Then again, maybe not. Air conditioning is a mixed blessing.

In climates that are consistently hot, it can be a lifesaver.

But it does have its tradeoffs. You should be aware that living in a consistently air-conditioned environment can do both good and not-so-good things to your body.

The good

1 Air conditioning boosts metabolism. Spending time in cold air or cold weather can cause your body to develop healthy, energy-burning brown fat. This can happen if you spend enough time in an air-conditioned environment.

2 Air conditioning helps you think. Have you ever felt like your brain was “fried” after spending too much time in extreme heat? I know I have.

There may be something to it. A 2018 Harvard study showed that students who lived in dorms without air conditioning during hot summer months did worse on cognitive tests than those who had cool central air.

For seniors, not the college kind, but the kind over 65, heat may actually contribute to neurodegeneration, so they need to keep cool too.

3 Air conditioning helps you sleep. As part of your natural sleep cycle, your body needs to cool down, and a cool room can help this happen. We all know how awful a hot, sweaty, restless night can feel.

Experts say that a temperature of between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal for rest. Air conditioning is sometimes the tool you need to get there.

4 Air conditioning saves lives during heat waves. Once your body temperature exceeds 102 degrees, you’re at risk of heat exhaustion. If your temperature rises even further, you could end up with heatstroke.

Air conditioning may come with some negative effects, but there’s no doubt that it saves lives during periods of extremely high temperatures.

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The bad

5 Air conditioning affects indoor air quality. Working in an air-conditioned building with poor ventilation can raise your risk of ‘sick building syndrome.’

You may notice recurring symptoms that seem to appear whenever you’re in a particular building. This happened to me years ago, every time I’d return to the school I taught in after a week of school vacation.

Symptoms may include headaches, dry cough, dizziness and nausea, runny nose, and brain fog.

For tips on improving indoor air quality (even during the winter months) check out these four tips. And be aware of other sneaky things, like your stove, that can impact your air quality.

6 Air conditioning dehydrates you. Air conditioning works by sucking moisture out of a room to bring down the humidity and cool things off. The trouble is, it can also pull water from your skin, dry it out, and dehydrate you.

7 Air conditioning dries out your eyes. The lack of humidity caused by air conditioning can dry your eyes, make them irritated or itchy, or even cause blurry vision.

8 Air conditioning irritates airways. Studies show that people who work in air-conditioned buildings have more respiratory problems than those who work where there is natural ventilation. These problems include irritated nasal passages and trouble breathing.

9 Air conditioning can make your head ache. Dirty or poorly maintained HVAC (heating/ventilation/air conditioning) systems are more likely to have headaches or even migraines.

In one study, eight percent of people who worked in environments with unhealthy indoor air had a headache anywhere between one and three days per month, and another eight percent had headaches every single day.

10 Air conditioning lowers your heat tolerance. Since your body’s ideal temperature depends largely on whatever temperature you’ve recently been exposed to, the more time you spend in air-conditioned rooms, the more uncomfortable heat and humidity will feel. Scientists call this the “adaptive comfort model.”

11 Air conditioning pollutes the outside air. In the 1990s, the U.S. Clean Air Act began phasing out older A/C units that released chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a refrigerant that harms the ozone layer.

This is one “downside” to air conditioning you can do something about. If you still own one of these older units, replace it with a newer model.

12 Air conditioning can worsen allergy symptoms. Again, here’s one you have some control over.

A clean air conditioner can actually help tame allergies, but an HVAC system can quickly and easily become a home for microbial allergens. Be sure to have your air conditioner or system inspected and cleaned regularly.

Sources:

What Air Conditioning Does to Your Body — Web MD

Sick Building Syndrome — Healthline

The post 12 surprising ways air conditioning affects us appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can certainly be confusing, but some reported benefits seem to stand, study after study. Take heart health for example…

Light-to-moderate drinking has long been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

But until now, the actual mechanism behind this protective effect was unclear.

Thanks to a large-scale research review, we now have some answers that can be applied to protecting the heart…

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Alcohol calms the amygdala

A study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and other major research hospitals involved more than 50,000 participants in the Mass General Brigham Biobank, a large research program designed to help researchers understand how people’s health is affected by their genes, lifestyle and environment.

The first part of the study evaluated the relationship between light/moderate alcohol consumption and major cardiovascular events. 

The researchers found that light/moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease events, even after accounting for factors like lifestyle choices and socioeconomic status.

Next, the researchers studied a subset of 754 individuals who had undergone previous PET/CT brain scans to look for cancer. They were looking for the effect of light/moderate alcohol consumption on stress-related brain activity.

The amygdala is the brain region associated with processing emotions — including stress responses.

When they looked at those 754 brain scans, researchers saw less stress signaling in the amygdalas of individuals who were light-to-moderate drinkers than in those who drank less or not at all.

Then, when they looked at individual histories of cardiovascular events, they found fewer heart attacks and strokes in light-to-moderate drinkers.

“We found that the brain changes in light to moderate drinkers explained a significant portion of the protective cardiac effects,” says Dr. Ahmed Tawakol of Mass. General Hospital.

The emotional piece of the puzzle

“When the amygdala is too alert and vigilant, the sympathetic nervous system is heightened, which drives up blood pressure and increases heart rate, and triggers the release of inflammatory cells,” explains Dr. Tawakol.

“If the stress is chronic, the result is hypertension, increased inflammation, and a substantial risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

Previous studies have tied strong emotional responses, like anger, to an increased risk of heart attack.

The final step, then, was for the researchers to look at whether light-to-moderate drinking would be even more effective at preventing heart attacks and strokes in people with a history of anxiety, who are prone to a chronically higher stress response — or “hyper-vigilant amygdala.”

Within the 50,000 people studied, they found that light-to-moderate drinking was associated with nearly double the protective effect.

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Now the bad news

But there is a downside to these findings…

The researchers also found that any drinking, even light-to-moderate alcohol consumption — one drink a day for women and 1-2 a day for men — increases cancer risk.

And if moderate drinking goes too far and becomes heavy drinking — more than 14 drinks per week — the risk for heart attack starts to increase while overall brain activity starts to decrease, which may indicate an adverse effect on cognitive health.

That’s why the study authors are looking for interventions that can measurably reduce the brain’s stress activity without the negative effects of alcohol.

They’re currently studying the effects of exercise, meditation, and drug-related therapies on stress-related neural networks and their possible positive effects on cardiovascular health.

Risk-free ways to lower stress and protect your heart

Of course, you don’t have to wait to reap the benefits of exercise and meditation on your mental and emotional state.

As far as meditation goes, start small.

Tell yourself you’re only going to meditate for five or ten minutes. When time is up, if you feel like meditating longer, keep going. Otherwise, stop. Eventually, you’ll build up a tolerance for longer meditations.

And exercise… well, where do I begin? And if you’re a couch potato, where do you begin?

Same advice — start small. No marathons. Get out and go for a walk. Or try yoga which balances your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Find an exercise class for beginners.

Need more options? Consider volunteering to help others. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that when people helped others, activity in the amygdala decreased — which equated to decreased stress levels too.

Before long, you’ll be stress-free, and you’ll have done it all yourself!

Sources:

Researchers uncover why light-to-moderate drinking is tied to better heart health —  Science Daily

Reduced Stress-Related Neural Network Activity Mediates the Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk — Journal of the American College of Cardiology

The post Moderate drinking’s brain-changing effects on the heart appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

To stay in good health, your body must constantly manage the delicate balance that keeps pH levels where they should be. The trouble is that some of our vital functions throw that balance off.

And summertime is when they can get really out of whack. In fact, 46 percent of Americans report suffering from heartburn symptoms most in the summertime and that it significantly impacts their ability to enjoy what most of us consider to be the most enjoyable season of the year.

If this sounds like you, here’s some insight into why and how to turn the summer of acid into the summer of fun…

Dehydration and pH imbalance

During the summer it’s not at all uncommon to experience some degree of dehydration.

Have you come inside after spending just a half hour or less watering your shrubs to find you’re a little dizzy or lightheaded?

Maybe several minutes later you begin to experience a mild headache, and then realize you’re feeling fatigued. Those are all signs of mild dehydration.

Your body is signaling that you need to replenish important electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

But replenishing those electrolytes does more than help your body use the water you drink to rehydrate. They balance your body’s acid/base (pH) level. Dehydration causes electrolyte imbalances that result in a more acidic blood pH, the last thing you need. 

Hydration and pH are powerful allies against aging and acidity. Water helps maintain pH levels, which in turn aids all bodily functions — including how your body deals with temporary bouts of excess acid when you experience GERD, acid reflux, acid indigestion — but so much more. I’ll explain more about that below…

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Acidic summer foods

Summer is when some of our favorite — and, unfortunately, acidic — foods are plentiful.

Take tomatoes for example. I eat more than my fair share of fresh tomatoes in salads (along with acidic onions) — and, of course, my ultimate guilty favorite, tomato sandwiches slathered in mayo.

But we’re also eating hot dogs and barbecued meats (with acidic and sugary sauces and condiments) more often — and downing them a crisp cold brew or one of those citrusy alcoholic drinks, complete with a tiny umbrella.

Aside from the acidity of the meat and sauces, alcohol has detrimental effects on the acidity in your stomach and your body. But so does another summer favorite: soft drinks.

Every time you eat or drink anything other than water (which has a neutral pH), the pH level in your mouth drops (becomes more acidic). This causes minerals in your tooth enamel to seep out as your body tries to re-establish a balanced pH — and soft drinks are the worst. But with body-wide acidity, the same thing can occur — except then it is the bones that are losing precious minerals.

All of this adds up to more acid in the digestive tract that’s just waiting to splash back up to the esophagus with every bite or sip triggering acid reflux.

Acid indigestion, GERD and reflux are immediate signs of acid overload. But there are times your body doesn’t give you any obvious outward signs. That’s when your health faces even bigger threats…

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Unseen signs and miscellaneous effects of acid overload

About 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Many of us drink acidic, sugary soft drinks, sugary flavored waters and imitation juice drinks, that’ don’t provide the hydration we need.

These acidic drinks and the acidic animal protein-heavy American diet, and even medication (particularly antihistamines), compound this dehydration.

Lack of water — dehydration — creates thirst, fatigue, weakness, pain and loss of appetite and leads to a buildup of toxic acidity.

And that acidity sets off a slow process of decline. So let me explain how that impacts your pH levels…

Your pH (potential of hydrogen) is a reflection of your body’s balance between its alkaline and acidic state. That pH is measured on a logarithmic scale in which 7.0 is neutral. The lower the reading on the scale the more acidic the body is — and the higher the reading, above 7, the more alkaline the body.

When the body maintains a high pH you feel vibrant, at ease and well. However, when the environment of the body is acidic, with a low pH reading, inflammation, pain, disease, and other unhealthful issues arise.

For example, pH can affect the viscosity of blood and that impacts circulation. An acidic body can even lead to depression and obesity because of how the body is hampered in its ability to process nutrients, expel heavy metals and metabolize wastes.

The main point here is that we want our bodies to be in an alkaline state most of the time.

If the summer heat, foods and activities are causing the most obvious symptoms of acid overload to flare up — acid indigestion, reflux and GERD. Take heed. The effects on your body are likely to go much deeper.

You can work at turning things around by eating a diet composed mostly of alkaline-forming foods and by avoiding acid-forming foods as much as possible. Most green vegetables and fruits are alkaline — and most processed foods, packaged and fried foods, and those taken from their natural state are more acidic.

Sources:

Regulating your body temperature during summer heat — Michigan State University

Can the Heat Make Heartburn Worse? — Houston Heartburn & Reflux Center

Effect of electrolyzed high-pH alkaline water on blood viscosity in healthy adults. — Jefferson Digital Commons

The post Why GERD, acid reflux and indigestion increase in summer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In particular, we need to take extra care with our circulation, which during the summer can often be hindered by hot weather, swelling and inflammation. And in the case of travel, whether by planes, trains or automobiles, sitting for long periods can be quite dangerous.

Researchers have found that long-distance travel can raise your risk of deadly venous thromboembolism (VTE) as much as threefold. In addition, the risk increases relative to the duration of your trip — by a whopping 26 percent for every two hours of air travel and by 18 percent for every two hours of any other kind of travel — even if you’re otherwise healthy.

But travel can be safe with a few precautions…

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What is VTE ?

VTE comprises deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT is marked by abnormal clot formation(s) in the deepest veins in your body, including those in your legs or pelvis.

A pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot becomes dislodged and travels to your lungs, blocking the pulmonary artery and resulting in difficulty breathing, rapid heart rate and, sometimes, sudden death.

Perhaps the most important precaution you can take is to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of VTE. This knowledge can save your life.

Pain, swelling, redness and warmth in your legs are red flags that a blood clot may have formed — and sudden shortness of breath, chest pain and a bloody cough are all warning signs that it may have traveled to your lungs.

Who’s at risk?

Long-distance travelers are at higher risk for these serious events, due to the sedentary nature of travel, but other factors can increase that risk, including:

• Being over the age of 40
• A body mass index (BMI) greater than 30
• Having undergone surgery in the past three months
• Using estrogen-containing contraceptives or hormone replacement therapies
• Pregnancy or having given birth in the last three months
• A history of blood clots previously or a family history of them
• Currently undergoing active cancer treatment
• Having limited mobility due to a cast or a walking boot
• Having varicose veins

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Reducing your risk

Getting up and moving, if possible, is paramount to decreasing the risk of blood clots from prolonged sitting. But when traveling, that’s not always possible. But even a little movement can do some good…

In one study, researchers asked healthy men and women to sit for three hours. During that time, they were told to fidget one leg intermittently by tapping their foot for one minute and then resting it for four minutes. Their other leg remained still for the entire three hours.

After the time was up, researchers compared the blood flow in each leg. Participants had significantly better blood flow in the fidgety leg than the one they kept still. 

High-quality botanical and nutritional supplements can also help. In my clinical practice, I recommend a Tibetan herbal formula that has been clinically studied for decades; published studies show it significantly reduces abnormal clotting factors and boosts circulation.

