Law-fat diet is not the answer!

(NaturalNews) It started a few decades ago, when well-known health experts began recommending that people eliminate fat from their diets. A lot of people jumped on the no-fat train because some studies at the time seemed to point to fat as the villain of our modern diet. It soon became obvious to health professionals that completely eliminating fat was not any kind of solution. First of all, most people couldn`t stay on this type of extreme diet for any length of time. Secondly, health problems like cancer, infection, fatigue and depression ran rampant when fat was eliminated.

So over time we have seen a steady trend reintroducing the idea that fats can be a part of a healthy diet. It seems that every few years medical experts slightly raise the recommended amount of fat one should consume. It`s been happening so slowly it`s almost indiscernible, but if you look closely, low-fat diets are no longer in style.

Even so, many people are still under the impression that a low-fat diet is healthy, and most people believe cutting out fat is still the best way to lose weight. This is a popular misconception that makes sense on the surface, but when you dig a little deeper the concept begins to unravel.

First, it`s important to look at what the body actually does when you go on a low-fat diet. The most common belief is when you stop eating fat, your body will burn its own fat for energy. In reality what really happens is a little more complicated. Here are some common results of a low fat diet:

- People who drastically lower their fat intake generally increase their carbohydrate intake.

- Even complex carbohydrates can cause a rise in blood sugar and insulin levels, especially when they aren`t consumed with adequate protein and fat.

- With this sudden influx of excess carbohydrates, there is simply too much sugar in the blood to be used for energy. The rest is converted into fat and cholesterol.

- Without adequate fat and protein in the diet (which is common during a low-fat diet), the body is forced to break down lean body mass to use the nutrients it needs to function. This includes muscle and bone mass.

- Losing lean body mass shows up as drastic weight loss on the scale at first, which may thrill the dieter, but over time the body uses less energy because of the loss of muscle. Combined with excess fat storage because of high insulin levels, eventually weight loss on a low-fat diet is almost impossible and you may even start to gain weight.

Moreover, a low-fat diet can be downright harmful to your body, especially in the long-term. High insulin levels and the breakdown of lean body mass are not healthy. Over time, these factors can cause serious hormone imbalances and can even contribute to health problems like diabetes and heart disease. Cutting out fat is merely swinging the pendulum to another extreme that will have negative side effects.

A 2008 report in the New England Journal of Medicine may interest dieters who think low-fat is the answer. The report showed the results of a study which compared the effectiveness of low-fat, low-carb and Mediterranean diets. The study was partially funded by the Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation (which is not to be confused with the commercial venue of Atkins Nutritionals Inc.). There were 322 participants in the study, all of whom were moderately obese. One of the three diets was randomly assigned to each person.

Study participants on the low-fat and Mediterranean diets had moderate calorie restrictions, while those on the low-carb diet did not have any. Overall, the low-fat diet had the least effect on both weight loss and cholesterol profiles, while the low-carb diet was most effective (the Mediterranean diet was a close second). It should be noted the low-carb dieters were consuming about 120 grams of carbs per day, which is a more balanced approach compared to extreme low-carb diets of yesteryear.

So, it begs the question, is fat really all that bad? Well, that`s a loaded question if there ever was one. In our society fats can be good or bad, depending on the source and how they`re prepared. Processed fats that have been exposed to heat, light and air can be rancid and oxidized. Polyunsaturated oils like soybean, canola and corn oil are most susceptible to damage. These damaged oils are linked with many health problems such as cancer, premature aging and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer`s. Then we have oils that have been purposely altered like hydrogenated oils. These are chock full of trans fat, which is known to sharply increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and many types of cancer. These types of over-processed, damaged fats should be avoided as much as possible.

Instead, if we are supposed to increase our fat intake, it should be with healthy, unprocessed fats from as natural a source as possible. Organic fats are best, since harmful chemicals and hormones tend to be stored in fat.

