Which Came First - The Chicken Or The Campylobacter?

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 26 2005

The "juice" that always seems to leak out of those packages of fresh chicken you bring home from the supermarket can make a big mess on your kitchen counter. But more importantly, the juice can pose a hazard to your health. Nasty microbes called Campylobacter jejuni can live in that liquid and on the skin of fresh, uncooked poultry.

Thoroughly cooking chicken --- by grilling, frying, roasting, or baking --- kills this food-poisoning microbe. But if you accidentally splash some of the raw juice on food that you'd planned to eat uncooked, such as leafy greens for a fresh salad, you'd be wise to throw them out. Here's why: If the microbe takes hold on those greens, as it is very adept at doing, you might be in for a case of campylobacteriosis food poisoning that you won't soon forget.

Campylobacter is thought to be the leading cause of bacterial food poisoning in humans and is likely the perpetrator of more than 400 million cases of diarrhea every year.

Some persons who are infected with Campylobacter don't have any symptoms at all, according to the US department of health. In persons who are already ill, Campylobacter occasionally spreads to the bloodstream and causes a serious life-threatening infection.

New research by ARS microbiologists Mark Berrang and Richard Meinersmann suggests the source of the bacterium Campylobacter on poultry farms and in processing plants could be in the birds' lungs... and it doesn't disappear after scalding.

In a commercial processing plant, researchers collected ten carcasses on each of three days, before and after scalding. They rinsed the entire carcasses and respiratory tracts and took samples for Campylobacter, E. coli and other bacteria.

The results showed the same type of Campylobacter were in the carcass and respiratory tract samples. The number and type of Campylobacter in the respiratory tracts remained the same before and after scalding, the scientists found.

"This suggests the respiratory tract is an important source of Campylobacter contamination in the interior of the carcass before scalding," they conclude.

The airborne bacteria could be inhaled by the live birds during production or transport, meaning significant levels of the bacteria were already in their respiratory tracts before processing, they state.

Also... according to the ARS, foodborne pathogens like Campylobacter can develop resistance to antibiotic drugs used in raising livestock.

Makes you wonder which came first, the chicken or the Campylobacter, doesn't it?

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

FSA in UK Forms Taskforce to Tackle Food Risk and Recalls

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 26 2005

In the wake of the UK's largest food recall in history which we told you about in February 2005, the UK's Food Standards Agency is now putting together a taskforce to reduce the risk of contamination to food supplies, and to improve risk management in the advent of recalls.

The recall was sparked off when the potentially carcinogenic red colour Sudan 1 was detected in chilli powder used in a batch of Worcester sauce supplied by St.Albans-based firm Premier Foods.

Supplying both retail and industrial ingredient markets, Premier Foods identified 340 customers from their database who may have been supplied with the contaminated Worcester sauce. Over 600 processed food products were removed from the shelves.

Compounding concern, earlier this month the illegal colour Para Red was identified for the first time ever in the UK: to date over 65 products have been recalled due to contamination by this illegal colour.

According to the FSA, key actions for the new task force include: finding practical ways of reducing the likelihood of food contamination incidents occurring, and to identify ways of deciding "on the proportionality of any response."

In addition, the group will apparently seek to "ensure the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in risk management of food contamination incidents are clearly agreed, so that action is taken quickly, effectively and proportionately if incidents do occur."

Kinda makes a person wonder what, if anything, was done about situations like this before?

Think our food is completely safe here in the USA?

Think again. We have a few stories we're working on that will be coming to BLV Health Watch in the future that may startle some of our readers.

Until then... be well and stay healthy.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Fun Facts: A little history on salt.

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 26 2005

Did you know the term "salary" comes from salt?

Salt, our oldest preservative, was extremely rare in the past. So rare, in fact, that it was often used as pay.

Today, salt is so common that restaurants give it away for free, and packaged food often contains so much that it's far too easy to eat too much salt (salt is also known as "sodium").

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

The Trouble With Cataracts...

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 26 2005

Ever since our article went out about my husband's recent driver's license test, we've received quite a few contacts specific to eyes and eyecare.

If you missed the article... briefly, my husband is 48 years old this year and has had to wear glasses ever since 11 years of age, yet thanks to one change in his diet, after 12 months he's now able to drive legally without glasses.

As summer enters the picture where we live, he's also noticed another delightful bonus --- his eye sensitivity to sunlight has almost disappeared.