Other helpful nutraceutical ingredients include the enzyme nattokinase from natto, a fermented soy product and traditional food from Japan. Hawthorn berries and omega-3 fats are also helpful for promoting circulation and cardiovascular health.

Beets or beet powders help the body produce nitric oxide, a natural vasodilator that supports normal blood flow.

If you suspect VTE during or after your next long trip, be sure to seek medical attention immediately. Quick intervention and proper prevention can help ensure that you enjoy many more trips — and all of the long-distance travel they might require — for years to come. Safe and happy travels!

For more health information, visit www.dreliaz.org.

The post Reduce the travel risks of deep vein thrombosis appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Studies have shown that “exercise snacking,” that is, getting your exercise in a little at a time throughout the day, rather than in one marathon session, is better at controlling blood sugar than one marathon session.

But there’s one more consideration anyone with diabetes needs to consider to get the best workout for better blood sugar control…

And that’s the time of day they exercise…

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Afternoon workouts are best for blood sugar control

Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Joslin Diabetes Center, both affiliated with Harvard Medical School, took a look at whether physical activity at certain times of day was associated with greater improvement in blood glucose control.

They used data from the first and fourth years of the Look AHEAD study, a ten-year study that looked at weight gain among patients with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers analyzed physical activity data from the first and fourth years of the Look AHEAD study, which included data from over 2,400 participants.

Upon examining data from year one, they saw that patients who engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in the afternoon had the greatest reduction in glucose levels.

When they compared this with data from year four,  the group who exercised in the afternoon maintained a reduction in blood glucose levels.

In addition, the group who exercised in the afternoon also had the highest chance of completely stopping their glucose-lowering medications.

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Be picky about what type of exercise you choose

Not all exercise is helpful when it comes to blood sugar control. Some, including heavy weightlifting, sprints, HIIT and competitive sports can make it harder to manage. These cause the body to produce stress hormones (such as adrenaline).

Adrenaline raises blood glucose levels by stimulating your liver to release glucose. Exercise that’s too hard also makes it harder for your muscles to use insulin.

You’re better off choosing moderate-intensity workouts, doing sit-ups, push-ups and resistance exercises — like weight training with light weights. According to experts, more muscle mass helps the body better handle blood sugar. That’s because working muscle first uses stored sugars and then blood sugars for energy.

Hiking is also a good recommendation because, during longer exercise, muscles take up more glucose.

And if you need another good reason for working out later in the day, here’s more…

Not only does the research we’ve discussed here make it a good choice, but the natural rise in blood glucose that occurs between about 4:00 and 8:00 a.m. (known as the ‘dawn phenomenon’), can send your glucose levels even higher.

Remember, exercise gets harder the less you do, so find something you enjoy that works well for keeping your blood sugar in check — and stick with it.

Never stop taking any medication without consulting with your physician.

Source:

Afternoon exercise linked with greater improvements in blood sugar levels for patients with type 2 diabetes — Eureka Alert

Association of Timing of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity With Changes in Glycemic Control Over 4 Years in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes From the Look AHEAD Trial — Diabetes Care

Why Does Exercise Sometimes Raise Blood Glucose (Blood Sugar)? — The American Diabetes Association

Exercise and Type 2 diabetes — WebMD

The post The best workout for better blood sugar control appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In certain Asian cultures, washing rice before cooking is a given. The chef checks through the rice to remove any husks or stones, then rinses the rice repeatedly until the cloudy water runs clear. Some people actually scrub the wet grains of rice between their hands before rinsing it.

Culinary experts are split as to whether washing rice is necessary. From a cooking standpoint, if you want your dish to have separate grains of rice, they advise washing away the excess starch clinging to the surface of the grains. But if you’re making a dish like risotto, paella or rice pudding, they say you should probably skip the wash so your dish remains starchy, sticky and creamy.

What these experts fail to consider is another very good reason in favor of washing rice….

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Washing rice rids it of harmful heavy metals

Rice is known to contain relatively high levels of the toxic heavy metal arsenic because the crop absorbs it as it grows. Arsenic levels in rice vary depending on where it’s grown, the type of rice and how it’s cooked. One study found the highest level of arsenic was in the United States.

When heavy metals build up in the body they’re capable of contributing to autoimmune diseases and the underlying inflammation that accelerates the process of chronic illness, including heart disease.

The good news here is that washing rice has been shown to remove about 90 percent of bioaccessible arsenic — the type that the body is able to absorb.

In addition to arsenic, washing rice has been found to decrease levels of other dangerous heavy metals like lead and cadmium by between 7 and 20 percent.

Then, there are microplastics…

Unfortunately, rice is just as likely as other foods to be contaminated with microplastics thanks to the heavy use of plastics in the food supply chain. And a study found that rice contains the same level of microplastics regardless of whether it’s packaged in paper or plastic bags.

Luckily, the researchers found that by washing your rice, you’ll be rinsing up to 20 percent of the microplastics away. That at least puts a dent in the 10,000 plastic particles each of us is estimated to consume yearly!

If you use pre-cooked instant rice, you’ll be interested to know that study found four times the microplastics than in regular uncooked rice. By rinsing your instant rice, you could reduce microplastics by 40 percent.

While washing won’t have any effect on the bacterial content of rice, the high cooking temperature will kill any bacteria that might be present. Just make sure you don’t store washed or cooked rice at room temperature for long or it can activate the bacterial spores from the Bacillus cereus pathogen.

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You can still have creamy rice — and your good health

If you’re concerned about heavy metals, you can read more about how they can weigh your health down — and how you can lessen their load in your body.

If you’re concerned about whether washing rice will make it a lot less starchy and ruin your dish, don’t be. That’s been debunked.

A different starch inside the rice grain, amylopectin, is what produces the sticky, creamy effect, and different types of rice contain different amounts.

For instance, the type of rice used to make risotto, arborio, contains a lot more amylopectin starch than basmati rice, which is why arborio rice turns out so much creamier.

Sources:

Yes, You Should Wash Rice, But Not For The Reason You Think — ScienceAlert

Do you need to wash rice before cooking it? It all depends on what you’re cooking — ABC Everyday

A Guide to the Different Types of Rice — Chef’s Corner Store

The post 3 reasons to wash your rice: Lead, cadmium and arsenic appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But sunscreen is far from perfect…

Conventional sunscreens are filled with chemicals. Based on what the FDA and the American Academy of Dermatology have always told us, these chemicals are safe. At least, in the doses we’re exposed to them in sunscreen. But I have my doubts. And I’m not the only one…

FDA researchers are starting to question the safety of conventional sunscreen too because their studies keep showing that our exposure to sunscreen chemicals is actually far higher than even they think is safe…

These sunscreen chemicals are seeping into your blood at dangerous levels

Researchers from the FDA have taken a closer look at six common chemicals in sunscreen sprays and lotions: octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone. What they found is alarming…

The FDA’s safe threshold for these chemicals is 0.5 nanograms (ng) per milliliter (mL) of blood plasma. They tested sunscreens containing these chemicals on 48 people, and guess what? Their blood concentration of these chemicals was higher than that. In fact, one of the chemicals — oxybenzone — had blood concentrations 360 times higher than the FDA’s safety threshold.

Even worse, blood concentrations of these chemicals stayed above the threshold for a long time —anywhere from seven to 21 days. Octocrylene, homosalate, octisalate, avobenzone, octinoxate, and oxybenzone stayed high for seven days after use. Homosalate and oxybenzone were still too high 21 days later.

Why is this worrisome? Well, there are a few reasons…

• Research shows oxybenzone can potentially cause cell damage that could contribute to skin cancer.
• In a 2017 study, octocrylene damaged DNA in aquatic animals.
• According to another 2017 study, avobenzone mixed with chlorine (the stuff found abundantly in swimming pools) has toxic effects on the kidney and liver.

Many of these chemicals are also linked to hormone disruption, which makes them endocrine disruptors. They can cause trouble from reproductive problems to thyroid diseases.

But even though these ingredients are under FDA scrutiny, they’ve not yet decided to ban them. According to information a the Environmental Working Group site, the FDA proposes these ingredients are “not generally recognized as safe and effective due to insufficient data.”

The secret to safer sun protection

As scary as this all is, I’m not going to tell you to chuck your sunscreen. There’s too much evidence that protecting yourself from UV exposure reduces your risk of skin cancer. I am going to tell you to look for a safer type of sun protection…

There are UV filters with a lower risk of toxicity. Two of them are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. But you’ll need to pay attention to more than the active ingredients in your sunscreen. Inactive ingredients like the vitamin A derivative retinyl palmitate and parabens come with serious health baggage too.

So, before you purchase another bottle of sunscreen, I recommend looking at the Environmental Working Group’s safe sunscreen database to find an option that protects you from the sun without putting you at risk for other health concerns.

Oh, and eat more grapes. Multiple studies have found that eating grapes protected against UV skin damage, increased resistance to sunburn and reduced cellular markers of UV damage. 

Sources:

1. Sunscreens leach up to 360 times more toxic chemicals into the blood than the FDA allows, raising risks for liver and kidney failure, study finds —The Daily Mail
2. Effect of Sunscreen Application on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients — JAMA
3. The Trouble With Ingredients in Sunscreens — Environmental Working Group
4. Is sunscreen bad for you — The Cleveland Clinic

The post 6 common sunscreen chemicals aren’t safe even by FDA standards appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While between 80 and 90 percent of people with lupus will likely have a normal lifespan, the disease can raise the risk of cancer or infection and can even prove fatal in some cases.

Like other autoimmune diseases, lupus causes the immune system to go haywire and attack the body’s tissues and organs. Its symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Kidney issues
• Joint pain
• A butterfly-like facial rash
• Swelling around the eyes

If untreated, it can lead to irreversible damage to major organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain.

Many of the symptoms of lupus are heightened during “flares,” periods that can be triggered by any condition that puts physical stress on the body, like illness, injury, exhaustion, surgery or pregnancy. Other triggers include emotional stress and exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Since exposure to sunlight can cause lupus to flare up, people with lupus are cautioned to avoid the sun as much as possible. This can lead to vitamin D deficiency, a condition that can cause another set of health problems in those with lupus…

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Low vitamin D can lead to heart risks in lupus patients

People with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus, who have lower vitamin D levels are more likely to have metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance — conditions that can raise the risk of developing heart disease.

The good news? Researchers believe boosting vitamin D levels may provide greater control of these cardiovascular risk factors, as well as improve long-term outcomes for those with SLE.

With the sun being a key trigger of lupus flares, the researchers note the low level of vitamin D in SLE patients is likely due to a combination of staying out of the sun, using high-factor sunblock as protection and living in northern countries that don’t get as much sun. Patients with more severe SLE also had lower vitamin D levels.

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and obesity. People with metabolic syndrome have a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke and other blood vessel disorders.

Patients with SLE have a cardiovascular risk of up to 50 times greater than that seen in people without the condition, one that cannot just be attributed to traditional cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure or smoking.

“This is the largest-ever study examining associations between vitamin D levels and metabolic syndrome in SLE,” observes study co-author Dr. John Reynolds, Clinical Senior Lecturer in Rheumatology at the University of Birmingham. “It also has the advantage of being an international cohort with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, generating results that will be applicable across many settings.”

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Getting enough vitamin D (and other nutrients)

In addition to potentially lowering these cardiovascular risk factors, maintaining healthy vitamin D levels can help lupus patients protect the health of their bones and kidneys. But since getting vitamin D from sunlight isn’t a good option, it’s best if those with lupus add a vitamin D supplement to their daily regimen.

The recommended daily allowance of vitamin D for healthy adults is 600 IU for people under 70 and 800 IU a day for those over 70. But those amounts, already considered inadequate for adults in general, may be especially inadequate in people with lupus…

One reason: steroid medications — of which prednisone is one commonly taken to combat the inflammation associated with lupus. People taking oral steroids are twice as likely as the general population to have severe vitamin D deficiency — a double whammy for lupus sufferers.

But studies in lupus patients have shown daily oral doses of vitamin D3 at 4000 IU daily to be safe and well-tolerated, following 8 weeks of administration of a high-dose capsule to correct a deficiency. Talk to your doctor to see if this is an option for you. Once a deficiency is corrected, many experts recommend a therapeutic dose of 5000 IU daily.

Other nutrients can be helpful in managing the health impacts of lupus…

Because steroid use is also harmful to the bones, people with lupus need to get at least the daily recommended amount of calcium (1,200 mg a day for women over 50). Good sources include low-fat dairy products, green leafy vegetables and sardines. It’s typically best to get calcium from food unless your doctor recommends supplementing.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to improve sleep and reduce flares in people with lupus, and are naturally heart protective. To increase omega-3s, try eating at least two eight-ounce servings of fish like salmon, tuna or trout every week. If you decide to go the supplement route, make sure you choose one that’s free of toxins.

Also, investigate the differences between fish oil and krill oil if you plan to supplement your omega-3s…

According to rheumatologist Kyriakos Kirou, MD, the omega-3 fatty acids in krill are bound to phospholipids, which significantly helps your body’s cells absorb the omega-3s better. Considering lupus sufferers are also deficient in omega-3s, this could be a game-changer.

Plus, krill oil also contains vitamins D and E. Fish oil contains insignificant levels of vitamin D. Cod liver oil, however, contains vitamin D since the vitamin is concentrated in the liver of fish.

Sources:

Vitamin D deficiency linked to metabolic changes in patients with lupus – study — EurekAlert!

Lupus facts and statistics — Lupus Foundation of America

What is a lupus flare? — Lupus Foundation of America

Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart — Mayo Clinic

7 Easy, Drug-Free Ways to Live Life Better with Lupus — Easy Health Options

The post Living with Lupus: The vitamin deficiency you can’t afford to ignore appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If diagnosed with cancer, any one of us would most likely opt for it. Right now, the medical community doesn’t have much else to offer us.

