FutureVigil (tm) » health and wellness

EATING BROWN RICE CAN LOWER DIABETES RISK

Jeffrey Newman — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 22:30:12 +0000

A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health assessed rice consumption and diabetes risk of 39,765 men and 157,463 women and concluded that those who consume two or more servings of brown rice per week were associated with an 11% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabates. Brown rice, a whole grain is high in fiber and nutrients. Eating white rice increases the risk for diabetes, according to the study. The studies did rely on self-reported surveys. Scientists say that the brown rice eaters may benefit from the lower glycemic index of brown rice and it also contains important nutrients, especially magnesium that are stripped in the refining process.

Large number public wells have harmful contaminants

Jeffrey Newman — Mon, 24 May 2010 09:33:16 +0000

Here is information that we should worry about from a new study by the U.S. Geological survey and written about in ScienceDaily. More than 20% of untreated water samples from 932 public wells around the country contain at least one contaminant dangerous to human health. In some instances, the contaminants included radon and arsenic but also gasoline chemicals, herbicides, insecticides and dolvents. The study did not assess pharmaceuticals or hormones.

Vitamin B 12 may help to prevent brain shrinkage

Jeffrey Newman — Sun, 23 May 2010 18:21:02 +0000

Having higher vitamin B12 levels may protect against brain shrinkage in elderly people, according to a recently published study.The researchers called their findings striking, but said more information is needed before recommending that people take vitamin B12 supplements to guard against the loss of brain volume and possibly prevent declines in thinking and memory. In the study led by David Smith and Anna Vogiatzoglou of the University of Oxford in Britain, people in the upper third of vitamin B12 levels were six times less likely to experience brain shrinkage than those in the lowest third. The study involved 107 healthy people ages 61 to 87 who underwent scans to measure brain volume and gave blood samples to assess vitamin B12 levels once a year for up to five years. All of those in the study had vitamin B12 levels classified in what is considered the normal range, the researchers said. “Our study suggests, but does not prove, that by modifying our vitamin B12 status we might be able to protect our brain and so possibly prevent cognitive decline,” said Smith, who heads the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Aging.The study, published in the journal Neurology, did not look at whether taking vitamin B12 supplements would slow the rate of brain shrinkage, Smith said. Another study in which he is involved focuses on that question, with the results expected in 2009, Smith added.
“So, we think it is too early to advise people to take B12 supplements to prevent their brains from shrinking,” he said. “What we can say is that our results suggest that rather than maintaining one’s B12 at a level that is just above the cut-off for deficiency, it might be prudent to aim to keep it higher up the normal range,” Smith said by e-mail.
Smith said that could be achieved by eating plenty of foods that are a good source of vitamin B12 such as milk and other dairy products, fish, meat and fortified breakfast cereals.
Vitamin B12 helps in the formation of red blood cells and is important for the maintenance of the central nervous system. Deficiency can lead to anemia and neurological damage.
Smith said another study from Oxford that came out last year showed that lower vitamin B12 levels — but still within the normal range — were linked to cognitive impairment and a higher risk of later cognitive decline.
“More research is needed into the relationship between nutrition and the brain, in particular dementia,” Smith said.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is uncommon in developed countries but is an issue among the elderly due to problems in vitamin absorption and among vegetarians whose dietary intake may be low, the researchers said. But it is a serious problem in less developed parts of the world, Smith said, noting that in India about 70 per cent of the people are vitamin B12 deficient.A separate study led by Harvard University scientists in the journalNature Genetics showed that common variations of a gene called FUT2 influence B12 vitamin levels in the blood

Spicing your Meat May Cut Cancer Risk

Jeffrey Newman — Thu, 20 May 2010 12:19:29 +0000

Spices used to enhance the taste of meats may also cut fown on the risks of compounds that cause cancer, produced when muscle foods, such as ground beef patties are grilled, boiled or fried. The compound produced, heterocyclic amines (HCA) increase the risk for colorectal, stomach, lung, pncreatic, mammary and prostate cancers. In a study done at Kansas State University, researchers found that certain spices containing natural antioxidants reduce HCA levels by 40% when applied to meat during cooking. The three most effective spices for reducing HCA were found to be tumeric, rosemary and fingerroot. Previous research showed that some commercial rosemary extracts, available on the internet, can inhibit HCA formation by 61-79%.

BRAN LINKED TO LOWER TYPE 2 DIABETES RISK IN WOMEN

Jeffrey Newman — Mon, 17 May 2010 17:36:48 +0000

A new Harvard study conducted on women has revealed that a diet rich in whole grains, particularly bran, may be a way to cut the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or dying prematurely. Researchers from Harvard and The Brigham & Women’s Hospital followed more than 7,822 women who had type 2 diabetes. Based on earlier findings that whole grain, cereal fiber and bran might reduce inflammation and protect the lining of blood vessels, the researchers divided subjects into groups based on how much of those foods they ate. After 36 years, adjusting for factors such as smoking, exercise and weight, the study found that women in the top bran-consuming group had a 35% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and 28% lower risk of death from other causes compared to the women who ate the least bran.

