Green scenary reduces hospital patients' duration of illness (study by Rajiverlich). 

[AP]

An estimated 40 percent of cancers worldwide can be prevented by exercise, eating healthy foods and not using tobacco, according to the
World Health Organization.

But more people in Asia are moving into cities and becoming overweight and obese from inactivity. They are replacing fruits and vegetables with fatty meals full of meat and salt, which is leading to increases in stomach and colon cancers. Meanwhile, traditional diseases like malaria are killing fewer people — building an aging population that's a prime target for cancer. 

----------

Good sources of Omega 3

Kidney beans, flax seeds (< ¼ cup), walnuts (1/2 cup), olive oil, winter squash, tofu, soy beans, navy beans, algae

Blend:

1 cup organic cottage cheese

2-5 Tbsp. of flaxseed oil

1-3 Tbsp. of freshly ground up flaxseed (electric coffee grinder ($15) works fine)

enough water to make it soft

a little Cayenne pepper  (red hot chilly pepper)

5 Superstar Veggies
Artichokes
Radishes
Broccoli
Red chicory
Leeks

Also see vitaminC.html

Also see brain.html

VITAMINS
ALLERGIES
OLIVE OIL
TOMATOE
CALCIUM
HAIR
AGING
MEDITATION
DIET (food...) / Organic
MISCELLANEOUS - Ear, PMS, Mountain biking hazard for men,  Noise,  Heart, Sleep, Hands, Drugs, Oranges, etc.
SOY / BEANS / LEGUMES
WATER
HOW SAFE ARE MOBILE PHONES? 
MISCELLANEOUS
FASTING

and other articles at the bottom on white bread, digestion, the stupid low-carb diet
 

Wed May 22, 2002 1:31 PM ET - (Reuters)
  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Health) - The curry spice tumeric may
  help reduce and even prevent inflammation of the intestines,
  according to research on laboratory animals presented here Tuesday
  at Digestive Disease Week, an annual conference for
  gastroenterologists.

Tue Oct 8,2002 Curry Spice May Inhibit Tumor Growth
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A compound found in the curry spice turmeric may suppress production of a protein
that spurs tumor growth in the body, researchers report.

  Few Adults Lead Healthy Lifestyles, Survey Shows

  By Emma Hitt, PhD

  ATLANTA (Reuters Health) - Maintaining a normal weight, eating a nutritious diet,
  exercising and not smoking are all crucial to staying healthy, but only about 3% of people
  manage to achieve all four of these healthy habits, according to US health officials.

  The Michigan Department of Community Health and the Centers for Disease Control and
  Prevention (news - web sites) conducted a telephone survey of more than 4,000 Michigan
  residents in 1998 and 2000.

  The investigators found that about 38% of adults maintained a healthy body weight, while
  just over 20% ate the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. Only about
  one-quarter engaged in regular physical activity, and roughly the same number smoked.

  Women were more likely to engage in all four healthy behaviors than men. Fewer than 2%
  of men achieved all four behaviors, whereas 4.5% of women did. In addition, the number
  of college graduates achieving all four behaviors was three times higher than the number
  of those with a high school education or less.
 

VITAMINS

Don't be afraid of eating eggs despite their cholesterol, he chides. Their yolks are among the richest known natural sources of choline. A tall glass of skim milk offers as much choline as an egg does. And coming soon, predicts Gregory Paul, director of nutrition for Central Soya of Ft. Wayne, Ind., will be a host of foods—orange juice, baked goods, and pasta—fortified with choline-rich soy lecithin

Milk Consumption Does Not Lead to Mucus Production or Occurrence of Asthma

Brunello Wüthrich, MD, Alexandra Schmid, Barbara Walther, PhD and Robert Sieber, PhD

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer Tue Jun 21, 2005

WASHINGTON - High-dose folic acid pills — providing as much of the nutrient as 2.5 pounds of strawberries — might help slow the cognitive decline of aging. So says a Dutch study that's the first to show a vitamin could really improve memory.

-------------------------------------------------------

Thu, Feb 17, 2005

Vitamin D May Ward Off Prostate Cancer

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Medical Writer

ORLANDO, Fla. - Getting a little sunshine may be one way for men to cut their risk of prostate cancer. A large study presented at a cancer conference Thursday found that men with higher levels vitamin D in their blood were half as likely to develop aggressive forms of the disease than those with lower amounts.
 
 

Doctors are not ready to recommend the "sunshine vitamin" without more study, but many see little harm in getting the 15 minutes a day that the body needs to make enough of this nutrient.

======================================

BetaCarotine:

Need 10 to 30 mg a day.
1 carrot has 5.7 miligram
1 cup carrot juice has 24 mg
sweet potatoe has 10 mg
1/2 cantelope has 8 mg.

Thu May 19,12:00 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) -

"Our data suggest that diets rich in vitamin E protect against the development of Parkinson's disease," said Dr. Mayhar Etminan, of the Royal Victoria Hospital in Quebec, Canada, in a report in The Lancet Neurology journal. … Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage. Foods rich in the vitamin include nuts, seeds, wheat germ, spinach and other green leafy vegetables.

Calcium and Magnesium must be taken at least one hour apart. For women, calcium better absorbed at night [not confirmed].

A Little Bit of Sun May Be a Good Thing:Experts
  Fri Feb 15, 2002 5:54 PM ET

  By Anne Harding

  BOSTON (Reuters Health) - While a lot of sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer, a little bit of
  sunlight is good for you, according to experts who spoke here Friday at the annual meeting of the
  American Association for the Advancement of Science (news - web sites).

  Researchers spoke at a press briefing on the effects of solar radiation on human health, particularly
  ultraviolet-B (UV-B)--the component of sunlight that triggers the body's production of vitamin D.

  Vitamin D doesn't just help keep bones strong, noted Dr. Michael Holick, a professor at Boston
  University School of Medicine who has studied the effect of sun on the body for more than 10 years. It
  also activates several genes responsible for regulating cell growth, thus helping to prevent the
  out-of-control cell division that can lead to cancer, he explained.

  Sunlight exposure, Holick said, is a more effective way to get vitamin D than taking the vitamin orally,
  and vitamin D manufactured by the body from the sun's energy also lasts longer in the body.

  "Vitamin D deficiency is a major unrecognized epidemic in the adult population," Holick said. As many
  as 40% to 50% of adults older than 50 may be deficient in the vitamin, according to the researcher. He
  noted that some people who appear to have fibromyalgia, a syndrome marked by chronic muscle and
  joint pain, may in fact have vitamin D deficiency.

  Holick also said that African Americans may be "chronically vitamin D deficient," largely because their
  darker skin allows less UV-B radiation to penetrate.

  For whites, who absorb UV-B radiation more easily, Holick said that exposing the hands, face and
  arms to sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes two to three times a week will be enough to build the body's
  vitamin D stores.

  Also, he added, vitamin D is fat soluble, so if a person gets enough sun in the spring, summer and fall,
  he or she can rely on stores of the nutrient in their body fat during the winter months when sun is
  scarce.

  But darker skinned people require 10 to 20 times the sun exposure length that whites do to build up
  the same amount of vitamin D, Holick noted.
 

July 2000 - NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking a daily multivitamin in combination
  with one of the antioxidant vitamins A, C or E appears to reduce the risk of
  dying from heart disease and stroke, results of a study suggest.

 NEW YORK, Feb 01, 2000 (Reuters Health) -- Taking vitamin E supplements may help protect
 the cells that line arteries from damage immediately after cigarette smoking, but do not
 appear to reverse the long-term arterial damage caused by smoking, Austrian researchers
 say.

 Prior studies have shown that cigarette smoking promotes the formation of molecules called
 ``free radicals'' in the bloodstream. These free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that
 cause oxidation, or changes that alter the cell lining of the arterial walls (the endothelium).
 Vitamin E can counter these changes because it is an antioxidant, meaning that it can absorb
 or neutralize damage-causing free radicals.

