Author: Hill Castle
It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat that matters. This is what researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) concluded when they found that fasting can cause significant improvements in a person’s blood sugar control, blood pressure and oxidative stress levels. Intermittent fasting is hot, but it is far from being a new topic. For one, many celebrities attribute their weight loss to it. “We know intermittent fasting improves metabolism and health,” said Courtney Peterson, assistant professor at UAB’s Department of Nutrition Sciences and one of the researchers in the study. “However, we didn’t know…
Drinking alcohol in small to moderate amounts can be beneficial to the heart, but it can also cause unwanted side effects. When you drink alcohol, the ethanol breaks down the toxic compound called acetaldehyde. This compound is the reason you get a hangover after excessive alcohol consumption. In addition to morning-after headaches and shakiness, acetaldehyde also binds to DNA, causing mutations that trigger cancer. It also produces reactive oxygen species that cause inflammation and encourage tumor development. Lastly, this toxic compound diminishes amounts of essential vitamins, at the same time interferes with the natural antioxidant defense systems of the body.…
Research published in the European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology revealed yet another sweet benefit of stevia. Known for its natural sweetening properties, stevia was discovered to be a safer and even more effective alternative to conventional, toxic antibiotics in treating Lyme disease. The researchers from the University of New Haven used an alcohol extract derived from stevia leaves, which was then administered to a biofilm of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that acts as a causative agent for Lyme disease. Their findings indicated that the extract was “very effective” in disrupting the biofilm, resulting in a reduction of 40 percent in the…
According to research, eating more vegetables daily can help lower your risk of developing breast cancer by as much as 21 percent. The paper, which was published in the European Journal of Cancer, analyzed various studies via meta-analysis to confirm if women who followed diets high in fruit and vegetables did have a lower risk of developing breast cancer. The analysis also studied how micronutrients, like carotenoids and vitamin C, can protect against breast cancer given their role in antioxidant defense. The researchers noted that according to several studies, “[eating] fruit and vegetables reduces risk of breast cancer and the more consumed, the greater…
Resveratrol is beneficial in the dilation of blood vessels in the brain for people who have Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism. Led by researchers from the University of Newcastle and Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, the study determined the optimum dosage of resveratrol needed to aid in improving vasodilator responses – that is, the widening of blood vessels – in the brain for patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. In particular, people who have Type 2 diabetes are known to have endothelial dysfunction and sub-clinical cognitive impairment. The study built on the…
For better or worse, hamburgers are a ubiquitous feature of American cuisine. It’s in the menu of hole-in-the-wall diners, fast food chains, and even high-end restaurants. That said, it wouldn’t be called a hamburger if it doesn’t have a tender, juicy beef patty to give you that rich, meaty flavor that you can’t find anywhere else. Of course, that doesn’t make burgers any less unhealthy. However, a study in CyTA – Journal of Food could change that: Researchers from the Miguel Hernandez University of Elche in Spain and the Autonomous University of Baja California, together with Mexico’s Research Center for Food and Development, revealed that adding flaxseed flour and…
For years, people diagnosed with the skin problem, eczema, had no other choice but to consistently put topical creams to alleviate their symptoms. Despite their best efforts, the itchy rash typically persists, causing the skin to dry out and sometimes even lead to infections. An ongoing clinical trial led by researchers from the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has potentially good news for all those who suffer from the disease. It appears that the solution lies in the application of live bacteria to the skin. According to the study, positive strains of a bacterium called Roseomonas mucosa or R. mucosa, which naturally lives…
Purchasing vitamins and supplements can be hard, especially for people who do not have a background in medicine. This is due to the complicated and unfamiliar names of vitamins and nutrients printed on packaging. According to DSM Nutritional Products, the long, hard-to-pronounce names are scaring consumers away, specifically because they don’t know exactly what they might be getting. Because of this, the Dutch multinational company filed a citizen petition to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The document forwarded to the food authority agency suggested making an amendment allowing companies to put the simpler and more common name of…
A healthy diet composed of fish, meat, fruits, and vegetables can help curb the risk of many types of diseases. A report from the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed this well-known fact, providing evidence that Mediterranean diet (MD) and Nordic diet (ND) can help prevent a slew of serious health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The authors gathered findings from various references, including books, conference papers, and academic journals. They then reviewed government and health ministry websites to find information on national policies regarding nutrition and healthy diet. The researchers found studies conducted in three countries –…
If you are one of the millions of older Americans who suffer severe reactions to the medication they are taking, you might be wondering by now what your healthcare provider isn’t telling you. An article in Natural Health 365 states that so-called medical professionals are either unaware of the risks of the drugs they recommend or are deliberately keeping those risks hidden. For decades, the pharmaceutical industry and the sick care system have been conniving to force people to take their products. Their actions have been masked by public ignorance, so the official figure of 9.6 million older Americans is much…
While Alzheimer’s disease cannot be cured, it can be prevented through proper nutrition. An article in Natural Health 365 states that one of the natural ways to avoid this and other forms of dementia is to increase your intake of nicotinamide riboside. This is a formulation of vitamin B3, which helps produce and regulate energy levels in cells. Vitamin B3 also helps burn carbohydrates and fats. The human body converts nicotinamide riboside into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The latter form ensures the good health of mitochondria that power cells, promote the repair of damaged cellular DNA, and keeps brain cells…
