Category: Health Conditions

High folate intake associated with lower incidence of hearing loss in men

The men with intake of folate from food and supplements was among the highest 20 percent of participants
had a 21 percent reduction in the risk of developing hearing loss compared with those in the lowest
fifth.

Research study conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found a protective effect for the folate (which converts to vitamin B9 in the liver) against the development of hearing loss in older men. This study analyzed 3,559 men over 60 who developed hearing loss.

The men with a higher intake of folate from food and supplements was among the highest 20 percent of participants had a 21 percent reduction in the risk of developing hearing loss compared with those in the lowest
fifth.

See more information on nutrients and diet for vision preservation.

Whole Grains, Garlic & Acupuncture Lower High Blood Pressure

Eating lots of whole grains could ward off high blood pressure, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In the study, men with the highest whole-grain consumption were 19 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than men who ate the least amount of whole grains.

Whole Grains Lower Blood Pressure

Eating lots of whole grains could ward off high blood pressure, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In the study, men with the highest whole-grain consumption were 19 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than men who ate the least amount of whole grains.

While refining grains removes their outer coating, whole grains retain their bran and germ, so they are richer in many nutrients, Dr. Alan J. Flint of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and his colleagues note in their report.

The most recent US guidelines recommend that people get at least 3 ounces, or 85 grams, of whole grains daily, and that they consume at least half of their grains as whole grains.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 2009

Acupuncture Lowers Blood Pressure

Researchers have determined that acupuncture can be employed to significantly lower both diastolic and systolic blood pressure as effectively as aggressive lifestyle changes and anti-hypertensive medications.

Published: Circulation, June 2007

Garlic Lowers Blood Pressure

Another study shows that the regular intake of aged garlic can help lower blood pressure.

Australian researchers publishing in Maturitas say that people with a systolic pressure (the “top” number) of over 140 can be helped by taking 960 mg of encapsulated garlic extract.

Editor’s Note: Nutrients that help lower high blood pressure include coleus forskohlii, omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, Vitamin C, Taurine and Arginine for example. See more information on lowering blood pressure naturally.

Insufficient levels of vitamin D puts elderly at increased risk of dying from heart disease

Insufficient levels of vitamin D puts elderly at increased risk of dying from heart disease, based on new study recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age. The research, just published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, evaluated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older. The study found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin, with approximately 1/3 of seniors considered to be deficient in vitamin D.

Editor’s note: Vitamin D3 is the form best absorbed in a supplement. See more information on nutrients and health conditions.

Factors Contributing to Women’s Hair Loss

Most female-pattern baldness is inherited. Other causes of hair loss include: illnesses such as diabetes, lupus and thyroid disease, medications, medical treatments, recent severe flu, childbirth, hair treatments or scalp infection.

Most female-pattern baldness is inherited. Other causes of hair loss include:
– illnesses such as diabetes, lupus and thyroid disease
– poor nutrition – Fad diets, crash diets and certain illnesses, such as eating disorders, can cause poor nutrition.
– Medications. Certain drugs used to treat gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems and high blood pressure may cause hair loss in some people. Also, the acne medication Accutane contributes to hair loss. Taking birth control pills also may result in hair loss for some women
– Medical treatments. Undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy may cause you to develop alopecia. After your treatment ends, your hair typically begins to regrow.
– Recent high fever, severe flu or surgery. You may notice you have less hair three to four months after events such as an illness or surgery.
– Childbirth – Some women experience an increase in hair loss several months after delivering a baby. This increased hair loss usually corrects itself.
– Hair treatments. Chemicals used for dyeing, tinting, bleaching, straightening or perming can cause hair to become damaged and break off if they are overused or used incorrectly. Excessive hairstyling or hairstyles that pull your hair too tightly also can cause some hair loss.
– Scalp infection. Infections such as ringworm can invade the hair and skin of your scalp, leading to hair loss. Once infections are treated, hair generally regrows. Ringworm, a fungal infection, can usually be treated with a topical or oral antifungal medication.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Editor’s Notes: From a Chinese medicine perspective, loss of head hair for both men and women can be related to Kidney Qi Deficiency, which can result from excess stress, poor diet and/or chronic lack of sleep for example.

For an excellent Chinese based Kidney tonic (and eye tonic)  see Vision Tone Formula

Vitamin C protects the skin

Research conducted at the University of Leicester in England, reported this year in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in vitamin C’s ability to help heal and protect the skin. The vitamin is an essential cofactor for the synthesis of collagen, the predominant protein in skin and other connective tissue.

Research conducted at the University of Leicester in England, reported this year in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in vitamin C’s ability to help heal and protect the skin. The vitamin is an essential cofactor for the synthesis of collagen, the predominant protein in skin and other connective tissue.

This research is particularly relevant for skin disease due to sun damage, and that scientists now believe that the free radical theory of disease also applies to the aging of the skin. Free radicals are unstable small molecules generated by an oxygen environment which require stabilization by the body’s antioxidant system.

Editor’s Note: Numerous peer review research studies show the benefits of vitamin C for anti-aging, strengthening the immune system and preventing eye disease. For more information on overall body and eye health through a healthy diet and lifestyle, go to Natural Eye Care for Better Vision and Overall Health.

