Showing posts with label help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label help. Show all posts
Green tea may help lower starchy food blood sugar spikes
Monday, April 28, 2014
Mice fed an antioxidant found in green tea -- epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG -- and corn starch had a significant reduction in increase in their blood sugar -- blood glucose -- levels compared to mice that were not fed the compound, according to Joshua Lambert, assistant professor of food science in agricultural sciences.
"The spike in blood glucose level is about 50 percent lower than the increase in the blood glucose level of mice that were not fed EGCG," Lambert said.
The dose of EGCG fed to the mice was equivalent to about one and a half cups of green tea for a human.
Lambert, who worked with Sarah C. Forester, postdoctoral fellow, and Yeyi Gu, graduate student, both in food science, said EGCG was most effective when the compound was fed to the mice simultaneously with corn starch. For humans, this may mean that green tea could help them control the typical blood sugar increases that are brought on when they eat starchy foods, like breads and bagels that are often a part of typical breakfasts.
"If what you are eating with your tea has starch in it then you might see that beneficial effect," Lambert said. "So, for example, if you have green tea with your bagel for breakfast, it may reduce the spike in blood glucose levels that you would normally get from that food."
The EGCG had no significant effect on blood sugar spikes in mice that were fed glucose or maltose, according to the researchers who released their findings in the online version of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. Lambert said that the reason blood sugar spikes are reduced when the mice ate starch, but not these sugars, may be related to the way the body converts starch into sugar.
An enzyme called alpha-amylase that is produced in both the mouth and by the pancreas helps break down starch into maltose and glucose. EGCG may inhibit the enzymes ability to break down the starch, the researchers indicated, since they also found that EGCG reduced the activity of alpha amylase in the pancreas by 34 percent.
If the mechanism holds in humans, this may mean that people who want to limit the blood sugar spike should skip adding sugar to their cup of green tea.
"That may mean that if you add sugar into your green tea, that might negate the effect that the green tea will have on limiting the rise in blood glucose level," Lambert said.
Lambert added that the green tea and the starch would need to be consumed simultaneously. For example, drinking a cup of tea well after eating a piece of toast would probably not change the blood sugar spike.
For the study, researchers separated mice into several groups based on body weight. After a fasting period, the mice were given common corn starch, maltose, or sucrose. One group of mice received EGCG along with the feed, while a control group was not fed the compound.
The researchers then tested the blood sugar levels of both groups.
Lambert said the researchers next step is to test the compound on people.
"The relatively low effective dose of EGCG makes a compelling case for studies in human subjects," the researchers said.
Medicare Drug Plans Online Help
Sunday, April 20, 2014
The government has set up an online "Plan Finder" tool to help Medicare recipients make the best choice for their prescription drug plan.Go to www.medicare.gov and click on "Compare Medicare Prescription Drug Plans" to access it.
AARP (Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons) has a brief article in its December Bulletin that assesses the Plan Finder: Savings Are in the Details.
The Plan Finder is designed to display the exact cost to you of drugs you regularly take - under plans which fit the parameters you enter. So before you begin, make a list of these parameters. AARP recommends they include:
- Your Medicare claim number, birth date, and zip code.
- A list of the prescription drugs you take now and their dosages.
- Your choice between plans that offer only drug coverage (e.g. "stand alone" Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) or both medical care and drug coverage (e.g. Medicare Advantage Plans)
- The maximum youre willing to pay for monthly premiums and/or annual deductibles. (If you have limited income, you may not have to pay a premium or deductible.)
You have until December 31 to enroll in a plan to start coverage on January 1.
You have until May 15 to get coverage in 2006.
You can even change your mind. From AARP:
"If youve already signed up for a plan and find another you per, you can switch before May 15. Enrolling in a second plan will automatically cancel your enrollment in the first."
Vitamin D Supplements Wont Help Prevent Disease Review
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Low levels of vitamin D have been implicated as a potential cause of diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes. Now an extensive review suggests its really the other way around: Low levels of the "sunshine vitamin" are more likely a consequence -- not a cause -- of illness.
In their review of almost 500 studies, the researchers found conflicting results. Observational studies, which looked back at what people ate or the kinds of supplements they took, showed a link between higher vitamin D levels in the body and better health.
But, in studies where vitamin D was given as an intervention (treatment) to help prevent a particular ailment, it had no effect. The one exception was a decreased death risk in older adults, particularly older women, who were given vitamin D supplements.
