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Immunology scientists link pesticides to food allergies

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

Allergies have been increasing at an alarming rate and now immunology scientists have found one reason. Pesticides.  Australian Food News Journalist Kate Carey reports:

New American research published in the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) says that those exposed to pesticides are more likely to develop food allergies.

The study of 10,348 people found that those with high levels chemicals known as dichlorophenols (DCPs) had weakened food tolerance which causes food allergies. DCPs are found in chlorinated water, herbicides used in food production, as well as air fresheners, moth balls and repellants. It should also be noted that DCPs are used in the process for chlorinating water.

Of the 2,211 that had DCPs present in their urine, food allergy was found in 411 of these participants, and1,016 had an environmental allergy.

Author of the study and allergist Dr Elina Jerschow said that food allergies and environmental allergies were significantly increasing in the United States.

“The results of our study suggest these two trends might be linked, and that increased use of pesticides and other chemicals is associated with a higher prevalence of food allergies,” Dr Jerschow said.

Centres for Disease Control Prevention and Research statistics show the most common food allergies are milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, tree nuts, soy, fish, and shellfish. The statistics show an 18 per cent increase in food allergies between 1997 and 2007.

However, Dr Jerschow said more research needs to be done to confirm whether DCPs are the cause of allergies or whether the two are merely linked.

 

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Green Tea Reduces “Bad” Cholesterol Levels

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

Natural News Reports:

“Green tea has always been cited to improve a number of health benefits through its consumption. A recent study targeted LDL, or “bad” cholesterol and brought forth evidence that green tea reduces those levels. The question of how much and whether or not green tea should serve as a medical alternative remains to be seen; however, the overall benefits of green tea are difficult to ignore.

The study separated participants in two random groups: the first group who drank green tea and consumed green tea extract, and the second group that did not consume green tea. This study was staged for a period of time ranging from a few weeks up to three months, and the results showed that the former group who consumed high amounts of green tea had reduced levels of “bad” cholesterol. In fact, the participants who consumed green tea had a, on average, 7.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) reduction in total cholesterol levels compared to the participants who did not consume green tea. These participants also had their “bad” cholesterol levels dropped by 2.2 mg/dL.

Another study done by researchers at Western University of Health Sciences dissected the correlation between green tea and serum lipid levels, as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Over the course of three to 24 weeks, researches conducted 20 trials that resulted in lower LDL cholesterol levels. Specifically, the participants showed a five to six point reduction in their levels.

Why does green tea lower LDL cholesterol

Green tea contains catechin polyphenols, specifically epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a very powerful antioxidant that has been known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, effectively lower LDL cholesterol levels, and also inhibit abnormal formation of blood clots.

The particular reason green tea is always cited as a superior health choice when it comes to tea, is its minimal processing. Green tea leaves are withered and steamed rather than fermented like black and oolong teas. This is what prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized, resulting in its catechins and EGCG to be more concentrated.

Although green tea is not being “prescribed” for lowering LDL cholesterol levels, the evidence is clear that it can help with lowering the “bad” cholesterol levels. When consumed regularly, green tea contributes to an overall healthier lifestyle and even to the prevention of heart disease.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.reuters.com

http://www.foodproductdesign.com

http://www.doctorwascher.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/036422_green_tea_cholesterol_reduction.html#ixzz20LkhJqRs

Try Nushie’s Natural Green Tea Ice Creamery. It tastes fabulous and is very healthy being non dairy and gluten free. It contains more than 15% steeped brewed and fresh organic raw Green Tea leaves. It also contains wheat grass which is full of anti oxidants as well as natural epicatechin compounds.

 

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Consuming Healthy Fats Such as Coconut Milk is Vital to Our Health

Sunday, March 11th, 2012

We are bombarded daily about low fat diets and why we should follow them. But most of these diets are really just substituting carbohydrates for fat and eliminating the good fats which our bodies need. Natural Health Reports:

“Many people today still adhere to the misguided belief that nearly all fats are bad, and that the best way to stay slim and healthy is to cut fats, whenever possible, from your diet. On the contrary, fats are an absolutely vital component of any healthy diet as they aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, as well as feed the brain, heart, liver, lungs, bones, cells and nervous system the nutrients they need to function properly.