Again, what we are really looking at here is a balance of nutrition. The body utilizes carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Cutting out any one of these nutrients is a mistake. To achieve optimum health, the best thing you can do is eat a diet consisting mostly of natural, unprocessed foods with an overall balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates.

Sources:

http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyou...

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/ju...

Schwarzbein, Diana. (1999) The Schwarzbein Principle: The Truth About Losing Weight, Being Healthy and Feeling Younger.

Lifestyle of teens and children can prevent cancers

Most parents don't know how much their children's lifestyle help them in later life...


Half do not know that a lack of exercise can contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes and one in five parents, 18 per cent, do not know not know that it could increase the risk of heart disease.

The research questioned more than 800 parents who had children aged up to the age of 11.

The survey was carried out for the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK.

It also reveals that few parents know of the importance of their children eating a healthy diet.

Almost six in 10 parents were unaware of the link between poor eating habits and cancer, while almost a quarter, 23 per cent, did not think that obesity was linked to Type 2 diabetes
Two-thirds of parents, 66 per cent, also did not know that being overweight in childhood could be a risk factor for cancer in later life.

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK and spokesperson on behalf of the partnership, said: "This lack of awareness among parents is frightening. Even if children look healthy or are not overweight now, parents need to be aware that if their children are not active or eating a healthy diet, they may grow up to be overweight or obese. And that would put them at a greater risk of developing certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease in adulhood.

"We are supporting the Change4Life campaign, which aims to encourage parents to get their children moving more and eating well. However, if the Government is to deliver on its public health promises it has a major role to play in committing to legislation on restricting junk food advertising and supporting the traffic light system of food labelling, which will go a long way in helping people make informed choices."

Betty McBride, from the British Heart Foundation said: "We all want our children to grow up to be fit and healthy, so parents need to understand that the seeds of their child's health problems in adulthood can be planted in the childhood.

"A poor diet and inactive lifestyle today can have a dire consequence in the future. Parents need to avoid giving their children unhealthy foods whenever possible and encouraging them to get outside, play, and be more active.

"The number of children who are overweight and obese is rising. We will not reverse this trend unless parents wake up to the dangers."

Vitamins intake and kidney's health

Remember to only take vitamins within Food and never supplements unless desperate.

Thiamine 'reverses kidney damage'

Monday, 29 December 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7796073.stm


Doses of vitamin B1 (thiamine) can reverse early kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, research shows.

The team from Warwick University tested the effect of vitamin B1, which is found in meat, yeast and grain, on 40 patients from Pakistan.

The treatment stopped the loss of a key protein in the urine, the journal Diabetologia reports.

Charity Diabetes UK called the results "very promising" - but said it was too early for any firm conclusions.

The latest findings build on earlier work by the Warwick University team, showing that many diabetes patients have a deficiency of thiamine.

According to the researchers, this cheap and readily available supplement could benefit most people with diabetes - both type 1 and type 2 - as between 70% and 90% of people with diabetes are thiamine deficient.

In diabetes the small blood vessels in the body can become damaged. We would not advise that people look to vitamin supplements to reduce their risk of kidney complications at this stage

Dr Iain Frame of Diabetes UK

When the blood vessels that supply blood to the kidneys are involved, the kidneys stop working correctly and important proteins, such as albumin, are lost from the blood into the urine.

A third of the patients in the study saw a return to normal urinary albumin excretion after being treated with high dose (300mg) thiamine taken orally each day for three months.

The experts say thiamine works by helping protect cells against the harmful effects of the high blood sugar levels found in diabetes.

Lead researcher Professor Paul Thornalley said: "This is the first study of its kind and suggests that correcting thiamine deficiency in people with diabetes with thiamine supplements may provide improved therapy for early-stage kidney disease."

They plan more work to confirm their findings.

Dr Iain Frame of Diabetes UK said: "Diabetes UK hopes a large clinical trial will be possible as results so far are very promising.

