Category: Featured Articles

A research team from Wake Forest School of Medicine has published the results of an important study on vitamin D and disease risk in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM). The study purports that low levels of vitamin D and high levels of parathyroid hormone are associated with increased mortality in older African American and Caucasian adults. Prior studies on the effects of low vitamin D levels have been conducted on persons of European origin, but this study distinguishes important differences in disease risk between blacks and whites.

Low vitamin D levels are a significant risk factor for disease development and early death
The lead study researcher, Dr. Steven Kritchevsky noted "We observed vitamin D insufficiency (defined as blood levels less than 20 ng/ml), in one third of our study participants. This was associated with nearly a 50 percent increase in the mortality rate in older adults… our findings suggest that low levels of vitamin D may be a substantial public health concern for our nation's older adults." It's important to note that while sun exposure provides a plentiful supply of circulating vitamin D during our younger years, continual warnings to avoid the sun and a natural tendency to produce less of the prohormone from sun exposure as we age, places older adults in a dangerously depleted state.

The study included 2,638 Caucasian and African-American adults, aged 70 to 79. For the baseline reading, participants fasted for 12 hours and blood was drawn and tested to determine levels of vitamin D. Every six months, the study's volunteers were contacted to assess their medical condition. Disease rates were then correlated with vitamin D levels to determine mortality and cause of death. The scientists factored in time of year and degree of sun exposure.

The researchers determined that vitamin D levels under than 30 ng/mL were associated with significantly increased all-cause mortality. Other studies have concluded that even higher vitamin D levels (50 to 70 ng/mL) provided optimal health risk protection. Adults of all ages should have their vitamin D blood saturation checked regularly using the reliable 25(OH)D test, and supplement as necessary to maintain blood levels in the ideal range.

Researchers from Ohio State University publishing in the Journal of Functional Foods report that eating an apple a day might in fact help keep the cardiologist away. In a study of healthy, middle-aged adults, consumption of one apple a day for four weeks lowered levels of a substance linked to hardening of the arteries by nearly 40 percent. Additionally, the researchers found that taking supplemental capsules containing antioxidant polyphenols had a similar effect, though it did not last quite as long.

Nutrition scientists have known that a variety of naturally occurring compounds act to lower levels of the potentially deadly form of oxidized LDL cholesterol, the sticky substance that is rapidly attracted to micro cracks in the endothelial lining of arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the heart. When LDL cholesterol interacts with free radicals to become oxidized, the cholesterol is more likely to promote inflammation and can cause tissue damage.

Apple polyphenols target oxidized LDL cholesterol to slash heart attack risk
Lead study author, Dr. Robert DiSilvestro noted "When LDL becomes oxidized, it takes on a form that begins atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries… we got a tremendous effect against LDL being oxidized with just one apple a day for four weeks." The team determined that endothelial function in apple consumers with established coronary artery disease (CAD) was similar to those with normal coronary arteries. Effectively, an apple a day reverses the detrimental health effects of CAD.

To conduct their study, researchers recruited nonsmoking, healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 60 who consumed apples fewer than twice per month and took no polyphenol fortified supplements. 16 participants ate one large red or golden delicious apple each day for four weeks. 17 took capsules containing 194 milligrams of polyphenols a day for four weeks, and 18 took a placebo containing no polyphenols.

The researchers found no effect on oxidized LDL's in those taking the placebo, but recorded a 40 percent reduction in oxidized LDL cholesterol in the other two groups. The team found that apple polyphenols are significantly more effective at lowering oxidized LDL than other antioxidants studied, including the spice-based compound curcumin, green tea and tomato extract. Clearly, different polyphenols from a variety of natural foods help to prevent disease in different areas of the body, an important reason to consume a full spectrum of different colored fruits and vegetables for optimal antioxidant support.

    
Connecting the dots between eczema, immunity and the gut
The first line of attack in overcoming eczema is healing the gut. Since a majority of those suffering from eczema experience leaky gut syndrome, it is important to take care of the digestive tract. When the intestinal wall becomes overly permeable with this syndrome, toxins pass into the blood stream which triggers an inflammatory response. Allergies and food reactions follow — along with eczema. Unfortunately, this whole cycle taxes the immune system.