It is widely assumed that, because they are called “fats,” these substances must contribute to obesity and obesity-related illnesses like heart disease that afflict millions of people today. This is true for trans fats and certain other unhealthy fats, of course, but there are all kinds of healthy fats as well, such as coconut oil, for instance, or even animal-based fats like grass-fed butter and naturally-produced lard that can actually promote good health.

At the recent World of Healthy Flavors Conference in Napa, Calif., the myth of the low-fat diet was tackled head on by several key figures in nutrition and epidemiology, including Walter Willett, chair of the nutrition department at the Harvard University School of Public Health (HSPH), and his colleague Dariush Mozaffarian. As part of their “Focus on Fat” panel, these experts encouraged their audience to abandon the low-fat mindset and learn about the benefits of consuming healthy fats.

Many low-fat food items contain high levels of processed salt and refined carbohydrates, they pointed out, which are added to low-fat foods to make up for the loss in taste and flavor that results from the artificial removal of fats. Both of these additives, which are devoid of their nutritional counterparts due to over-processing, are linked to numerous health problems, including obesity and heart disease.

“Low fat diets are usually high in carbohydrates, often from rapidly-digested foods such as white flour, white rice, potatoes, sugary drinks, and refined snacks. Eating lots of these ‘fast carbs’ can cause quick, sharp spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, and over time can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease,” wrote the HSPH presenters in their presentation summary.

“High carbohydrate, low fat diets also have a negative effect on the fats and cholesterol in our blood: They raise the ‘bad’ blood fats (triglycerides) and they lower the ‘good’ blood cholesterol (HDL), both of which can increase the risk of heart disease.”

Why saturated fat is good for you

The conference presenters are correct in their assessment of refined carbohydrates and processed salts — however, they are incorrect in another key area concerning types of healthy fats. Missing the boat on the body’s need for healthy saturated fats, the duo told attendees that unsaturated fats are the “healthiest type of fat,” and claimed that saturated fats are “less healthy” and are responsible for helping raise levels of bad cholesterol.

Ironically, this belief that saturated fats are unhealthy is also a myth, and one that needs to be widely debunked for the sake of human health and well-being. Contrary to popular belief, saturated fats like the kind found in coconut and palm oils, for instance, or in grass-fed meats, milk, eggs, butter, and cheese, are crucial for maintaining healthy cells, healthy organs, and a healthy body (http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller33.1.html).

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/035069_low_fat_diet_myths_weight_loss.html#ixzz1oKnITUdC“

Nushie’s Natural Organic Ice Creamery is made from organic coconut milk and cashews. It has good saturated fats and is gluten and dairy free. It is also Australian certified organic, suitable for vegans and has no harmful preservatives or chemicals. Try it is is fabulous.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu

http://www.zesterdaily.com/health/801-say-goodbye-to-low-fat

http://www.ciaprochef.com/wohf2011/pdf/CIA-HARVARD-AFocusonFat.pdf

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/035069_low_fat_diet_myths_weight_loss.html#ixzz1oKpnFzs8

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An Apple a Day

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

A new study recently published in the Journal of Leukocyte

Biology shows that antioxidants found in apple peel may lead
the way to better treating
inflammatory diseases. The study has discovered that oral
ingestion of anti-inflammatory polyphenols (found in apple
peel) can suppress T cell
stimulation, resulting in colitis prevention in mice.
Scientists found that apple polyphenols failed to protect
against colitis in mice which were
lacking in T cells, suggesting that these antioxidants work by
suppressing T cell activity.

The hope is that this new information could lead to new
therapies and treatments for people suffering from conditions
such as colitis and Crohn’s
disease. Colitis is the inflammation of the colon,
specifically the large intestine, whereas Crohn’s disease can
affect any part of the
gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. Both
conditions can often be extremely painful and debilitating
when at their worst. So this
news may prove heartening for sufferers.

Colitis treatment

“Many people with colitis use some form of dietary supplement
to complement conventional therapies, but most of the
information on the health
effects of complementary medicine remains anecdotal. Also,
little is known about exactly how these therapies work, if
they work at all,” said David
W. Pascual, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the study at the
Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Montana
State University in
Bozeman, Montana. “Our results show that a natural product
found in apple peels can suppress colonic inflammation by
antagonizing inflammatory T
cells to enhance resistance against autoimmune disease.”

Polyphenols are found in a number of food stuffs, including green tea (you
can read our article on the benefits of green tea here)
and red wine. However, the apple polyphenols are
slightly different, as they are water soluble. Polyphenol-rich
diets have been shown to not only help with inflammatory
diseases, but also to
promote better heart health, and even lower cancer rates.