There is radiation and immunotherapy. Both of these are often done in tandem with chemotherapy, depending on the type of cancer.

But here’s the dilemma: chemotherapy is toxic. That toxicity is sort of a necessary evil to kill cancer cells, but that’s not all it does.

Cardiotoxicity is an example. This is what happens when chemotherapy impairs heart function and structure or accelerates the development of cardiovascular disease. Along with radiation and some immunotherapies, cardiovascular side effects, including high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure can worsen.

It also does a number on the immune system.

But if you’re weighing surviving cancer against the toxic effects of the therapy — well, you can see why so many go through with it. And why so many look for alternative cancer therapies.

But what if you had to weigh its toxic effects on your future children?

Toxicity of chemotherapy impacts offspring’s health

Most of us have worried about the hereditary risks for developing cancers associated with close family members, especially our parents.

But research into the field of epigenetics reveals that chemotherapy may pose a “hereditary” risk that can be passed onto the children and grandchildren of cancer patients.

While prior research has shown that cancer treatments can increase patients’ chances of developing disease later in life, a Washington State University study is one of the first to show the risks from another angle.

Ifosfamide is a common chemotherapy drug that may be used alone or in combination with other drugs to treat many different types of cancer, among them some types of testicular cancers, ovarian cancer, lymphoma, sarcoma and lung cancer. It’s administered via IV (oral administration resulted in severe neurotoxicity) usually along with a neuroprotective compound.

Its mechanism of action is to bind to DNA, cause cell damage that leads to apoptosis (cell death) and upregulate reactive oxygen species (ROS), also known as free radicals, ultimately resulting in irreparable DNA damage.

In their study, WSU researchers exposed young male rats to ifosfamide over three days, a course of treatment that mimics what an adolescent human cancer patient might receive.

These exposed rats were later bred with female rats who had not been exposed to the drug. The resulting offspring were bred again with another set of unexposed rats.

The results were disturbing. Not only did the offspring of the exposed rats experience greater incidence of certain diseases, but their offspring did as well.

An epigenetic inheritance

The “children” and “grandchildren” of the exposed rats had a greater incidence of disease of the kidneys and testes, as well as delayed onset of puberty.

They also demonstrated abnormally low anxiety, meaning that they lacked an adequate ability to assess and avoid risk.

The researchers analyzed the rats’ epigenomes. These are molecular processes that operate independently to influence how genes are expressed, including turning genes on or off.

It became apparent that the negative effects of ifosfamide were the epigenetic inheritance of the offspring rats. In other words, they were affected not because they’d been exposed to the drug, but because their gene expression had been altered.

Hope for the future

Michael Skinner, a WSU biologist and corresponding author on the study, stressed that the findings shouldn’t dissuade patients from chemotherapy treatment since, in his words, it can be effective.

But he suggests that young adults take precautions if they plan on having children later in life. He recommends considering cryopreservation, or the freezing of sperm or egg cells, prior to undergoing treatment.

And, for the children and grandchildren of chemotherapy patients, continuing research holds hope of informing them of their likelihood of developing certain diseases, so they can take early preventive measures.

“We could potentially determine if a person’s exposure had these epigenetic shifts that could direct what diseases they’re going to develop, and what they’re going to potentially pass on to their grandchildren,” Skinner says. “We could use epigenetics to help diagnose whether they’re going to have a susceptibility to disease.”

Sources:

Chemotherapy could increase disease susceptibility in future generations Eureka Alert

Examination of generational impacts of adolescent chemotherapy: Ifosfamide and potential for epigenetic transgenerational inheritance iScience

Ifosfamide — National Library of Medicine

The post The ‘hereditary’ toxicity of chemotherapy appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Another way to maintain good health as we age is to make sure we’re getting the right kinds of nutrients. For instance, the antioxidants known as flavanols help fight age-related frailty, high blood pressure and heart disease and strengthen your nervous system. Flavanols are found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as cocoa and tea.

Flavanols (also spelled flavonols) have been found to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. And they could be key to protecting against another dreaded effect of aging….

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Flavanols could sharpen memory

There’s an idea emerging among investigators that the aging brain requires specific nutrients for optimal health, just as the brain of an infant needs certain nutrients for proper development.

“The identification of nutrients critical for the proper development of an infant’s nervous system was a crowning achievement of 20th-century nutrition science,” says Dr. Scott A. Small, a neurology professor at Columbia University. “In this century, as we are living longer research is starting to reveal that different nutrients are needed to fortify our aging minds.”

Small and other researchers teamed up to investigate the impact of flavanols on age-related memory loss. They randomly assigned more than 3,500 healthy older adults to receive a daily flavanol supplement or a placebo pill for three years. The supplement contained 500 mg of flavanols, including 80 mg of epicatechins — the amount adults are advised to get from their diet.

In each year of the study, the participants were given tests designed to assess the types of memory governed by the hippocampus, and more than a third of the participants had their urine tested for dietary flavanol levels before and during the study.

Deficiency drove age-related memory loss

For the entire group taking the flavanol supplement, memory scores improved only slightly. It’s worth noting that most of those participants were already eating a healthy diet with plenty of flavanols.

Where it gets interesting is when the researchers separated out the participants who had lower levels of flavanols at the start of the study…

At the end of the first year of taking the flavanol supplement, these participants saw their memory scores increase by an average of 10.5 percent compared with those taking the placebo. And their scores increased an average of 16 percent when compared with their memory scores at the start of the study.

“The improvement among study participants with low-flavanol diets was substantial and raises the possibility of using flavanol-rich diets or supplements to improve cognitive function in older adults,” says Dr. Adam M. Brickman, professor of neuropsychology at Columbia University and co-leader of the study.

According to the researchers, a previous study found that flavanol supplements did not improve memory in a group of people with a range of baseline flavanol levels. However, that study didn’t split the group into people with low and high flavanol levels.

“Age-related memory decline is thought to occur sooner or later in nearly everyone, though there is a great amount of variability,” he says. “If some of this variance is partly due to differences in dietary consumption of flavanols, then we would see an even more dramatic improvement in memory in people who replenish dietary flavanols when they’re in their 40s and 50s.”

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Raising your own flavanol count

Plenty of fruits and vegetables contain flavanols, including green, leafy vegetables, tomatoes, broccoli, pears, berries, apples and oranges. So do olive oil, tea, red wine and chocolate among other plant-based products.

If your diet is lacking in these sources, this is a good time to add them in. This link provides a table of flavanol foods by their epicatechins content, the supplement used in the Columbia study.

If you already consume a lot of fruits and vegetables, your flavanol levels are probably fine. But if you’re worried, you can always add a flavanol supplement to your daily regimen. Not only could it help improve memory, but studies show it also supports good heart and circulatory health.

Sources:

Low-Flavanol Diet Drives Age-Related Memory Loss, Large Study Finds — Columbia University

Dietary flavanols restore hippocampal-dependent memory in older adults with lower diet quality and lower habitual flavanol consumption — PNAS

The post The nutrient deficiency driving age-related memory loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But did you know that one of the most dangerous and prevalent side effects of type 2 diabetes is damage to your kidneys?

As with many aspects of this disease, the damage gradually worsens over the years, often to the point of renal failure which results in dialysis and even organ replacement.

That’s why in addition to properly managing diabetes, it’s vitally important to be sure you’re not deficient in this one very important vitamin…

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Thiamin protects kidneys

In a study conducted by the Warwick Medical School in the UK, thiamine (known universally as vitamin B1) was found to slow, protect, and reverse kidney damage in the early stages! Professor Paul J. Thornalley and Dr. Naila Rabbani, who led the study at Warwick, published their results in the Diabetologia medical journal.

Diabetic nephropathy results in high emission of a protein in the urine called albumin. Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were given high doses of vitamin B1 and showed a dramatic reduction of more than forty percent in the excretion of albumin! 35% of participants returned to normal urinary levels of the protein by the end of the investigation.

A prior study from Professor Thornalley’s team proved conclusively that type 2 diabetics suffer from thiamine deficiency, which may be the source of multiple vascular issues.

In the trial, forty subjects were given either a placebo or 300mg of thiamine daily over three months with fascinating results. Vascular dysfunction and albumin readings were greatly improved for those who received B1.

“This study once again highlights the importance of vitamin B1 and we need to increase awareness. [We] are planning a foundation at the University of Warwick to further education and research in thiamine deficiency,” noted Dr. Rabbani.

The American Diabetes Association released data that diabetics account for almost half of the kidney failure cases diagnosed each year. It is known to be one of the leading causes of kidney failure.

B1 is a vitamin that is well tolerated by the body overall. Three doses of 100mg of B1 daily is a safe and inexpensive way to protect your kidneys from damage as a result of pre-diabetes, diabetes, and general kidney disease.

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Don’t forget your medicine in the form of food

As you know by now, I stand behind food as a cure.

Even if you’re taking B1 supplements, including some of these delicious and nutritious foods to your meal plan will benefit your total body. Raw or in salads provide the greatest benefit of B1 since cooking causes a loss of more than a quarter of the vitamin content.

Five of the best foods rich in B-1 (Thiamine) are:

1. Brewer’s yeast – the food product with the highest concentration of B1
2. Grains and cereals – wheat germ, rice, and oatmeal
3. Meat and fish – tuna is highest followed by pork and poultry
4. Dried fruits, seeds, and nuts – sunflower seeds, peanuts, pecans, and raisins specifically
5. Green veggies – Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, peas, and avocado

There are many benefits of adding more thiamine to your daily life. You don’t hear a lot about vitamin B1 because it isn’t as popular in the media as vitamin C or E and not as interesting to most researchers as vitamin D.

Yet it is essential to your body and required for some of your critical bodily systems to function properly. It carries out metabolic tasks such as converting carbs to fuel, protects your kidneys, safeguards your central nervous system, and regulates mood.

Ignoring the importance of vitamin B1 is dangerous. So don’t do that!

Add a combination of food and supplements of this crucial (and often overlooked) vitamin to your daily life and protect your kidneys.

When supplementing choose a quality brand and follow the manufacturer’s suggestion for serving amount. If you have questions, ask your doctor.

Sources:

1. Vitamin B1 Could Reverse Early-stage Kidney Disease In Diabetes Patients — University of Warwick
2. The potential role of thiamine (vitamin B1) in diabetic complications. — Current Diabetes Review
3. Kidney Disease (Nephropathy) — American Diabetes Association

The post The vitamin everyone needs (especially diabetics) for kidney protection appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For starters, the body has to work harder to keep cool. That causes the heart to beat faster adding more stress on the heart.

And while sweating happens to everyone and dehydration is a concern, the body also loses valuable minerals that can further stress the heart.

Then there are the heart-protecting drugs that backfire when it’s hot. ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers change the way the body responds to heat, making it even more important to stay hydrated.

So be prepared this summer, know the extent of your risks from the heat, and how to keep your cool…

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Heat trends and significant heart risks

Scientists at the Desert Research Institute (DRI), Nevada State College, and the Universidad de Las Americas Puebla studied the relationship between heat wave episodes and heat-related deaths in Las Vegas over a 10-year period.

They chose a city like Las Vegas because urban areas are a particular concern because of several factors that compound the problems of already extreme heat and the risks that come with it, like:

• The extensive areas of asphalt absorb the heat, creating an urban heat island
• The populations of cities are growing rapidly, especially for the 55 and older population

The team found that the annual average of severe heat events per year in Las Vegas showed significant increases, from an average of 3.3 events per year from 2007-2009 to 4.7 per year in the 2010-2016 period. The team says that these findings match up with historic trends, which show a steady increase in the severity and frequency of excess heat since 1980.

And, sure enough…

The number of heat-related deaths in Las Vegas went up right along with the rising number of extreme heat events.

“From 2007 to 2016, there have been 437 heat-related deaths in Las Vegas, with the greatest number of those deaths occurring in 2016,” explained Erick Bandala, Ph.D., an assistant research professor at DRI and lead author on the study. “Interestingly, 2016 also shows one of the highest heat index measures over the last 35 years. This shows a clear relationship between increasingly intense heat events in our area and public health effects.”

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They also discovered one more scary fact…

The group most at risk of heat-related deaths includes adults over 50 years old, with a whopping 76 percent of heat-related deaths in individuals in this subpopulation.

Of the deaths in this group, almost all individuals also showed evidence of pre-existing heart disease, demonstrating the dangers of summer heat to your heart.

Previous research published in Circulation demonstrated that extreme temperatures increase the risk of premature cardiovascular death, as well.

Tips to guard your heart against summer heat

To keep your heart healthy during the high temperatures this summer, be sure to:

• Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water both before, during and after your time outdoors.
• Pick the shade – It’s important to stay in shady areas as much as possible or at least take regular breaks to cool off.
• Dress cool – Pick lightweight, breathable fabrics in light colors to stay cool in the heat. And, don’t forget a lightweight hat.
• Use cold compresses – If you don’t have access to a fan or air-conditioning, using cold compresses or ice on your forehead and neck can help.
• Consider supplementing the B vitamin, folic acid. Penn State researchers found it worked well in helping people keep their cool by supporting nitric oxide to increase blood flow to the skin, which combined with sweating, helps to cool the body down.

Summer is here and with the rising temperatures, it’s more important than ever to take steps to guard the health of your heart. Use the tips above to stay safe and beat the summer heat.

Sources:

1. Researchers identify link between more frequent, intense heat events and deaths in Las Vegas — EurekAlert!
2. Protect Your Heart in the Heat — American Heart Association
3. How to Protect Your Heart From the Heat — Mercy Health

The post Why summer heat is hard on your heart and how to keep cool appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Playing sports, gardening or even just sitting in the sun for a while on a humid day can make you sweat. You’re losing water, and that water must be replaced in order to avoid dehydration.

Your body responds to being hot and sweaty by making you thirsty, sending you a clear message to drink some water to replace those fluids.

But there are other reasons you might feel thirsty, and if it seems like you’re always thirsty, no matter how much you drink, this could be the sign of a more serious problem.