One of the best ways to mend the gut and reduce permeability is to adopt an organic whole-food diet with plenty of vegetables, fiber and freshly juiced greens. Toss out processed and gluten containing foods, dairy, meat, unsprouted grains and sugar. Fermented foods are an excellent choice as are probiotics like those found in kefir and yogurt. Bone broth, with its high collagen content, also assists in healing the gut. Just make sure to source organic grass-fed ingredients. The amino acid L-glutamine is exceptional for strengthening the intestinal lining and boosting immune function. It also reduces allergies and improves nutrient absorption. Flax, borage, hemp and pumpkin seed oils supply essential fatty acids that are vital to balancing inflammatory response. Additionally, evening primrose and sunflower seed oils are first-rate sources of gamma linolenic acid which plays a strong role in skin health. And don't forget about chia seeds — another outstanding source of omega-3 fats. On the herbal front, cat's claw (una de gato) cleanses the entire digestive tract of dangerous pathogens, thereby reducing reactions that exacerbate eczema. Persimmon leaf extract is another medicinal herb that demonstrates extraordinary anti-inflammatory properties that clarify the skin and minimize discomfort.

Topical relief
To arrest the intense itch of eczema, several external treatments show promise.

Coconut oil – Seals and protects the skin while taming inflammation. Antibacterial and anti fungal action prevents infection in open sores.

Oat flour and slippery elm powder – Used in warm baths to coat and calm the skin.

Magnesium chloride spray – Applied topically to diminish inflammation.

Sunflower seed oil – Anti-inflammatory. Also serves as an excellent moisture barrier.

Sea salt – Add to warm baths. Lends welcome relief from inflammation and pain.

Bentonite clay – Detoxifies and comforts the skin when dissolved in a lukewarm bath.

Always remember to drink plenty of purified water throughout the day which flushes out toxins and hydrates the skin. Sleep and stress-reducing exercise are also important for robust immune function. By detoxifying the body, healing the gut and strengthening the immune system, eczema can be cured naturally without harmful after effects.

The Supreme Court agreed last week to hear an appeal regarding Monsanto's case against Knox County, Indiana soybean farmer Vernon Hugh Bowman. Monsanto has pursued a lawsuit against the 74-year-old claiming Bowman made unauthorized use of its patent-protected Roundup Ready seeds. Bowman reportedly purchased additional, cheaper seed from a local grain elevator and used it to plant a late-season crop. He repeated this activity over a period of eight years beginning in 1999, continually saving and planting the new seeds generated by the commodity elevator crop.

Though Bowman was saving seeds from only the elevator crop, nature was doing what nature does best. With the Monsanto variety in the 90-percent majority over the other crop on Bowman's 299-acre farm, it was only a matter of time before contamination occurred. When it did, and Monsanto learned of Bowman's seed harvesting activities, they sent their well-funded attorneys after him for patent infringement.

Bowman lost his case in the lower courts in 2009 and was ordered to pay Monsanto more than $84,000 in damages and costs. Then came a subsequent decision last year from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which ruled that "once a grower, like Bowman, plants the commodity seeds containing Monsanto's Roundup Ready technology and the next generation of seed develops, the grower has created a newly infringing article."

The ruling fully supported the policies of Monsanto, the chemical company that also genetically engineers seeds to be either pesticide-producing (to kill pests, by breaking open their stomachs) or pesticide-resistant (to encourage the spraying of crops with more chemicals). The company prohibits farmers who purchase and grow their genetically modified seeds from saving or reusing the seeds for future planting, thereby forcing those farmers to purchase new seeds each year. It's a business model that so far has allowed the chemical giant to increase sales of both its Roundup pesticide and its GM seeds, while simultaneously putting small, struggling farmers out of business.

But Bowman's team would not surrender. Having come this far in a longstanding battle against the biotech giant, he and opponents of genetic engineering hope the Supreme Court will overturn the appellate decision when it hears the case this winter.