"However, we would like to stress that it's still too early to come to any firm conclusions about the role of vitamin B1 and we would not advise that people look to vitamin supplements to reduce their risk of kidney complications at this stage."

A person should be able to get all the thiamine they need from a normal healthy diet.

Magnesium,the lamp of life

(NaturalNews) Inside chlorophyll is the lamp of life and that lamp is magnesium. The capture of light energy from the sun is magnesium dependent. Magnesium is bound as the central atom of the porphyrin ring of the green plant pigment chlorophyll. Magnesium is the element that causes plants to be able to convert light into energy and chlorophyll is identical to hemoglobin except the magnesium atom at the center has been taken out and iron put in. The whole basis of life and the food chain is seen in the sunlight-chlorophyll-magnesium chain. Since animals and humans obtain their food supply by eating plants, magnesium can be said to be the source of life for it is at the heart of chlorophyll and the process of photosynthesis.

A huge step forward for early life was the development of chlorophyll, a molecule that captures light energy from the sun in a process called photosynthesis. Chlorophyll systems convert energy from visible light into small energy-rich molecules easy for cells to use. The harnessing of the energy of visible light led to a vast expansion of early life-forms. Fossilized layers, three and half billion years old, have been found with evidence of blue-green algae that lived on top of tidal rocks.

Magnesium is needed by plants to form chlorophyll which is the substance that makes plants green. Without magnesium sitting inside the heart of chlorophyll, plants would not be able to take nutrition from the sun because the process of photosynthesis would not go on. When magnesium is deficient things begin to die. In reality one cannot take a breath, move a muscle, or think a thought without enough magnesium in our cells. Because magnesium is contained in chlorophyll it is considered an essential plant mineral salt.

Without chlorophyll, plants are unable
to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide.
There is no life without magnesium.

Magnesium is a necessary element for all living organisms both animal and plant. Chlorophyll is structured around a magnesium atom, while in animals, magnesium is a key component of cells, bones, tissues and just about every physiological process you can think of. Magnesium is primarily an intracellular cation; roughly 1% of whole-body magnesium is found extracellularly, and the free intracellular fraction is the portion regulating enzyme pathways inside the cells. Life packs the magnesium jealously into the cells, every drop of it is precious.

Insulin and Magnesium

Magnesium is necessary for both the action
of insulin and the manufacture of insulin.

Magnesium is a basic building block to life and is present in ionic form throughout the full landscape of human physiology. Without insulin though, magnesium doesn't get transported from our blood into our cells where it is most needed. When Dr. Jerry Nadler of the Gonda Diabetes Center at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, California, and his colleagues placed 16 healthy people on magnesium-deficient diets, their insulin became less effective at getting sugar from their blood into their cells, where it's burned or stored as fuel. In other words, they became less insulin sensitive or what is called insulin resistant. And that's the first step on the road to both diabetes and heart disease.

Insulin is a common denominator, a central figure in life as is magnesium. The task of insulin is to store excess nutritional resources.
This system is an evolutionary development used to save energy and other nutritional necessities in times (or hours) of abundance in order to survive in times of hunger. Little do we appreciate that insulin is not just responsible for regulating sugar entry into the cells but also magnesium, one of the most important substances for life. It is interesting to note here that the kidneys are working at the opposite end physiologically dumping from the blood excess nutrients that the body does not need or cannot process in the moment.

Controlling the level of blood sugars is only one of the many functions of insulin. Insulin plays a central role in storing magnesium but if our cells become resistant to insulin, or if we do not produce enough insulin, then we have a difficult time storing magnesium in the cells where it belongs. When insulin processing becomes problematic magnesium gets excreted through our urine instead and this is the basis of what is called magnesium wasting disease.

There is a strong relationship between magnesium and insulin action. Magnesium is important for the effectiveness of insulin. A reduction
of magnesium in the cells strengthens insulin resistance.