Blood fat drop

The good news doesn’t stop there. When these antioxidants are
combined with a form of fibre called pectin, which is also
found in apples, this can
help lower blood fat levels. However, this can only happen
with regular consumption of unpeeled apples, meaning that to
see any possible benefits
you should eat at least one apple a day.

Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, John
Wherry, Ph.D., said, “In addition to the obvious health
benefits of the nutrients and fibre
in fruits and vegetables, this study indicates that even
something as relatively common as the apple contains other
healthy ingredients that can
have serious therapeutic value.”

Apples are proving to be an all-round perfect health food,
with growing evidence that ‘an apple a day’ really can keep
the doctor away. Other
apple-eating benefits include:


  • Stabilizing blood sugar levels
    – The Pectin found in apples has been linked to lower
    risk of insulin resistance and less likelihood of
    developing pre-diabetes.

  • Weight control
    – Another benefit of Pectin is that it can reduce
    appetite, because it is a filling form of fibre. This
    makes apples the perfect snack if
    you’re trying to manage your weight.

  • Improved allergy symptoms
    – Quercetin is another anti-inflammatory found in
    apples, and is a natural antihistamine. Studies have
    shown that children who regularly
    eat apples have lower rates of asthma. It can also
    help improve allergy symptoms in adults.

  • Alzheimer’s prevention
    – Researchers at Cornell University have found
    another use for Quercetin, discovering that it may
    protect brain cells from free radical
    damage that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Although all apples contain these nutrients, organic apples
have been shown to contain greater concentrations. Studies
from Britain, France, Poland
and the US all agree that organic apples contain higher
amounts of vitamin C, polyphenols, betacarotene and
flavonoids. Many of the same benefits
can be gained from consuming apple products, such as apple
juice, or apple cider vinegar. For example, apple cider
vinegar has long been known to
treat a whole host of different ailments, from allergies,
sickness, even muscle spasms. With the latter, cider vinegar
can help by either consuming
orally in some water, or by rubbing it directly onto the
affected area. It can ease cramping almost immediately.

So while it’s great to keep up to date with all the latest
super fruits and wonder grains, and latest gadgets and
products that can help us lead
more healthy and natural lifestyles – such as the juicer,
the all-natural
mattress or the vegan shoe – it
pays not to forget the humble, simple apple.

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Study suggests Legumes May Prevent Iron Deficiency

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

One of the difficulties in maintaining a strict vegan diet has been ensuring a sufficient iron intake. Supplements have often been the answer but a new study published in Science Daily suggests legumes may provide a novel alternative and natural answer for iron deficiency.

Science Daily reports: “A groundbreaking study conducted by Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) Senior Scientist Elizabeth Theil, PhD, is the first to reveal the existence of at least two independent mechanisms for iron absorption from non-meat sources-and a potential treatment for iron deficiency, the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide. Dr. Theil’s discovery of an alternative mechanism for iron absorption from vegetables and legumes may provide the key to helping solve iron deficiency by providing an alternative, affordable, and readily available source of iron