Obama Administration pressures court to perpetuate Monsanto agenda
A decision by the Supreme Court on this case could send huge ripples throughout the biotech industry, seriously impacting patents involving DNA molecules, nanotechnologies and other self-replicating sciences. That was the warning from the Obama Administration, in a filing that urged the court not to take the case. It stated that "the incentive to invest in innovation and research might well be diminished" by a ruling against Monsanto that reduced the normal 20-year patent protection term to just one year, or even to a single growing season. The administration advised the justices that it would not be appropriate for them to address the implications of patent protectionism versus traditional farming techniques, stating outright that "Congress is better equipped than is this court" for such a task.

Monsanto agreed with that reasoning, insisting to the court that a decision in favor of the farmer would irrevocably harm its business model and that its "ability to protect its patented technology would effectively be lost as soon as the first generation of the product was introduced into the market."

But if previous rulings by the Supreme Court are any indication, Monsanto may not have much reason to worry. Lest we forget, it was a 1980 Supreme Court decision (Diamond v. Chakrabarty) that paved the way for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to begin granting patents on specific life forms in 1985. Since that time, Monsanto has aggressively sought and acquired more bio-engineering and seed patents than other biotech company. So it makes sense that a decision against them now would upset their idea of balance.

Farmers and freedom-lovers stand up to biotech bully
The legal cat-and-mouse game Monsanto has been playing for years now, targeting roughly 500 farming plantations for investigation and actually filing about 145 lawsuits annually, might finally be turning to bite them in their backside.

As anger builds over Monsanto's unethical business practices, farmers and community members all over the country are beginning to organize against the biotech giant. In a case that's currently pending review by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Manhattan, New York, more than 300,000 individuals and 4,500 farms have brought the legal fight to Monsanto's door step (Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association et al. vs. Monsanto) seeking a ruling forbidding Monsanto to sue them for patent infringement if their crops become contaminated by Monsanto's GM seed.

In California, the battleground is the November ballot box. Debates are heating up over Proposition 37, which asks voters to decide whether to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. Several health-conscious organizations are working hard to ensure the real information gets to the people. You can support the cause at: http://www.justlabelit.org and http://www.labelgmos.org

Leading the education campaign is the Institute for Responsible Technology, which has, with help from a generous donor, made the new and groundbreaking film Genetic Roulette available for free viewing all week, from October 10-17. Visit (http://geneticroulettemovie.com) to watch and share this amazing and informative film.

The meta study, led by Britain's University of Leicester, in association with colleagues at Loughborough University, combined 18 previous studies involving 794,577 participants, was conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the newly formed National Institute for Health Research Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, said a statement released by the university. The results were published in Diabetologia, which is the journal of the European Association of the Study of Diabetes.

Researchers found that people who tend to sit for long periods of time have a two-fold increase in their risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and of sudden death.

"Importantly," the statement said, "associations were independent of the amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity undertaken, suggesting that even if an individual meets typical physical activity guidelines, their health may still be compromised if they sit for long periods of time throughout the day."

Get up, move around – and live longer

Dr. Emma Wilmot, a research fellow in the Diabetes Research Group at the University of Leicester, who led the study, noted that the modern inactive lifestyle is to blame.

"The average adult spends 50 to 70 percent of their time sitting so the findings of this study have far reaching implications," she said. "By simply limiting the time that we spend sitting, we may be able to reduce our risk of diabetes, heart disease and death."

Continuing, she said that the study "also showed that the most consistent associations were between sitting and diabetes. This is an important message because people with risk factors for diabetes, such as the obese, those of South Asian ethnic origin, or those with a family history of diabetes, may be able to help reduce their future risk of diabetes by limiting the time spent sitting."

Other members of the research team suggested ways to mitigate the dangers.

"There are many ways we can reduce our sitting time, such as breaking up long periods at the computer at work by placing our laptop on a filing cabinet," says Prof. Stuart Biddle of Loughborough University, a co-investigator on the study. "We can have standing meetings, we can walk during the lunch break, and we can look to reduce TV viewing in the evenings by seeking out less sedentary behaviors."

Prof. Melanie Davies, a professor of diabetes medicine at Leicester and honorary consultant at University Hospitals of Leicester reiterated the significance of the findings.