Although my husband has never had them, one of the most frequent requests for information we received after the article was published was about cataracts.

With that said, I'll provide some brief information here.

But first, if you or someone you know is 35 years of age or older, I believe it is essential to have eye tests regularly. This is an opinion shared by many health care professionals, and one I personally hope you will take seriously as well.

Now let's talk about what cataracts are.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's naturally clear lens. The lens focuses light rays on the retina — the layer of light-sensing cells lining the back of the eye — to produce a sharp image of what we see. When the lens becomes cloudy, light rays cannot pass through it easily, and vision is blurred."

Depending on the size and location of the cataract, you may or may not know it is developing. If it is on the outer edge of the lens, you may not notice a change. As cataracts develop, you may find you have a painless blurring of your vision. Double vision may occur in one eye. Your eyes may be more sensitive to light and glare, making it hard to drive, especially at night. You may find that you have to change your eyeglass prescription more often.

As the cataract gets worse, stronger glasses don't help any more. Your pupil may change colour and be yellowish to white. Cataracts can't usually be seen without proper instruments.

What causes cataracts?

Various conditions can cause cataracts to form: heredity is the determining factor in congenital and juvenile cataracts. Certain eye injuries, chronic diseases such as diabetes or other specific eye diseases can also cause cataracts. By far the most common cause is simply aging. As we grow older, the lens gradually loses its water content and increases in density. These natural processes may set the stage for cataract formation. According to some estimates, by the age of 65 nearly 50% of the population develop the earliest form of cataracts. Some degree of cataract formation is expected in virtually everyone over 70 years of age.

The time required for development of the cataract is anywhere from a few months to many years. It may stop at an early stage of development and vision is then not significantly affected. In other cases, the cataract continues to develop and interferes with vision.

What can you do about cataracts?

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology®: "There are no medications, eyedrops, exercises or glasses that will cause cataracts to disappear once they have formed. Surgery is the only way to remove a cataract. When you are no longer able to see well enough to do the things you like to do, cataract surgery should be considered."

In cataract surgery, the cloudy lens is removed from the eye through a surgical incision. In most cases, the natural lens is replaced with a permanent intraocular lens (IOL) implant.

Though very costly (more than $3.5 billion per year in the U.S. according to one source), cataract surgery is considered by most experts to be an extremely effective treatment... however, in some parts of the world, the need is even more acute than in the U.S., and surgical treatment is not readily available. For this reason, researchers worldwide are trying to find preventatives.

As the aging baby boomer population (the largest market in history) marches forward, I'm sure this is one field of research where you will be hearing plenty of new discoveries in the months and years ahead.

Meanwhile, as in my husband's case, be sure to feed your body what it needs as you age. It can be very rewarding to your health!



Sources And Further Resources:

MayoClinic Cataracts Overview

American Academy of Ophthalmology® - What is cataract surgery?

Kids Health For Parents - Eyes

Brian Leatherbarrow - Condition: Cataracts

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Wednesday, May 25 2005


Looking for a safe all-natural sugar substitute?

Here are 3 different alternatives you can use to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings without laying on the sugar in your diet.

Stevia - This herbal extract, made from the leaves of a plant native to South America, has been used for hundreds of years. It is many times sweeter than sugar, though it has no calories and is safe for use by diabetics. Stevia comes in a powdered or liquid form. In high grade extracts it has a glycemic index of zero and can provide other health benefits.

Xylitol - A naturally occurring sugar alcohol found in many fruits and vegetables, xylitol has the sweetness of sugar with 30% fewer calories. It has very little impact on blood sugar, so is regarded as safe for diabetics. Because one of the benefits of xylitol is that it protects your teeth against cavities, it is added to many toothpastes and mouthwashes - and several companies make excellent flavored gums using this ingredient.

Agave nectar - Agave nectar, produced from the Agave cactus, is sweeter than refined sugar. Though it has a fair number of calories, you use less of it than you would sugar because it is so sweet. Agave also has a low glycemic index and, therefore, a minimal effect on blood sugar. This is probably a sugar alternative to consider for a light touch of sweetness or the occasional treat, but not for use on a daily basis, although many health and wellness practitioners prefer it over Stevia.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

RLS... I'll Bet You'll Be Hearing More About This

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Sunday, May 22 2005

Ever heard of RLS?

The first time my husband heard about it (more than a year ago) he exclaimed, "That's it! That's exactly how I feel."