"The discrepancy between observational and intervention studies suggests that low [vitamin D] is a marker of ill health," wrote review authors led by Philippe Autier, at the International Prevention Research Institute, in Lyon, France.
Vitamin D is known to play a key role in bone health. Low levels of vitamin D have been found in a number of conditions, including heart disease, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, cancer and Parkinsons disease. These findings may explain why so many Americans are currently taking vitamin D supplements.
Its nicknamed the sunshine vitamin because the body produces vitamin D when exposed to the sun (if someone isnt wearing sunscreen). Its also found in some foods, such as egg yolks and fatty fish, and in foods that have been fortified with vitamin D, such as milk.
The current review, published online Dec. 6 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, looked at 290 observational studies. In these studies, blood samples to measure vitamin D levels were taken many years before the outcome of the study occurred. The review also included results of 172 randomized clinical trials of vitamin D. In randomized trials, some people receive a therapy while others do not.
The observational studies showed a potential benefit from vitamin D. For example, vitamin D was associated with a 58 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular events, a 38 percent decreased risk of diabetes and a 34 percent decreased risk of colon cancer in these studies.
But, when the researchers looked to the randomized clinical trials that used vitamin D as a treatment, they failed to find any effect on disease occurrence or severity from raising vitamin D levels.
However, vitamin D did reduce the risk of dying from any cause in older people taking 800 international units a day, according to the review.
Dr. Shaun Jayakar, an internal medicine and geriatric specialist from St. John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit, said the findings in elderly people "are likely due to a reduction in falls and fractures. Supplementing with vitamin D would lead to stronger bones, which would reduce falls and factures."
Because the majority of interventional trials failed to find any benefit from vitamin D, the reviews authors conclude that low vitamin D levels dont lead to ill health, rather theyre caused by ill health.
They theorize that inflammation that occurs in many illnesses may be what depletes vitamin D levels.
Dr. Robert Graham, an internist from Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said, "This comprehensive review did a really good job at trying to tease out the effects of different study designs, and the findings will be controversial."
He said there are currently five, large ongoing interventional trials that will help to better define vitamin Ds role in disease. However, the results of those studies wont be available for a number of years. Until then, he recommended, "Try to achieve homeostasis [equilibrium]. You dont want to get to a low level of vitamin D."
The Institute of Medicine recommends 600 international units of vitamin D for adults, and 800 international units for people over 70.
Both Graham and Jayakar agreed that those are reasonable supplement levels. Jayakar said that for most people, vitamin D supplements are harmless, but added that "its a pocketbook issue. Almost 50 percent of the population is taking vitamin D supplements. Thats a lot of money for something that likely has no benefit," he said.
Jayakar added that this reviews findings suggest that low vitamin D levels could be used as a marker -- a sign -- of disease in younger people. "If someone isnt feeling well and they have low vitamin D, maybe we should use that to start searching to see if something else is going wrong," he said.
Egg white protein may help high blood pressure
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Scientists reported new evidence today that a component of egg whites — already popular as a substitute for whole eggs among health-conscious consumers concerned about cholesterol in the yolk — may have another beneficial effect in reducing blood pressure. Their study was part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the worlds largest scientific society, which continues here through Thursday.
"Our research suggests that there may be another reason to call it the incredible, edible egg," said study leader Zhipeng Yu, Ph.D., of Jilin University. "We have evidence from the laboratory that a substance in egg white — its a peptide, one of the building blocks of proteins — reduces blood pressure about as much as a low dose of Captopril, a high-blood-pressure drug."
Yu and colleagues, who are with Clemson University, used a peptide called RVPSL. Scientists previously discovered that the substance, like the family of medications that includes Captopril, Vasotec and Monopril, was an angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. It has a powerful ability to inhibit or block the action of ACE, a substance produced in the body that raises blood pressure.
They set out to further document RVPSLs effects, using laboratory rats that develop high blood pressure and are stand-ins for humans in such early research on hypertension. The results of feeding the substance were positive, showing that RVPSL did not have apparent toxic effects and lowered blood pressure by amounts comparable to low doses of Captopril.
"Our results support and enhance previous findings on this topic," Yu said. "They were promising enough to move ahead with further research on the effects of the egg white peptide on human health."
Yu noted that the research was done with a version of the peptide that was heated to almost 200 degrees Fahrenheit during preparation — less than the temperatures typically used to cook eggs. He cited evidence from other research, however, that egg whites may retain their beneficial effects on blood pressure after cooking.