"This paper has a very important message for the public but also for health care professionals – namely that being sedentary is common and dangerous for our long term health, particularly for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and that this link appears to be over and above other lifestyle factors such as our diet and physical activity," said Davies, who is also co-investigator and director of the NIHR Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit.

Earlier research points to similar conclusions

Research has shown for years that sitting too much can lead to health problems. One significant Australian study, which followed 222,497 Australian adults for several years, found that those who sat for 11 hours a day or more were at the highest risk of all-cause mortality, followed by those who sat for eight to 11 hours per day.

Still, another study found that sitting is for that long is so bad for you that its negative effects are nearly impossible to exercise away. That study followed 27 Finnish men and women over the course of two days. On the first day, they exercised but did not do so on the second day. After researchers measured muscle activity and heart rate of study participants, they discovered that although they burned calories during exercise, it did not increase overall muscle activity.

They also found that, on average, the muscles for people who work at a desk are inactive for about 70 percent of the day, regardless of whether they engage in any physical fitness.

Tony Goldstone and his colleagues at IRC's MRC Clinical Science Centre made inroads into better understanding this phenomenon by conducting brain scans on a group of people who were deprived of breakfast on some days, and given a full breakfast on other days. 21 men and women, all of whom were roughly 25 years of age, were shown pictures of various foods each day and asked to rate their desirability after having either eaten breakfast or not eaten breakfast.

After conducting scans on the participants' brains under both circumstances, the team learned that skipping breakfast tends to trigger activity in regions of the brain that prompt cravings for high-calorie junk foods, which typically contain high amounts of processed sugars and unhealthy fats. When participants ate a full breakfast; however, they were much less likely to have such desires, and instead stuck to a fairly regular eating plan.

"Not surprisingly, when [the participants] are fasted they are hungry and they rate the high-calorie foods as more appealing than when they are fed," said Goldstone about the findings. "For low-calorie foods, the effect is not as marked. When they come out of the scanner, they are given lunch and they eat more when they haven't had breakfast."

Not eating breakfast could be damaging your long-term health
The irregularity in eating habits that results from not eating breakfast also tends to cause individuals to eat more food in general. Depending on someone's personal food choices, this excess eating can lead to weight gain, obesity, high cholesterol, and other health problems. Starting the day off right with an energy-dense, high-protein meal, on the other hand, can help effectively regulate blood sugar levels throughout the day, tame sugar and fat cravings, and promote lasting vitality.

According to a study presented at the American Heart Association (AHA)'s annual conference back in 2003, eating breakfast can actually help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular illness. Because it stimulates proper blood sugar production and regulation, eating breakfast can help protect the heart, vital organs, digestive system, and brain from damage, as well as promote longevity.

Another 2003 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who regularly skip breakfast are 450 percent more likely to become obese than people who regularly eat breakfast. Eating fast food for breakfast; however, was found to have similar health risks as not eating any breakfast at all.

As reported by The Blaze, everything from eggs and milk to beer and wine has seen drastic price increases throughout the past decade, illustrating how wildly out of control inflation has become in the U.S. as a result of a failed fiat currency. Here is a list of 12 other consumer items besides gasoline, in order from the lowest increase to the highest increase, that have spiked in price over the past 10 years:

1) Milk: A gallon of pasteurized, homogenized whole milk was priced around $2.75 back in 2002. But today, that same gallon of processed milk costs about $3.47, representing a 26 percent increase.

2) Bread: If you typically buy bread from the store, you are likely paying 39 percent more per loaf today than you were 10 years ago. An average loaf of bread today costs $1.41, up from $1.01 back in 2002.

3) Peanut butter: A 16-ounce jar of conventional peanut butter in 2002 would have cost you around $1.96. But today, that same jar would cost you somewhere around $2.75, representing a 40 percent increase.

4) Steak: That juicy steak you treat yourself to every once in a while is now 41 percent more expensive, as the average price per pound of steak has risen from $4.40 in 2002 to $6.22 in 2012.

5) Electricity: Unless you live off the grid, you have likely noticed your energy costs rise significantly over the past 10 years. In 2002, the average price per kilowatt/hour of electricity was $.091. Today, it is about $1.30, representing a 42 percent increase.