It's difficult for most people who have RLS to accurately describe it, and as a result most people are misdiagnosed and/or told it's "all in your head."

In medical fields the term RLS stands for Restless Legs Syndrome and according to a recent Yahoo! News article, as many as 8% of Americans suffer from it to some degree.

As the name suggests, RLS give sufferers a strong compulsion to move their legs. It's not always painful, but it is uncomfortable.

Patients describe the sensation as a pulling, tingling or buzzing feeling in the legs. Some say it feels like bugs are crawling on their legs. This usually happens during the early evening or at night.

Most sufferers are middle-aged and older, though RLS does occur in young people. Pregnant women also seem to get it. Women are slightly more likely to get it than men.

If the attacks are infrequent, they're a nuisance. When people get RLS severely, it can impair sleep.

Now the reason I say you'll be hearing a LOT more about this in future is because...

For starters, this is something that appears to affect most people later in life and from what I hear the drug companies are already rubbing their hands together in anticipation of being able to sell even more of their existing drugs to the Baby Boomer market approaching the later years in their lives.

In fact, the Yahoo! article mentioned above talks about one such company who received recent FDA approval for one of their drugs originally approved for Parkinsons, but now approved for RLS as well.

And it was hinted in the article that several other drug companies are taking stock of their existing inventories to see which of their products will work best so they can rush them through the approval process, too.

Is it the "greed" factor rearing its ugly head? Or do they really care about us? Or maybe I'm just a bit too cynical? The answer to these questions are better left for another time and place.

The news article was passed on to me by --- you guessed it --- my husband, with a note attached: "I haven't experienced it in over a year now, thanks to..."

I won't fill in the blank of what helped him. The FDA probably wouldn't approve, since it is an all natural solution that worked for him, and may not necessarily work for the masses ...plus, no clinical studies have been confirmed that it works specifically for this purpose. It was a REAL BONUS for him, and for me... now BOTH of us are getting good sleep!

However, if you're really curious you can always contact us and ask for the full details. We'll be happy to share.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

New DNA Test Tackles Deadly Cereal Disease

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, May 20 2005

Did you know there are at least 16 species of Fusarium that can cause head blight, a disease that can reduce yields and contaminate cereals with toxins that can make grain unsafe for food or feed?

It's news to me!

Well, it's not news to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Peoria, Illinois. And they've been hard at work to deal with the problem...

It looks like they may have developed something that could have dramatic impact on these pathogens. They've developed a new DNA-based test that could make the identification of fungi that cause Fusarium head blight (FHB) in cereal grains far easier to detect.

The test makes it possible for the first time to simultaneously identify all of the major head blight pathogens and predict their toxin profiles.

"FHB became a serious problem in the US in 1993, when over 156 million bushels of wheat and 69 million bushels of barley were lost to FHB in the upper Midwest region alone. Since that time, annual yield losses to due FHB, while declining somewhat from the record year of 1993, have remained high and currently stand at approximately 8 per cent of the crop. From 1998 to 2000, these pathogens accounted for $2.7 billion in losses to U.S. agriculture." - Source: United States Department Of Agriculture

Visual inspection is now used to spot these pathogens, but it cannot be used to identify which of the species is present in a field. To improve detection and epidemiology, the Peoria scientists devised a test that pinpoints "nucleotide variations that genetically distinguish one head blight species from another."

This information is critical to the development of effective disease control strategies, including the production of cereal cultivars with broad resistance to Fusarium head blight pathogens.

Click here to read the full story and learn more about FHB.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Teflon And Toxins - Consider This...

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Wednesday, May 18 2005

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...

If you're cooking with old scratched, chipped, or worn teflon coated non-stick pots and pans --- throw them out.

Here's why...

I received a recent newsletter that contained the following information:

"In recent years, thousands of pet birds have died as a result of being exposed to a different kind of air pollution - from what has been called Teflon toxicosis. It is caused by dangerous particles and gasses that are emitted when Teflon-coated pans and ovens are heated - overly heated, according to DuPont."

• DuPont's studies show that Teflon will break down and release toxic particles at 446°F.


• Anything over 680°F and Teflon will release at least six toxic gasses, including two carcinogens and a chemical lethal to humans, even at low doses.


• Allow the pan to reach 1000°F, and non-stick coatings will release two known chemical warfare agents.