In an upcoming publication in The Journal of Nutrition (published online January 18, 2012), Dr. Theil and her international colleagues demonstrate that there is an alternative mechanism for the absorption of ferritin, a large, protein-coated iron mineral rich in legumes, in addition to the more well-known mechanism for iron absorption of small iron complexes like those found in iron supplements.
“Our study shows that this different mechanism of iron absorption from plant ferritin is more efficient and gives the intestinal cells more control. It can be a new way to help solve global iron deficiency,” says Dr. Theil.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in both developing and non-developing nations. Traditional treatments include iron supplements and increased meat consumption. Both of these approaches have proven to have significant limitations, however.
Iron supplements frequently cause uncomfortable side effects, including gas and bloating, which lead to inconsistent consumption. In some cultures where iron deficiency is endemic, meat is scarce; frequently, the limited meat available is reserved for men, even though growing children and women of child-bearing age are the most susceptible to iron deficiency. The discovery of an alternative and highly efficient mechanism for iron absorption from legumes, however, could provide the key to helping solve worldwide iron deficiency by providing a readily available and affordable source of iron.
The new study combines the results of two different experiments, one conducted in humans and the other using rats to model humans. In the rat model, portions of the rat intestines were bathed with solutions of traceable iron, either as a typical type of iron supplement or as ferritin (protein-coated iron mineral). Measurements showed that both the large ferritin and the smaller iron complex were absorbed through the intestine.
In the human study, traceable iron in ferritin was consumed by volunteers with a 9:1 ratio of unlabelled, non-meat iron dietary supplement, or with hemoglobin, with the type of heme iron in meat, to see if the two types of iron competed with ferritin iron for the same absorption mechanism. In each case, the iron competitor had no effect on the iron absorption from ferritin.
“What these studies show together is that during digestion, ferritin is not converted from its large, mineral complex, which contains a thousand iron atoms, to individual iron atoms like those found in many iron supplements,” explains Dr. Theil. “Instead, ferritin iron is absorbed in its protein-coated, iron mineral form by a different, independent mechanism; iron absorbed as ferritin, leaves the intestine more slowly, but may, provide greater safety to the intestines than iron supplements.”
In addition to potentially being safer, causing less irritation to the intestines, absorption of iron as ferritin is easier for the intestine. The iron found in meat and non-meat iron supplements enters the intestine from food one iron atom at a time. Each entry step requires the intestinal cells to use up energy. When the intestine takes in a single molecule of ferritin, however, it gets a thousand atoms inside that one ferritin molecule, making iron absorption that much more efficient.
While further studies are needed to elucidate the exact mechanism of ferritin absorption, in the mean time, the results demonstrate that ferritin-rich foods such as legumes can provide a significant source of dietary iron for those in the greatest need of increasing their iron consumption.”

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You Can Still Eat out And Lose Weight!

Sunday, January 22nd, 2012

Would you stop eating out to lose weight?  This is a question posed recently by Science daily.  A new study the results of which are published in Science daily, shows you can still eat out and lose weight.

“Going out to eat has become a major part of our culture. Frequently eating out and consuming high-calorie foods in large portions at restaurants can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain. However, a study in the January/February 2012 issue of theJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior demonstrates that individuals can eat out and still lose weight.
Investigators from The University of Texas at Austin enrolled 35 healthy, perimenopausal women aged 40 to 59 years who eat out frequently. Participants took part in a 6-week program called Mindful Restaurant Eating, a weight-gain prevention intervention that helps develop the skills needed to reduce caloric and fat intake when eating out. The focus of the program was on preventing weight gain in this population, not weight loss. It is important to prevent weight gain in this population as increasing abdominal waist circumference from weight gain is greater during the perimenopausal years, which in turn increases the risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Even though the focus was on weight maintenance, the researchers found that participants in the intervention group lost significantly more weight, had lower average daily caloric and fat intake, had increased diet related self-efficacy, and had fewer barriers to weight management when eating out.
Dr. Gayle M. Timmerman, PhD, RN, the principal investigator of this study states, “Although the intention of the intervention was weight maintenance and the majority of participants were not dieting with the intent to lose weight at the start of the study (69%), on average the intervention group lost 1.7 kg during 6 weeks. The number of times that participants ate out, as captured in the 3-day 24-hour recalls, did not significantly decrease from time 1 to time 2, indicating that participants were able to successfully manage their weight while continuing their usual, frequent eating-out patterns. Overall, the participants in the intervention group reduced their daily caloric intake by about 297 calories after completing the intervention, which would explain their weight loss. Only part of the calorie reduction (about 124 calories) can be accounted for during eating out, indicating that fewer calories were also consumed at home.”
“Based on what we learned from this study, for those individuals who eat out frequently, developing the skills needed to eat out without gaining weight from the excess calories typically consumed at restaurants may be essential to long-term health,” Dr. Timmerman concludes.
This study addresses the importance of developing creative solutions in preventing weight gain; developing restaurant eating skills to manage intake in the high risk restaurant food environment may be one of those solutions.”

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More Reasons Why Green Tea is So Healthy.

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

Green Tea has many health benefits and two recent studies reported in Natural News have confirmed the many benefits that can be derived from taking Green Tea.

1. Green Tea confirmed as a weight loss nutrient and heart health antioxidant

Many studies over the past decade have shown that green tea is a powerful tool to improve metabolism in a way that is supportive of weight loss.

Scientists publishing in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry demonstrate that it activates genes associated with fat burning while also helping to reduce absorption of fat from the digestive tract. Further evidence on the gene-altering activity of green tea is reported in the International Journal of Cardiology, as polyphenols from the drink lower free radical damage to help maintain telomere length in heart cells. Drinking several cups of green tea each day may hold the key to effective weight management and cardiac health.