Low serum and intracellular magnesium concentrations are associated with insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and decreased insulin secretion. Magnesium improves insulin sensitivity thus lowering insulin resistance. Magnesium and insulin need each other. Without magnesium, our pancreas won't secrete enough insulin--or the insulin it secretes won't be efficient enough--to control our blood sugar.

Magnesium in our cells helps the muscles to relax but if we can't store magnesium because the cells are resistant then we lose magnesium which makes the blood vessels constrict, affects our energy levels, and causes an increase in blood pressure. We begin to understand the intimate connection between diabetes and heart disease when we look at the closed loop between declining magnesium levels and declining insulin efficiency.

Though it would be a long stretch of the longest giraffe's neck to compare insulin with chlorophyll we are walking a trail at the very nuclear core of life. It's the magnesium trail and we find to our surprise that it takes us into intimate contact with the very structure and foundation of life. The dedication of this chapter is to the beauty of magnesium, to its meaning in life, in health and in medicine.

We were talking about chlorophyll and now insulin and putting magnesium in-between. Walking further along is the DHEA magnesium story and the DNA magnesium story. And then there is the cholesterol magnesium story. Every part of life is in love with magnesium except allopathic medicine which just cannot accept it in all its light, flame and beauty. Thousands of years ago the Chinese named it the beautiful metal and they were seeing something pharmaceutical medicine does not want to see for there is little money to be made from something so common.

Magnesium and DNA

Magnesium ions play critical roles in many aspects of cellular metabolism. Magnesium stabilizes structures of proteins, nucleic acids, and cell membranes by binding to the macromolecule's surface and promote specific structural or catalytic activities of proteins, enzymes, or ribozymes. Magnesium has a critical role in cell division. It has been suggested that magnesium is necessary for the maintenance of an adequate supply of nucleotides for the synthesis of RNA and DNA.

Magnesium plays a critical role in vital DNA repair proteins.
Magnesium ions synergetic effects on the active site
geometry may affect the polymerase closing/opening trends.
Single-stranded RNA are stabilized by magnesium ions.

Distinct structural features of DNA, such as the curvature of dA tracts, are important in the recognition, packaging, and regulation of DNA are magnesium dependent. Physiologically relevant concentrations of magnesium have been found to enhance the curvature of dA tract DNAs. The chemistry of water activated by a magnesium ion is central to the function of the DNA repair proteins, apurinic/apyrimidic endonuclease 1 (Ape1) and polymerase A (Pol A). These proteins are key constituents of the base excision repair (BER) pathway, a process that plays a critical role in preventing the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of most spontaneous, alkylation, and oxidative DNA damage.

Magnesium ions help guide polymerase selection for the
correct nucleotide extends descriptions of polymerase pathways.

Dr. Paul Ellis informs us that, "Magnesium ions are central to the function of the DNA repair proteins, apurinic/apyrimidic endonuclease 1 (Ape1) and polymerase A (Pol A). These proteins are key constituents of the base excision repair (BER) pathway, a process that plays a critical role in preventing the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of most spontaneous, alkylation, and oxidative DNA damage." DNA polymerase is considered to be a holoenzyme since it requires a magnesium ion as a co-factor to function properly. DNA-Polymerase initiates DNA replication by binding to a piece of single-stranded DNA. This process corrects mistakes in newly-synthesized DNA.

DHEA – Magnesium - Cholesterol

Low levels of DHEA are associated with loss of "pathology
preventing" signaling between immune system cells.

Dr. James Michael Howard says, "Cancer and infections are both increasing and one of the basic reasons is reduced availability of DHEA, which stems from magnesium deficiency." Also known as "mother of all steroid hormones" DHEA is converted in the body into several different hormones, including estrogen and testosterone. DHEA appears to restore immune balance and stimulate monocyte production (the cells that attack tumors), B-cell activity (the cells that fight disease-causing organisms), T-cell mobilization (infection fighting T-cells have DHEA binding sites), and protection of the thymus gland (which produces T-cells). The data suggest that DHEA has a role in the neuro-endocrine regulation of the antibacterial immune resistance.