If you choose to cook with Teflon, do NOT pre-heat the pan, and never allow the fluids in the pan to completely cook off. Also, be aware that many ovens are Teflon-coated and the self-cleaning mechanism can raise the temperature well over 500°F.

Safe alternatives include cookware made with stainless steel and cast iron, neither of which emits harmful pollutants.

Click here to learn more about the dangers of Teflon from the Environmental Working Group.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Fun Facts: Natural Sources For Your Vitamin B-6

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Wednesday, May 18 2005

If you know me well enough, then you also know I like to get as much of my energy and health from all natural whole food sources as possible. When I can't... then I supplement.

With this in mind, here's another fun fact for you that includes whole food sources for getting your vitamin B-6.

Did you know bananas, spinach and avocado all contain vitamin B-6? Other foods that deliver B-6 include poultry, fish, meat and beans.

Recent studies on vitamin B-6 will soon reveal how important it is for your health. Keep in mind, B-6 is believed to be more effective in the company of magnesium - they are said to "work together intimately in the body."

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Alcohol Related Brain Damage?

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Tuesday, May 17 2005

You hear it all the time ...moderation is the key when it comes to enjoying alcoholic beverages. Overdo it, and many things can go wrong.

A new study tends to support that things can go wrong for women much faster than they can for men.

Here's an excerpt from an article just released by Beverage.com that I thought you might be interested in...

Researchers in Germany used computed tomography to examine alcohol's effects on the brains of 158 alcoholic men and women.

Their findings support, and build on, former beliefs that gender may play a role in the impact of alcohol: suggesting that alcohol damages women’s brains more readily than men.

Women typically start to drink later in life, consume less per occasion and are, in general, less likely to develop alcohol dependence.

“But there is, in fact, evidence for a faster progression of the developmental events leading to dependence among female alcoholics and an earlier onset of adverse consequences of alcoholism,” says lead researcher Karl Mann, at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

In addition to gender-specific differences for the on-set of alcohol dependence, brain atrophy (waisting away) seems to develop faster in women than men.

The news report further states... "Their findings support previous studies that have found other gender-related consequences of alcohol, such as cognitive deficits, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, myopathy of skeletal muscle, and alcoholic liver disease: all of which occur earlier in women than in men despite a significantly shorter exposure to alcohol."

Again, if you must drink - think moderation.

Stay safe and well.

Source: Drinking damages women's brains faster than men

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

What's Your Mosquito Defense?

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Saturday, May 14 2005

Interesting statistic - there have been 777 cases of West Nile Virus reported in California (23 deaths) and yet, if the CNN news report I recently read is true, only 23 percent of Californians wear insect repellent. Nationwide, only about 40 percent wear insect repellent.

Although the risk of severe illness and death is highest for people over 50 years old, people of all ages can become ill... and the carrier? A tiny mosquito.

What brought my attention to the information in the first place was my 4-year-old son. He often plays out in our yard and just the other day came into the house all excited by the dead bird he had found in the flower garden.

"Mom! Dad! Look!" He was quite excited by his find. The bird --- a native morning dove --- appeared to be in perfect condition ...other than the fact that it was stone cold dead. No broken neck, so we're assuming it didn't fly into anything. No outward signs of wounds or abrasions. No unusual marks on it. In fact, it almost appeared to be asleep.

Dead birds may be a sign that West Nile virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. Over 130 species of birds are known to have been infected with West Nile virus, though not all infected birds will die.

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) seeks everyone's help for their communities by reporting dead birds as one measure to monitor and track the spread of West Nile Virus.

"By reporting dead birds to state and local health departments, you can play an important role in monitoring West Nile virus. State and local agencies have different policies for collecting and testing birds, so check the Links to State and Local Government Sites page to find information about reporting dead birds in your area. Click here for more info about reporting dead birds and dealing with bird carcasses. "

There are other things we can do to mosquito proof our homes and protect ourselves, such as installing or repairing screens on our homes and limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items that hold water.

And then there are mosquito repellents ...and this is where my opinion shifts...

You see, here in the USA they recommend DEET for mosquito repellent. At the end of April/2005 the CDC came out with two more recommendations, repellents containing the chemical picaridin or the oil of lemon eucalyptus.

Now, in Canada when I was a Purchasing Agent for the Ministry, DEET was a banned substance. I wasn't allowed to have any products containing it for use by our people in the field. In fact, even the CDC states to spray DEET on your clothing ...NOT on your skin.