 ``Free radicals have been implicated in several chronic diseases such as cancer or arthritis.
 They can cause terrible harm to the body, and not only to the endothelium,'' said Dr. Jerome
 D. Cohen, professor of medicine in cardiology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine,
 Missouri, in an interview with Reuters Health.

 According to Cohen, ``The chemicals in cigarette smoke lessen and can reverse the ability of
 the arterial walls to dilate during periods of stress or exercise, when increased blood flow is
 necessary. In fact, cigarette smoking may even cause the arterial walls to constrict. This may
 account for the increased incidence of sudden death and heart attacks seen in smokers.''

  By Pippa Wysong

  TORONTO (Reuters Health) - People who need vitamin B12 replacement
  may not need to get a shot in the arm after all. Instead, they can use a form of
  the vitamin that dissolves under the tongue.

  In a study presented at the 28th World Congress of the International Society
  of Hematology, researchers revealed that a sub-lingual form of the vitamin is
  just as effective as an intramuscular shot.

The patients were asked to take two of the sub-lingual nuggets daily for 7 to 10 days, half an hour before
  breakfast, but after drinking a glass of water. Each nugget contains 1,000 micrograms of vitamin B12, and are
  available over-the-counter.

  All the patients eventually attained normal blood levels of the vitamin. Most either doubled or quadrupled their
  initial deficient levels, and no side effects were reported.

CALCIUM

NEW YORK, Oct 01, 99  (Reuters Health) -- Including a calcium-rich food or a calcium supplement at each meal is the best way to ensure adequate calcium intake, advises a nutrition expert.

The body can absorb calcium at levels up to 500 milligrams at any one time -- but at higher calcium levels in the di et, the body
does not absorb much more than that.

``Women who take calcium supplements after a meal high in calcium-rich foods may not absorb as much as they think,'' s aid
Dr. Connie Weaver, professor and head of the department of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in a statement.

Many may believe that adding supplements to meals high in calcium is the most effective way to ensure one meets the daily
requirements. However, Weaver told Reuters Health, ``If you have di vided doses throughout the day, you'll absorb it more
efficiently than if you take the whole big bunch of calcium at onc e.''

Calcium is important not only for women to prevent the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, but for all individuals. ''It helps as a
co-factor for almost every bodily function -- activating nerve transmission, hormone synthesis, muscle contraction -- yet most
people over the age of 11 are not meeting the calc ium requirements,'' said Weaver. Sources of calcium include dairy product s,
certain vegetables including broccoli and kale, and fortified foods and supplements.

The recommended amount of calcium for adults under age 50 is 1,000 milligrams daily (similar to the calcium found in about 3
glasses of milk), and for adults over 50 years of age, 1,200 mi lligrams daily. Children aged 6 to 8 years need 800 milligrams
daily and those aged 9 to 18 should have 1,300 milligrams daily (found in about 4 glasses of milk).

A rule of thumb to meet these requirements, according to Weaver, is ``to get a calcium rich source with every meal.''

In China the best pillows are filled with silk-worm shit (which is expensive) - it keeps the head temperature cool.

Re White hair he said it’s related to Kidney - we know this because when one has one fearful night the kidney
is stressed and hair goes white. Kidney is like your battery. If you are low on energy then you use (stress) the kidneys.
So it’s important to get good nutrition and rest…

According toi Dr. Davis Switzer, it could be a lack of elemental copper.
rusty
Martin Skou wrote in message ...
>I'm slowly getting more and more gray hair.
>
>Is there anything my body lacks, which could course this effect?
>
>Thanks.
>Martin

You are most likely lacking several of the B-vitamins. Take a strong
B-complex vitamin pill daily. Also avoid or cut down the use of stimulants
that destroy B-vitamins. Coffee is a really bad one.

Sincerely,
Niels Christensen
On-line Health Consultant: http://come.to/healthconsultant

>I'm slowly getting more and more gray hair.
>
>Is there anything my body lacks, which could course this effect?
>
>Thanks.
>Martin

Try a tablespoon of unsulphured black strap molasses per day
for a month and see if it makes any difference.

>what's a good source of elemental cooper?
colloidal minerals [minerals suspended in water].  Also sold as trace
minerals, but it must be in the liquid form.

'One of the few universals we know about aging is that calorie restriction can extend life'. Leonard Guarente, professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

================================

Veggies Reported to Help Women's Brains

Mon Jul 19, 5:04 PM ET

By MALCOLM RITTER, AP Science Writer

Here's another reason to eat your veggies: A new study suggests certain vegetables like broccoli and spinach may help older women keep their brains sharper.

Researchers found that women in their 60s who ate more cruciferous and green leafy vegetables than other women went on to show less overall decline over time on a bundle of tests measuring memory, verbal ability and attention.

Such foods include broccoli, cauliflower, romaine lettuce and spinach.

===============================

CALORIES SPEED AGING

Friday August 27 1:22 AM ET

Diets May Be A Pain, But They Do Keep You Young

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The aging process can damage cells in ways that look very similar to injury, but a carefully
controlled diet can slow the damage, at least in mice, scientists said Thursday.

SNIP

So-called heat shock genes, which help repair damaged proteins, also became more active as the mice aged. Energy
metabolism slowed and genes associated with the repair of damaged nerve cells kicked in.

But putting the mice on a diet stopped much of this process. Mice who got only 76 percent of the usual calories, but whose
feed was enriched so that they did not suffer from malnutrition, had their genetic changes ``remarkably'' reduced.

``Most alterations were either completely or partially prevented by caloric restriction, the only intervention known to retard
aging in mammals,'' the researchers wrote.

Dieting basically transformed the metabolism, the researchers said, slowing it.

Weindruch said it could be that as an animal ages, it must devote more energy to fixing damaged cells and less to building
strong, healthy cells.

I read about this and it may be an excellent idea.  The process is termed
"apoptosis".  Human cells (and, obviously, others) can only split so many
times before they can no longer do so.  There is a repeated sequence of
nucleotides, called the telomere, at the ends of the chromosomes which
diminish after each division.  Once these sequences have been depleted, it
is believed that the cell dies. The accuracy by which this can determine
biological age was not discussed, but doubts were expressed about using it
for such a purpose.

As long as experimental studies show a high correlation between age and the
number of cell divisions, this method would provide a pretty accurate means
of determining biological age.  Again, as stated, it may not stand up to
experimental trials.

The interesting article can be found here, with references to two books on
the issue:
http://www.sciam.com/0197issue/0197review1.html
Regards,
Robert Templeton
 

  For Elderly, Brain Ages More Gracefully Than Body

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Living to a ripe old age may sound appealing to some, but will the
  quality of life--including mental and physical health--ensure that those added years are worth it? A new
  report suggests that if a person is hale and hearty at age 75, they may enjoy more years with sharp wits
  than with a physically able body.

  The investigation revealed that after the age of 75, men's mental abilities were impairment-free another
  8.4 years on average, while women enjoyed nearly 10 more years with sharp wits.

  However, physical ability did not fair as well. Men who reached the age of 75 had an average of 4.6
  years of good physical health while women had about 3.1 years of good physical health, the report
  indicates.

marc:

bitter things are good for the liver / stomach / spleen

oats, carrot, sprouts, brusel sprout

meal has to be warm, warm tea etc.

liver is wood, direct influence on the earth

egg – 2 a day is good  - easy boil.

Chili, Broccoli Help Prevent Cancer - Studies

Tue Apr 19, 2005
     Health - Reuters   

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Broccoli and red chili peppers may help fight cancer by slowing the growth of cancerous tumor cells, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

  By Suzanne Rostler

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A side dish of oatmeal or an appetizer of vitamin E may help prevent
  some of the damage to arteries caused by fatty foods and may lower heart disease risk, researchers
  suggest.

  A new study found that a bowl of oatmeal or 800 international units (IUs) of vitamin E helped maintain
  blood flow in the arteries of individuals who had just consumed high levels of fat. Fat has been shown
  to cause arteries to constrict, thereby reducing blood flow and raising the risk of heart disease.