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5 illnesses that cause thirst

Never ignore the onset of extreme and unquenchable thirst, especially if it comes along with any other troubling symptoms. It could be due to a more serious condition.

Diabetes. Extreme and constant thirst is often the first sign of diabetes.

When your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or doesn’t use it properly, too much glucose builds up in your body. Glucose in the urine draws in more water, causing you to urinate more frequently. Your body dehydrates, making you thirsty.

Anemia. Anemia means your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, either because too many are being destroyed or lost, or because not enough are being made.

Mild anemia probably won’t make you thirsty, but if it becomes severe, you may find yourself constantly wanting to drink water. You may also feel dizzy and weak, and you may sweat more.

Kidney disease. Damaged kidneys cannot hold on to fluids well, and in order to prevent dehydration, the body prompts you to drink a lot of water.

However, it’s a delicate balance. If you have chronic kidney disease, watch for swelling or an increase in blood pressure, which could indicate that too much water is being retained and placing a strain on your heart.

Thyroid problems. When you produce too little or too much thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism), you can experience anxiety, dry mouth and other symptoms that lead to increased thirst.

Diabetes insipidus. The only things this rare condition has in common with Type 1 or 2 diabetes are its name, that they both make you thirsty and that they make you urinate a lot.

In most people, the kidneys pass about a quart or two of urine a day. Someone with diabetes insipidus can pass as much as 20 quarts of “insipid” urine a day, that is, urine that does not look or smell much like urine since they’re basically just eliminating water.

Other things that can make you thirsty

There are personal lifestyle choices and medications that can also cause excessive thirst.

Smoking. Tobacco can affect how much saliva your body makes. You can end up with a dry mouth and a feeling of thirst all the time. Also, smoking can make your saliva thicker and less like water, so it doesn’t do a very good job of keeping your mouth moist.

A low-carb diet. The ultra-low-carb keto diet can make you thirsty since carbs absorb and hold on to water in the body. Without them, you’ll urinate more often, and feel thirsty more often.

Diuretics. Diuretics, or water pills, are frequently prescribed for high blood pressure as well as congestive heart failure. Diuretics are designed to eliminate excess fluid from the body, which they do quite well. But the result, of course, is that you’re thirsty a lot.

The bottom line: Pay attention to your body

Pay attention to the signals your body is sending you.

If you’re thirsty, don’t ignore it. Have a glass of ice water with lemon, or maybe a glass of iced tea. When you’re no longer thirsty, stop drinking. Just like with your appetite for food, don’t force things.

Also, pay close attention to any other changes in your body that accompany thirst, especially if you’re more thirsty than normal. When in doubt, call your doctor.

And as a bonus, here’s a summer-friendly recipe for a fun thirst-quencher. It’s especially geared to people with kidney disease since it helps quench thirst without drinking too much. Anyone can enjoy it. I know I’ll be trying this healthy, thirst-quenching treat, based on my favorite candy, before the summer is out! Enjoy!

Sources:

1. Why am I always thirsty? — Web MD
2. 10 unexpected reasons why you’re thirsty all the time — prevention.com
3. Diabetes insipidus — Web MD
4. What to know about diuretics — Healthline.com

The post 5 serious conditions that can make you really thirsty appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, my family and I love to spend Saturday morning browsing the stands to grab all of the produce we need for the upcoming week.

But, there’s one vegetable I’ve noticed a lot of people ignore, and if you’re one of them, you’re missing out on some big health benefits and great taste in the process.

What vegetable am I talking about?

Beets.

If you haven’t embraced beets, you may not know how to incorporate them into your meal planning. So, let me help you there… but first, here’s why you should eat more…

#1 – Huge amounts of nutrients in one small package

We all know that vitamins and minerals help keep us healthy and ward off chronic disease. And, the beet packs a big punch when it comes to these critical nutrients with less than three ounces of the cooked vegetable delivering:

• Folate – 68 mcg equal to 17 percent of the RDA
• Manganese – 0.3 mg or 14 percent of the RDA
• Vitamin C – 3.1 mg or 5 percent of the RDA
• Potassium – 259 mg or 7 percent of the RDA
• Magnesium – 19.6 mg or 5 percent of the RDA
• Iron – 7 mg or 4 percent of the RDA

And, that same small serving gives you 4 grams of protein and 1.7 grams of fiber.

#2 – Supports healthy blood pressure

In addition to all of those vitamins and minerals that help keep you strong and feeling great, beets are also packed with heart-healthy nitrates. These nitrates boost the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the lining of your blood vessels which allows them to dilate or widen.

When this happens your blood can flow more freely, without your heart having to work so hard to pump your blood throughout your body, making beets one of the healthiest things you can do for your blood pressure.

In fact, scientific studies have shown that beets alone may have the power to lower your blood pressure by up to 10 mm Hg in just a few hours.

In the past, I’ve written about the confusion over good nitrates and bad nitrates — so let me clarify that again: You’ve probably heard of nitrate additives in processed meats being linked to cancer. That’s a totally different ballgame, and here’s why…

You see, organic or naturally-occurring nitrates, when ingested from eating plants that contain them (like beets), help the body produce NO — a compound that acts as a natural vasodilator, by helping to relax and dilate the blood vessels and arteries in your body — as I explained above.

So, eat less of the meats and more beets!

#3 – Major anti-inflammation properties

Have you heard of the inflammation theory of disease? Inflammation is widely accepted as the root cause of multiple chronic health problems, from obesity and metabolic syndrome to heart and liver disease. And, beets could be the answer to the problem thanks to the pigments that help give them their gorgeous color.

These pigments, known as betalains, support a balanced inflammatory response to promote healthy inflammation levels. One study even found that a capsule of these pigments made from beetroot had the power to ease the discomfort caused by osteoarthritis — most likely thanks to their effect on inflammation levels.

Adding beets to your diet

With these health benefits, it’s easy to see why you should be adding beets to your diet this summer while they’re plentiful at the farmer’s market.

If you haven’t cooked with beets before, one of the best ways to do it is to roast them. Drizzle them with olive oil, add a dash of salt, pepper, and thyme and put them in the oven at 425° for 30 – 40 minutes or until fork-tender. You can also do beets on the grill or simmer them on the stove with butter and orange juice.

Need an even easier option? Look for a tasty organic beet powder you can add to smoothies, juice and even water.

Sources:

1. Beets, cooked, boiled, drained Nutrition Facts & Calories — SELF Nutrition Data
2. Inorganic nitrate is a possible source for systemic generation of nitric oxide — Free Radical Biology and Medicine
3. Effect of beetroot juice on lowering blood pressure in free-living, disease-free adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial — Nutrition
4. Acute ingestion of beetroot bread increases endothelium-independent vasodilation and lowers diastolic blood pressure in healthy men: a randomized controlled trial — Journal of Nutrition
5. Acute blood pressure lowering, vasoprotective, and antiplatelet properties of dietary nitrate via bioconversion to nitrite — Hypertension
6. Inflammation: A unifying theory of disease — Harvard Health
7. Chronic Inflammation in Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome — Mediators of Inflammation
8. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) Extract Ameliorates Gentamicin-Induced Nephrotoxicity Associated Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Apoptosis in Rodent Model — Mediators of Inflammation
9. Betanin attenuates oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction in kidney of paraquat-treated rat — Food and Chemical Toxicology
10. Improvement of hypertension, endothelial function and systemic inflammation following short-term supplementation with red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) juice: a randomized crossover pilot study — Journal of Human Hypertension
11. Betalain-rich red beet concentrate improves reduced knee discomfort and joint function: a double blind, placebo-controlled pilot clinical study — Nutrition and Dietary Supplements

The post 3 amazing benefits of summer’s best heart-healthy vegetable appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

What if we could increase our healthspans, which means not just adding years to our lifespans — but healthier ones?

What if we could support and replenish our aging mitochondria so our cells have the energy they need to keep on going — and keep us going?

What a game-changer that would be — as long we could get enough…

Can an amino acid molecule slow aging?

These are the questions that Dr. Vijay Yadav, assistant professor of genetics & development at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, had in mind when he launched a study involving dozens of researchers around the world who study aging.

Taurine first hit Dr. Yadav’s radar during previous research into osteoporosis that uncovered taurine’s role in building bone. Other researchers, around the same time, were seeing how taurine impacted immune function, obesity and nervous system functions.

That’s when a lightbulb went off…

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“We realized that if taurine is regulating all these processes that decline with age, maybe taurine levels in the bloodstream affect overall health and lifespan,” Dr. Yadav says.

When the research team analyzed levels of the amino acid in the bloodstream of mice, monkeys and people, they saw something often revealed over and over again in aging research — a deficiency.

Taurine levels had dropped substantially with age. Specifically in people, the taurine levels in 60-year-olds were only about one-third of the levels in 5-year-olds.

“That’s when,” Yadav says, “we started to ask if taurine deficiency is a driver of the aging process, and we set up a large experiment with mice.”

Taurine levels decline with age: what if we raise them?

The study included about 250 14-month-old male and female mice (the equivalent of 45 in human years). The mice were fed an amount of taurine or a control solution daily.

By the end of the experiment, they found taurine had increased the average lifespan of female mice by 12 percent and 10 percent in males. For the mice, that meant three to four extra months — the equivalent of about seven or eight human years.

But what about the impact on the animal’s health?

For that answer, Dr. Yadov looked to other researchers who investigated the effect of supplemented taurine on the health and lifespan of several species…

After measuring various health parameters in mice, they found that at age 2 (60 in human years), animals supplemented with taurine for one year were healthier in almost every way than their untreated counterparts. In fact, the amino acid:

• Suppressed age-associated weight gain in female mice (even in “menopausal” mice)
• Increased energy expenditure
• Increased bone mass
• Improved muscle endurance and strength
• Reduced depression-like and anxious behaviors
• Reduced insulin resistance
• And promoted a younger-looking immune system

At the cellular level, supplementation:

• Decreased the number of “zombie cells” (old cells that linger and release harmful substances)
• Increased survival after telomerase deficiency
• Increased the number of stem cells present in some tissues (which help repair other cells)
• Improved the performance of mitochondria
• Reduced DNA damage
• And improved the cells‘ ability to sense nutrients

But supplementing isn’t the only way they found we can increase our levels. The researchers measured taurine levels before and after a strenuous cycling workout. They found a significant increase in taurine levels in both seasoned athletes and sedentary people.

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Taurine: A natural anti-aging option

Dr. Yadav is quick to point out, however, that “these are associations, which do not establish causation, but the results are consistent with the possibility that taurine deficiency contributes to human aging.”

Randomized clinical trials, considered the gold standard in research, are needed for the definitive answer on taurine’s anti-aging benefits.

“Taurine abundance goes down with age, so restoring taurine to a youthful level in old age may be a promising anti-aging strategy.”

Dr. Bruce Ames, a Senior Scientist with a career spanning seven decades, would likely agree. His “triage theory” argues that, by skimping on inadequate amounts, we’re cheating ourselves of valuable “longevity vitamins” critical to long-term maintenance. He considers taurine one on a list of about 10 he considers valuable longevity nutrients.

Taurine is available in supplement form and is found naturally in foods like eggs, dairy, scallops, tuna, tilapia, octopus, seaweed, chicken, turkey and beef. Adding more of these foods to your diet can only help.

Supplementing taurine in reasonable amounts is safe. But if you have kidney health problems, discuss with your doctor first.

Sources:

Taurine may be a key to longer and healthier life — Eureka Alert

Taurine deficiency as a driver of aging — Science

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From peaches and pineapples to mangos and strawberries, summer is fruit season.

And no fruit may be more anticipated than watermelon.

Whether you eat it alone, turn it into a refreshing drink — like a cool watermelon agua fresca — or toss it into a cucumber watermelon salad, the sweet and juicy summer treat is always something to look forward to.

What you may not know however is that watermelon isn’t just tasty, it’s also great for your body.

In fact, scientists have now confirmed eating watermelon could be one of the best things you do for your health.

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From heart health to better blood sugar

The research, published in the journal Current Atherosclerosis Reports, took into account mounds and mounds of data on the health effects of watermelon gathered in trials for over two decades.

Specifically, they took into account clinical evidence on how eating watermelon or supplementing with one of the fruit’s signature compounds, citrulline, affects cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.

And they found that one of the most impressive benefits of both is the way they support the heart and blood pressure while reducing the risk of diabetes.

The data showed it worked like this: Citrulline found in watermelon is a precursor to L arginine, which helps produce nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that plays a role in blood pressure regulation, lipid reduction and glucose control.

They also were able to determine that the rich levels of polyphenols and carotenoids in watermelon, particularly lycopene, provide additional support to help maintain normal cardio-metabolic health.

“Research is unveiling the health-promoting potential of watermelon. The current literature review provides evidence that watermelon intake and citrulline supplementation lower blood pressure in human trials. Although more research is needed, favorable effects on lipids/lipoprotein metabolism are emerging based on the data we reviewed and reported in preclinical models,” said lead author Britt Burton-Freeman. 

And if watermelon’s ability to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and keep blood sugar in check isn’t enough, the researchers say there’s even more…

Additional potential benefits of watermelon include:

• Better body weight control to battle obesity
• Improved brain health to keep your memory sharp
• Gut health support for a strong immune system

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You love watermelon, and it loves you right back

Clearly, eating this all-time summer fruit fave is a great choice for your health.

You might also be interested to know that while this research into watermelon homed in on some extremely important benefits eating the fruit brings, there is even more the scientists didn’t mention…

For men, watermelon can help with issues of sexual dysfunction and support strong erections.

Eating the fruit can also give you a super energy boost.

And it offers six more health benefits, including better eye health and happier, healthier joints that will have you loving the fruit more than ever.

Sources:

Scientific literature review confirms watermelon’s health potential – EurekAlert!

The post Watermelon for better blood pressure and blood sugar appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For me, the best thing about summer is being able to walk out the door without a sweater or jacket. Just get up, throw on some clothes, and go!

The worst thing, ironically, is the heat. And the humidity. I live for summer, but I’m not really a fan of sweating.