6) Apples: Eating that apple a day to keep the doctor away is also draining 43 percent more from your bank account. In 2002, the average price per pound of red, delicious apples was $0.94. Today, it is about $1.35.

7) Spaghetti/Macaroni: Pasta is still a relatively inexpensive food item. But its average price per pound has surged 44 percent since 2002, rising from $0.91 to about $1.32.

8) Orange juice: If you regularly drink orange juice every morning, you are now paying about 46 percent more than you were back in 2002, as the price per 16-ounce jug has risen from $1.84 to $2.69.

9) Turkey: Thanksgiving would not be the same without a turkey. But the gathering now costs about 56 percent more, as the price per pound of turkey has risen from $1.05 in 2002 to $1.65 in 2012.

10) Wine: A one-liter bottle of wine in 2002 cost about $6.23. But today, that same bottle costs about $10.03, representing a 60 percent increase.

11) Ground beef: It is great for making hamburgers, casseroles, and other hearty meals. But ground beef now costs 61 percent more than in 2002, having risen from an average price of $2.28 per pound in 2002 to $3.69 in 2012.

12) Eggs: In 2002, the average price for a dozen large, grade A eggs from the grocery store was $1.03. Today, the average price is $1.80, representing a 73 percent increase.

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

(NaturalNews) Citrus fruits have long had a reputation for high concentrations of healthful nutrients such as vitamin C, and recent research continues to uncover new health benefits from many citrus flavonoids. Although the flavonoids are abundant within the fruit itself, they are found in highest concentration in the peel — which means that unless you're cooking with citrus peel or zest, the best way to get the full antioxidant punch is to eat a bit of the tart, white flesh on the inside of the fruit's peel.

Vitamin C
Immune Protocol

One of the most promising of these flavonoids is naringenin, which occurs in all citrus fruits and in tomato peel. Studies have shown that naringenin and related citrus flavonoids can repair the DNA damage that leads to cancer, and other research has shown that the phytonutrient can stimulate the liver to burn excess fat and restore obese mice to a normal weight.

Naringenin has also restored normal levels of triglyceride and cholesterol levels in animal studies, as well as restoring healthy blood sugar levels. There's medicine in your food! So don't throw that medicine away with the peel. Eat it and enjoy the many health benefits offered by Mother Nature.

Colloidal Silver
Liquid Life Complete
Intramax

A study team from the University of Melbourne in Australia has published the result of a study in the journal, Nature describing how specialized immune cells recognize products of vitamin B synthesis that are unique to bacteria and yeast, triggering the body to fight infection. This body of work is important because it provides a natural method to help the body fight dormant viral and bacterial infections that ultimately promote DNA alterations and mutations that become cancerous over a period of decades.

B vitamins stimulate immune T cells that recognize and destroy pathogens
The research team examined how byproducts of bacterial vitamin synthesis, including some derived from Folic acid or vitamin B9 and Riboflavin or vitamin B2, could be captured by the immune receptor cells to fine-tune the activity of T cells. T cells are the white blood cell components that are responsible for activating our immune reaction to invaders, and can sometimes become ineffective against viral and bacterial pathogens, due largely to poor lifestyle habits and diet as well as aging.

The study leader, Dr. Lars Kjer noted "Humans are unable to make vitamin B and obtain it mostly from diet. Because bacteria can synthesize vitamin B, our immune system uses this as a point of difference to recognize infection." The scientists concluded that since the human digestive tract has an abundance of specialized T cells known as 'mucosal associated invariant T cells' (MAIT cells) lining the mucosa of the mouth, intestine and lungs, it is most likely that they play a protective role in many infections from thrush to tuberculosis, and a host of more serious chronic diseases.

This study demonstrates the critical importance of optimal nutrient intake to prevent disease. Low intake of nutrients (in this case, the B vitamins B2 and B9) over the course of years and decades degrades the very foundation of our immune response leading to the development of infections and chronic conditions. Consuming large numbers of calories from nutritionally-depleted, highly processed foods leads to overall nutrient deficiency, denying each of our trillions of cells the vitamins and minerals necessary to promote long-term health.