``It looks like 3.5 servings of boron-rich fruits and one serving of nuts a day would put men in the top
  quartile,'' Rainey said in an interview with Reuters Health. She said that one serving of nuts is the
  equivalent of ``a handful of peanuts or almonds.'' Other good boron sources include grapes, dried
  fruits, avocados, red wine or grape juice, Rainey said.

  Study: Cinnamon Kills Bacteria in Apple Juice

  By Charnicia E. Huggins

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A hint of cinnamon can do more than fill the air with its spicy aroma,
  it can also reduce bacterial growth in apple juice, according to new study findings.

  ``We recommend pasteurization of apple juice to ensure food safety, but addition of cinnamon will
  provide added protection and pleasant taste,'' according to study author Dr. Daniel Y. C. Fung and
  colleagues from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. ``This common household condiment
  when applied to apple juice can provide an added protection for public health.''

Monday December 18, 2000
  Soaking Brown Rice Enriches Nutritional Value

  By Anne Harding

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Soaking brown rice for a day before it is
  cooked may be an inexpensive and easy way to turbocharge the nutritional
  value of this staple food, Japanese scientists have found.

  Soaking the rice stimulates the early stages of germination, when a tiny sprout, less than a millimeter tall, grows
  from the grain. ``The birth of a sprout activates dormant enzymes in the brown rice all at once to supply the best
  nutrition to the growing sprout,'' Dr. Hiroshi Kayahara, a professor of bioscience and biotechnology at Shinshu
  University in Nagano, said in a statement.

  Kayahara presented his group's research Saturday at the 2000 International Chemical Congress of Pacific
  Basin Societies in Hawaii.

  Sprouted rice contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals than non-germinated rice, Kasayara and his colleagues
  report. The germinated rice also contains triple the amount of lysine, an amino acid needed for the growth and
  repair of tissues, and 10 times more gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which can benefit the kidneys.

  Within the sprouts, the research team also identified a chemical that blocks the action of prolylendopeptidase.
  This enzyme regulates activity in the central nervous system.

  The researchers soaked the brown rice in warm water for 22 hours to make it sprout. The sprouted rice is not
  only enriched, it is also easier to cook because the hard outer husk has been softened, Kayahara noted, and it
  tastes sweeter. White rice will not sprout when soaked, he added.

  Rice has been cultivated in warm climates for tens of thousands of years. The people of China, Indonesia and
  India--2.5 billion in all, or more than half of the world's population--rely on rice as a staple food, according to
  the Asia Rice Foundation.

  In the next 20 years, the foundation reports, the number of people depending on rice will grow by 1.2 billion.

Tuesday November 14, 2000

  Heart Association Says Soy Lowers
  Cholesterol

  NEW ORLEANS (Reuters Health) - Tofu or bean curd are good dietary
  choices for people with high cholesterol, according to the American Heart
  Association.

  People with high cholesterol should consume about 25 to 50 grams of
  protein daily as part of a program aimed at lowering cholesterol, the new
  AHA recommendation states.

  The new recommendation is the result of analysis of 38 clinical studies that
  demonstrated that substituting soy products such as tofu for meat and other
  foods containing animal proteins lowered ``bad'' LDL cholesterol by as much
  as 8%. Dr. John W. Erdman, Jr. is the author of the new AHA statement,
  which is published in the November 14th issue of Circulation: Journal of the
  American Heart Association.

  Substituting soy for meat products also lowers triglycerides, another blood
  product that has been associated with heart disease, while increasing ``good''
  HDL cholesterol.

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children and adolescents who drink large
  quantities of soda may be selling themselves short of several important
  vitamins and minerals, results of a survey suggest.

  Soda drinkers aged 2 to 17 years were less likely to get the recommended
  levels of vitamin A--a nutrient necessary for vision and immunity, according to
  a report published in the November issue of the Archives of Pediatric and
  Adolescent Medicine.
 

  Children younger than 12 who drank soda were less likely to consume the
  recommended amount of calcium--a mineral needed for proper bone growth, and soda drinkers aged 6 and
  older were at increased risk of magnesium deficiency.

Apple a day keeps lungs healthy
 NEW YORK, Jan 20, 2000 (Reuters Health) -- Eating an apple a day is supposed to keep the
 doctor away, and now researchers have found one reason the old adage might be true. Men
 who eat five or more apples a week appear to have better lung function than men who do
 not eat the fruit, according to a research team led by Dr. Barbara Butland of St. George's
 Hospital Medical School in London, UK.

Apples May Lower Risk of Stroke
Friday May 26, 2000 NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An apple a day may keep stroke at bay, new study findings suggest. ``One speculative possibility is that the effect comes from some phenolic acids present in apples,'' lead author Paul Knekt from the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, Finland, said in an interview with Reuters Health.

Phenolic acids are a class of antioxidants, or compounds that quench free radicals. These unstable molecules are byproducts of normal metabolism that clog arteries and cause changes to DNA that can lead to cancer and other diseases.

High fruit and vegetable intake reduces stroke risk

NEW YORK, Oct 05 (Reuters Health) -- Men and women who eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day are less
likely to suffer from ischemic stroke, the most common form of stroke, than those who eat fewer than three servings a day,
Boston investigators report in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

College students flunk the food groups

WASHINGTON, DC, Oct 04 (Reuters Health) -- Fruits, vegetables, dairy products and grains are the four basic food groups
-- and a survey suggests that US college students fail to get adequate amounts of these core foods in their daily diet.

The food pyramid recommends that people consume 2 to 3 dairy products per day, 2 to 4 servings of fruits,
and 3 to 5 of vegetables.

Muhlbauer and Feng fed male rats 1 gram of dry onion per day for 4 weeks. Compared with rats that did not receive
onion-spiked feeds, these rats had significant increases in bone mineral content and density.

Onion and a variety of other veggies also slowed down bone resorption, the loss of minerals from the bones that characterizes
osteoporosis. A number of vegetables and vegetable mixtures produced significant effects on the rate of bone loss, including
500 mg daily each of onion and Italian parsley, for example, and 100 mg each of ``a mixture of lettuce, tomato, cucumber,
arrugula (rocket), onion, garlic, wild garlic, common parsley, Italian parsley, and dill.''

On the other hand, ``high intake of green vegetables seems to have a protective effect'' against fibroids,

Monday September 27 4:53 PM ET
Antibiotic Resistance Seen A Risk In Food Supply
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The increased use of antibiotics in food animals is boosting the risk that dangerous
''superbugs'' resistant to drug treatment could be passed along to humans, scientists said Monday. ``It's not just a single pig or a single cow. It's a whole food commodity issue,'' Michael Osterholm, CEO of the Infection Control Advisory Network, told a news conference at a scientific meeting here. ``Red meat, white meat, produce -- any commodity stream can play a role.'' Scientists both in Europe and the United States have raised questions over the treatment of food animals with antibiotics, which farmers use widely both to fight animal illness and as part of animal feed to promote growth. The European Union banned four antibiotics used in animal feed last December, hitting multinational drug companies Rhone Poulec, Pfizer, Eli Lilly's Elanco Animal Health and Alpharma and potentially costing them hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales. In a study at the University of Antwerp, researchers found that samples of chickens, pigs and turkeys turned up ''alarmingly high'' anti-microbial resistance rates among strains of campylobacter bacteria, which are a major cause of human gastroenteritis and diarrhea.

  By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A combination of two commonly used agricultural pesticides, when injected into
  mice, causes the same pattern of brain damage seen in Parkinson's disease, researchers said on Thursday.

  Mice given the herbicide paraquat and the fungicide maneb showed clear signs of Parkinson's, a progressive
  and incurable brain illness, Deborah Cory-Slechta and colleagues at the University of Rochester School of
  Medicine and Dentistry said.

  Tuesday February 13, 2001 6:59 PM ET
  Laughter May Be Best Medicine...For Allergies

  By Charnicia E. Huggins

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although few would consider allergies to be funny, results of a new study
  suggest that laughing them off might actually work.