You’ll always find me with a cold drink within arm’s reach. Usually, it’s ice water. But on special occasions, or with friends, it’s a chilled glass of wine.

But if you enjoy a “cold one” (or two) while cooking some grub up on the “barbie,” or if you like to crack open the bottle of wine and watch the sunset at the end of the pier, there are some things you should know…

While warmer weather makes us want those refreshing-looking cocktails — especially the ones with those adorable little umbrellas — there are some definite hazards to drinking alcohol during the hot summer months, no matter how refreshing they may seem.

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What alcohol + heat does to your body

The combination of heat and alcohol in your system has some very definite negative effects on your body…

First, drinking alcohol in the heat means you are losing twice as much liquid as you normally do.

That’s because alcohol is a diuretic. Medications that are diuretics, such as some blood pressure medications, cause the kidneys to release higher-than-usual amounts of water. Alcohol does the same thing.

Combine that with the water you’re already losing from sweating and drinking other fluids becomes crucial.

Second, drinking alcohol during warm weather can really heat your body up, sometimes to dangerous levels.

Alcohol dilates your blood vessels, sending more blood to the surface of the skin, so your body is actually radiating heat.

On top of that, your liver is working overtime to process the alcohol you’re drinking.

Even without alcohol, your liver produces more heat than any other organ. When it has to process a few drinks, it’s heating up even more.

Alcohol and heat stroke

A diuretic does more than eliminate water making you more prone to dehydration. It actually interferes with your body’s ability to regulate its own temperature.

This can result in a state of heat exhaustion, which, if left untreated, can quickly progress to heat stroke, which can be fatal.

Even if you’re a seasoned athlete or a very active person, you’re not immune to heat stroke.

Here’s the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke:

Heat exhaustion often begins with muscle cramping. You’ll feel weak and dizzy and probably have a bad headache. You’ll have a rapid, weak pulse, and you’ll be sweating a lot.

One of the most alarming things about heat stroke is that, rather than excessive sweating, the skin becomes very dry and hot. The person with heat stroke will become confused and agitated, and may have slurred speech and a high fever — we’re talking 104° or higher.

Seizures, coma and death can follow.

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How to enjoy a drink and avoid heat stroke

The good news is that you can enjoy the occasional cold alcoholic drink during the summer months without falling victim to heat stroke.

Just remember this one vitally important thing: drink water, too. Lots of water.

This seems like common sense, right? But how much water is enough?

Many people think that a glass of water for every glass of alcohol will protect you. But that isn’t really the case…

You’re probably urinating out a third more than the amount of alcohol you’re drinking. So, on a hot day, you’ll need two to three glasses of water for every alcoholic drink, just to break even.

You won’t feel thirsty since you’re already drinking. And don’t be fooled by your urine, either. It will look pale, the way it should when you’re properly hydrated. Except that alcohol isn’t hydrating you, it’s dehydrating you.

You should drink water every 30 minutes or so, while you’re actively drinking alcohol.

Eating salty foods while you drink is another way to hold onto fluids. So, pass the tortilla chips and pretzels, and enjoy some safer summer drinking.

Sources:

1. Here’s What Happens To Your Body When You Drink In The Heat — HuffPost
2. Why do I overheat after drinking alcohol? — Naked Scientists
3. Heat and alcohol–a dangerous combination — Hazelden

The post Why alcohol and summer heat is a recipe for heat stroke appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In 2021, there were 89,739 centenarians living in the United States, nearly twice as many as there were two decades ago.

So, what changed over the past 20 years? A few things:

• There have been more medical advances that allow people to live longer.
• Fewer people are smoking, and more are following a lifestyle that protects their heart health.
• Rapid population growth has also contributed to the influx of centenarians.

What about genetics?

While it’s true that genetics can play a role in enjoying life to 100 years of age, lifestyle is much more important. And there’s one factor in your lifestyle that may give you a leg up in your quest to reach the century mark — and it focuses on one specific organ….

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The longevity organ

The gut microbiome, made up of trillions of “friendly” bacteria and other microbes, is proving to be central to our health.

A thriving gut microbiome not only contributes to your overall gut health but can affect dementia risk and support mental health, promote good sleep and influence the health of your skin, muscles, heart and immune system. And when your gut microbiome is disrupted, it can trigger conditions like diabetes and obesity.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg…

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen studied the intestinal bacteria of 176 healthy Japanese centenarians to determine whether their gut microbiome had any influence on their longevity.

“Previous research has shown that the intestinal bacteria of old Japanese citizens produce brand new molecules that make them resistant to pathogenic — that is, disease-promoting — microorganisms,” says Joachim Johansen, a postdoc and first author of the study.

What these researchers discovered was that these centenarians had a unique combination of intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses. In fact, one of the study’s findings was that specific viruses in the intestines can have a beneficial effect on the gut microbiome.

“Our intestines contain billions of viruses living of and inside bacteria, and they could not care less about human cells; instead, they infect the bacterial cells,” says Simon Rasmussen, a University of Copenhagen professor and last author of the study.

The researchers also found high biological diversity in the gut bacteria of the centenarians, which is usually associated with a healthy gut microbiome. This better protects them against aging-related diseases, Johansen notes.

The virus-bacteria connection

The researchers designed an algorithm to map the intestinal bacteria and bacterial viruses of the centenarians.

“We want to understand the dynamics of the intestinal flora,” Rasmussen says. “How do the different kinds of bacteria and viruses interact? How can we engineer a microbiome that can help us live healthy, long lives? Are some bacteria better than others?”

The researchers hope to use the algorithm to describe the balance between viruses and bacteria and determine what that optimal balance should be to protect the body against disease.

The obvious next step, Rasmussen says, is to find out whether only some or all of us have this combination of bacteria and viruses.

“Intestinal bacteria are a natural part of the human body and of our natural environment. And the crazy thing is that we can actually change the composition of intestinal bacteria. We cannot change the genes – at least not for a long time to come. If we know why viruses and intestinal bacteria are a good match, it will be a lot easier for us to change something that actually affects our health.”

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Diversify your longevity organ

If you want a gut full of diverse bacteria, a great way to start is by diversifying your diet.

A couple of years ago, researchers at Stanford School of Medicine found that a 10-week diet high in fermented foods boosted microbiome diversity and improved immune responses. According to those researchers, their findings are an example of how a simple diet change can remodel the microbiota.

Fermented foods are “foods made through desired microbial growth and enzymatic conversions of food components.”

Traditional Japanese cuisine focuses heavily on fermented foods like fermented bean paste (natto), tempeh, soy sauce, miso, rice vinegar and pickled vegetables. In fact, some type of fermented food is included at almost every meal.

Could this be the link to their longevity? Fermented foods are considered superfoods, so it certainly makes sense.

According to Tim Spector, an author and professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, “The Japanese love of many fermented soy products could be one reason that they have much better health than in the west, [and] stay slimmer despite eating lots of rice and other high carbohydrate food.”

If traditional Japanese fermented foods aren’t easily available to you, try adding Kombucha tea, kefir, yogurt and cottage cheese to your diet.

Sources:

Why do some people live to be a 100? Intestinal bacteria may hold the answer — University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

More people are living to be 100: Here’s why — The Hill

Fermented-food diet increases microbiome diversity, decreases inflammatory proteins, study finds — Stanford Medicine

New Global Definition for Fermented Foods — The Fermentation Society

Fermented Foods: Japan’s Secret to Good Health — Discover

The post How to support your longevity organ appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But you may not know that it’s a food additive as well. A “food grade” version is found in everything from chewing gum to cheese to chocolate to condiments. And unfortunately, this ingredient is in so many everyday foods could have a serious impact on your health…

Research shows that it can cause genetic damage in mice, decrease the ability of intestinal cells to absorb nutrients, decrease the immune system’s ability to fight pathogens and increase inflammation. It’s even been linked to type 2 diabetes.

Yet, somehow, it’s still in our food. Granted, a lot of the research on this food additive so far has been conducted on mice, but that doesn’t mean we should shrug it off.  Especially since yet another study has found that this popular food additive is fueling poor health and chronic disease…

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Titanium dioxide: Bad for gut bacteria and colon health

You’ve heard time and time again that good gut health is the foundation of good overall health. The bacteria in your gut influence your risk of pretty much every major disease, including type 2 diabetes, autoimmune conditions, cancer and more. So, anything bad for your gut is bad for your disease risk… and based on new research from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, titanium dioxide isn’t doing your gut any favors.

In their study, researchers fed mice two different versions of titanium dioxide: titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) and E171.

E171 is the type of titanium dioxide that’s added to food products and contains different-sized titanium dioxide particles. About one-third of the particles in E171 are nanoparticles. Nanoparticles are thought to be the most problematic type of titanium dioxide because they’re absorbed in the body easier than bigger particles, and they tend to accumulate in bodily tissues.

Previous research has shown it can collect in the organs, primarily the liver, spleen and kidney, so this current research is not all that surprising…

In this study, researchers found that both E171 and TiO2 NPs disrupted the gut bacteria of mice. The nanoparticles caused more negative changes. But that’s to be expected since we already know that nanoparticles are more harmful.

TiO2 NPs decreased short-chain fatty acids levels, too. Short-chain fatty acids are essential for colon health, so fewer of them could trigger gastrointestinal disease down the line. These nanoparticles also increased pro-inflammatory immune cells and cytokines in the colon, which doesn’t bode well for gastrointestinal health. In fact, these changes could ultimately trigger inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

Researchers found that obese mice were more negatively impacted by nanoparticles than non-obese mice, which means titanium dioxide may create bigger health burdens for some people than others. But all in all, the message from this study was clear — it isn’t good for the gut.

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Protect yourself from titanium dioxide

Titanium dioxide is already banned in France. But as you probably know, the FDA tends to take a slower approach to protecting us from potentially dangerous additives in our food than its European counterparts. That means, it’s up to you to pay attention to what you’re putting into your body and avoid titanium dioxide whenever you can.

Titanium dioxide is found in a wide variety of foods… although, the most common culprits are chewing gum, candies, pastries, chocolates, coffee creamers and cake decorations. If you want to avoid titanium dioxide, it’s best to read all labels. It’s usually listed as E171.

Titanium dioxide is also a common ingredient in cosmetics, and it can be absorbed through the skin. So, keep your eyes peeled for it in your beauty products. And don’t forget to check personal care products, like toothpaste, because it’s often in those too. In fact, you might as well read every label of everything you buy, because the truth is, you never know what they’re sneaking into the stuff you buy nowadays.

Sources:

1. Common Food Additive Causes Adverse Health Effects in Mice — University of Massachusetts Amherst.
2. Titanium Dioxide in Food — Should You Be Concerned? — Healthline.

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The amount of sleep disruption that comes with Alzheimer’s generally depends on the stage of the disease.

People in early stages often sleep more than usual or wake up in a disoriented state. As the disease progresses, they may begin sleeping during the day and awaken frequently during the night.

Researchers have been interested in the sleep-dementia connection for quite a while now. They have tried to determine the direction of this relationship: does poor sleep lead to Alzheimer’s or does Alzheimer’s cause sleep disturbances?

The answer, it seems, is both.

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How can poor sleep lead to Alzheimer’s?

β-amyloid protein is a metabolic waste product that is found in the fluid between brain cells. In Alzheimer’s disease, beta-amyloid clumps together to form amyloid plaques, which disrupt communication between neurons.

A 2018 study from the National Institutes of Health used PET scans to examine the brains of healthy adults ages 22 to 72. They found that β-amyloid levels increased by five percent after just one night of sleep deprivation.

This increase was concentrated in the thalamus and hippocampus, two brain regions that are especially vulnerable to damage in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition, participants with a larger increase in β-amyloid reported worse moods after being deprived of sleep for 31 hours.

While more studies are needed to identify the precise mechanism that causes the β-amyloid buildup, the researchers feel that their work provides some important insight into how poor sleep can harm the brain.

It works both ways

A study published just this summer approaches the sleep-Alzheimer’s connection from a different angle…

Researchers at Columbia University took a look at the relationship between oxidative stress and poor sleep. They hoped it might shed light on what happens to the brain that’s affected by Alzheimer’s.

Previous studies have shown that oxidative stress comes before the appearance of β-amyloid plaques and tau tangles, the hallmark brain disruptors of Alzheimer’s disease.

In the Columbia study, a mutant form of fruit fly that sleeps less than normal is extremely sensitive to oxidative stress. Even more interesting, increasing sleep also increased resistance to oxidative stress.

More research is needed, but it seems likely that by harnessing sleep as a natural antioxidant, we may be able to slow the processes of developing Alzheimer’s.

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How to get a good night’s sleep

Fortunately, there’s a lot we can do to help ourselves get the restful, reparative sleep we all need.

Here are some great tips to start with from my colleague, Dr. Mark Wiley.

In addition, there are three specific things that interfere with deep, night-long sleep that you can easily fix…

1. Pink or white noise in your bedroom is proven to induce restful sleep. These low-level, background sounds that often resemble sounds of nature have been proven to positively affect brain waves and allow us to reach REM sleep, where restoration occurs.
2. A totally dark bedroom is not just a nice thing to have. It’s essential for allowing your body’s day-nigh rhythm, known as its circadian rhythm, to run smoothly and release you into deep sleep when it’s time.
3. Finally, avoid the worst foods for your brain. Junk foods have been found to interfere with rhythmic electrical signals that occur only during deep sleep — known as “slow waves.” This process triggers slow pulses of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that wash through the brain and remove toxins.

The post Why defeating Alzheimer’s starts in your bedroom appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I’ve been OK with caffeine all my life. But in the last year or so that morning cup has started giving me the shakes and a bad belly.

For me, it’s an easy enough fix just to switch to decaf. But what if eating certain foods gave you miserable symptoms that medical experts couldn’t fit into a “box” — leaving you without relief?

Worse, what if that condition was also to blame for another condition that, once again, the medical community is ill-adapted at recognizing and treating?

