Category: Stress Management
The New Science Behind America’s Deadliest Diseases – Yahoo! Finance [ReBlogged]
The New Science Behind America’s Deadliest Diseases – Yahoo! Finance.
What do heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, stroke and cancer have in common? Scientists have linked each of these to a condition known as chronic inflammation, and they are studying how high-fat foods and excess body weight may increase the risk for fatal disorders.
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and outside irritants. But when the irritants don’t let up, because of a diet of high-fat foods, too much body fat and smoking, for example, the immune system can spiral out of control and increase the risk for disease. Experts say when inflammation becomes chronic it can damage heart valves and brain cells, trigger strokes, and promote resistance to insulin, which leads to diabetes. It also is associated with the development of cancer.
Much of the research on chronic inflammation has focused on fighting it with drugs, such as cholesterol-lowering statins for heart disease. A growing body of research is revealing how abdominal fat and an unhealthy diet can lead to inflammation. Some scientists are investigating how certain components in foods might help. Dietary fiber from whole grains, for instance, may play a protective role against inflammation, a recent study found. And dairy foods may help ease inflammation in patients with a combination of risk factors.The Wall Street Journal
Chronic inflammation is perhaps best understood in its relation to cardiovascular disease. The immune system’s white blood cells rush to the arteries when the blood vessels are besieged by low density lipoprotein, or LDL—the “bad” cholesterol. The cells embed themselves in the artery wall and gobble up the invading cholesterol, causing damage to the arteries that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
“You need to have inflammation when you have a wound and the immune system goes in to heal it. Yet we don’t want too much inflammation in our system causing damage to our arteries” and other harm, says Wendy Weber, a program director at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health.
One significant discovery concerns obesity and the ways it promotes inflammation. Fat cells, particularly those in the visceral fat that settles in the belly and around organs, were long thought merely to store excess weight. Instead, fat cells act like small factories to churn out molecules known as cytokines, which set inflammation in motion, says Peter Libby, chief of the division of cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School.
“We’ve learned that abdominal fat tissue is a hotbed of inflammation that pours out all kinds of inflammatory molecules,” Dr. Libby says. The most important step patients can take is to lose excess weight, which can reduce inflammation in a matter of weeks or months, he says.
A substance known as C-reactive protein, measured with a simple blood test, is an indicator of inflammation in the body. A report published in Archives of Internal Medicine in 2007, which analyzed results of 33 separate studies, found that losing weight can lower C-reactive protein levels. For each one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of weight loss, whether by dieting, exercise or surgery, the mean reduction in C-reactive protein among participants was 0.13 milligram per liter.
According to the American Heart Association, a C-reactive protein level of less than 1 mg/L indicates a low risk of cardiovascular disease, 1 to 3 mg/L indicates moderate risk, and greater than 3 mg/L equals high risk. Doctors increasingly are ordering the test for patients at moderate risk for heart disease.
At a meeting in Quebec City last week on abdominal obesity and its health risks, experts in cardiology, endocrinology, nutrition and related specialties presented a wide range of new research linking obesity to inflammation-related diseases.
A number of nutritionists and physicians have developed anti-inflammatory diets. Christopher Cannon, a Harvard professor of medicine, co-wrote “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Anti-Inflammation Diet.” Dr. Cannon says his recommended diet is based on both the Mediterranean diet and a Healthy Eating Pyramid developed at Harvard University. This encourages consuming whole-grain foods, unsaturated fats such as plant oils, fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, poultry, eggs and moderate amounts of dairy foods. It also suggests avoiding as much as possible red meat, butter, sweets and white foods such as rice, potatoes and pasta.
Still, there is little evidence to support any specific diet to protect against inflammation, says Dr. Cannon. “If you weigh 300 pounds and eat healthy, the weight will still counter any beneficial foods you are eating,” Dr. Cannon says.
The American Heart Association recommends consuming both omega-3 fatty acids, found in cold-water fish like salmon and canola oil, and omega-6 fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils such as corn oil. But investigators are still studying the roles each may play in promoting or controlling inflammation.