  Dr. Hajime Kimata, of Unitika Central Hospital in Japan, induced allergic responses on the skin of 26 people
  with allergic dermatitis by exposing them to house dust mites, cedar pollen and cat hair, and then had them
  watch ``Modern Times'', featuring Charlie Chaplin.

  The participants exhibited a significant reduction in their allergic responses after watching the classic comedy,
  according to the report in the February 14th issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (news -
  web sites).

  The effect lasted for 4 hours after the viewing.

  In contrast, no effect on allergic responses was noted after the study participants viewed a nonhumorous
  87-minute video featuring weather information.

  ``These results suggest that the induction of laughter may play some role in alleviating allergic diseases,'' Kimata
  concludes. However, the exact mechanism by which this is done is not known, the researcher added.

  But the findings were viewed with skepticism by one US researcher.

  Kimata's findings are ``pretty far removed from anything that will help patients,'' according to Dr. Philip S.
  Norman, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.

  He told Reuters Health that while he does not doubt the value of laughter in making people feel better, he is not
  sure it has anything to do with the allergic reaction.

  SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association 2001;285:738.

  Fatty Acids May Play Role in Children's
  Allergies

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A perceived increase in allergies
  among children in the industrialized world has been blamed on
  everything from environmental pollutants to sanitizing products. Now, a
  team of researches from Finland suggests that diet may play a role.

  Their study, published in a recent issue of the journal Allergy, found that
  children who eventually developed allergies ate less butter and more
  margarine compared with children who did not develop allergies. The
  allergic children also tended to eat less fish, although this dietary
  difference was less significant.

  While it is too soon to make dietary recommendations aimed at lowering
  the risk of allergies, the findings provide evidence of a link between
  certain dietary fats and allergic diseases such as asthma, according to
  Dr. Teija Dunder and colleagues at the University of Oulu.

  The study is not the first to suggest that certain types of fatty acids may
  play a role in the onset of allergic diseases. Polyunsaturated fats like
  those in margarine are thought to promote the formation of prostaglandin
  E2, a substance that promotes inflammation and causes the immune
  system to release a protein that triggers allergic reactions.

  A diet higher in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fats such as those
  in butter is more healthful in general. But the growing emphasis on
  achieving this fat balance has been blamed in some research for the
  increasing rates of childhood allergies, the report indicates. At the same
  time, however, studies have suggested the unsaturated fats found in
  certain types of fish may protect against allergic disease.

  This study, according to Dunder's team, supports the overall idea that
  dietary fat somehow affects allergy risk.

MISCELLANEOUS

Soy, Fish Oil May Protect Against Alzheimer's-Study

Wed Sep 1 2004 PM ET

 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Omega-3 fatty acids, found in soy, fish and other oils and known to provide a range of health benefits, may help protect against Alzheimer's disease , U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Tests on mice showed that a diet high in one particular omega-3 fatty acid called DHA helped protect the brain against the memory loss and cell damage caused by Alzheimer's disease.

"We saw that a diet rich in DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, dramatically reduces the impact of an Alzheimer's gene, said Greg Cole, a professor of neurology at University of California Los Angeles school of medicine.

Writing in the journal Neuron, Cole and colleagues said they studied mice bred to have genetic mutations that cause brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.

They were looking for something else but noticed the mice did not have the expected memory loss or brain damage. Notably, the synapses, the connections between brain cells, were not as damaged as would be expected.

"We discovered that the mice lived on a nutritious diet of soy and fish -- two ingredients chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids," said Sally Frautschy, who worked on the study.

"Because earlier studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may prevent Alzheimer's disease, we realized that the mice's diet could be countering the very thing we were trying to accomplish -- showing the progression of the Alzheimer's-related brain damage," she added in a statement.

The researchers took the fish and soy out of the mouse diet and substituted safflower oil instead, which is low in omega-3 and rich in another fatty acid called omega-6, which does not include DHA. Some mice got the original diet and others got the new, less-healthy diet.

"We found high amounts of synaptic damage in the brains of the Alzheimer's-diseased mice that ate the DHA-depleted diet," Frautschy said. "These changes closely resembled those we see in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease."

Mutant mice on the DHA-rich diet did better on memory tests than the mice fed safflower oil, the researchers said.

"After adjusting for all possible variables, DHA was the only factor remaining that protected the mice against the synaptic damage and memory loss that should have resulted from their Alzheimer's genes," said Cole. "We concluded that the DHA-enriched diet was holding their genetic disease at bay."

People are already advised to eat omega-3 fatty acids to protect the heart.

DHA and a related fatty acid called AHA are also added to some infant formulas and milks to promote brain development. They are found naturally in human breast milk.

Endurance Training May Stave Off Heart Failure

Wed Sep 15,  2004
   
By Anthony J. Brown, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Long-term training in endurance activities, such as running, swimming or cycling, may help prevent the stiffening of the heart that occurs with age, an effect that might reduce the risk of heart failure, new research suggests.

Whether less intensive exercise provides any benefit, however, remains to be determined.

When the heart stiffens, it is less able to relax and expand between each beat, and therefore fills with less blood. Then, with each contraction, less blood is pumped to the rest of the body, which can lead to serious problems over time.

Based largely on animal research, "it has been speculated that the heart stiffens with age," senior author Dr. Benjamin D. Levine, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, told Reuters Health. "But this is the first time that completely healthy older adults have been studied and had their (heart stiffness) measured."

==========================

Thursday October 18, 2001 7:22 PM ET

                Exercise May Improve Brainpower, Study Finds

                NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A preliminary study has found that
                exercise may rev up a person's brainpower.

   In the study, the researchers measured the thinking ability of 20 men and
                women aged 18 to 24 after 30 minutes of moderately heavy to heavy
                running on a treadmill.

        Brain wave measurements showed that ``exercising increased the speed
                of the decision-making process,'' Hillman told Reuters Health.

                In addition, the respondents answered more accurately after exercise
                then they did when they had not exercised, he noted.

       If the findings hold true, they can be added to a growing body of
                research on the beneficial effects of even short periods of activity. One
                recent study found that 10 minutes of moderate exercise daily can
                improve mood and reduce fatigue. Another study reported that stair
                climbing for 2 minutes several times a day can lower total cholesterol,
                raise HDL (''good'') cholesterol and improve the resting pulse rate in
                sedentary young women.

Fiber and FOS together have a synergistic effect. FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides) also cleanses the colon and builds colon cells and friendly intestinal bacteria. FOS are naturally occurring complex sugars that have beneficial effects in your diet. Some can be found in banana, rye, onion, garlic, burdock, asparagus, chicory root, and Jerusalem artichoke. Judging from usual eating habits, it may be difficult to ingest the recommended daily doses of FOS from foods. Most animal and human diets are deficient in FOS.

banana
miso
tempeh
live yogurt

Why are probiotics supplements necessary?

The answer is, that while it is true that certain foods - especially live yogurt, Japanese Miso, Tempeh and some cheeses have a probiotic action in the gut, you can never be sure what strain of bacteria you are eating or exactly how much is contained in these foods. And there is no way of knowing just how many of those replacement bacteria are going to survive and make it all the way through the acidic and bug-killing environment of the stomach to the colon.

There are other foods, such as bananas, garlic and onions, which can also help repopulate levels of the good bacteria in the intestine. But we do not yet know how many you need to eat for the best results and, you can only eat so much garlic in a day!

Computer's Mouse May 'Bite' Hands, Wrist, Neck
Fri Feb 28, 2003

By Matías A. Loewy

FOZ DO IGUAÇU (Reuters Health) - The more you click using your computer's mouse, the greater the chance of suffering from pain, swelling, numbness and other problems in the hand, wrist, neck and shoulder, two teams of Danish researchers reported at a meeting here this week.


In one study, Dr. Chris Jensen and colleagues from the National Institute of Occupational Health in Copenhagen found that workers who used computers for more than two-thirds of their work time had a higher risk of developing hand or wrist problems.

However those who worked in front of a computer almost all day and used the mouse at least half the time had a four-fold higher risk of problems than those who used the computer the same amount of time but used the mouse only a quarter of the time.