Keeping in mind that your skin is the largest organ on your body, and can absorb almost anything it comes into contact with into your bloodstream in 20 seconds or less ...it just seems to me that we wouldn't want DEET anywhere near our skin, period.

Here's one natural alternative you might want to consider for repelling those nasty mosquitoes this year. It's non-toxic, chemical-free, and part of our home care products - Purifying Mist.

But that's a room deodorizer, you say?

Yes, it's actually quite effective as a room deodorizer and an odor neutralizer. In fact, I like having a bottle handy in the car and have a few handy in the home. (Spray it on your hands after chopping onions and you'll be surprised how effective it can be!)

And yet it has one ingredient that can be very powerful for repelling pesky instects like the mosquito - grapefruit seed extract.

Take a bottle of Purifying Mist with you on your next camping trip and test it for yourself.

Meanwhile ...stay healthy and stay well.



Sources:

CDC - West Nile Virus

CDC - Maps Of West Nile Virus Activity

CNN, April 28, 2005 Report - CDC pushes new mosquito repellents

BLV - Purifying Mist

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Cellulite Assassinators - Goji Berries In The News Again!

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 12 2005

Is Hollywood going crazy for Goji? You bet!!

We've been telling our visitors and readers for some time now about the wide range of powerful benefits goji berries can bring to your diet. An area we haven't really emphasized is weight loss.

But it seems the news is just now hitting the scene in a very BIG way.

Just this past week goji berries hit nationwide television, radio airwaves, and the Internet again. In his latest book, "The Cellulite Solution," celebrity Dermatologist Dr. Howard Murad outlines a new plan of attack to destroy those dreaded lumps and bumps that come from cellulite, and he dispels a few myths about who gets cellulite and why.

Dr. Murad's solutions start with some subtle changes to our diet, including one very exotic fruit. "Goji berries are the most nutritionally-dense foods on the market," he revealed. "I call them cellulite assassinators..."

If you'd like to view the short online movie about it, click here.

Meanwhile, if you haven't added Goji Juice to your daily diet, you now have one more reason to begin drinking it today. Enjoy!!

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

BLV Goes Back To The Pasture - Beef It Up!

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 12 2005

We're lucky enough to live in a small community surrounded by both family owned farms and small to medium sized farming entreprenuers. In fact, one of the farms also owns a small grocery store similar to the old-fashioned general stores from days gone by.

Sure, I could go to one of the larger super slick and convenient huge chain stores for my meat and produce, but here's why I make special trips to this small family-run store instead.

The beef. It's all raised on their own farm... fed from birth on rich green pastures. The result? The most delicious, tender, and quite possibly the healthiest source for beef in our region. Here's why...

Like most of the goods in this country, our meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are now being mass produced.

You see, there are two ways to raise cattle: You can let your herd graze on grass (known as grassfarming), or you can confine the animals in a barn and feed them grain (known as factory farming).

If you want to produce a lot of meat very quickly, factory farming is the way to go. It's easier and less expensive than maintaining a high-quality pasture. However, the grain-fed method is inferior to grassfarming for several reasons, but here's the one I feel is most important: nutrition.

The nutrition profile of meat from animals that are fattened with grain is vastly different from animals that are allowed to graze and are fattened with afternoon hay. One of the key nutritional differences in these two types of meat was demonstrated by a 2002 study from researchers at Perdue University and Colorado State University.

In a previous news item I touched on the subject of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids. Some experts say, the ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 intake is 1:1, other experts say it should be no more than 1:3.

When the Purdue/Colorado team analyzed the omega ratio in the meat of wild elk, mule deer and antelope, they found the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio in these animals to be 1:2 - the same ratio as grass-fed beef. Previous studies have shown that the omega ratio of grain-fed beef runs between 1:5 and 1:13.

In a Perdue University press release, researcher Bruce Watkins noted that the amount of fat in a person's diet isn't as important as the ratio of these specific fats. He adds: "Generally, our modern diets, especially in the past 100 years, have changed to where we're consuming excess amounts of omega-6 fat."

According to eHealth, and another important site I'll tell you about shortly, the omega ratio isn't the only nutritional difference between grain-fed and grass-fed beef. Grain-fed beef delivers more calories, more saturated fat, but LESS vitamin E, beta-carotene and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA - I'll be telling you much more about the important benefits of CLA in future email editions of BLV Health Watch).