One, for instance, published in the ACS Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, showed that fried egg protein, cooked at high temperatures, actually showed greater ability to reduce blood pressure than eggs boiled at 212 degrees F.
Yu believes that egg white peptides, either in eggs or as a supplement, could become useful as an adjunct to high-blood-pressure medication. For now, he said people with high blood pressure should consult their health care provider before making any changes.
And he noted that findings about egg white and high blood pressure add to the emerging nutritional image of eggs. Once regarded as a food to avoid in a healthy diet, studies in recent years have concluded that many people can eat eggs without raising their blood cholesterol levels, benefiting from an inexpensive food low in calories and rich in protein, vitamins and other nutrients.
Omega 3 Fats Found in Fish Oil Boost Immune Response to Help Fight Inflammation and Disease
Friday, February 21, 2014
Fish Oil Fats, DHA and EPA Stimulate Immune System B cells to Fight Inflammation and Disease Risk
A group of researchers from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University have published the result of their work in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology that shows how DHA-rich fish oil enhances B cell activity, a white blood cell that is critical to activate our immune response. One of the study authors, Dr. Jennifer Fenton explained “Fish oil may have immune enhancing properties that could benefit immunocompromised individuals.”
Omega-3 fat sources including fish oil include the long chain fatty acids, DHA and EPA that have been shown in a number of prior studies to reduce total body inflammation that help to lower the risk of developing many chronic illnesses including cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke. Researchers now uncover how these special fats enhance B-cell activity, a white blood component necessary to improve immune system activity and lower inflammatory response.
Supplement Daily with A Distilled Fish Oil Capsule to Squelch Inflammation and Lower Disease Risk
Researchers used two mouse models to conduct their study, one group was fed a control diet and the other was fed a diet supplemented with DHA-rich fish oil for a period of five weeks. B cells were taken from various tissues and the scientists then looked for markers of B cell activation on the cell surface, B cell membrane changes, and B cell cytokine production to assess immune response activation.
The team found that those mice supplemented with DHA-enriched fish oil demonstrated B cell activation and antibody production to aid immune response and pathogen clearance, while damping systemic inflammation. The authors concluded “This work confirms similar findings on fish oil and B cells… and moves us one step closer to understanding the immune enhancing properties of EPA and DHA.” Adults should supplement with a distilled fish oil preparation (1,200 to 2,400 mg EPA/DHA per day) to fight inflammation and heighten immune system response.
Vitamin D supplements could help prevent mobility problems
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Vitamin D-deficient older individuals are more likely to struggle with everyday tasks such as dressing or climbing stairs, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Societys Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Scientists estimate many as 90 percent of older individuals are vitamin D deficient. The vitamin – typically absorbed from sunlight or on a supplementary basis through diet – plays a key role in bone and muscle health. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a decline in bone density, muscle weakness, osteoporosis or broken bones.
"Seniors who have low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have mobility limitations and to see their physical functioning decline over time," said the studys lead author, Evelien Sohl, MSc, of VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. "Older individuals with these limitations are more likely to be admitted to nursing homes and face a higher risk of mortality."
Using data from an ongoing Dutch cohort study (The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam), the researchers examined among two groups – 762 people between the ages of 65 and 88, and 597 people between the ages of 55 and 65 – over the course of six years. Using blood test results, the subjects were split into groups with the highest, moderate and lowest vitamin D levels. To assess mobility limitations, participants were asked about their ability to perform routine tasks, including sitting down and standing up from a chair or walking outside for 5 minutes without resting.
Among the older group of participants, people with the lowest vitamin D levels were 1.7 times more likely to have at least one functional limitation compared to those with the highest vitamin D levels. In the younger cohort, individuals with low vitamin D levels were twice as likely to have at least one physical limitation.
While the majority of the people in the older cohorts top two vitamin D groups did not report any physical limitations, 70 percent of the people with the lowest vitamin D levels had at least one limitation.
In addition, the study found vitamin D-deficient individuals were more likely to develop additional limitations over time. The older cohort reported more mobility issues after three years, while the younger cohort developed additional limitations over the course of six years.
"The findings indicate low vitamin D levels in older individuals may contribute to the declining ability to perform daily activities and live independently," Sohl said. "Vitamin D supplementation could provide a way to prevent physical decline, but the idea needs to be explored further with additional studies."