The findings come from a survey of nearly 3,500 workers at 11 Danish companies, with follow-up about a year and a half later.

"The problem is not only the mouse, but performing repetitive tasks," Jensen told Reuters Health.

In a second study, researchers from the Odense University Hospital and Glostrup and Herning hospitals found that those who used the mouse for more than 30 hours per week had as much as an eight-fold higher risk of developing forearm pain, double the risk of moderate to severe neck pain and triple the risk of right shoulder pain. Neck and right shoulder symptoms started to become evident after more than 25 and five hours of weekly use, respectively.

The findings come from a survey of nearly 7,000 technical assistants and machine technicians, with a follow-up one year later.

Certain professionals are particularly at risk, the researchers note.

"Computer-assisted designers use the mouse almost all the time," co-author Lars Brandt of Odense University Hospital told Reuters Health. Having a demanding job seems to aggravate the problem, he added.

Jensen said that a variable pattern of mouse and keyboard use can be considered the best combination from an occupational health perspective. Other measures have uncertain effects. Around 80% of Danish workers use traditional instead of newer "ergonomic" mouse devices, but none of the studies examined differences between users of either type of mouse.

"My impression is that it does not really matter so much which device you use. I do not believe that you can invent a device capable of solving these problems," Jensen said. "You could try some preventive exercises instead, but I think the best thing...is that they keep you away from the mouse or the keyboard while doing them."

Both studies were presented at the 27th International Congress of Occupational Health.

Friday March 2, 2001 6:26 PM ET
  Carpel Tunnel Syndrome May Wane with Time

  By Amy Norton

  SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters Health) - People with the repetitive stress injury carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with
  everything from painkillers to surgery, but for many patients the problem may simply go away, Italian researchers said on
  Thursday.

  In a study of 354 patients referred to surgeons at eight centers in Italy, investigators found that for about one third of the
  patients, time healed at least some wounds. Over the course of about one year, more than 200 of the study patients were
  left untreated, only ``sporadically'' using anti-inflammatory medication when they needed pain relief. By the end of the study,
  patients' reports and tests of nerve function in the wrist showed that 34% had seen their symptoms improve, while 21% had
  worsened.

  The findings show that carpal tunnel syndrome can often resolve on its own, and that surgery may be an overused treatment
  strategy, Dr. Roberto Padua of San Giacomo Hospital in Rome told Reuters Health.

  He presented his team's findings here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

  Marked by numbness and tingling in the hand and wrist, and pain that can extend up to the shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome
  may be caused by work or hobbies that involve repetitive motions of the upper limbs. Swelling in the wrist compresses
  nerves that travel from the forearm to the hand through a ''tunnel'' in the wrist. Treatment includes painkillers, braces, steroid
  injections into the joint, and surgery to ``release'' the ligament that runs through the tunnel and puts pressure on nerves.

  While surgery may be necessary for some patients, Padua said, he and his colleagues wanted to discern which patients do
  well with minimal treatment. They found that the younger a patient was, the better the chances of improving without therapy.
  For each year in a patient's age, Padua reported, the odds of improving without treatment declined 4%.

  In addition, having carpal tunnel syndrome in only one hand boosted the odds of improvement: patients with two injured
  limbs were 70% less likely to see their symptoms ease.

  Padua said doctors should take patients' age into consideration when deciding treatment, holding off on surgery for younger
  ones. He said he favors several months of conservative treatment unless the patient's symptoms are severe and
  long-standing.

  By Merritt McKinney

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Working more and sleeping less? If so, you're not alone, according
  to a survey released Tuesday.

  The poll found that more than one-third of Americans say they get less sleep than they did five years
  ago. Many of the hours that could be spent sleeping are spent on the job, according to the survey,
  which was sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Some 40% of respondents said they
  work longer hours than they did five years ago.

  ``We want people to understand that getting 8 hours of sleep is important,'' Richard L. Gelula, the
  executive director of the NSF, told Reuters Health in an interview. Americans ``need to make sleep a
  priority at least as much as anything else they do for their health, such as diet and exercise,'' he said.

  By Will Dunham

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers said on Monday they have confirmed the existence of a natural system used by
  the body to defend against the cancer-causing effects of toxic chemicals in food and the environment.

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Wounds may take longer to heal in people who are depressed or
  anxious, UK researchers report.

  By Martha Kerr

  NEW ORLEANS (Reuters Health) - Just in time for Thanksgiving,
  researchers report that people who eat an unusually large meal are four times
  more likely to have a heart attack in the next 2 hours. The findings were
  reported here on Tuesday at the American Heart Association meeting.

Among both men and women, the investigators found, risk of colon cancer was linked to
 several lifestyle factors, even when participants' age was taken into account. Study
 participants who exercised more were less likely to have colon cancer. Diet was also an
 important risk factor in the study, especially for participants who were younger than 67
 years of age. Those who ate a ``Western'' diet -- featuring high-calorie intake, animal
 proteins, red meats, high-fat dairy products, and sugar -- were at an elevated risk for colon
 cancer.

 In contrast, those whose diet was characterized by low-fat dairy products and calcium were
 less likely to develop colon cancer.

 Slattery and colleagues conclude that ``the importance of developing a lifestyle that
 incorporates vigorous physical activity appears to be universal to all groups evaluated and
 may be the most important component of a healthy lifestyle that decreases risk of colon
 cancer.''

 SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiolog

NEW YORK, Oct 08 (Reuters Health) -- Burning a candle with a metallic core in its wick
 -- such as a scented or ceremonial candle -- for just one hour in an enclosed room can raise
 airborne lead to levels determined unsafe by the US Environmental Protection Agency
 (EPA).

 Drs. William Brownell and John Oghalai, together with colleagues at Baylor College of
 Medicine in Houston, Texas, looked at the functioning of the cochlear outer hair cell, a highly
 sensitive structure in the inner ear that acts as an amplifier, allowing people to hear very quiet
 sounds and those of specific frequencies.

 According to a study in the January 28th issue of Science, they found that the cells shorten in
 response to electrical stimuli, and that certain drugs can also result in changes in the cell's
 shape. Humans have about 12,000 such cells in each ear and the cells, which are vulnerable
 to damage due to noise and aging, do not regenerate once they are injured. About 28 million
 Americans have some degree of hearing loss, much of which can be traced to deterioration
 of the outer hair cell.

 The thousands of outer hair cells are ``responsible for amplifying sounds of a specific
 frequency'' in a process called electromotility, said Oghalai in an interview with Reuters
 Health. The electromotility results in changes in the fluidity of the hair cell membrane, causing
 the membrane to undergo rippling, ``much like the folding and unfolding of an accordion's
 pleats,'' Oghalai and Brownell explained.

 ``The outer hair cells act as microscopic machines that pump up and down in synchrony with
 sound waves'' which are then amplified to detectable levels, Oghalai said.

 According to Oghalai, ``such dynamic changes in membrane fluidity have never before been
 demonstrated in any type of cell or membrane.''

Sodium Bicarbonate, added to some soft drinks to increase the fizziness gives health problems such as slowing the absorption of vitamins. The body is unable to break it down and so excretes it as it is.

  Cranberry Juice Keeps Urinary Tract Infection Away

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - While it's been folk advice for years, a new study appears to confirm
  what many women think they already know--drinking cranberry juice can reduce the chances of getting
  repeated urinary tract infections.

  By Amy Norton

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men who mountain bike run a high risk of
  injuries to the scrotum that could affect their fertility, results of a study
  suggest.

  In a study of 45 male mountain bikers, Austrian researchers found that 96%
  had scrotal abnormalities. In contrast, such problems were seen in only 16%
  of 31 men who had never biked. The abnormalities included calcium
  deposits, cysts and twisted veins, and half of the men had scrotal tenderness
  or discomfort.

  Twisted veins in the scrotum are known to impair fertility, study author Dr.
  Ferdinand Frauscher told Reuters Health. Taken together, he said, the
  abnormalities seen in this study suggest that many of the mountain bikers may
  have fertility problems. To investigate this possibility, Frauscher and his
  colleagues at University Hospital Innsbruck are now getting sperm counts
  from the men.