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The conditions I’m talking about are chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) — responsible for crushing fatigue that’s not relieved by rest — and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), also known as non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS).

According to celiac.org, the latter two terms have been used interchangeably to refer to the same condition — one where people experience symptoms similar to but not as severe as those of celiac disease (an autoimmune reaction to gluten that damages the gut and leads to malabsorption), and that resolve when gluten is removed from the diet.

The symptoms are generally considered digestive — bloating, constipation and diarrhea. But some symptoms that not all physicians have made the connection with include a foggy mind, depression, ADHD-like symptoms and chronic fatigue.

For years, chronic fatigue sufferers have been at a loss, some even being made to feel their symptoms were all in their heads. Well, now getting their energy back may be as simple as avoiding one food ingredient…

The chronic fatigue and wheat/gluten sensitivity link

Many people with CFS also report symptoms like bloating and diarrhea and test positive for immune system issues.

Researchers at Columbia University Medical School were curious to see whether some CFS patients have blood markers also associated with NCWS/NCGS, which might explain the crossover of symptoms between the two conditions.

They took blood samples from 131 people known to have chronic fatigue syndrome and from 86 healthy controls. All were screened for biomarkers for NCWS/NCGS that the researchers had identified previously. All study participants were also given a questionnaire to rate gastrointestinal symptom severity.

Twenty of the CFS patients had blood markers indicating wheat/gluten sensitivity, as compared with only four of the control subjects.

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Why this research matters

If you’ve already been diagnosed with CFS, this research validates the possibility that there are other things behind your crushing fatigue, and perhaps, behind the fact that it’s not getting any better.

Even if you don’t have chronic fatigue syndrome OR celiac disease, this research proves that there could be something else behind feelings of constant fatigue that plague you.

So what steps can you take to find out?

It can take years to get a diagnosis for wheat/gluten sensitivity. That’s because the tests are for celiac disease. Once that’s ruled out, the best way to determine if a gluten/wheat sensitivity is the cause of your troubles is an elimination diet.

The simplest is a modified elimination diet where you already suspect which food is causing you trouble (in this case, wheat/gluten-containing foods) and eliminate it for 21 days then reintroduce it slowly. For a list of gluten-containing foods to eliminate, the Celiac Disease Foundation provides an extensive list.

You may think there’s nothing left to eat, but there will be plenty if you focus on whole foods, like vegetables, fruits and meats.

Of course, you can also discuss your suspicions about your fatigue with your doctor or a qualified nutritionist.

Once you get to the bottom of what’s causing your unnatural fatigue, believe me, any dietary changes you have to make will be worth it.

Sources:

Symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Linked with Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity — Celiac Disease Foundation

Non-Celiac Gluten/Wheat Sensitivity — Celiac Disease Foundation

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity — Harvard Medical School

Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity is Official — Celiac Disease Foundation

Intestinal cell damage and systemic immune activation in individuals reporting sensitivity to wheat in the absence of coeliac disease — BMJ Gut

The post Is a wheat sensitivity causing your crushing fatigue? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can be easy to let others lead, however, it is important to advocate for yourself and be an active participant in decisions that involve your care and treatment.

We’ve compiled a list of tips that will help you take control of your health after receiving a cancer diagnosis.

Choose Your Healthcare Professional Wisely

Taking care of your health is essential, especially when it comes to cancer. Be sure to research different types of treatments and doctors so you can find the one that best suits your needs. Ask for referrals from friends and family and read online reviews for further guidance. Having comprehensive knowledge about your options will help you make informed decisions about the best care for you.

Take Charge and Live Healthy

It is important to do whatever you can to stay healthy while undergoing treatment for cancer. Eating nutritious meals, exercising regularly (if possible), getting enough sleep, and managing stress are all ways to help keep your body strong during this difficult time. Additionally, avoiding smoking and other lifestyle habits such as excessive drinking can help reduce the risk of complications during treatment.

Understand Your Insurance Coverage

It is also essential to understand what your insurance will cover when it comes to treating cancer. Research different plans and make sure that you understand which services are covered under each plan so there are no surprises down the line when it comes time to pay medical bills. You may also want to consider researching financial assistance options if your insurance does not cover certain treatments or procedures related to your cancer diagnosis.

Ask Questions or Get a Second Opinion

It’s always good to ask questions and seek a second opinion when it comes to managing cancer. Doing so can help provide peace of mind that the best course of action is being taken and that all available options are considered and explored before making any decisions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek out a different opinion when it comes to taking care of yourself — your health is too important.

Examine Your Medical Bills for Mistakes

Medical bills can be difficult to understand due to the various terms and language used on them. However, it’s essential to take the time and review your bill carefully before making payments. Doing so will ensure that you are not overcharged or accidentally charged incorrectly. With the proper review of your bill, you can avoid any mistakes or coding errors by your healthcare provider during the treatment process.

Locate Support Groups

Cancer can be a very isolating experience. However, connecting with other people who have gone through similar experiences can provide comfort, understanding, and valuable insight into managing one’s own situation. Online or in-person support groups offer an opportunity to connect with others who have had similar journeys and provide advice, input, and shared experiences.

Organize Your Medical Records

Storing medical records electronically as PDFs is a much more secure and efficient option than relying on standard paper systems. Additionally, digital formats ensure that information is kept safely and securely accessible at any time, and there are free tools to help you combine PDF files if necessary.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean giving up control over your health. In fact, taking control means advocating for yourself in order to receive the best possible care available. Doing research ahead of time, keeping track of all paperwork via PDFs, and seeking out support groups are all key steps anyone facing a new cancer diagnosis should take in order to maintain their health while navigating through this trying period of life.

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Younger adults — especially men — are getting diagnosed with heart disease not only earlier but at rates that we’ve never seen before. Both genders are developing heart disease earlier, but because men typically develop heart disease about 10 years before women do, the ages at which some men are experiencing heart events can be shocking. 

When I was in medical school, a heart attack in a 40-year-old man was quite rare.  It sure isn’t rare anymore. 

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What’s behind all this?

People ages 35-64 are experiencing all-time high rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, which appear to be driving this change. Although smoking and cholesterol levels among Americans have dipped (partly because we’re vaping now and lots of people have been placed on statin drugs), obesity has steadily increased.

People with obesity are more likely to develop high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, as well as a multitude of subtle and not-so-subtle metabolic abnormalities that drive inflammation, cause cholesterol abnormalities that statins can’t fix, and result in reduced blood vessel flexibility.

So if you’re a man in this age range who is starting to see the scale tip upwards or if you’re already heavier than you’d like, understand that your heart disease risk is accelerating and now is the time to double down on prevention efforts. Make sure you’re taking advantage of all the ways that nutrition and lifestyle can help keep ALL your risk factors in check. If you developed healthy habits in your younger years, now’s the time to continue. But if you didn’t, take heart knowing that it’s never too late!

If you have some conditions that put you at risk, learn more about those conditions (as a place to start, you’ll find lots of helpful information in our Blog section) and consult your doctor about managing them. For example, let’s look at high blood pressure and high cholesterol…

High blood pressure

Millions of Americans in their 40s and 50s have high blood pressure. But what puts you most at risk is uncontrolled high blood pressure readings. And how do you know if your blood pressure is uncontrolled? You have to measure it! 

An inexpensive investment in your health is an automated home blood pressure cuff that you can find in any drug store (or pharmacy section of a grocery store or large retailer). They’re easy to use, typically quite accurate and can help you spot a problem well before your next formal checkup. Blood pressure readings vary during the day so one elevated reading does not mean you have high blood pressure.  But if you’re seeing top numbers consistently over 130 and bottom numbers consistently over 85, schedule an appointment with your doctor to come up with a more formal monitoring and management plan.

And don’t forget that lifestyle factors can have a huge impact on BP control so the earlier you start optimizing those the less likely it is you end up on blood pressure-lowering drugs.  

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High cholesterol

If you have diabetes and/or obesity, if you smoke, if you eat unhealthy foods, or if you are sedentary, you are at risk of having poor cholesterol levels. Fortunately, you can control most of those risk factors and even undo the damage they have caused — if you act now.

It’s not as easy to check cholesterol at home so work with your provider to make sure you’re getting regular bloodwork at a frequency that makes sense based upon age and other risk factors. And if you get a high number, don’t panic.  Unless you already have established heart disease, you don’t need to go on medications right away. Cholesterol is almost never an emergency.

And as we’ve proven at Step One, a change in diet can yield dramatic cholesterol improvements in 30 days, so it’s reasonable to try a dietary approach (even if you don’t choose to do Step One) before you commit to a lifetime of medications. Just make sure to test your cholesterol response to whatever dietary/lifestyle intervention you’ve decided to pursue. We’d never assume a drug is working without testing its effects. The same should be true for any food or lifestyle intervention.

Erectile dysfunction

As a middle-aged man, you should also be aware of a male-specific early potential warning sign of heart and vascular disease — erectile dysfunction (ED). 

Not all ED means you have vascular disease, but if you’re starting to experience this, make an appointment with your physician and let them know. They might want to dig in deeper regarding heart disease risk and be more aggressive when controlling your risk factors. This is not about embarrassment — it’s about helping yourself experience your fullest, healthiest, longest life.  

I’ll be back with advice for heart health in your 60s, 70s and beyond soon. 

The post Men: Keeping your heart health in midlife appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Almost half of dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer, and the most common form is lymphoma.

Lymphoma in dogs is similar in many ways to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in humans — including the concerns linking exposure to the herbicide glyphosate to the development of cancer.

Here’s what you need to know to protect your pet…

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Canine lymphoma could be linked to environmental toxins

Lymphoma accounts for 15 to 20 percent of new cancer diagnoses in dogs and tends to be most common in middle-aged and older dogs. Several breeds are predisposed to lymphoma, suggesting there may be a genetic component.

But as Dr. Barbara Hodges, program director of advocacy and outreach for the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association has stated, “Cancer is increasingly common in dogs and disturbingly, canine cancers are occurring at younger ages. A dog who is not a member of a breed linked to a particular cancer is not immune to that cancer — or any other cancer, for that matter.”

One of those breeds, the golden retriever, is the subject of an ongoing study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Morris Animal Foundation. This study is examining the link between toxins in the environment and the development of canine lymphoma.

Their goals? Early detection and prevention.

Human studies have found connections between lymphoma and environmental toxins like benzene and glyphosate. Some as well have linked glyphosate with lymphoma in dogs.

The University of Wisconsin study will analyze blood and urine samples from 60 participants in the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study that were diagnosed with lymphoma. These dogs will be compared with a control group of 60 healthy dogs from the same study matched by age and sex.

“These data allow us to look at the chemical exposures not only at the time of diagnosis, but a year prior to diagnosis to see whether there is early DNA damage that can be seen in the blood in association with chemical exposures,” says study lead Dr. Lauren Trepanier, professor of internal medicine and assistant dean for clinical and translational research. “This might help us screen high-risk animals or understand the impacts the chemical exposures have on dogs.”

According to Trepanier, available data already suggests that people should avoid using herbicides on their lawns. Scottish terriers exposed to glyphosate-treated lawns were found to have a 7-times higher risk for cancer in a 2013 study.

Trepanier says they hope this new study clarifies some lymphoma risk factors and helps owners minimize their dogs’ exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

“Through the identification of potential modifiable risk factors for lymphoma in dogs, we hope to make substantial progress in preventing and treating this devastating disease,” she says.

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Keeping your dog toxin-free

It’s a good start to keep your dog away from glyphosate-containing weedkillers — if not all of them. Instead of using commercial herbicides, look for brands with all-natural ingredients. You can even make your own using a recipe like this one.

It can be tough to protect your dog from airborne environmental toxins, especially if you live in an area near factories or heavy traffic. If that’s the case, you may want to feed your dog small amounts of broccoli on occasion. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain a chemical that can actually remove air pollutants like benzene and acrolein from the body.

Just be careful not to feed your dog too much of the vegetable. Broccoli contains substances called isothiocyanates that can cause mild to potentially severe gastric irritation in some dogs. As long as you keep your dog’s daily broccoli consumption to less than 10 percent of their food intake, they should be fine.

As for the rest of your dog’s diet, avoid dog foods high in carbohydrates. The glucose from carbohydrates promotes the multiplication of cancer cells. For these reasons, a grain-free dog food, high in protein, and balanced amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids is a good option.

And just as you would with children, avoid exposing pets to cigarette smoke and household chemicals.

Sources:

Study aims to uncover link between environmental toxins and lymphoma in dogs — EurekAlert!

Dogs, lawn care and cancer—Humane Society.org

Cancer in Pets — American Veterinary Medical Association

Lymphoma in Dogs — VCA Animal Hospitals

How to Make a Homemade Weed Killer — The Native Plant Herald

Can Dogs Eat Broccoli? — American Kennel Club

The post Protecting pets from toxins linked to canine lymphoma appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Absolutely. If they stay where they belong.

But when leaky gut syndrome exists, those bacteria and their toxins escape into your bloodstream, where they do not belong, and wreak havoc.

They can cause chronic bloating, headache, indigestion, diarrhea and nausea, as well as more severe conditions, such as irritable bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

What’s more, researchers have discovered they kickstart a vicious cycle of obesity by interfering with the metabolism of fat cells.

Here’s how that happens, and what you can do about it…

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White fat vs. brown fat

To understand how this vicious cycle works, you’ll need to understand the difference between two types of fat we carry in our bodies.

There’s white fat. That’s the kind your body stores that shows up in bulges around your belly, hips, and thighs. That’s the kind of fat we don’t want.

Then, there’s our hero: brown fat.

Brown fat (the kind you want) helps burn off the calories we eat each day.

Browning is the process that turns white fat into brown fat and can be stimulated by exercise, exposure to cold and calorie restriction.

How leaky gut starts the obesity cycle

An international group of researchers took a look at how weight is affected when substances called endotoxins are released into the blood.

Endotoxins are found within the walls of bacteria. They are a normal part of the digestive tract, and their function is to trigger inflammation when an infection is present.