Cry Babies Reasons and Help with Excessive Crying
Friday, May 31, 2013
Cry Babies - Reasons and Help with Excessive Crying
16 to 30 percent of all young parents know the situation: For no apparent reason babies cry for hours, writhing with a red face and can be calmed by nothing. The name of the phenomenon: Dreimonatskolik, excessive crying or dysregulation. From the second week to the third month of life, the affected infants cry for several hours a day, several days a week.
Formerly of the Dreimonatskolik was talk, as you given the immature digestive system of babies it considered that the children would be tormented by colic. However, this does not apply to all babies cry. Since excessive crying is caused rarely by a genuine colic and may have different backgrounds, the colloquial term of Dreimonatskolik place in professional circles hardly use. When it comes to babies cry, pediatricians and child psychologists speak of a "regulatory disorder in infancy."
Symptoms of excessive crying
The symptoms of "excessive crying" by the American pediatrician Morris Wessel described in 1954. Meanwhile, today accepted "rule of three" sets of when we can speak of excessive crying or even by a dysregulation in infancy. There is consequently the symptoms when a baby for at least three weeks at least three days a week and for more than three hours a day crying, without being calm down.
For more detailed symptoms of dysregulation are: or more acute phases of crying for no apparent reason,
bloated stomach hard, very red skin, muscles tense, tightened legs (symptoms of "infant colic"), the infant does not respond to calming aids,
Tagschlafphasen short of less than 30 minutes, accompanied by falling asleep, evening fatigue and overstimulation, so focuses the insatiable cries amplified to the evening.
Usually takes the symptoms of excessive crying from the second week on until about the third month of a baby, so had the colloquial term of three month colic established long time. The cry of attack must first be preceded not even a physical pain. Rather suffer the already very sensitive cry babies under restlessness or the evening typical overstimulation. When crying babies swallow a lot of air that accumulates in the digestive tract and causes bloating. The result is that babies cry in pain now, pull the legs and bend together.
Causes, diagnosis and exclusion of other diseases
In fact, the causes of regulation disorders occurring in infancy are not entirely clear. Currently, several factors are discussed. The causes of excessive crying may be both physical and psychological. Also play the social background and family situation play an important role. Excessive crying could also be based on a combination of factors.
Since babies can not express their complaints about them, the only way through the screaming. So clear diagnoses are not always easy. To rule out other diseases that have parents of a babys cry consult a pediatrician.
Causes of crying may be true in some cases due to colic food intolerance or discomfort due to the change in diet after feeding. In addition to general medical side of organic damage and broken bones are excluded.
Screaming ambulances and counseling centers
Throughout Germany, there are ambulances scream and counseling centers, which specialize only on the symptoms of excessive crying or to control disorders in infancy and childhood. Child psychologists, paediatricians, midwives and family therapists are aware of the added stress, which includes the parents of a babys cry exposed. In-depth discussions, the eligible factors like family background, previous diseases and dietary habits were analyzed and possible solutions discussed.
Counseling centers and ambulances scream nearby can be obtained from the attending pediatrician. There are also a number of initiatives and websites that deal with the theme of "cry babies" and list appropriate counseling centers. Such lists will be published among others by these vendors:
www.eltern.de
www.schreibaby.de
Tips for parents of babies cry
Depending on the situation, there are suitable methods that can soothe a baby cry in acute cases but also in the longer term. These include:
Flyer handle
The baby will be placed with the belly down to the forearm. This slight bloating to be resolved before they cause pain.
Federwiege
Same on a spring weighing and abschwingenden hammock. The substance of the spring cradle forms a closed and therefore barren environment. In addition, due to the oscillations bloating solve simple.
Swaddling
Swaddling is the process under tight wrapping of the baby. For many parents, the sight is just getting used to because the baby can not move his arms and legs and can as seems trapped. Many missing babies after birth, however, the limitation in the womb experienced cozy. Infants up to the age of three months, their arms and legs do not move controls. The so-called Moro reflex (inborn reflex clamp) can wake the sleeping baby in the jumpy, so they start to scream. By spitting this can be avoided. However, not all babies react the same, because many feel constricted by the spitting. Here, the sensitivity of the parents is required.
Bear
Baby slings and other baby carriers work wonders if the baby does not fall asleep out of sheer anxiety. The physical proximity of the parents generally plays all babies should not be underestimated. Cry babies are held firmly body and gently rocked, this gives them a heightened sense of security.
In general terms, a relaxed family environment and a loving parent-child relationship to the fact that babies cry calm quickly.
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