  By Keith Mulvihill

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Now there is yet another reason to be
  jealous of your co-workers lucky enough to have their own offices. A new
  study reports that those who work in noisy open-office environments had
  increased levels of a stress hormone, and were more likely to run out of
  steam after several hours of work, than those working in quieter
  surroundings.
 

From Newsgroup: "According to my Abnormal Psychology textbook, Ritalin production alone has increased ninefold from 1985 to 1995. It's
 apparent that medical institutions are making these diagnoses much more readily today. My friend who works at a CVS pharmacy
 said the most common prescriptions she fills in any given day are for prozac (#1) and ritalin (#2). I agree that these diagnoses are
 more of a current phenomenon and did not exist as frequently back in the day. It will ultimately lead to a chemically-dependent
 society.
 SS69
 Caffiene, nicotine, alcohol, ritalin, valium, etc. and those are just the legal ones. We already live in a chemically dependant society.
 IMO- it is time for a new dialogue"

Nov 2005

Olive oil ingredient may improve circulation

By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Certain micronutrients contained in olive oil and other foods could be responsible for the Mediterranean diet's well known heart-healthy effects, Spanish researchers report.

============================================================

Extra-virgin olive oil anti-inflammatory?

Thu Sep 1,2005

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists have just found out what gourmets have always known -- that there is something special about fresh extra-virgin olive oil.

A tasting experience at a molecular gastronomy meeting in Sicily led U.S. Monell Center biologist Gary Beauchamp to analyze freshly pressed extra-virgin olive oil, in which he found a chemical that acted like ibuprofen.

He and his team named their discovery oleocanthal and found that, although it has a different chemistry, its effect is similar to that of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory compound in the commercial pain-killer, they wrote in the science journal Nature.

The discovery is significant because scientists believe to an increasing extent that inflammation plays an important part in a variety of chronic diseases like stroke, heart disease, and breast and lung cancer.

"Our findings raise the possibility that long-term consumption of oleocanthal may help to protect against some diseases," they wrote.

It may also go some way to explaining the health benefits long attributed to the olive-oil rich Mediterranean diet.

============================================================

January 10, 2005

Olive oil may cut breast cancer

By Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

SCIENTISTS have discovered why the Mediterranean diet protects against breast cancer. The secret appears to be olive oil, which is high in oleic acid.

In laboratory experiments using breast-cancer cells, a US team has shown that oleic acid cuts the levels of the breast cancer-promoting gene Her-2/ neu by up to 46 per cent.

==================

Southern Europeans live longer - a 15 year study found - and it's related to the kind of fat they eat: Olive Oil which lowers LDL cholesterol and increases heart-protecting HDL cholestoral. Choose cold-pressed, extra-virgin: the product of the first cold pressing, made from not-quite-ripe olives that are picked by hand. Store olive-oil in a cool, dark place.

====================

Olive oil may help prevent colon cancer
 NEW YORK, Jan 26, 2000 (Reuters Health) -- Including olive oil in your diet may help reduce  your risk of developing colon cancer, Spanish researchers suggest.

The study, which will be published in the December 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition, shows tomatoes and broccoli may act synergistically, Erdman said.

"Separately, these two foods appear to have enormous cancer-fighting potential. Together, they bring out the best in each other and maximize the cancer-fighting effect," Erdman said.

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating tomato sauce a couple of times a week may reduce prostate
  cancer (news - web sites) risk, according to the results of a study including nearly 48,000 men.

  Previous research has yielded conflicting results on whether consumption of tomato products affects
  prostate cancer risk, Dr. Edward Giovannucci from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston,
  Massachusetts, and colleagues note.

  Studies have largely focused on lycopene, an antioxidant abundant in tomatoes. Antioxidants may help
  shield against cancer and heart disease by neutralizing harmful molecules known as oxygen free
  radicals.

  In the current study, published in the March 6th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute
  (news - web sites), the research team analyzed data from 47,365 men who participated in the Health
  Professionals Follow-up Study. The men completed dietary questionnaires in 1986, 1990 and 1994.
  From 1986 through 1998, 2,481 participants were diagnosed with prostate cancer.
 

  The reduction in prostate cancer risk was even greater when tomato sauce intake was considered, the
  authors note. Men who ate two or more servings of tomato sauce each week were 23% less likely to
  develop prostate cancer during the study period than men who ate less than one serving of tomato
  sauce each month.

  The associations with lycopene and tomato sauce intake persisted after controlling for fruit and
  vegetable intake as well as olive oil use, the report indicates.

Tomatoes: the red colouring pigment, Lycopene, is ruch in various bioactive substances that protect organisms from cell damaging free radicals, strengthen the immune system, and even ward off badteria and fungi.
 

Tuesday December 18, 2001 5:54 PM ET

  Tomato Sauce May Benefit Prostate Cells

  By Suzanne Rostler

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Consuming tomato-based products may reduce DNA damage in the
  prostate cells of men with prostate cancer, a new study suggests.

  The report found that those patients who consumed one daily pasta dish with tomato sauce for 3
  weeks had lower levels of DNA damage in prostate tissues and cells. Pasta eaters also had lower
  levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein in the blood that is measured to assess the risk of
  prostate cancer.

  The researchers attribute their findings to lycopene, an antioxidant found abundantly in tomato sauce,
  and note that earlier studies have found a correlation between a high intake of lycopene and a lower
  risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene, they explain, may help to reduce damage caused by free radicals,
  naturally occurring byproducts of metabolism which lead to aging and disease. The study included 32
  prostate cancer patients ages 60 to 74 who were compared with seven men who did not eat the
  additional tomato-sauce based meals.
 

Cooked tomatoes may lower prostate cancer risk

 NEW YORK, Jan 26, 2000 (Reuters Health) -- A bowl of tomato soup a day may help keep
 prostate cancer at bay, results of a study suggest. Men who eat such tomato-based foods
 may have a ``small reduction'' in prostate cancer risk, according to study authors, Dr. Alan
 Norrish, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and colleagues.

 Overall, the men who consumed the highest amount of tomato-based foods such as cooked
 tomatoes, tomato soup or puree, tomato juice, ketchup, and tomato-based pasta sauce had
 an 18% reduction in prostate cancer. However, the small drop in risk may also have been
 due to a statistical fluke, the authors note.
 

Monday June 18 2001
Vegan Diets Can Meet Children's
  Nutritional Needs

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - With some careful menu planning,
  children and even infants raised as vegans can get all the nutrients they
  need for good health, according to two reports in the June issue of the
  Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

  Because vegans shun all animal products, they may get too little of some
  nutrients found in meat and dairy products, such as calcium and vitamin
  B12. Nutrient deficiencies are a particular concern when it comes to
  growing babies and children.

  But according to the reports, a well-rounded vegan diet--sometimes
  supplemented with certain nutrients like B12 and zinc--can provide
  children with all their nutrition needs. What's more, vegan kids typically
  eat less fat and cholesterol and more fruits and vegetables than other
  children do, note Virginia Messina and Dr. Ann Reed Mangels.

  Messina is a professor at Loma Linda University in California. Mangels
  acts as a nutrition advisor to the Vegetarian Resource Group in
  Baltimore, Maryland.

  Vegans eat only plant-based foods, using grains, legumes, fruits and
  vegetables to fill all their dietary needs. A typical vegan substitution
  would be to use soy milk in place of cow's milk. While these
  substitutions can work for babies and children, parents need to ensure
  their children are getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals,
  according to Messina and Mangels.

  For example, vitamin B12, which is essential in children's neurological
  development, exists naturally only in animal products. However,
  breakfast cereals, soy beverages, nutritional yeast and vegetarian
  ``meats'' are often fortified with B12, and are important sources of the
  vitamin for vegans, the study authors point out.

  The researchers also advise that breast-fed infants of vegan mothers get
  a regular supplement of vitamin B12, since maternal stores of the vitamin
  may be low. Infant soy formulas are fortified with vitamin B12 and other
  nutrients, but Messina and Mangels stress that regular soy milk--like
  regular cow's milk--is inappropriate for babies younger than one year.