Lack of Omega 6 Linked to Severe Dermatitis

Jeffrey Newman — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:32:33 +0000

Omega 6, arachidonic acid, an essential amino acid, appears to be critical to the health of skin and probably many other tissues in the body, according to scientific studies. Our bodies make arachidonic acid from linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that we must obtain through our diets. It is found mainly in vegetable oils.

Scientists have long attributed healthy skin function to linoleic acid, which is important because it provides the lipids that coat the outer layer of the skin, keeping the body from losing water and energy, which would retard growth, the scientist said.

But skin function seems to be more complicated than that. These itchy mice had plenty of linoleic acid. They just couldn’t convert it to arachidonic acid because the gene to make the necessary enzyme had been knocked out, he noted.

Arachidonic acid is also essential to the production of prostaglandins, compounds that can lead to inflammatory reactions and are important to immune function. Common painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen work by inhibiting the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins.

The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Lipid Research. Co-authors are Chad K. Stroud, Takayuki Y. Nara, Manuel Roqueta-Rivera, Emily C. Radlowski, Byung H. Cho, Mariangela Segre, Rex A. Hess, and Wanda M. Haschek, all of the U of I, and Peter Lawrence, Ying Zhang, and J. Thomas Brenna of Cornell University. Funding was provided in part by a USDA National Needs Fellowship Award and a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Things to do to raise your good cholesterol

Jeffrey Newman — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:18:24 +0000

Many studies have been done on increasing a person’s good cholesterol, which serves to remove bad lipids from your arteries. 1) Increase soluble fibers such as fruits, vegetables and oatmeal; 2) drink low fat cranberry juice; 3) lose weight; 4) exercise aerobically; 5) eat flaxseed; 6) drink alcohol in moderation; 7) eat one half of a raw onion daily.

YOGA REDUCES CYTOKINE LEVELS WHICH PROMOTE INFLAMMATION

Jeffrey Newman — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:26:22 +0000

Regularly practicing yoga lowers a number of compounds in the blood and reduces inflmmation of both normal aging and stress, according to a major new study done at Ohio State. Women who regularly practice yoga lower the cytokine interleukin-6(IL6) which is an important part of the body’s imflammatory response and has been heavily implicated in heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, arthritis and a host of age related disorders. The participants engaged in the yoga and were fitted with a catheter in one arm and blood samples were taken several times during during the sessions. Co-author Lisa Christian, Ass. Prof of Psychology Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Rob Glaser Professor of Molecular virology say that the results are clear but the reasons for the benefits of reduction in inflammation need to be understood.

Bioshock 2 video game and what it says about the future

Jeffrey Newman — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:27:15 +0000

I am a video game lover. Not an addict-yet, a lover. For those who have seen SHUTTER ISLAND the world inside my head is like that inside the head of Leonardo DiCaprio. Worth seeing. I dream of games which will, by their sheer brilliance and capacity to understand societal dilemmas, lift us from our downward spiral. Instead, we get more shooter games. Bioshock creators have the ability to do more–their concepts are so unique and interesting. An underwater city where brilliant scientific minds are allowed to flourish. An advanced utopian creation gone awry. So we must shoot and kill. Here’s what I think. The video game population will unite and demand more…something greater than a blast em sock em immersion, because there is more for them–something far deeper and a capacity to unify the 100 million users world wide towards greater goals. A great convergence of brain power as the world as never seen. Players of Bioshock unite. take back the night. VIDEO GAME DEVELOPERS–CONSIDER THE AWSOME POTENTIAL YOU HAVE AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES TO MAKE REAL CHANGE IN THE WORLD. LOOK AHEAD. HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE BEFORE YOUR SHOOTER FORMATS ARE REJECTED?

Top Potential Medical Breakthrough Gamechangers for 2010

Jeffrey Newman — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:53:06 +0000

1. HIV Vaccine: Researchers have deciphered two antibodies produced by some HIV patients which have neutralized many HIV strains. These are far more potents than the four previously discovered and may be specific to the developing world where 95% of the new cases happen. The current focus is on creating a vaccine active ingredient to produce antibodies. 2. Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Oncologists are now prescribing exercise for their patients as it boosts survival and lowers recurrence rates. Brisk walking 3 hours a week lowered breast and colon cancer mortality by 50%. 3. Alzheimer’s treatment: Researchers at West Virginia have developed a test and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease relating to a defectuve ezyme involved in memory function. Low doses of the chemo drug bryostatin reactivated these defective enzymes restoring memory. Human clinical trials are starting this year. 4. Heart Attack Prevention: A prescription drug Lovaza is FDA approved to treat high triglycerides and has 3-4 more EPA and DHA forms of Omega 3 as usually found in fish oils.