of arterial plaque.
One in three US adults now has high blood pressure,[3] and multiple studies show the benefits of blueberries for blood pressure and overall heart health. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics[4] involving high-risk postmenopausal women found that consuming one cup of blueberries daily for eight weeks reduced blood pressure and arterial stiffness, possibly due to increased nitric oxide production.
Women who consume more than three servings of blueberries and strawberries per week were found to have a 32 percent lower risk of heart attack. One cup of mixed berries per day has been shown to lower blood pressure and raise beneficial HDL. Blueberries offer additional protection from type 2 diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity. In a scientific review of the cardioprotective benefits of anthocyanins, researchers wrote:[5]
“Epidemiological studies suggest that increased consumption of anthocyanins lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the most common cause of mortality among men and women.
Anthocyanins frequently interact with other phytochemicals, exhibiting synergistic biological effects but making contributions from individual components difficult to decipher. Over the past 2 decades, many peer-reviewed publications have demonstrated that in addition to their noted in vitro antioxidant activity, anthocyanins may regulate different signaling pathways involved in the development of CVD.”
This is Your Brain on Berries…
Berries are some of the best foods you can eat to lower your risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders. A Chinese study[6] found the incidence of dementia (Alzheimer’s, vascular and other forms) was more than 500 percent higher for those who did not consume berries on a regular basis. A team of international researchers reviewed the science of berries’ neuroprotective effects and drew the following conclusions:[7]
Berries significantly reduce the risk for multiple types of dementia
· Strawberries decrease oxidation and build neurological health
· Bilberries protect against arterial and neural damage
· Black currants discourage the formation of beta-amyloid plaques, which are common in dementia
· Blueberries are associated with improved memory and learning, as well as reduced radical oxidation species that harm brain cells
The benefits of strawberries for your brain is at least partly explained by a recently discovered compound called fisetin, a flavonol similar to quercetin that’s found in strawberries and several other fruits and vegetables. Research published in Aging Cell[8] found fisetin prevented mice who were programmed to develop Alzheimer’s disease from actually developing it. Pamela Maher’s research team identified numerous ways in which fisetin works on metabolic pathways to reduce age-related cognitive decline, including raising intracellular glutathione levels and reducing brain inflammation, all of which she summarized in a 2009 paper.[9]
If you’re simply feeling blue, maybe you need to EAT more blue! Low dopamine levels can result in depression and other mood disturbances, but anthocyanins and proanthrocyanidins help your brain produce more dopamine.[10] [11] Or try some goji berries, shown to substantially increase feelings of well-being and improve cognitive performance after only two weeks.
Cancer’s Worst Enemy
There is evidence that berries (particularly blueberries, possibly because they’ve been the most studied) can help protect you from cancer, including breast, colon, liver and melanoma.
Blueberries are found to induce apoptosis (cell death) in virulent breast cancer cell lines. An isolate in blueberries named pterostilbene (related to resveratrol) was shown to selectively kill cancer stem cells and suppress the adverse effects of radiation. In fact, pterostilbene has demonstrated anti-cancer activity against breast, colon, gastric, esophageal and prostate cancers. However, blueberries aren’t the only berries with anticarcinogenic effects. The acai berry shows promise in treating leukemia and colon cancer, as well as supporting overall immune function, metabolism and arthritis. Bilberry inhibits colon cancer and leukemia. Blackberries and black raspberries have been demonstrated to be antiproliferative.
The bottom line is, if you want to capitalize on the healing power of berries, an excellent strategy is to incorporate them into your diet on a daily basis—and the more variety the better. To maximize antioxidant benefits, go organic. One study[12] found that organically grown blueberries have significantly higher concentrations of phenol antioxidants and anthocyanins than conventionally grown, as well as significantly higher total antioxidant capacity.
Each berry has its own special complement of phytochemicals, so add multiple types of berries to your list next time you’re hunting and gathering at your local farmers market.
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Berry Special Health Benefits |
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Cranberry: Sixteen different studies support the efficacy of cranberries for treating and preventing urinary tract infections, but did you know they also combat MRSA? |
Strawberry: Improved lipid profile, reduced cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risk; protection from esophageal cancer; eight strawberries have more vitamin C than a medium sized orange |
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Raspberry: Support for esophageal cancer, erectile dysfunction and low sperm count |
Goji Berry: Protects male reproductive organs from damage by endocrine disrupting chemicals, such as BPA |
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Black Currant: Support for brain power mood, allergies and rheumatoid arthritis |
Elderberry: Inhibits influenza A and B as effectively as amantadine or Tamiflu |
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Blackberry: Suppo |
Schisandra berry: Improves mitochondrial function |
Read More At: GreenMedInfo.com
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© November 2nd, 2015 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.
References
[1] UC Davis Nutrition and Health Info-Sheet: Some Facts About Phytochemicals
[2] UC Davis Integrative Medicine Program: The Power of Polyphenols July 28, 2015
[3] CDC High Blood Pressure Facts
[4] Johnson SA et al. Daily Blueberry Consumption Improves Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Postmenopausal Women with Pre- and Stage 1-Hypertension: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2015 March;115(3):369-377
[5] Wallace TC. Anthocyanins in cardiovascular disease. Adv Nutr. 2011 Jan;2(1):1-7. doi: 10.3945/an.110.000042. Epub 2011 Jan 10.