In one study, researchers at Vanderbilt University are focusing on whether omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of colorectal cancers and diminish the production of inflammatory molecules. Principal investigator Harvey Murff says many Americans consume far more omega-6 fatty acids, and one aim is to determine a healthy balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Greater dietary fiber consumption was associated with lower levels of C-reactive protein and other markers in the blood that signal inflammation, according to a new study involving nearly 600 adolescents published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Norman Pollock, a researcher at Georgia Health Sciences University and a co-author of the study, says one explanation may be that fiber is associated with higher levels of a protein hormone that improves insulin sensitivity, which in turn lowers levels of inflammation.
A combination of nutrients found in dairy food may also help ease inflammation in patients at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. In a 40-patient study published last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, patients who were given 3½ servings of dairy daily over 12 weeks showed reductions in several markers of inflammation compared with a group given just half a serving of dairy per day. The first group also showed reduced blood pressure. Michael Zemel, a co-author of the study and professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee’s Department of Nutrition, says three daily servings of dairy containing whey and its nutrients could help guard against inflammation. He recommends low-fat milk or yogurt.
New research funded by the National Institutes of Health is looking at the relationship of diet, inflammation and cancer.
“Cancer is caused by many different processes and inflammation is one of them, and if you could inhibit that process it would be tremendously helpful,” says Young S. Kim, program director in the Nutritional Science Research Group at the National Cancer Institute.
Yummy – I love Kale Chips!
Ingredients
- 1 head kale, washed and shake to dry
- Spray olive oil
- Sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Remove the ribs from the kale and cut or tear into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and spray with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp,turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food.
Alturnatively keep the heat out of the kitchen and put the stifling heat in the car to good use.
I placed the baking dish on my dashboard of my car. I had planned to check on it after a couple of hours but forgot until it was time to pick the children up from camp at 3pm. The chips were crispy and delicious, I put the baking tray on the rear seat to bring in when we got home.
In the 10 mins it took to drive…
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Six natural remedies to help relieve migraines
Balance Work and Play
Being healthy means you have Balance in your life. Mix it up with fun healthy activities that can help you burn calories and put a smile on your face too!
Hey! Forget about what you think I’m going to say here. You’re thinking that I’m going to tell you to schedule more play time, do less work time. Well, that might be a good idea, but that’s not what I’m going to talk about. Turns out that the type of play you choose can help you out at work. Intrigued?
If you’ve gone to college, been away at a retreat, or spent much of any time in the business world, you’ve likely taken some sort of self-assessment that has labeled you as “ENFP” or “Yellow” or told you that you have a “Driver” personality. And while that is interesting, particularly in relation to how those around you differ from you, what else did you learn to do with the information? Unfortunately, in the context of these learning events there is rarely time to delve much deeper. Here’s one way to…
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Salmon Burgers with Fresh Dill Sauce – Yummy
Click here for the recipe for Salmon Burgers with Fresh Dill Sauce.
(You can substitute Gluten Free buns or pockets)
Exercise – oxygen flowing – body – brain – health
© Photographer Phil Date | Agency: Dreamstime.com
Exercise can lower blood pressure, relieve stress creating happiness hormones, as we all know it also helps us to loose weight and build muscles. They have used exercise for treatment of depression, cancer, arthritis and joint problems, muscle tension, osteoporosis, traumatic stress, lowers hight blood pressure, boosts energy, improves your sex life and your mood. So how can you loose, it only offers you lots of benefits (unless of course you over exercise and don’t do warm ups, you could pull a muscle or too).
Check out this Upper Overhead Shoulder Press exercise from Maximized Living, with their Surge training 20 seconds on 20 seconds off program, you get Maximized Results in Minimized time!
Upper Flyset Press exercise
More Quickset exercises from Maximized living: http://www.maximizedliving.com/Fitness/QuickSets.aspx
Click here to check out the MaxT3 exercise DVDs or here to find out more about MaxT3 exercising.
Lemon-Garlic Stuffed Baby Eggplant Maximized Living Maximized Living Blog
Lemon-Garlic Stuffed Baby Eggplant Maximized Living Maximized Living
Remove foil and roast for 5 more minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with pan juices.
#JustForTheMoment from Twitter – Positive Happy Thoughts for everyone
#JustForTheMoment I am I am thinking and sending #PositiveHappyThoughts to everyone. ☯ (◠‿◠) ☯ Join me, think and share positivity. :-)) ☼✵✩
— Cynthia FletcherDust (@Cynthiasfd) June 28, 2012
Positivity helps us all be healthier people!!
Water – Fluoride Action Network Cleaning up the Water and The movie Tapped/whats happening to our water can we afford it?