Can Eating Dark Chocolate Lower the Risk of Fatal Heart Attacks?

Researchers in Sweden have recently published a study assessing the long-term effects of chocolate consumption on patients with established coronary heart disease.

In the study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers followed 1169 non-diabetic patients hospitalized with a confirmed first heart attack between 1992 and 1994 in Stockholm County, Sweden. Participants completed a questionnaire on their usual chocolate consumption over the preceding 12 months and underwent a health examination 3 months after discharge. Participants were followed for 8 years.

Participants who consumed chocolate twice a week or more were almost 70% less likely to die from future heart attacks than those who rarely ate it. This affect was not found with other sweets.

Study authors noted that this affect is found with only with dark chocolate, high in flavonoids and polyphenols, rather than milk or white chocolate.

SOURCE: Chocolate consumption and mortality following a first acute myocardial infarction: the Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program, Janszky, et al, Journal of Internal Medicine, Volume 266 Issue 3, Pages 248 – 257

New Study Shows Role of Role of Reactive Oxygen in the Spreading of Cancer

Scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in California say they’ve discovered reactive oxygen plays a key role in cancer metastasis.

The researchers, led by Professor Sara Courtneidge, said they determined reactive species, such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, help form invadopodia which are cellular protrusions implicated in cancer cell migration. They found inhibiting reactive oxygen reduces invadopodia formation, thereby limiting cancer cell invasion.

Editor’s Notes: In aerobic organisms like humans, oxygen is converted to water at the end of the respiratory chain in the mitochondria. Mitochondria are the “power plants” in our cells that provide the energy needed to maintain normal body function and metabolism. However, in this same mitochondria respiratory chain, oxygen is “partially reduced” to form superoxide.

Antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C and E, superoxide dismutase, and carotenoids such as alpha and betacarotene, lutein and zeaxanthin help protect us by neutralizing reactive oxygen molecules and other free radicals.

For more information on natural approaches for helping preserve overall health and vision, go to www.naturaleyecare.com

New Recommendations for Daily Sugar Consumption

How much sugar can you safely eat in a day?

The answer is probably less than you think.

Although Americans are used to eating more than 22.2 teaspoons (or 355 calories) of added sugar a day, the recommended limit is 10 teaspoons, or 100 calories a day. A new study published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association (AHA) gives consumers detailed guidance on sugar consumption by recommending an upper limit on added-sugars intake.

Added sugars are sugars and syrups added to foods during processing or preparation as well as those added at the table. This does not include naturally sweet foods such as fruit.

Excessive consumption of sugars has been linked with several metabolic abnormalities and adverse health conditions, as well as with a lack of essential nutrients.

The AHA report also noted:

  • An upper limit for added sugars should be no more than half your discretionary calories.
  • Most American women should consume no more than 100 calories of added sugars per day; most men, no more than 150 calories. That’s about 6 teaspoons of added sugars a day for women and 9 for men.
  • Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet. A 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 130 calories and 8 teaspoons of sugar.

The AHA recommends a diet that is rich in fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, high-fiber whole grains, lean meat, poultry and fish in order to reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin E supplementation may slow Alzheimer’s disease

An analysis of “real-world” clinical data indicates that vitamin E, and
drugs that reduce generalized inflammation, may slow the decline of mental and physical abilities in
people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) over the long term.

An analysis of “real-world” clinical data indicates that vitamin E, and drugs that reduce generalized inflammation, may slow the decline of mental and physical abilities in
people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) over the long term.

Dr. Alireza Atri, at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the VA Bedford Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, led the National Institutes of Health-sponsored research. The findings, reported at the annual meeting of the American Geriatrics Society in Chicago, stem from data on 540 patients treated at the MGH Memory Disorders Unit.

All of the patients were receiving standard-of-care treatment with a drug intended to help patients with Alzheimer’s. As part of their clinical care, 208 patients also took vitamin E but no
anti-inflammatory, 49 took an anti-inflammatory but no vitamin E, 177 took both vitamin E and an anti-inflammatory, and 106 took neither.

While the daily dose of vitamin E ranged from 200 to 2000 units, the majority of patients were given high doses that ranged from 800 units daily to 1000 units twice daily.

See more related information on Alzheimer’s Disease and nutrients.

Acupuncture and Headache Treatment

Acupuncture can effectively relieve headaches, as well as treat their underlying causes. In fact, headaches are one of the conditions most commonly seen in acupuncture clinics today. It can offer powerful relief without the side effects that prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause.

Temples: Gall-Bladder Meridian (Liver-Yang, Liver-Fire or Liver-Wind Rising)
Behind the Eyes: Liver Meridian (Liver Blood Deficiency, Liver Yang Rising)
Forehead: Stomach Meridian (Stomach Deficiency or Stomach-Heat)
Back of Head (Occipital): Bladder Meridian (Kidney Deficiency or Damp-Heat in the Bladder) or External Wind
Two separate systematic reviews by Cochrane Researchers show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for prevention of headaches and migraines.

British Medical Journal, July 2005
Acupuncture for tension-type headache. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD007587 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007587
Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2009, Issue 1. Art.No.: CD001218 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001218.pub2

Learn more about <a href=”https://www.naturaleyecare.com/health-conditions/migraine-headaches/”>migraines and headaches</a>.