[6] Wei, CJ et al. Risk factors for dementia in highly educated elderly people in Tianjin, China. Clin Neurol & Neurosurg. 2014 July;122:408 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clineuro.2014.04.004
[7] Subash S. et al. Neuroprotective effects of berry fruits on neurodegenerative diseases. Neural Regen Res. 2014 Aug 15; 9(16): 1557–1566.
[8] Currais A. et al. Modulation of p25 and inflammatory pathways by fisetin maintains cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease transgenic mice. Aging Cell. 2014 Apr;13(2):379-90. doi: 10.1111/acel.12185. Epub 2013 Dec 17. PMCID: PMC3954948
[9] Maher P. Modulation of multiple pathways involved in the maintenance of neuronal function during aging by fisetin. Genes Nutr. 2009 Dec; 4(4): 297–307. doi: 10.1007/s12263-009-0142-5
[10] Dobberstein LJ. “Brain Protective Effects of Proathocyanidins.” Wellness Resources April 7, 2014
[11] Rahman MM. et al. Effects of anthocyanins on psychological stress-induced oxidative stress and neurotransmitter status. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Aug 27;56(16):7545-50. doi: 10.1021/jf800930s. Epub 2008 Jul 29.
[12]Wang SY. et al. Fruit Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, and Flavonoid Content of Organically and Conventionally Grown Blueberries. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 July; 56 (14):5788–5794 DOI: 10.1021/jf703775r
Quote Of The Day – Awaken
“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart…Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”
– Carl Jung
5 Excuses to Eat More Dark Chocolate
Warning signs you are deficient in magnesium
Source: NaturalNews.com
Reuben Chow
Magnesium is a very important mineral, the second-most abundant within human cells. Some 60% of it in the human body is contained within the bones, over 25% in the muscles and the rest in soft tissue and body fluids. Learn about the important functions of this essential mineral and some warning symptoms of deficiency.
Functions
Magnesium plays a role in activating many enzymes in the body. It also plays a role in maintaining the electrical charges of cells, especially in the nerves and muscles, and in muscle contraction and relaxation. Further, this mineral is involved in cellular functions such as energy production, cellular replication, lipid synthesis and protein formation. It even contributes to bone formation, as it helps regulate calcium metabolism.
Magnesium plays a critical role in heart health, contributing to energy production and heart muscle contraction. By raising the solubility of calcium in urine, magnesium helps prevent the formation of kidney stones. Indeed, magnesium supplementation has been found to help with preventing kidney stone recurrence.
Research also suggests that dietary magnesium intake is directly linked to lung function and the severity of asthma.
Deficiency symptoms
The warning signs that one could be lacking magnesium, some of which are similar to those of potassium deficiency, include:
• heart disturbances
• issues with nerve conduction and muscle contraction
• muscle cramps and spasms
• poor coordination
• weakness
• chronic fatigue
• headaches – including migraines and tension headaches
• appetite loss
• insomnia
• cravings for sweets
• mental confusion
• irritability
• personality changes
• being easily stressed
People with low levels of magnesium are more prone to ailments such as insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, hair loss, swollen gums, high blood pressure, kidney stones, heart disease and even cancer.
In fact, it has been found that persons who suffered sudden and fatal heart attacks had very low magnesium levels in their hearts. When magnesium levels are low, a spasm of the coronary arteries could take place, affecting the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart — this could then trigger a heart attack.
Persons with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are also commonly found to have low magnesium levels. In addition, women with osteoporosis have been found to have lower bone magnesium levels than those without the condition.
Deficiency causes
Due to poor food choices, with diets lacking in natural whole foods, many people do not actually consume enough magnesium.
Elderly persons, especially those with health issues, are more susceptible to magnesium deficiency. Women are also more likely to be deficient during their premenstrual period.
Factors which elevate its secretion or reduce its absorption could also lead to magnesium deficiency. These include:
• intake of too much calcium (they must be balanced)
• alcohol consumption — it has been found that as much as 60% of alcoholics have low levels of magnesium, as alcohol increases the amount of magnesium excreted in the urine. And this deficiency could be a big reason why alcoholics are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease.
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• diabetes
• digestive disorders like malabsorption
• use of oral contraceptives, diuretics and/or medications which deplete magnesium levels
• surgery
It should be noted that standard blood tests do not flag up magnesium deficiency until it’s already severe, often after the onset of a serious health condition. Thus, the symptoms and dietary choices would offer some clues.
Food sources
The best food sources of magnesium include kelp, dulse, molasses, buckwheat, wheat bran, wheat germ, millet, rye, tofu and nuts, including almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, peanuts, pecans and English walnuts.
Resonance – Beings Of Frequency [Documentary]
Love Thy Neighbor
My Soul bleeds for all regrettably lost fallen lives
Which pass from this life to the next in sadness
All the children, the husbands & sad angry wives
Thus feel heartfelt pain at this wretched madness
Day in and day out we hear of endless turmoil
As darkness seems to reign in many parts of life
It matters not if born from western or eastern soil
Death of a loved one is very nigh unending strife
Lost within this is the premise of loving another
Yes; not so simple – but stands mostly needed
Only true caring and joy will fuse us to others
Should be our primary goal until it’s succeeded
Shadows only bolt away when shone by the light
Darkness escapes when true love blares around
Love’s the only emotion that could ever be right
And truly the most simplest solution ever found
Love one another, from this life passed the end
Help out all your neighbors in every which way
Be the one in which all can always truly depend
For Peace starts with you and we must not delay
By: Z.M.
TheBreakAway 