All steroid hormones are created from cholesterol in a hormonal cascade. Cholesterol, that most maligned compound, is actually crucial for health and is the mother of hormones from the adrenal cortex, including cortisone, hydrocortisone, aldosterone, and DHEA. Cholesterol cannot be synthesized without magnesium and cholesterol is a vital component of many hormones. These hormones are interrelated, each performing a unique biological function with them all depending on magnesium for their function. Aldosterone interestingly needs magnesium to be produced and it also regulates magnesium's balance.

Dr. Mildred S. Seelig wrote, "Mg2+-ATP is the controlling factor for the rate-limiting enzyme in the cholesterol biosynthesis sequence that is targeted by the statin pharmaceutical drugs, comparison of the effects of Mg2+ on lipoproteins with those of the statin drugs is warranted. Formation of cholesterol in blood, as well as of cholesterol required in hormone synthesis, and membrane maintenance, is achieved in a series of enzymatic reactions that convert HMG-CoA to cholesterol. The rate-limiting reaction of this pathway is the enzymatic conversion of HMG CoA to mevalonate via HMG CoA. The statins and Mg inhibit that enzyme. Mg has effects that parallel those of statins. For example, the enzyme that deactivates HMG-CoA Reductase requires Mg, making Mg a Reductase controller rather than inhibitor. Mg is also necessary for the activity of lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT), which lowers LDL-C and triglyceride levels and raises HDL-C levels."

Desaturase is another Mg-dependent enzyme involved in
lipid metabolism which statins do not directly affect.

DHEA is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland and ovaries and converted to testosterone and estrogen. After being secreted by the adrenal glands, it circulates in the bloodstream as DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS) and is converted as needed into other hormones. Magnesium chloride, when applied transdermally, is reported by Dr. Norman Shealy to increase DHEA. Dr. Shealy has determined that when the body is presented with adequate levels of magnesium at the cellular level, the body will begin to naturally produce DHEA and also DHEA-S.
Transdermal is the ultimate way to replenish cellular magnesium
levels. Every cell in the body bathes and feeds in it and even DHEA
levels are increased naturally, according to Dr. Norman Shealy
This effect is not seen in oral or intravenous magnesium administration and Dr. Shealy has a patent pending in this area. It is thought that transdermal application interacts in some way with the fatty tissues of the skin to create the affect. Studies link low levels of DHEA to chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, depression, rheumatoid arthritis, Type-II diabetic complications, greater risk for certain cancers, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Magnesium and Glutathione

Without sufficient magnesium, the body accumulates toxins
and acid residues, degenerates rapidly, and ages prematurely.

According to Dr. Russell Blaylock, low magnesium is associated with dramatic increases in free radical generation as well as glutathione depletion and this is vital since glutathione is one of the few antioxidant molecules known to neutralize mercury. Glutathione requires magnesium for its synthesis. Glutathione synthetase requires γ-glutamyl cysteine, glycine, ATP, and magnesium ions to form glutathione.

In magnesium deficiency, the enzyme y-glutamyl transpeptidase is lowered. Data demonstrates a direct action of glutathione both in vivo and in vitro to enhance intracellular magnesium and a clinical linkage between cellular magnesium, GSH/GSSG ratios, and tissue glucose metabolism. Magnesium deficiency causes glutathione loss, which is not affordable because glutathione helps to defend the body against damage from cigarette smoking, exposure to radiation, cancer chemotherapy, and toxins such as alcohol and just about everything else.

Scientific Miracles in Medicine

The 21st century is seeing the plagues of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases explode with the entire western medical establishment confused about even the most basic health issues. The three trillion dollar medical machine in the United States is impotent against chronic diseases and is responsible itself for much of the horror that is happening.