Researchers from the Departments of Chemical Biology and Pharmacology and Toxicology at Rutgers University in New Jersey examined the effect of green tea supplementation on obese mice, known to exhibit similar metabolic characteristics to humans. The animals were broken into two groups and both were fed a traditional high fat/Western style diet. One group received water supplemented with the green tea bioactive catechin EGCG, while the second group acted as a non-supplemented control.

The study determined that EGCG supplementation significantly reduced body weight gain, associated with increased fecal lipids and decreased blood glucose levels, compared to those of the control group. Scientists further found that fatty liver incidence, associated liver damage and liver triglyceride levels were also decreased by the EGCG treatment. Treated animals also experienced improved insulin response as well as lowered C-reactive protein (CRP) and interlukin-6 (IL-6) levels, both strong indicators of systemic inflammation and immune response.

The study authors concluded “Our results demonstrate that the high fat/Western diet produces more severe symptoms of metabolic syndrome and that the EGCG treatment can alleviate these symptoms and body fat accumulation. The beneficial effects of EGCG are associated with decreased lipid absorption and reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines.” Green tea helps our cellular engines (mitochondria) to better metabolize calories more efficiently, providing a significant weight management tool.

Additionally, supporting research documents the effect of green tea catechins on extending the lifespan of heart muscle cells. Scientists found that EGCG supplementation exerted a potent antioxidant effect that lowered free radical damage to preserve telomere length and reduce heart cell death. Nutrition experts recommend two to four cups of fresh brewed green tea daily or an organically compounded and standardized EGCG supplement (300 to 500 mg daily) to assist weight management goals and improve cardiovascular health.

2. Green Tea can also help naturally lower bad cholesterol levels.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association  reveals that consuming green tea or green tea supplements regularly can help naturally lower LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels.

For their study, Olivia Phung, an assistant professor of pharmacy at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Cal., and her colleagues analyzed data from 20 clinical trials on green tea that included more than 1,400 adults. They found that participants who consumed green tea or green tea supplements every day experienced a five-to-six point average drop in LDL cholesterol compared to those taking a placebo.

The various trials included in the evaluation lasted anywhere from three weeks to six months, and the benefits of green tea were most apparent in participants that already had high cholesterol prior to joining the studies. Green tea in beverage form was reportedly more effective than green tea in capsule or supplement form at lowering cholesterol levels.

Green tea contains polyphenolic compounds known as catechins, which in previous studies, has been shown to promote weight loss (http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000…). These same antioxidant compounds are believed to be what is responsible for green tea’s cholesterol-lowering effects.

“Green tea catechins have been studied fairly extensively as preventive agents for cardiovascular disease,” writes Tori Hudson, ND, in her book Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: Alternative Therapies and Integrative Medicine for Total Health and Wellness. In one cited study, “flavanoid-rich green tea extract (375mg) for three months along with a low-fat diet decreased total cholesterol by 11.3 percent and LDL by 16.4 percent in men and women with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.”

 

Not all cholesterol is bad, however, and the jury is still out as to whether or not having “low cholesterol” is a good thing. It appears as though cholesterol itself is not the culprit in heart disease and artery hardening, but rather the accumulation of oxidized cholesterol, which is a result of other dietary factors.

Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, for instance, recently found that women with high cholesterol levels actually have fewer heart attacks and strokes than women with lower cholesterol levels.

Try Nushie’s Natural Green Tea Ice Creamery. It tastes fabulous and is very healthy being non dairy and gluten free. It contains more than 15% steeped brewed and fresh organic raw Green Tea leaves. It also contains wheat grass which is full of anti oxidants as well as natural epicatechin compounds.

Sources:

www.naturalnews.com/033975_high_cholesterol_heart_attacks.html

www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/17/green-tea-may-trim-bad-cholesterol-study-says/

http://www.naturalnews.com/034153_green_tea_weight_loss.html#ixzz1dkzNWzyj

www.wellnessresources.com/weight/articles/green_tea_as_a_potent_weight_loss_nutrient/

 

 

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Motivation Not Information Impacts on Healthy Food Choices

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

We may have already suspected this. A recent study has concluded that most consumers can understand the nutritional information provided to them and when forced to rank foods according to nutritional value, but to actually get them to act on that knowledge requires high motivation.