But did you know that about 85 percent of all the beef produced in the U.S. is grain-fed? If your local butcher or grocery store happens to carry grass-fed beef, then consider yourself very lucky to have a convenient source.

If you're not so lucky, here's a palce you may want to check out - Eat Wild. In addition to articles and scientific references about the benefits of grassfarming, Eat Wild offers a national directory of farmers who supply grass-fed meat and dairy products directly to consumers. Just click your state on the U.S. map and you'll get full listings for the farmers in your area.

Enjoy!

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Omega-3 And Omega-6... A Little History

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Tuesday, May 10 2005

One of the first associations between omega-3 fatty acids was made by scientists while studying the Inuit (Eskimo) people of Greenland in the 1970s.

As a group, the Inuit suffered far less from certain diseases (coronary heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, psoriasis) than their European counterparts. Yet their diet was very high in fat from eating whale, seal, and salmon.

Eventually researchers realized that these foods were all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which provided real disease-countering benefits.

Researchers in the field of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have since found that without a sufficient supply of polyunsaturated omega-3s, the body will use saturated fat to construct cell membranes. The resulting cell membranes, however, are less elastic, a situation that can have a negative effect on the heart because it makes it harder to return to a resting state.

Also, nutritionists have come to recognize the importance of balancing omega-3 fatty acids with omega-6 fatty acids in the diet. Because most people on a typical Western diet consume far more omega-6-rich foods (including cereals, whole-grain bread, baked goods, fried foods, margarine, and others), the ratio is out of balance for almost everyone. This means for most Americans the emphasis now needs to be on increasing omega-3s to make the ratio more even.

Vitamin E also plays an important role whenever you take any type of fatty acid. Vitamin E is said to help keep the fatty acids from breaking down too rapidly in the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids, which means that they are essential to human health but cannot be manufactured by the body. Therefore, they must be obtained from food.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, there are three major types of omega 3 fatty acids that are ingested in foods and used by the body: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once eaten, the body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids more readily used by the body.

Sidenote: Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation and most omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation.

Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Eating a lot of fish also takes the place of foods rich in saturated fats. Omega-3s are also found in: soybean and canola oils, flaxseed, flaxseed oil, walnuts, and leafy green vegetables.

Sidenote: avoid fish harvested in areas where mercury dangers are high.

According to the AHA, patients taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from supplements should do so only under a physician's care. High intakes could cause excessive bleeding in some people.

So there you have it... a little history on omega-3s and omega-6s.


Sources:

AHA Scientific Study - 2002

University of Maryland Medical Center - Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Swedish Medical Center, Seatle WA - Good Sources of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

AHA - Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Burn Calories Or Lose Fat - If You Had To Choose...

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Monday, May 9 2005

If you had to choose between burning a lot of calories ...or losing body fat... which would you choose?

It probably sounds like a silly question, but an interesting study that was brought to my attention recently surprised me and I thought I should share it with you now.

Humor me, if you will, and consider this:

Did you know that many endurance athletes have body fat percentages ranging from 10% to 20%, while sprinters have a well-muscled physique and usually carry only 4% to 8% body fat?

The University of Quebec performed an interesting study which may explain why... In their study, one group of exercisers cycled for 45 minutes without stopping. Another group exercised for short bursts lasting from 15 seconds to over a minute, with rests in between.

"The long-duration exercisers burned more calories, but the short-duration exercisers lost more fat. In fact, nine times more fat for every calorie burned."

According to researchers in this study (as well as some other highly noted experts in the field) --- endurance exercise does burn a lot of calories and the body burns fat for energy, however... by engaging in moderate-intensity exercise over and over, you are effectively telling your body that you need that fat. To prepare for the next time your body is called on to repeat the activity, it will store more fat.

On the other hand, when you engage in short bursts of high-intensity exercise, your body uses glycogen stored in the muscle tissues for energy. Over time, this conditions your body to store energy in the muscles - rather than as fat. Exercising this way will also cause you to burn more fat during your recovery period, as the glycogen in the muscles is restored.

Now that's something to think about.

Until next time ...stay healthy and be well!


(Sidenote: as my grandmother, may she rest in peace, always used to say... "Any exercise is better than no exercise at all.")

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Utah Dinosaur Bones Reveal Missing Link In Evolution Of Diet

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, May 6 2005

Another interesting article I found (dated May 5, 2005)...