But when a leaky gut allows endotoxins to escape the gut and enter the bloodstream, it interferes with the normal functioning of fat cells. Specifically, it slows or stops the browning process, which is crucial to reducing the amount of stored fat and maintaining a healthy weight.

And since obese people already have less resilient guts, endotoxins have more chance of escaping into the bloodstream.

And so the cycle goes.

But if you can work to prevent leaky gut and keep endotoxins out of your blood, you’ve already won half the battle.

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How to help a leaky gut

A leaky gut leaks because damage to the lining has made it more permeable. Normally the junctures are just tight enough to allow nutrients to be absorbed and passed into the body, but keep bacteria and waste inside the intestinal walls until they exit the body.

If you’re not sure if you’re affected by leaky gut, first familiarize yourself with the most common symptoms.

Studies have shown that what you eat, and what you don’t eat, are keys to keeping the gut in healthy shape.

One of the most powerful foods to do just that is broccoli. In studies with mice, it was found to contain molecules involved in signaling cells in the intestines to halt inflammatory processes and repair damaged cells. That process helps keep the gut lining intact.

Next are polyphenols, natural antioxidants found in a variety of foods like apples, berries and green tea. In the gut, they increase helpful bacteria, reduce harmful bacteria, and prevent damaging inflammation. A recent study found that eating foods rich in polyphenols increased products of cell metabolism that improve the health of the gut and decreased those that cause intestinal permeability.

Certain supplements can also help.

Now, the foods you want to eat much less of include processed junk foods because they contain refined oils, added sugars and artificial sweeteners — and are considered inflammatory. They also contain gluten — which can aggravate digestive symptoms.

A whole foods diet, like the Mediterranean diet, is probably the best way to ensure foods that can promote weight loss and a healthy gut — which is ultimately the best way to keep your gut in shape and break the cycle.

Sources:

Toxic Fragments of Bacteria Leaking From The Gut May Drive Weight Gain — Science Alert

The impact of metabolic endotoxaemia on the browning process in human adipocytes — BMC Medicine

The post How leaky gut leads to weight gain appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For example, you’ve probably heard that getting in at least 10,000 steps a day can help with everything from slashing your risk of diabetes to adding years to your life.

Yet, for many of us, getting in 10,000 steps each and every day can seem like an impossible challenge.

Luckily, according to research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, it may take far fewer steps than we’ve been led to believe — at least when it comes to warding off cardiovascular problems, like heart attack and stroke, to live longer better…

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Fewer steps + small increases = big benefits

To come to their conclusion, the researchers analyzed the results of eight separate studies involving more than 20,000 people from the U.S. and 42 other countries, finding that it takes as little as 6,000 steps a day to save your heart.

In fact, the researchers determined that older adults who walked between 6,000 and 9,000 steps per day had a 40-50 percent reduced risk of a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, compared to those who walked 2,000 steps per day.

“We found for adults over 60, there was a strikingly lower risk of a cardiovascular event or disease over an average follow-up of six years,” said lead researcher, Amanda Paluch. “When accumulating more steps per day, there was a progressively lower risk.”

This backs up earlier research in which Paluch and her colleagues found that waling between 6,000 and 8,000 steps per day was enough to lower the risk of death from all causes among older adults.

The overall message?

“People who are the least active have the most to gain,” says Paluch. “For those who are at 2,000 or 3,000 steps a day, doing a little bit more can mean a lot for their heart health. If you’re at 6,000 steps, getting to 7,000 and then to 8,000 also is beneficial, it’s just a smaller, incremental improvement.”

In other words, if you want to keep your ticker ticking, just get in a little bit more activity than you’re current level. Over time, you can work your way up to grab even more benefits.

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Does walking speed matter?

And there’s more…

The researchers also took a look at whether walking speed played a role in the heart health benefits achieved in the study.

And they say that intensity wasn’t a factor. Simply walking was enough.

There was no additional benefit with faster walking, beyond the total number of steps accumulated.

However, you might want to take this one with a grain of salt. At least one past study found that a faster pace showed beneficial associations for dementia, heart disease, cancer and death over and above total daily steps, and another linked slow walking to accelerated aging.

But whatever your speed, the message is clear. It’s time to step it up a bit for the health of your heart.

Sources:

Heart health tip for older adults in 2023: Step it up a bit – ScienceDaily

The post The secret to reducing stroke and heart attack with fewer steps appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s because it interrupts your circadian rhythm, the natural sleep cycle that assures you get an adequate amount of deep sleep.

Without enough hours of deep sleep to “wash” your brain each night, you are a sitting duck for Alzheimer’s disease, heart problems, and stroke.

Many things can interfere with deep sleep. And you might not be all that surprised about junk food being one of them. Maybe you’ve gone to bed too soon after a couple of slices of pizza, only to toss and turn with indigestion.

But junk foods’ effects on deep sleep go much deeper… In fact, junk food appears to be a major culprit in altering slow-wave brain activity essential to deep restorative sleep.

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The importance of deep sleep

Deep sleep actually “washes” your brain.

Research has shown that rhythmic electrical signals that occur only during deep sleep — known as “slow waves” — trigger slow pulses of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that wash through the brain and remove toxins.

It’s already known that people with Alzheimer’s have less slow-wave brain activity going on, so there’s less chance for waves of CSF to remove amyloid plaque, the brain toxin most associated with Alzheimer’s.

That’s exactly why how you sleep may be the strongest predictor and deterrent to Alzheimer’s.

Proof that junk food steals deep sleep

Recently, researchers at Uppsala University investigated how junk food affects sleep.

Past studies have shown that what we eat is associated with changes in our sleep. But these researchers realized that few studies have investigated how diet itself directly impacts sleep.

They decided the best way to do that was to have participants eat different diets, in a randomized order.

Only fifteen participants were involved since the study required several days of close monitoring in a sleep laboratory.

All participants were given both a healthy and an unhealthy diet. The two diets contained the same number of calories, but the unhealthy diet contained a lot of sugar, saturated fat and processed food items.

Each diet was consumed for a week. After each week, participants were examined in a sleep laboratory.

The two diets didn’t affect the amount of time each participant slept. But did impact their deep sleep.

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Dr. Jonathan Cedernaes, Associate Professor in Medical Cell Biology at Uppsala University, explains…

“Intriguingly, we saw that deep sleep exhibited less slow-wave activity when the participants had eaten junk food, compared with consumption of healthier food. This effect also lasted into a second night, once we had switched the participants to an identical diet. Essentially, the unhealthy diet resulted in shallower deep sleep.

“Of note, similar changes in sleep occur with aging and in conditions such as insomnia. It can be hypothesized, from a sleep perspective, that greater importance should potentially be attached to diet in such conditions.”

Keep your slow-wave brain activity up

So how do you keep deep sleep and that essential slow-wave brain activity coming?

Well, the first obvious step would be to eat less junk food. Here are a few other tips to try…

• Research has found that listening to pink noise while sleeping can help older adults attain slow-wave sleep.
• Get enough vitamin D so your body can produce useful amounts of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
• Try a sleep diet.
• Don’t drink coffee, black tea or other caffeinated drinks after dinner (if you’re really sensitive, like I am, avoid them from early afternoon on).
• Do your exercising during the day, not at night.
• Try and keep a regular bedtime as much as possible.
• Don’t use your computer or cellphone within two hours of bedtime.

Sources:

Junk food may impair our deep sleep — Science Daily

Exposure to a more unhealthy diet impacts sleep microstructure during normal sleep and recovery sleep: A randomized trial — Obesity

The post How junk food interferes with brain-cleaning deep sleep appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

These complications don’t happen to everyone with diabetes. But the longer you have the disease and the worse your blood sugar control is, the more likely you are to eventually develop one (or more) of them.

Why does diabetes impact so many different organs and systems in your body?

Because the excess sugar can damage the body in a multitude of ways:

• It can damage the walls of tiny blood vessels known as capillaries that supply blood to your nerves, particularly in the legs, and lead to nerve damage.
• It can damage the filtering system in the kidneys that removes waste from the blood, eventually triggering kidney failure.
• It can damage the blood vessels of the retina, causing vision problems or even blindness.

And that damage can extend to your bones as well…

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Diabetes puts you at risk for hip and other debilitating fractures

Researchers from the University of Sheffield reviewed health records from previous studies and determined that people with diabetes (type 1 and 2) have a higher risk of developing hip and non-vertebral fractures (fractures that don’t impact the spine or skull).

Like other diabetes complications, researchers found that the risk of bone fractures was higher for people who had the disease longer and those whose blood sugar control was worse. The risk was also higher for those with type 1 diabetes versus those with type 2 diabetes. But people with type 2 diabetes who used insulin had a higher risk too.

Even though bone fractures aren’t on most people’s radar as a possible diabetes complication, this isn’t the first study to show people with diabetes have a higher fracture risk…

• A 2014 study found that people with diabetes are as much as three times as likely to get a bone fracture as people without diabetes.
• Another from 2018 found women diagnosed after age 40 with diabetes experience a 30 percent increase in their risk of non-vertebral fracture and an astonishing 82 percent increased risk for hip fracture.

Hip fractures, in particular, are known to cause disability in older people and even increase the risk of dying within a year of the injury.

What’s the connection between diabetes and poor bone health? Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).

AGEs cause oxidative stress and inflammation. They also physically affect bone quality when they accumulate in bone collagen fibers. A growing body of evidence indicates that AGEs play a significant role in the progression of classical diabetes complications and diabetic osteopathy.

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Better controlled blood sugar for better bones

So, how do you protect your bones if you have diabetes?

First, you have to do everything in your power to get your blood sugar under control. For many people with diabetes, that means using diabetes medication, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. What should you eat specifically?

Steer clear of processed food, refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks. The Mediterranean diet is a great example of a sensible diet that can help people with diabetes get their blood sugar under control.

Also, consider how you cook the food you eat. Some cooking methods can contribute to AGEs formation in the body.

Next, you may have your doctor check your vitamin D levels. Why?

• According to McMaster University, many people with diabetes are
  low in vitamin D.
• Another study found that people with vitamin D blood levels of 50 ng/mL (considered adequate) were five times less likely to develop diabetes than those with 20ng/mL. The lead author of that study suggested that rather than focusing solely on obesity and sugar and fat intake, we should be focusing on vitamin D levels.

And not only is vitamin D known to help regulate insulin levels, we already know it helps promote bone health.

Beyond getting your blood sugar under control, you’ll also want to reduce your risk of falls… because if you don’t fall, you don’t fracture.

Yoga, Pilates and tai chi are beneficial forms of exercise that improve your balance, which reduces your risk of falling. So, consider practicing one of those regularly. You can also fall-proof your house — get rid of clutter, keep stairways well lit, keep cords and wires out of pathways, get rid of rugs (or get skid-free rugs). By making your home safer, you’ll be saving yourself a lot of hassle — and pain — in the future by preventing a potential fracture.

Sources:

1. People with diabetes at higher risk of bone fractures — co.uk.
2. People with diabetes are at greater risk of bone fractures —  EurekAlert!
3. The risk of hip and non-vertebral fractures in type 1 and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis update — Bone.
4. Diabetes — Mayo Clinic.
5. Tai chi, Pilates and yoga — NHS Health Scotland.
6. Bone Fractures: Prevention — Cleveland Clinic.
7. Bone Fractures: A Diabetes Complication Often Ignored — Everyday Health.

The post AGEs: Why diabetes is bad for your bones appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It means trading one bad thing for something else even worse.

In healthcare, that expression would apply when a drug meant to treat a disease carries side effects far worse than the disease itself.

That’s exactly the case with a newly approved drug for Alzheimer’s disease.

Unfortunately, the “fire” is fatal.

Lecanemab: hopeful Alzheimer’s drug turns deadly

In January of this year, the FDA approved the drug lecanemab for the treatment of early Alzheimer’s disease.

Lecanemab is not a cure for the disease. Rather, it attacks β-amyloid plaque buildup in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s.

The most widely accepted theory for the cause of Alzheimer’s is known as the “amyloid cascade hypothesis.” This theory states that excess β-amyloid deposits neurotoxins in the brain, causing degeneration and loss of neurons.

The Alzheimer’s Association website states that headache is the most common side effect of lecanemab, as well as reactions to the intravenous infusions through which the drug is administered.

Unfortunately, further clinical trials have proven the side effects to be far worse…

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How lecanemab was approved

The FDA has an approval process known as “accelerated approval” that allows a promising new drug to be approved for use if it has shown signs in clinical trials that it might be beneficial for patients with life-threatening diseases, or diseases for which other treatments do not exist.

Once the drug is on the market, further testing of the drug is required to confirm that it really works and that it is safe.

Lecanemab was approved through the accelerated approval process, and further testing is ongoing.

It was one of these tests that revealed a deadly side effect…

Accelerated approval turns deadly

A participant in a Phase III study of the efficacy and safety of lecanemab died after only three infusions of the drug. This had never happened in any previous trials.

Four days after the last infusion, the 65-year-old woman experienced stroke symptoms and died several days later due to multifocal intracerebral hemorrhage (brain bleeding in several locations) despite attempts at therapeutic intervention.

Although the woman had no cardiovascular predisposition to stroke, examination of her brain in an autopsy confirmed that the attack waged on β-amyloid by lecanemab also induced a similar phagocytic attack on the small blood vessels of her cerebral cortex that were also full of plaque.

The result was brain hemorrhage and stroke that could not be survived, despite immediate intervention. The drug reached its target — partial clearing of plaques and tau — but at the expense of massive damage to collateral smaller blood vessels and her death.

Co-investigator Dr. Pouya Jamshidi of the Department of Pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, cautions, “Although this is the first reported case detailing the neuropathologic findings in response to lecanemab, the pattern and distribution of pathology are so striking it is inconceivable to believe this would be an isolated occurrence.”

Available at a pharmacy near you this summer

Even in light of the woman’s tragic death, and the admittance that the drug’s benefits are modest, it doesn’t appear that it will be pulled from the market.