The  ‘Food Labelling to Advance Better Education for Life’ (FLABEL) project currently being conducted in Europe has found that  lack of motivation and attention of consumers prevents nutritional information on food labels from impacting positively on food choices.

The FLABEL project provides research on consumer behaviour and nutrition labels to help guide industry players and policy-makers in Europe.

The FLABEL consortium is comprised of academic experts, retailers, and not-for-profit organizations in the European Union.
 
As reported by Matt Paish of Australian food News:
“The EU-wide nutrition labelling audit was carried out in 84 retail stores and examined more than 37,000 products of five product categories, sweet biscuits, breakfast cereals, chilled pre-packed ready meals, carbonated soft drinks, and yoghurts.
The FLABEL research found that 85 per cent of the products carried nutrition information on the back of the pack, and 48 per cent on the front of the pack. The most widespread back-of-pack format was the tabular or linear listing of calorific value and nutrient composition at 84 per cent; whereas nutrition claims and Daily Intake Guides were the most prevalent forms of front of pack nutrition information, both averaging 25 per cent.
The FLABEL research found that food packages held consumers’ visual attention for “very short periods”, with the average attention to elements of nutrition labels being between 25 and 100 milliseconds, as measured by sophisticated eye-tracking equipment.
When information was provided on key nutrients (i.e. fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt) and energy, most consumers were able to correctly rank products according to healthiness. Additional information such as Daily Intake Guides or Traffic Lights only marginally improved the accuracy of this ranking, the researchers said.
FLABEL’s Scientific Advisor, Professor Klaus Grunert, of Aarhus University in Denmark, said, “The research suggests that the most promising way to increasing consumers’ attention to, and use of, nutrition information on food labels, is to provide nutritional information in a consistent way.
“When prompted, consumers were able to identify which products were healthier, but they did not use this information to choose which product they prefer. A lack of consumer motivation, therefore, is one factor standing in the way of healthy food choices resulting from nutrition labeling,” Professor Grunert added. “
 
The results demonstrate that aditional simplistic nutritional labelling such as Traffic Lights will not benefit consumers and as we have said would most likely mislead rather than help. What is necessary is continuous education commencing at early childhood about healthy eating and nutritional foods.

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Flaxseeds can reduce cholesterol and blood lipid levels

Friday, November 4th, 2011

We all know that flaxseeds have wonderful health benefits, now they just keep getting better. Natural News reports that flaxseeds can reduce cholesterol and blood lipid levels.
“Bringing flaxseeds into your diet will definitely bring you good fortune, restore health, and protect you from the evils that your own body can produce.

There is a little gender-related controversy regarding the lowering of cholesterol levels via flaxseed consumption. In a study conducted by ISU professor Suzanne Hendrich of Iowa State University’s Nutrition and Wellness Research Center (NWRC), it was found that men’s cholesterol levels can fall much faster than that of a woman’s, upon the consumption of about 150 milligrams of flaxseeds (about three tablespoons) a day.

The study, which included 90 people of both genders, took place over a span of three months and looked at patients that all had high levels of cholesterol but no other underlying health-related conditions. According to Professor Hendrich, it is the flaxseed ‘lignans’ – a plant-based chemical compound group known for its protective health properties – that is responsible for helping lower cholesterol levels. “There are certainly some people who would prefer not to use a drug,” Hendrich says, “but rather use foods to maintain their health. This potentially would be something to consider.” Hendrich believes that where men in particular are concerned, the properties in flaxseeds make it a wonderful natural, long-term alternative for those who would rather opt for nature than drugs.

This doesn’t mean that women should despair however. In another significant study conducted, women who added as little as 50 grams of ground flaxseed to their daily diets for four weeks were shown to have lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 18%, without touching the HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Gene Bruno, Dean of Academics at Huntington College of Health Sciences, wrote in his 2008 article that flaxseed research has also shown major serum lipid level reduction by about 8% – an effect traditionally achieved through the consumption of fish oils.

In another study involving only female volunteers and the consumption of 50 grams of flaxseed for a month, serum lipid levels went down by about 9%. Bruno also states that the lignans in flaxseeds have been found to possess anti-platelet activating properties – essential in preventing platelets in the bloodstream from clumping, rupturing, and creating harmful clots that can lead to heart-attacks and strokes, making flaxseed a premium health option.