Medical basics, we have to get back to them returning to the understanding of the simplest things like water. What do you give a person coming out of a week long walk in the desert without water? A coke? Do we have to do a thousand double blind studies to realize there is only one answer? Are we that dumb that medicine cannot see the forest from the trees?

When someone is in cardiac arrest or are having a stroke, having panic attacks with heart palpitations what is the first thing, the very first thing we would reach for like one would reach for a six shooter? Our biological engine is seizing up what do we do? For the next million years there is going to be only one answer and that answer is magnesium preferably in the chloride form. It will never change either for that person coming out of the desert; water will always be the answer to the need. We are talking so close to the source of life when talking about water or magnesium. But unfortunately there will always be those who think giving a coke to a very thirsty person is just fine and doctors who think they can forget about nature and try to substitute something to stand in magnesium's place.

The bedrock of medical truth sits upon the metal magnesium for it is at the exact center of biological life like air and water is. All of life collapses around its loss, but with only the smallest amount of caring and intelligence we can replete what has been lost inside of a person's cells. The realization that magnesium is at the center of life in chlorophyll should help us place magnesium in the temple it deserves. It is the ultimate love drug when used as a medicine. It's the first thing you give a person if you want to give something necessary and helpful.

It will take this entire book to present all the reasons that magnesium qualifies as a love drug; there are reasons that take us out of the physical body and into emotional, mental and spiritual bodies. Psychologists and psychiatrists also have to discover magnesium for it offers them a tool they have not found anywhere else. Magnesium is the Lamp of Life; it operates at the core of physiology offering us what can only be called scientific miracles in medicine. Though other substances like Vitamin C or even iodine are powerful competitors they cannot compare in sheer healing horsepower to magnesium.

.

Magnesium Medicine

It is no exaggeration for me to say that magnesium saved my life.
But is ironic that I am the one saying it, because during my
diverse medical career in general medicine, my greatest expertise
has always been prescription drugs, not natural supplements.
Dr. Jay S. Cohen

The Magnesium Solution for High Blood Pressure

Magnesium serves hundreds of important functions in the body and for that reason it has virtually no side effects. Researchers all over the world have confirmed its vital role yet, despite the intensive scientific brainpower that has been directed toward magnesium most doctors know hardly anything about it and never consider magnesium for treating patients. Magnesium comes to us with scientific evidence that dwarfs the evidence presented by pharmaceutical companies for any of their prescription drugs but its use is still contained. (See chapter on why doctors do not use more magnesium)

Magnesium chloride treatments address systemic nutritional deficiencies, act to improve the function of our cells and immune system, and help protect cells from oxidative damage. Its a systemic medicine as well as a local one bringing new life and energy to the cells wherever it is applied topically. When used with oral administration, transdermal magnesium therapy offers us the opportunity to get dosages up to the powerful therapeutic range without compromising intestinal comfort through oral use alone.

What we have found is that magnesium chloride, applied
transdermally, is the ideal magnesium delivery system -
with health benefits unequalled in the entire world of medicine.

Magnesium chloride solutions offer a medical miracle to humanity, one that many have sought but have not found. In fact Dr. Carolyn Dean, titled her book The Magnesium Miracle and she could not have been more correct. Nothing short of a miracle is to be expected with increases in the cellular levels of magnesium if those levels have been depleted.

There is no wonder drug that can claim, in the clear, what magnesium chloride can do. Most people will show dramatic improvements in the state of their health when they replete their magnesium levels and the very best way to do that is with magnesium chloride applied transdermally (baths and body spraying), orally, vaporized into the lungs, diluted for use with ones eyes, intravenously, and even in douches and enemas.

Constant magnesium massages are what kings and queens should be dreaming of.
With such "brine solutions" the concentrate can simply be applied to the skin or poured into bath water, and in an instant we have a medical treatment without equal in the world of medicine. Intensive transdermal and oral magnesium therapy can be safely applied every day for constantly strengthened health.