Scientists have discovered a mass graveyard of bird-like feathered dinosaurs in Utah. The previously unknown species provides clues about how vicious meat-eaters related to Velociraptor ultimately evolved into plant-munching vegetarians.

Discovery of the bizarre new species, Falcarius utahensis, is reported in the Thursday May 5 issue of the journal Nature by paleontologists from the Utah Geological Survey and the Utah Museum of Natural History at the University of Utah.

Scientists do not yet know if the creature ate meat, plants or both, says James Kirkland, Utah state paleontologist at the Utah Geological Survey and principal scientist for the new study. But "Falcarius shows the beginning of features we associate with plant-eating dinosaurs, including a reduction in size of meat-cutting teeth to leaf-shredding teeth, the expansion of the gut to a size needed to ferment plants, and the early stages of changing the legs so they could carry a bulky body instead of running fast after prey."

The adult dinosaur walked on two legs and was about 13 feet long (4 meters) and stood 4.5 feet tall (1.4 meters). It had sharp, curved, 4-inch-long (10 centimeter) claws.

Excerpted from a news article found at ScienceDaily.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Need Morphine For Chest Pain? You Might Want Something Else...

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, May 6 2005

Late last night I was glancing through a few online science news sites and tripped across the following article on ScienceDaily. Thought our readers may want to know about it...

While patients hospitalized for a heart attack have long been treated with morphine to relieve chest pain, an analysis by researchers from the Duke Clinical Research Institute has shown that these patients have almost a 50 percent higher risk of dying.

The researchers call for a randomized clinical trial to confirm their analysis. Meanwhile, they advise cardiologists to begin treatment with sufficient doses of nitroglycerin to relieve pain before resorting to morphine.

In their analysis of the clinical data and outcomes of more than 57,000 high-risk heart attack patients -- 29.8 percent of whom received morphine within the first 24 hours of hospitalization -- the researchers found that those who received morphine had a 6.8 percent death rate, compared to 3.8 percent for those receiving nitroglycerin. The increase in mortality persisted even after adjustment for the patients' baseline clinical risk.

Click here to read the full article on their site.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Fun Facts - A Few Statistics and More

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, May 6 2005

#1: The dietary supplements retail market in the United States was worth an estimated $6.48 billion in 2004, according to market researcher Euromonitor.

#2: Dairy Crest, one of the UK's leading dairy processors, has confirmed that it is in "advanced discussions" to acquire one of the UK’s largest regional dairy co-operatives, Tom Armitage reports.

#3: Robert Davey, president of spice company McCormick's global industrial group, has decided to retire at the end of 2006

#4: Last month four savory enhancers, aimed at companies wanting to reduce the amount of monosodium glutamate added to their foods, developed by Senomyx were awarded FEMA (Food and Extract Manufactures Association) GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). The company's savory enhancers activate taste receptors by, they claim, augmenting the flavor of naturally occurring glutamate found in many food and beverage products and therefore reduce - or even eliminate - the amount of MSG necessary to achieve a "savory" taste in foods.

#5: As the deadline for the food allergy bill approaches, new research shows that the peanut testing kits used by the food industry are around 95 percent accurate. In the test, published in the Journal of AOAC International (2005;88(1):156-160), three commercially available ELISA test kits were given the once over to see their accuracy of testing for peanut protein in various foods.

#6: Last month Advocate General Geelhoed of the European Court of Justice ruled that the CODEX directive, which would limit vitamin and mineral supplements to an approved list and see hundreds of widely-used ingredients withdrawn as of August 2005, infringes basic principles of European law and should be rewritten.

#7: MyPyramid, the new food guidance system unveiled by the USDA on April 19, grants that fortified foods can play a part in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. "MyPyramid is about the ability of Americans to personalize their approach when choosing a healthier lifestyle that balances nutrition and exercise," said agriculture secretary Mike Johanns, who unveiled the system.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Calcium Polyp Prevention Study

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Friday, May 6 2005

Few people realize that efforts to demonstrate a connection between calcium intake and a lower risk of colorectal cancer have been underway for at least two decades.



One such study is known as the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study (CPPS) which published their initial results in 1999.

Researchers at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, analyzed data collected from 930 patients enrolled in the Calcium Polyp Prevention Study. All of the study subjects had been diagnosed with colorectal polyps. Divided into two groups, participants received either a 1,200 mg daily supplement of calcium carbonate, or a placebo. Two colonoscopies were conducted approximately one year and four years after each subject's initial exams.