Adding flaxseeds to your daily diet is not only highly beneficial for your health, but also very easy. Sprinkling a spoon or two of either whole or ground flaxseeds daily on your food will give you not only a good dose of omega-3 fats, but also both soluble and insoluble fiber – as well as will regulate your cholesterol levels.”

Try Nushie’s Natural organic flaxseed crackers. They are fabulous source of flaxseed and very tasty. Being dehydrated and not cooked they retain the benefits of the flaxseeds.

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/034025_flaxseeds_cholesterol.html#ixzz1cU8yLX4F

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Recent Study Shows Green Tea is a Natural Remedy That Slows Weight Gain And Could Reduce Obesity

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Green Tea has many healthy attributes. The potent health-inducing nature of green tea has been in evidence for more than 5,000 years as countless Asian generations have cultivated the plant for medicinal purposes.

Apart from its anti-oxidant benefits and its role in preventing heart disease and diabetes amongst many other healthy attributes, Green Tea has recently been shown to have the potential to slow weight gain and prevent obesity.

Publishing their findings in online journal Obesity, researchers from Pennsylvania State University found that a control group of obese mice who were fed Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) – a compound found in most green teas – in addition to a high-fat diet gained weight 44 per cent slower than their counterparts who were fed the same diet without the compound.
“Our work suggests that EGCG inhibits an enzyme called pancreatic lipase (PL), which is secreted into the intestine when you eat and is the most important enzyme for the digestion of dietary fat,” explains study author Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University. “EGCG, in the test tube, inhibits this enzyme at relatively low concentrations. Definitely concentrations that are achieved in the intestine when you drink a cup or two of tea.”

The study also proposes that it could provide a cheap alternative to clinical weight-loss drugs, proving to be as effective while lacking the sometimes debilitating side effects.
“We think this mechanism is relevant in animals, and probably in people, because mice treated with EGCG have elevated faecal fat content,” he adds. “To us, this suggests that the fat is not being digested, and is instead passing through the intestine and into the faeces.

The findings support earlier research undertaken at the Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research Institute at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Scientists there conducted a meta-analysis of multiple studies on the effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance in humans and concluded that its consumption “significantly decreased body weight and significantly maintained body weight” after a period of weight loss.
“It has only been scientifically evaluated in the past 11 years, and it is thought that the combination of EGCG and caffeine are responsible for the weight loss,” says Teresa Mitchell-Paterson, Head of Academic Studies (Natural Therapies) at the Australasian College of Natural Therapies. “However the consumption of caffeine alone does not give the same fat-loss benefit.”
Extrapolating from the mice study, Lambert says a human being would have to drink 10 cups of green tea per day to ingest a dose of EGCG equivalent to that given to the mice, but further research is required to establish a more effective dose, and what the magnitude of the effect actually is.
It’s advised that those with heart conditions or major cardiovascular problems strictly limit their intake of caffeine, while pregnant and breast-feeding women should drink no more than one-to-two cups of green tea per day, since it can cause an increase in heart rhythm. Given these concerns, Mitchell-Paterson says a more pragmatic approach might be suitable for everyone.
“Studies suggest that approximately 150mgs of green tea is needed to gain a therapeutic effect, which is approximately three-to-four cups daily,” she says. “Dosage must be kept to three-to-four cups per day due to the caffeine content of green tea, [and] there is no data regarding toxicity of long term use.”

Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia. Europe started importing tea from China in the 17th century. In China, since the Tang dynasty, the very respected Sage of tea Lu Yu said that tea was an elixir from the heavens. In Japan the art of drinking green tea is not only for good health, but is one of the most very important tradition and culture in Japan.
Green tea is tea made with the leaves of Camellia Sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation.

Nushies Natural Green Tea Ice Creamery contains more than 15% steeped brewed and fresh organic raw Green Tea leaves. It also contains wheat grass which is full of anti oxidants as well as natural epicatechin compounds. Try it, it tastes fabulous! And it is really healthy!

Read more:

http://nushiesnatural.com.au/news/more-good-news-for-green-tea-lovers-green-tea-is-effective-in-treating-genetic-disorder-and-types-of-tumors-study-suggests

http://nushiesnatural.com.au/uncategorized/more-research-shows-that-green-tea-and-cocoa-can-lower-diabetes-risk-and-increase-life-expectancy

http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/oby2011139a.html

Tags: antioxidants, Green Tea, health benefits of green tea, Healthy Food, Nushie’s Natural, nushies natural ice creamery

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