Known as “gandusha” to Ayurvedic healers, oil pulling is an ideal oral detoxification procedure done by swishing a tablespoon of oil in your mouth for around 20 minutes. The process – as simple as it seems to be – has been observed to dramatically improve oral health and prevent the formation of plaque between teeth. Oil pulling is now being touted as a safe and effective alternative to modern medicines, especially as it offers little to no side effects. A systematic review of the traditional folk remedy discusses just how effective oil pulling is in decreasing the risk of more…
For a lot of women, going into menopause is one of the worst stages in life. With all the symptoms – fatigue, weight gain, moodiness, hot flashes – most of the time, food is the only comfort. However, no matter how tempting that piece of chocolate is, women might want to resist and opt for healthier choices as these can help make the menopausal stage easier to deal with. A recent study showed that eating legumes, peas and green beans, and oily fish – salmon, sardine, and mackerel – can delay the onset of menopause. On the other hand, a diet rich in refined carbs,…
Taking calcium supplements is encouraged for women even before the onset of menopause that causes bone loss. In an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Chinese researchers reported an additional benefit of increasing one’s intake of the bone-loving mineral: Additional calcium can help reduce weight and prevent the onset of obesity for premenopausal women. More than 30 years ago, researchers first discovered an inverse relationship between calcium intake and body weight. Several studies into the matter found that calcium supplements could increase the amount of weight lost during excretion and oxidation of fat, as well as improving the effectiveness…
Food supplementation can, at best, only serve to encourage a person to comply with their diet, as stated in a study published in the Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism. In the paper, researchers from Australia conducted a systematic review of earlier studies to understand how food supplementation affects dietary interventions. In the study, researchers established that overweight individuals require changes in their lifestyle to regulate their weight. One of these changes is nutrition counseling, with meal plans being an ideal method to measure a person’s compliance with their diet and improve their outcome. Researchers used Scopus, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library…
A new study published in the journal Human Reproduction has found that exposure to air pollution is associated with menstrual cycle. The study authors believe that exposure to air pollution may lead to an irregular menstrual cycle, particularly in teenage girls who are 14 to 18 years old. The researchers of the study looked at the link between air pollution exposure, menstrual irregularity, and time to menstrual cycle regularity. The menstrual cycle is known to be responsive to hormonal regulation, and particulate matter air pollution was found to affect hormonal activity. In conducting the study, they used health and location…
Researchers have found that a combination of bitter kola (Garcinia kola) and garlic (Allium sativum) extracts may contain antimicrobial properties. The study, which was published in the IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology, was conducted to investigate the effects of the plants’ extracts on known respiratory pathogens when used separately and when combined into one mixture. The study answers the need for alternative treatments against antibiotic-resistant respiratory pathogens, as researchers believe that developing plant-based antimicrobials will stop this developing trend. For this study, the properties of G. kola and A. sativum were studied. These products are used to treat respiratory infections in…
A study published in Clinical Nutrition has touted the anti-inflammatory benefits of aged garlic extract, providing evidence that its supplementation can decrease inflammatory markers among obese individuals. The double-blind, randomized study involved 51 healthy adults. Their mean age was at 45.6 years while their mean body mass index (BMI) was at 36.1 – well within the obese range. The subjects were matched according to BMI and divided into two groups. One group received aged garlic supplementation while the other was given a placebo. Capsules labeled either A or B were provided to the subjects who, along with the researchers, were not privy to…
It’s well-known that antioxidants can provide a myriad of health benefits — including protection against sunburn and the damage it causes. But according to the FDA, only drugs and creams that have been made by their industry masters can offer health benefits. Is toxic sunscreen really the only option consumers have when it comes to protecting themselves against sun damage — or is the FDA really just that ridiculous? Recently, the FDA cracked down on a number of manufacturers who were producing “sunscreen supplements,” antioxidant mixes featuring compounds like lycopene, lutein and zeaxthanin. Multiple studies have pointed to the benefits…
Once in Sacramento, Nelha, 24, relied on a county translator to help her enroll in Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, to cover the cost of visiting an optometrist. “I need glasses to pass my eye test and get a driver’s license so we can start looking for work,” Nelha said through an interpreter. She plans to find a job in one of the city’s dozens of Ukrainian and Russian restaurants.The thriving Slavic communities in the California cities of Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco have become magnets for Ukrainians fleeing war less than a year after the state experienced…
The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, but those who work in health care have suffered disproportionately, according to a new report from the office of U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.And it’s not just the workers who are at risk. “If not addressed, the health worker burnout crisis will make it harder for patients to get care when they need it, cause health costs to rise, hinder our ability to prepare for the next public health emergency, and worsen health disparities,” according to the report.Murthy is the 21st surgeon general — and also the 19th, having served under President…
Annissa Holland should be excited her son is coming home from prison after four long years of incarceration. Instead, she’s researching rehab centers to send him to as soon as he walks out the gate.She doesn’t know the person who’s coming home — the person who she said has been doing every drug he can get his hands on inside the Alabama prison system. She can hear it in the 34-year-old’s voice when he calls her on the prison phone.As the opioid crisis ravages America, overdose deaths are sweeping through every corner of the nation, including jails and prisons. Criminal…