Chemicals/toxins in our water affects our health and our brains.
Health Liberty Anniversary: Fluoride Action Network – cleaning up our water.
Water is so important to our bodies and our health. Major Progress at Eliminating Fluoride in Water Supplies by Fluoride Action Network is happening!
You might also check out http://tappedthemovie.com/ discover what is happening too our water and can we really afford to let it keep happening?
Watch the Trailer:
NaturalNews: Regional Organic Farming – Communities Sharing
NaturalNews: Regional Organic Farming.
Organic and home growing produces healthier fruits and veggies, they help to fight off various diseases and mental problems. Switching to organic foods and adding exercise helps people to lower drugs costs. Support your local growers.
Juice Up To Power Up – 7 Super Juicy (And Easy) Recipes | FinerMinds
Hard to choose from these 7 recipes they all sound yummy to me!
1. Mixed Berry & Beet Smoothie
2. Banana Almond Flax Smoothie
3. Smooth Me Better Booster
4. Avocado Coconut Smoothie
5. Jojo’s Green Hulk
6. Carrot & Papaya With Hazelnut & Pistachios
7. Prostate Protector
Click Here for the recipes: Juice Up To Power Up – 7 Super Juicy (And Easy) Recipes | FinerMinds.
Being Kind to ourselves – is creating a healthy body and mind!
We’re all guilty of it. Self-sabotage is one of the easiest games in the book. We reprimand ourselves for embarrassments long gone by or tell our instinct to hush up because we “couldn’t possibly be right.” We come upon an idea and as soon as it begins to take shape, we shoot it down because of a fear of reproach, inability to follow through, potential reactions from those around us, the list goes on. But how to escape this recursive cycle of not-so-supportive thoughts? The first step is to recognize that two little voices are competing for stage time in your head: that of a dreamer and that of a downer. The trick is to be able to distinguish which voice has the mic when the self-talk starts up and to learn how to balance this duality.
The Downer Voice
It is important to see that the “downer voice” is…
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Twitter / Cynthiasfd: #JustForTheMoment I am wishing everyone a happy joyful Wednesday!
Twitter / Cynthiasfd: #JustForTheMoment
#JustForTheMoment I am wishing everyone a happy joyful Wednesday. Join me in spreading happiness and joy.♬♡ ☯ (◠‿◠) ☯☼ ❀.
We all need that extra boost of Happiness and Joy in our lives every once in a while. (◠‿◠). Have a great rest of the day!
Dr. Ben Tonight – Dial In for Arthritis / Joint Health Education
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Health Education Training Schedule
Presented by Eniva Nutraceutics™
WHEN: WEDNESDAYS: 7:30 pm (CST)
WHERE: LIVE CALL-IN TRAINING: 605-475-4464 passcode: 471712#
To access the training materials used on tonight’s call, Wednesday, June 20, 2012, at 7:30 pm Central, please click on the link below:
http://www.eniva.com/Doc/NutritionalSupportJoint.pdf
Please see your Personal Online Office for individual Product Fact Sheets and additional information.
FREE Health Education Seminars with Medical Doctors and special guest speakers.
Learn how to “Reclaim Your Health” during the summer of 2012.
DATE & EDUCATION TOPICS
Wednesday, June 20, 2012:
ARTHRITIS/JOINTS – Education & Nutritional Support w/ Dr. Ben Baechler
Wednesday, July 11, 2012:
FIBROMYALGIA/CHRONIC FATIGUE – Education & Nutritional Support
Wednesday, July 18, 2012:
HIGH CHOLESTEROL – Education & Nutritional Support
Wednesday, July 25, 2012:
DIABETES – Education & Nutritional Support
Wednesday, August 1, 2012:
WEIGHT LOSS – Education & Nutritional Support
Wednesday, August 8, 2012:
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE – Education & Nutritional Support
Wednesday, August 15, 2012:
FAMILY HEALTH – Poisons in the Home Education
Wednesday, August 22, 2012:
ACID REFLUX – Education & Nutritional Support
Wednesday, August 29, 2012:
OSTEOPOROSIS – Education & Nutritional Support
Fall Schedule Published in August 2012.
To Print Out Education Schedule > Click Here
For more information, please contact:
Email – info@cynthiashealthhut.com
Click here to Purchase ENIVA Whole Food Supplement products now