Hidden in each cubic mile of ocean water is enough healing
power to put the pharmaceutical companies out of business.

And there are medical reasons why we love the beach and ocean. Intensive magnesium baths, aerosolized iodine, vitamin D natural style and grounding to the earth through the sand. Medical science and the pharmaceutical companies will eventually have to deal with the fact that the most powerful and universal medicine on earth is a basic nutrient from the sea and can be purchased by anyone at low cost.

Magnesium is nothing short of a miracle to a person deficient in this mineral. So clear and observable are the effects that there is no mistake, no mysticism, no false claim made.
Emergency room personnel know of this and use either magnesium sulfate or chloride to save peoples lives during heart attacks or to diminish the damage from strokes. And new research suggests that MgSO4 infusions may have a role in cerebral vasospasm prophylaxis if therapy is initiated within 48 hours of aneurysm rupture.

Medicine today is more and more frequently described in terms of science. With the origin and development of drugs and surgical techniques, modern medicine has thought itself to be evermore exact and evermore resembling the hard sciences of chemistry and physics. In the case of magnesium, medicine has fallen from the grace of the pure sciences, which insists that they are ignoring the best medicine available anywhere. Magnesium is clearly evidence-based medicine but the quality of the evidence used pharmaceutical medicine is highly suspect. There is no such cloud of doubt hanging over the scientific evidence that makes it clear why magnesium would be both potent and safe.

When it comes to cardiac disease we create our primary protocol around magnesium, selenium and iodine. These three core minerals, when backed up with a strong naturopathic protocol, which includes natural mercury detoxification of the heart tissues, will transform cardiology into a field of medicine that does not have its patients dying like flies.

Aspirin use and diabetes + risks

Stick to proper hygiene and the use of herbs such as Garlic, Cayenne & Hawthorn.

Diabetes aspirin use questioned

Thursday, 16 October 2008 00:05 UK
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7673587.stm


Aspirin should not routinely be used to prevent heart attacks in people with diabetes, Scottish research suggests.

The British Medical Journal reported that in 1,300 adults with no symptoms of heart disease the drug, which can cause stomach bleeds, had no benefit.

The findings contradict many guidelines which advocate people with diabetes use aspirin to counter the underlying high risk of heart attack and stroke.

But there are key high-risk groups who still need the drug, experts said.

In people who have already had a heart attack or stroke, or have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of future "events" by around 25%.

We have got a bit ahead of ourselves with aspirin

Professor Jill Belch

However, in recent years doctors have begun to focus on people who have not yet developed so-called cardiovascular disease, but are at high-risk of having it in the future - such as people with diabetes.

There are around two million people over 40 with diabetes in the UK.

Around 80% of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease including strokes and heart attacks.

A daily dose of aspirin is recommended by several UK guidelines as a "preventive" treatment in these groups.

No benefit

But in the latest study in adults over 40 years with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and no symptoms of cardiovascular disease, there was no difference over seven years in heart attacks or strokes between those given aspirin and those given a dummy pill.

Study leader Professor Jill Belch, from the University of Dundee, said aspirin was one of the most common causes of hospital admission for gastrointestinal bleeding.

"We have got a bit ahead of ourselves with aspirin.

"We need to think again about using it for primary prevention."

However she stressed the drug was beneficial in people who had already had a heart attack or stroke.

Patients shouldn't panic or stop taking aspirin

Professor Steve Field, Royal College of GPs

Professor Peter Sever, an expert in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics at Imperial College London, said the study was "extremely important".

"It confirms many concerns we have that aspirin is very widely used in the general population without an evidence base to support its overall benefits.

"Thousands of people buy aspirin over the counter - I'm forever saying to patients you shouldn't be taking this.

"I have had a couple of patients admitted to hospital with major gastrointestinal bleeding when there was no evidence it was doing any good."