The researchers found that while calcium supplements appear to provide some protection against the development of polyps, the supplements proved most effective against advanced polyps.

Not long ago the research team reported an update to the study.

The Dartmouth team followed up on more than 800 of the original 930 subjects and found that the protective effects of the calcium supplements appeared to continue for at least five years after the supplementation was discontinued. During those five years, polyp risk was reduced by a significantly higher percent than the placebo group.

Most surprising: These risk reductions are greater than the reductions observed immediately after the initial testing. Dr. Baron told Reuters Health that, "there appears to be a delayed, more pronounced suppression of colorectal neoplasia during the five years after treatment."

The type of supplement used in the Dartmouth study was calcium carbonate, which according to Dr. Baron --- the lead researcher for this study --- is the most common, most readily available and least expensive type of calcium supplement. But the carbonate form does have two drawbacks: It's not as well absorbed as some other inorganic forms of calcium, and it binds to most acid.

According to a recent Health Sciences e-alert, some scientists believe that calcium's ability to bind acids may be the very reason it protects against cancer. But binding digestive acids may also result in poor absorption of nutrients and indigestion.

Although the researchers believe it is premature to recommend widespread use of calcium supplements for chemoprevention, they say their research is the second major study that shows the value of calcium in protecting people at risk of developing worrisome polyps.

Sources:

Original Results Abstract (1999) - Calcium Polyp Prevention Study

Medical News Today - April Article

Jackson Gastroenterology Article

Medscape WebMD Article On The Subject Of Calcium And Colon Polyps (membership required to read this)

Dartmouth Medical School - DMS In The News

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

Event - National Toxicology Program Symposium

-- Posted by kmyers001 on Thursday, May 5 2005

The NTP (National Toxicology Program), an interagency program within the Department of Health and Human Services, is considered to be at the forefront of developing and using new methods for testing toxicity to predict hazards to humans.

They will be presenting a new refined strategy that will guide the expansion of the NTP to meet emerging research needs, including examining the potential safety issues related to herbal medicines and supplements, cell phone radiofrequency transmissions, and nanoscale materials.

The strategy will also provide a long-term vision that moves toxicology away from an animal-based enterprise, including developing non-mammalian models.

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) will present its new strategy "A Roadmap for the Future" at a symposium being held Tuesday, May 10: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ...and... Wednesday, May 11: 9:00 a.m. - noon ...at the National Academy of Sciences, 2100 C Street, NW, Washington, DC

"A Roadmap for the Future" defines how NTP will integrate new methodologies with proven approaches to "test smarter."

For more than 25 years, the NTP has made extraordinary progress in evaluating chemicals and other agents that may be toxic to human health and disseminating this information broadly to inform public health decision-making.

For example, through its extensive testing program, the NTP has evaluated over 2500 agents. In addition, the NTP biannually issues the Report on Carcinogens, which in 2005 identified 246 cancer-causing agents, including for the first time viruses like Hepatitis B and C.

For more information and to view the full release, click here.

---

Author: K. Myers (aka kmyers001)
Click Here To Visit Website

---

NEW! Add Our News Feed To Your Website (or myYahoo Page) Today! Keep totally up to date with changes to our website, including the latest and hottest news items with a BLV Health News feed! Simply use the following RSS URL feed for importing to your myYahoo page and/or to your website: http://bestliquidvitamins.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Finally The World's Most Powerful Anti-Aging Food Is Here! Hear what others are saying about Goji Juice! Testimonials Part 1 Testimonials Part 2 Delicious! Nutritious! Himalayan Goji Juice It Doesn't Get Any Better! * 19 amino acids, * B-Complex Vitamins, * more Vitamin C than oranges, * Vitamin E (rare in fruit!), * 4 unique polysaccharides, * richest source of carotenoids, * richer than carrots in beta-carotene, * 21 trace minerals including germainium, * more protein than even whole wheat, * known as the happy berry for mood, * and much much much more! BUY NOW Himalayan Goji Juice is 100% juice - more than two pounds of the most potent goji berries in every bottle - no sugar added!

Currently available in 11 countries! Soon available in more than 40 different countries. Click here for full details. If you would like to help us share this amazing product with the world, click here. 90 Day Empty Bottle Money Back Guarantee! The World's Most Powerful Anti-Aging Food Himalayan Goji Juice Helps You Lose Weight Too! Click Here For More Goji Details!