  As with all infants, an iron-fortified cereal is a good choice as a first solid
  food, the report indicates. By age 7 to 8 months, vegan protein sources
  that can be introduced include pureed cooked beans, well-mashed tofu
  and soy yogurt, the research team writes.

  Parents should also be careful about their vegan children's supply of
  zinc, calcium, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and--if sun exposure is
  inadequate--vitamin D. Key sources of zinc include fortified cereals and
  certain nuts and beans such as lentils, according to the authors.
  Calcium-rich vegan foods include fortified tofu, soy milk and orange
  juice, as well as leafy greens and certain beans. As for iron, good
  sources include beans, fortified cereals and grains, and dried apricots
  and raisins.

  However, some nutrients, including iron and zinc, are not absorbed as
  well when they come from plant sources. So, Messina and Mangels
  note, parents may want to consider zinc supplements and be sure to give
  their kids foods that promote iron absorption--namely, foods rich in
  vitamin C.

  Children also need certain essential, unsaturated fatty acids, which can
  be found in foods like flax seed, canola oil, nuts and soy products.

  ``The wide availability of convenient vegan foods, many of which are
  fortified, make it increasingly easy to plan healthful vegan diets for
  children,'' Messina and Mangels write.

  ``Vegan diets,'' they conclude, ``can meet the nutrition needs of children
  if appropriately planned by a knowledgeable adult.''

  SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association
  2001;101:661-669,

SOY / BEANS / LEGUMS
 

-----------

By Reza Ganjavi - 23 Dec 08

the beans look heavenly - slightly sprouted - boiled and threw away the water - no gas -

for new bean eater the high fiber content may feel awkward but that's all it is. it's a high fiber food and has good protein. not all amino acids. best combined with something else - bread, corn, rice, flour, other grains, or dairy but my body loves beans alone too -- they have vitamins and mineral (e.g. lot of B vitamins, calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc.), are low in fat, and give leg muscles a boost of glycogen which I really feel and it's comforting. Perfect food for athletes but they need to prepared correctly to avoid gas (soak - rinse - boil - rinse -- easy).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday April 3 2001 6:19 PM ET
  Soy Appears to Stave Off Alzheimer's in Monkeys

  By Keith Mulvihill

  SAN DIEGO (Reuters Health) - Soy may have a protective effect against Alzheimer's disease (news -
  web sites), according to results of a new animal study.

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A diet rich in soy may help women retain strong bones after menopause,
  thereby reducing their risk of fractures and osteoporosis, research findings suggest.

Friday November 30 1:33 PM ET

  Beans, Peas Can Cut Heart Disease Risk: Study

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Bulking up the diet with legumes such as beans and peas can lower
  the risk of heart disease, study findings suggest.

  Men and women who ate legumes at least four times a week had a 22% lower risk of coronary heart
  disease over 19 years than those who consumed legumes once weekly, researchers report in the
  November 26th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (news - web sites).

  The most enthusiastic legume eaters also had lower blood pressure and total cholesterol, and were
  less likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes.

  The findings have implications for the health of America, where heart disease is the leading killer of
  adults and one of the leading causes of premature and permanent disability, according to Dr. Lydia A.
  Bazzano from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and colleagues.

  Legumes are rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to help lower total cholesterol and LDL
  (''bad'') cholesterol levels and improve insulin resistance, the study authors note. Legumes also contain
  low levels of sodium and high levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium--a combination that is
  associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Folate, a mineral also found in abundance in legumes,
  is thought to reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a compound that can boost heart disease risk.

  ``Increasing legume consumption may be an important part of dietary interventions to reduce the risk
  of coronary heart disease,'' Bazzano and colleagues write.

=============

Friday August 3, 2001 - Soy May Reduce Heart Risk Factors

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Including hearty amounts of soy in the diet may improve some heart disease risk factors in healthy men and postmenopausal women, recent study findings suggest.Individuals who consumed soy protein reduced their blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other fatty substances in the blood over 3 months, compared with individuals who consumed protein that did not contain soy, report researchers.

Still, ``the results of the present study suggest that soy may have a role to play in the prevention of cardiovascular disease,'' conclude Dr. Helena J. Teede from Monash University in Clayton, Australia, and associates.

According to the study in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, phytoestrogens, which are plant-based estrogen-like compounds found in soy, may mimic the beneficial effects of estrogen on the heart. Soy also contains antioxidants--compounds that neutralize disease-causing free radicals before they can damage cells.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 2001;86:3053-
 
 

WATER

WATER

Friday November 30 5:29 PM ET

  Runners Beware: Too Much Water Can Be Dangerous

  By Keith Mulvihill

  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Marathon runners consuming copious amounts of water to avoid
  dehydration during their 26-mile run should know that too much of a good thing can lead to illness.

  Excessive exercise and drinking large amounts of water can lead to steep falls in blood levels of
  circulating electrolytes (salts), which are essential for many body processes. Symptoms of
  hyponatremia can include fatigue, confusion, dizziness and, in extreme cases, coma.

  Exercise itself releases an antidiuretic hormone and slows blood flow to the kidneys--reducing urine
  output.

  Maharam also recommends that runners should not consume more than 800 milliliters (about two cups)
  of water for each hour they are on the course.

Sprouted flours are highly digestible. According to Shiloh Farms' website : "When grains are sprouted they are converted into a living food with more vital nutrients that are more easily absorbed by the body. Sprouted flour digests as a vegetable not as a starch."

PARIS (AFP) - People may become infected from a worm that causes blindness simply by stroking a dog that carries the parasite, according to research.

The worm, Toxocara canis, lives in dog intestines and -- until now -- was only thought to be transmissible to humans through contact with dog faeces which contain the parasite's eggs or with faeces-tainted soil, according to the next issue of New Scientist.

The risk of toxocara infection is statistically remote but the results can be horrific.

The worm can grow in the back of the eyeball, causing lesions that in the severest cases can lead to blindness, or it can migrate to the liver and lungs, causing a debilitating lethargy called toxocariasis.

Those most at risk are young children who touch the faeces or soil and then suck or lick their fingers. After ingestion, the eggs hatch in the intestine and the larvae are carried to other parts of the body by blood circulation.

British veterinarians have now discovered T. canis eggs in dog hair in addition to canine faeces, New Scientist says.

Of 60 dogs that they examined, a quarter had eggs of the worm in their hair, the British weekly says.

A total of 71 eggs were found, a quarter of which had begun to develop embryos. Three of this number were found to contain embryos that were mature enough to infect humans.

The vets, Ian Wright and Alan Wolfe, say theirs is the first study to examine the coats of dogs as a source of toxocara infection.

"We looked mainly at the anal region and the backs of legs," Wright told the British science weekly.

The eggs are just a millimetre (0.04 inches) long and are sticky, which means they could easily be picked up by someone stroking the animal.

Dog owners should give worming pills to puppies every fortnight for the first three months, then once a month for the following three months, says Wright.

After six months, dogs develop some immunity and only need worming every six months and washing every fortnight.

His most important advice is for people to wash their hands with soap and water before meals and after giving the dog a good stroke, and for families to be big on hygiene if infants and babies share their home with a dog.

In the United States, around 10,000 people a year become infected with toxocara.

In Britain, the risk is far lower -- fewer than 20 people per year in a population out of 60 million -- partly because many of the population have developed immunity to the parasite through exposure to it.

====================================================================================

**************************** and other articles at the bottom:

2004
By IRA DREYFUSS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Many Americans are like a loaf of bread — soft, with one side round. Their choice of bread may be part of the reason. Some researchers say white bread and other refined grains seem to go to the gut and hang out as belly fat.

===========================

Dietary Experts Debate Carbohydrates
Sun Aug 31, 2003
   
By DANIEL Q. HANEY, AP Medical Editor

Should people really care that they digest potatoes faster than carrots?