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes and as having a high risk of cardiovascular disease is set to increase, with government plans in England to introduce a national screening programme for the over-40s next year.

Professor Steve Field, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said it would be worth revisiting the guidelines.

"But patients shouldn't panic or stop taking aspirin," he said.

Judy O'Sullivan, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study adds weight to the evidence that aspirin should not be prescribed to prevent disease of the heart and circulation to people with diabetes, and other high risk groups, who do not already have symptoms of the disease."

Seven foods for natural glucose balance

Seven Foods to Balance Your Blood Sugar Levels

Thursday, July 17, 2008 by: Sheryl Walters
http://www.naturalnews.com/023650.html


We all know that optimum weight is something everyone needs to be striving for if we are going to live healthy and harmonious lives. Research shows that the best foods for enjoying good weight are those that don't cause a sharp rise in blood sugar levels. Balanced blood sugar is associated with physical and emotional health, as well and longevity. In fact, steady blood sugar levels are the one thing that every person who lives over 100 (centurion) has in common.

Foods that cause a spike in blood sugar are generally sugar and refined carbohydrates. They cause the body to produce insulin, which makes you crave food constantly, leading to weight gain and a variety of health conditions including diabetes. Cutting down on carbohydrates and sugar is the first step to bringing your weight and overall health into balance.


But while it's all well and good to talk about cutting down on carbohydrates, it can be excruciatingly painful for those who are addicted to them. And carbohydrate addiction is far more common than you think. Just try cutting them out for a day to find out how difficult it can be.

The key is to have plenty of delicious low carbohydrate foods available. Here are 7 of them that can help you get through the withdrawal of high carb foods.

Almonds: A study published in the International Journal of Obesity shows that people eating a diet rich in almonds lost more weight than those on a high-carb diet with the same number of calories. This goes to show that weight loss is not simply due to calorie counting. Almonds are bulky and filling, so you feel that you are getting some substance without the spike in blood sugar.

Quinoa: Although quinoa looks like a grain, it's actually the seed of a green leafy plant. It is one of the best sources of amino acids, and is a good source of iron, potassium, and B vitamins. The reason why quinoa is an incredible super food for weight loss is that it's packed with protein, but its grain-like texture makes it a fantastic substitute for rice, couscous, and other carbohydrates.

Millet: This is rich both in fiber, which makes your stomach feel full longer, and in protein, which keeps your blood sugar even, although it has the texture of a carbohydrate. And studies have shown a link between millet and weight loss. Some researchers believe that it's the combination of phytonutrients and fiber that's responsible for the lower rate of colon cancer in people who eat millet, rather than fiber alone.

Hummus: Because hummus is packed with protein, it fills you up, but again without any blood sugar spiking. Try to get hummus with olive oil rather than sunflower oil... or better yet, make your own sprouted raw hummus, which will provide you with an incredible amount of nutrients.

Avocado: Avocados offer a range of nutrients, and help you absorb other nutrients more effectively. They are also creamy and bulky at the same time, so they help people feel satisfied.

Lentils: Lentils are nutritious, flavorful, and are easy to prepare. Lentils, like beans, are a good source of protein. Lentils also provide calcium and phosphorus, vitamin B and iron.

Walnuts for Weight loss: Walnuts are a great snack food that will fill you up and help you to feel less hungry. They contain anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, and a study at Loma Linda University showed that people who ate walnuts regularly had a reduced incidence of heart attacks. The research also asked people to add a quarter cup of walnuts to their diets, or for comparison, to remove all walnuts from their diets. They found that not eating walnuts led to weight gain.


About the author
Sheryl is a kinesiologist, nutritionist and holistic practitioner.
Her website www.younglivingguide.com provides the latest research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, and feeling emotionally and physically fabulous.
And her latest website www.raiselibido.com offers a vast quantity of information on how increase sex drive and enjoy a vibrant sex life.