Macaroni faster than spaghetti? Rice Krispies faster than Special K? A greenish banana faster than a freckled one? A Snickers bar faster than a Twix?

Yes, say some of the country's top-tier nutritional experts. They are convinced that carbohydrates should be labeled good or bad, just the way fats are, and that some of the carbs Americans love most — velvety puddles of mashed potatoes, lighter-than-air white bread — are dietary evil, to be avoided like the nastiest artery-choking trans-fats.

No, contend other equally respected nutritional experts. Potatoes and other starchy standbys are perfectly respectable. A carb is a carb is a carb.

The debate involves an idea called the glycemic index. It is a way of rating how quickly carbohydrates are digested and rush into the bloodstream as sugar. Fast, in this case, is bad. In theory, a blast of sugar makes insulin levels go up, and this, strangely, leaves people quickly feeling hungry again.

The debate over whether every person who puts food in his mouth should know about this is fervid even for the field of dietary wisdom, where fierce opinions based on ironclad beliefs and sparse data are standard.

Despite its detractors, the idea seems to be gaining momentum, in part because it is offered as scientific underpinning by the authors of a variety of popular diet schemes, mostly of the low-carb variety. However, some painstakingly argue that the glycemic index is just as important for the carbohydrate-loving brown rice aficionado as it is for the most carbo-phobic, double-bacon-cheeseburger-hold-the-bun Atkins follower.

To believers, the glycemic index is a kind of nutritional Rosetta stone that explains much of what has gone wrong with the world's health and girth over the past two decades: Why diets so often fail. Why diabetes is becoming epidemic. Why mankind is growing so fat.

We overeat because we are hungry, the theory goes, and we are hungry because of what we have been told to eat, which is too much fast-burning food that plays havoc with metabolism by quickly raising blood sugar levels. All of that starch at the base of the food pyramid has had the unintended effect of making us ravenous.

"It's almost unethical to tell people to eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet with no regard to glycemic index," says Janette Brand-Miller of the University of Sydney, one of the field's pioneers.

The idea has already entered the scientific mainstream in much of the world and is endorsed by the World Health Organization (news - web sites), but it remains deeply controversial in the United States. It is dismissed by some of the country's weightiest private health societies, including the American Heart Association (news - web sites) and the American Diabetes Association.

To some of the skeptics, this is just another half-baked mishmash of dietary arm-waving, cobbled together to justify the high-fat, low-carb schemes that dietitians love to hate.

The fact that carbohydrates break down at different rates has been suspected for a long time. It is why diabetics (news - web sites) were once (but no longer) told to studiously avoid sweets, since presumably sugary foods would quickly turn into sugar in the blood stream. About 20 years ago, scientists came up with the glycemic index, or GI, as a way to compare this.

The body converts all carbohydrates — from starches to table sugar — into sugar molecules that are burned or stored. The faster carbs are broken down by the digestive system, the quicker blood sugar goes up and the higher their GI.

The GI of at least 1,000 different foods has been measured, in the process knocking down many common-sense dietary beliefs. For instance, some complex carbohydrates are digested faster than the long demonized simple carbs. Foods such as white bread and some breakfast cereals break down in a flash, while some sweet things, like apples and pears, take their time.

In general, starchy foods like refined grain products and potatoes have a high GI — 50 percent higher than table sugar. Unprocessed grains, peas and beans have a moderate GI. Nonstarchy vegetables and most fruits are low.

While it seems reasonable that chewy, whole-grain bread is digested more slowly than a French baguette, some of the results are less obvious. For instance, overcooking can raise the GI. Ripe fruit is lower than green. A diced potato is lower than mashed, and thick linguini is lower than thin.

     

To make matters even more confusing, the glycemic index measures only the carbohydrate in food. Some vegetables, such as carrots, have quite high GIs, but they don't contain much carb, so they have little effect on blood sugar.

Therefore, some experts prefer to speak of food's glycemic load, which is its glycemic index multiplied by the amount of carb in a serving. Considered this way, a serving of carrots has a modest glycemic load of 3, compared with 26 for an unadorned baked potato.

Blood sugar levels may shoot twice as high after a high-GI meal as after a low one, and that unleashes metabolic havoc: The body responds with a surge of insulin, which prompts it to quickly store the sugar in muscle and fat cells. The high sugar also inhibits another hormone, glucagon, which ordinarily tells the body to burn its stored fuel.

Blood sugar plunges. So much is stored so fast that within two or three hours, levels may be lower than they were before the meal. Suddenly, the body needs more fuel. But because glucagon is still in short supply, the body does not tap into its fat supply for energy. The inevitable result? Hunger.

That, at least, is the theory. Experiments to prove this are difficult and time-consuming. Among those trying is Dr. David Ludwig of Boston's Children's Hospital, who has done several studies on overweight teenagers.

In one, he tested the idea that a high-GI breakfast makes people hungrier at lunch. A dozen obese boys were fed three different breakfasts, all with the same calories — a low-GI vegetable omelet and fruit, medium-GI steel-cut oats or high-GI instant oatmeal.

At noon, they could eat as much as they wanted. Those who started the day with instant oatmeal wolfed down nearly twice as much as those getting the veggie omelet.

Ludwig says overweight people do not need to starve themselves. On a low-GI diet, they can eat enough to feel satisfied and still lose weight.

In a pilot study, he tested this on 14 overweight adolescents. They were put on two different regimens — a standard low-cal, low-fat, high-carb diet and a low-GI plan that let them eat all they wanted. After one year, the low-GI volunteers had dropped seven pounds of pure fat. The others had put on four. Now he is repeating the study on 100 heavy teenagers.

Even such small experiments have been rare. Most support for the idea comes from big surveys that follow people's health and diets over time. Some of these show that those who consistently favor low-GI fare are less likely to become overweight or to get diabetes and heart disease.

The evidence is strong enough for authors of some popular diet books, who use the glycemic index as one of their primary rationales. "It's a new unifying concept that brings nutritional habits out of the dark ages and says it's all about the numbers," says Barry Sears, author of the Zone series of diet books. "It says diet does not have to be based on philosophy. It can be based on hard science."

Major U.S. health organizations are less impressed. Ludwig expects this to change, in part because paying attention to the glycemic index can help everyone choose healthier carbs, whether they go low-fat or high.

But that seems unlikely any time soon at the heart association. The head of its nutrition committee, Dr. Robert Eckel of the University of Colorado, says the theory that high-GI foods make people hungry is "ridiculous" and argues that a scientific case can be made for just the opposite.

Dietitians generally encourage a balanced, varied diet emphasizing unadulterated whole foods, and they cringe at a classification that puts ordinary baked potatoes and white rice on a taboo list.

"It's an artificial system of classifying foods as good and bad," says JoAnn Carson, a nutritionist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Others worry that the whole business is just too hard to keep straight.

"We are putting before the public an extraordinarily complicated message, which I don't think they will follow or be very happy with," says Dr. Xavier Pi-Sunyer of St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City.

Not necessarily, responds Harvard's Dr. Walter Willett. "I do think this is an important concept for people to understand, but I don't think they need to worry about specific numbers."

His advice: Go light on the white bread, white rice, potatoes pasta and sugary foods.

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Table of Food Sources of Magnesium
Food   

Milligrams

%DV
100% Bran, 2Tbs   

44

11
Avocado, Florida, 1/2 med   

103

26
Wheat germ, tosted, 1 oz   

90

22
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 oz   

86

21
Cereal, shredded wheat,
2 rectangular biscuits   

80

20
Seeds, pumpkin, 1/2 oz   

75

19
Cashews, dry roasted, 1 oz   

73

18
Nuts, mixed, dry roasted 1 oz   

66

17
Spinach, cooked, 1/2 c   

65

16
Bran flakes, 1/2 c   

60

15
Cereal, oats, instant/fortified
cooked w/water, 1 c   

56

14
Potatoe, baked w/skin, 1 med   

55

14
Soybeans, cooked, 1/2 c   

54

14
Peanuts, dry roasted, 1 oz   

50

13
Peanut butter, 2 Tbs   

50

13