Instead, recommendations have been made to screen patients for cerebrovascular disease and apolipoprotein E status before prescribing and that “the patient may need to be told that anticoagulant treatment for stroke, should such an event occur, may become an option with even greater risk.”

On June 9, 2023, an advisory panel for the US FDA voted unanimously that the drug shows “clinical benefit” for the treatment of Alzheimer’s, paving the way for a full FDA approval expected to come as early as July 2023.

If it were me, I’d be asking my doctor a LOT of questions before taking a drug that had gone through the accelerated approval process. And even then, I’d carefully weigh the options before I agreed to participate in a trial of a drug that had yet to be fully approved.

Thankfully, much research indicates we do have some safer options when it comes to the risk of Alzheimer’s. Though they are certainly not drugs or cures, there are a few natural standouts to support your brain health…

Vitamin D—This common vitamin just may be dementia repellant. And a study based on standardized clinical research data has helped zero in on segments of the population that could benefit the most from supplementing.

Omega-3 fatty acids — Tons of research show omega-3s have the potential to stave off Alzheimer’s disease, even helping the immune system to clear amyloid plaques. But a clinical trial in 2020 found dosage matters.

Niacin — A member of the B family of vitamins, researchers learned more than a decade ago that dietary niacin was protective against Alzheimer’s disease. Deficiency is common among older people with dementia.

Sources:

Case study reveals potentially lethal side effects of lecanemab for treatment of Alzheimer’s disease — Eureka Alert

Neuropathology of Anti-Amyloid-β Immunotherapy: A Case Report — Press Content Library

Lecanemab Approved for Treatment of Early Alzheimer’s Disease — Alzheimer’s Association

FDA advisers vote that lecanemab shows benefit as an Alzheimer’s treatment — CNN Health

The post Alzheimer’s drug’s accelerated approval leads to deadly stroke appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The trillions of “friendly” bacteria and other microbes living inside our digestive system are central to keeping our bodies in peak physical shape.

So, what’s the best way to nourish this microbiome? There’s no doubt that probiotic-rich fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi are key to maintaining a healthy gut. So is a diet rich in foods like legumes, bread, fish, nuts and wine — for example, the Mediterranean diet.

It also helps to avoid foods that are bad for your gut. One of the foods that can wreck your gut health is sugar. A diet filled with soda, cookies, candy and other sweet treats can upset the delicate balance of our gut microbiome, resulting in poor health and disease.

Still, a lot of us have an incurable sweet tooth. So the best thing we can do is swap out sugar-laden foods for nature’s candy: fruit. And there’s one fruit in particular that a growing body of research is finding has surprising health-boosting powers for your gut….

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Grapes make your gut happy

Grapes are one of my favorite fruit snacks. They’re sweet, juicy and crunchy, satisfying several cravings at once. And if you pop them in the freezer for a few minutes, they make the perfect substitute for those sugary summer popsicles.

So imagine my joy when I saw the results of a human study investigating whether grapes can influence health by modulating the human microbiome.

During the eight-week study, healthy participants underwent two weeks of a restricted diet followed by two weeks of the same diet supplemented by 2 ¼ cups of grapes per day. For the remaining weeks, they followed their normal diet.

When the participants’ microbiome composition and urinary and plasma metabolites were analyzed, the researchers found changes in terms of bacteria, enzyme levels and biological pathways. An analysis of a subgroup of subjects showed unique patterns of microbe distribution as well.

Specifically, the study suggests that the consumption of grapes provides subtle gut changes that translate to health benefits, including:

• An increase in a type of bacteria considered a probiotic.
• An increase in a type of enzyme which causes metabolic detoxification.
• An overall increase in diversity of the microbiome.

“Our study showed that grapes actively impact the gut microbiome causing shifts in the intricate interactive networks and thus subtly changing the gut microbiome and the resulting chemicals it produces,” says Dr. John Pezzuto, lead author of the study and professor and dean at Western New England University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

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More evidence of grapes’ impact

This isn’t the first study to showcase the gut health benefits of grapes. Previous studies have found that grapes can team up with your gut microbiome to lower cholesterol and deliver the perfect dose of heart-healthy antioxidants. Another showed grapes can influence the gut-skin axis in a way that helps protect the skin from UV damage.

“Over the years, we have learned that consumption of grapes has the potential to mediate an amazing cadre of health benefits,” Pezzuto says. “Data suggest health improvements in heart, colon, brain, skin, and more.

More than 1,600 phytochemical compounds have been identified in grapes, including catechins, anthocyanins, polyphenols and flavonols, all of which alone or in combination, affect different processes in the body. One of the most well-known chemical constituents of grapes is resveratrol.

Be sure to wash your grapes in cold water before consumption to get rid of any dirt or unfriendly bacteria that might be hanging around. Also, try to buy organic so you don’t have to worry about pesticides or other harmful chemicals.

Once you’ve washed your grapes, pat them dry and pick off a cluster of grapes from the stem rather than removing them individually. Then you can eat them however you like — in salads, on a fruit or cheese plate or simply by themselves.

Sources:

Consuming grapes modulates the human microbiome with potential benefits for health — EurekAlert!

Influence of grape consumption on the human microbiome — Scientific Reports

Health Benefits of Grapes — Nourish by WebMD

Grape expectations: Dietary grapes promote subtle shifts in human microbiome with potential health implications — News Medical Life Sciences

The post Eating grapes leads to subtle gut changes for major benefits appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So for these reasons, it’s easy to understand the hype that came about when the diabetes drug Ozempic and its off-label version geared toward weight loss, Wegovy, proved successful for many people.

It seemed that the “magic pill” of our wildest dreams, that could make managing diabetes and weight loss effortless, was finally here.

But, as with most things that sound too good to be true, we learned about alarming side effects and insane medication costs that were not always covered by insurance.

Over the past dozen years or so, research has been ongoing into a natural, plant-based compound that appears to have the ability to support blood sugar metabolism and other health benefits as well — including promising studies on weight loss — all without the side effects of medication.

Most recently, it’s been referred to as “nature’s Ozempic.” Here’s what we know about berberine…

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Is this Traditional Chinese Medicine Nature’s Ozempic?

For more than 10 years now, science has been investigating how natural chemicals from the barberry plant can help control type 2 diabetes.

Specifically, a phytochemical (natural plant compound) called berberine seems to be doing the trick.

Berberine is also found in the perennial flower known as goldenseal, and other plants including Oregon grape and tree turmeric. In most of these plants, the compound is concentrated in the root or stem.

It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time as an anti-inflammatory agent. It may also help prevent fatty liver disease, bacterial infections and lower your risk of heart disease.

An examination of data from a number of independent studies (known as a meta-analysis) was conducted by researchers at Iranian and British universities and found that supplementing with barberry can indeed decrease insulin levels.

Seven studies that included 452 subjects were included in the review. The analysis showed that barberry significantly reduces insulin levels. And lowering insulin is the first important step to preventing type 2 diabetes.

Hyperinsulinemia (higher-than-normal insulin levels) is a sign of insulin resistance, where your pancreas is working overtime to secrete insulin because your body is not responding to it. Left untreated, this will lead to type 2 diabetes.

Glucose and cholesterol improve with berberine

Two earlier studies had already shown the effectiveness of berberine supplements in preventing diabetes.

In 2008, a Chinese study examined a group of subjects with diabetes and dyslipidemia.

Many people who are diabetic or prediabetic also have the triple whammy of dyslipidemia: good cholesterol (HDL) is low, bad cholesterol (LDL) is high, and triglycerides are high.

In the Chinese study, 116 patients were given either 1g of berberine daily or a placebo for a period of three months.

In the berberine group, fasting glucose levels decreased from 7mm/liter to 5.6mm/liter, and triglycerides dropped from 2.51mm/liter to 1.10mm/liter. The placebo group showed significantly poorer results.

Together with lifestyle changes, berberine proved effective in controlling blood sugar

In a 2012 meta-analysis, four researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China reviewed data from 14 randomized trials that included 1068 subjects.

While berberine did not control blood sugar any better than oral diabetes medications like metformin, it did have some effectiveness against dyslipidemia.

However, when combined with lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes, berberine proved more effective in controlling blood sugar than metformin or similar drugs when combined with the same lifestyle changes.

You may be surprised to learn though that berberine isn’t the only plant substance that gives metformin some competition. Be sure to check out what my colleague wrote about the diabetes spice that improved glucose tolerance as efficiently as metformin while showing no significant adverse effects.

Berberine and weight management

Some research in animals and humans indicates berberine may be helpful for weight loss.

Berberine reduced weight gain and food intake in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity while having no effects on mice on a normal diet.

In a 12-week study involving people with obesity, taking 500 mg of berberine three times a day resulted in an average 5-pound weight loss.

A study has also shown that berberine may help activate metabolism and increase brown fat in the body. Brown fat cranks up your energy burn, which has the potential to crank up your fat burn with it.

According to Medical News Today, Berberine appears to activate AMP-activated protein kinase, which can help regulate how the body uses blood sugar. Researchers believe this activation can help treat diabetes and related health issues, such as obesity and high cholesterol.

Berberine isn’t the only plant compound we’ve written about that appears to enhance the activation of energy regulator AMPK to boost metabolism.

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Supplementing berberine

Berberine supplements are available online or through your health food store. It’s always wise to choose supplements from a trusted brand and follow their guidelines on serving amount. Also check the product label for third-party certification, for example, from the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Although berberine is not known for troublesome side effects (other than digestive issues for some people) you should talk with your doctor if you’re taking any medications, especially those that already lower your blood sugar.

Berberine can interact with metformin and affect blood sugar levels, making them harder to manage. 

Whether it could be called nature’s Ozempic may be debated. It works differently because it is obviously not a drug.

Sources:

1. Berberine in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis — National Center for Biotechnology Information (ncbi)
2. The effect of barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) on glycemic indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials — Science Direct
3. Berberine – A Powerful Supplement With Many Benefits — Healthline
4. Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia with the Natural Plant Alkaloid Berberine — The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
5. Berberine — Medical News Today
6. Berberine is a potential therapeutic agent for metabolic syndrome via brown adipose tissue activation and metabolism regulation — National Library of Medicine
7. National Diabetes Statistics Report — CDC

The post Nature’s Ozempic? Berberine’s impact on blood sugar and weight loss appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If detected early, melanoma is one of the more curable forms of cancer.

In 2018, Dr. James Allison of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Dr. Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University won the Nobel Prize for Physiology for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation.

Their work paved the way for the development of checkpoint inhibitors, a new class of cancer drugs that allows the immune system to see cancer cells as the invaders they are.

This type of immunotherapy treatment has proven to be very helpful in treating skin cancer, but it looks like a common vitamin may make the therapy even more effective…

Having enough vitamin D makes immunotherapy more effective

In a study published in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, researchers reported that people with melanoma may respond better to immunotherapy treatment using immune checkpoint inhibitors if their vitamin D levels are within a healthy range.

According to the National Cancer Institute, immune checkpoints are a normal part of the immune system that helps keep the immune response from being too strong. But putting a “brake” on immune response can sometimes keep T cells from killing cancer cells. Inhibiting that action with specially designed drugs allows T cells to better kill cancer cells.

Results of the study showed that 56 percent of patients with a normal baseline vitamin D level, whether achieved through nutrition or supplements, had a positive response to the immune checkpoint inhibitors, as opposed to just 36 percent of those with low levels of vitamin D.

The researchers say that vitamin D’s effectiveness comes from its ability to strengthen the immune system, as well as some other effects that can help stop cancer cells from proliferating.

Vitamin D levels matter

I can’t say I was surprised by this news. Just earlier this year, I reported on a study that found vitamin D supplementation halved the risk of melanoma in a group of 498 adults researchers had determined to have an increased risk for skin cancers

“Of course, vitamin D is not itself an anti-cancer drug, but its normal serum level is needed for the proper functioning of the immune system, including the response that anti-cancer drugs like immune checkpoint inhibitors affect,” said lead author Łukasz Galus, MD, of Poznan University of Medical Sciences, in Poland.

“In our opinion, after appropriately randomized confirmation of our results, the assessment of vitamin D levels and its supplementation could be considered in the management of melanoma.”

Even if you’re lucky enough not to be battling cancer, vitamin D is essential to life. Among other things, it helps regulate blood sugar and slows brain aging.

Look for nutritional sources of vitamin D in foods like:

• Salmon
• Canned tuna
• Sardines
• Beef liver
• Fortified orange juice, milk, and cereals
• Egg yolk

Of course, the sun is the most natural source of vitamin D, but if you have skin cancer or want to avoid it, sun exposure may not be best. A good vitamin D3 supplement can help.

Sources:

Higher vitamin D levels may bolster immunotherapy treatments for cancer — Medical News Today

Vitamin D supplementation increases objective response rate and prolongs progression-free time in patients with advanced melanoma undergoing anti-PD1 therapy Cancer

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor — National Cancer Institute

Vitamin D — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The post Vitamin D levels bolster skin cancer treatment appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Major metro areas, such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., are experiencing very unhealthy air quality advisories — while some of the smoke has drifted as far south as Georgia, but only affecting the Metro Atlanta Air Quality to a “moderate” degree.

Depending on where you live, you may be wondering how the poor air quality may affect you.

First of all, it’s important to understand the risks from air pollution, especially exposure to what’s known as fine particulate air matter, which includes pollution carried on the wind and can include dust and soil, both capable of containing various types of toxins.

However, it’s even more concerning when it relates to smoke from wildfires. The reason?

It’s been found to be among the most toxic to people compared to fine particle air matter exposure from other sources.

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Fine particulate air matter affects the cardiovascular system

There are different types of air pollution and they are categorized often by size. They are made up of particulates — atmospheric aerosol particles or particulate matter.

Sources of these particulates can be natural or man-made chemicals (in cases of fires, you often get a little of both). PM2.5 is so fine you never even know you’re inhaling it.

In previous research on non-smoking healthy individuals, researchers exposed them to concentrated ambient particulate matter for two hours. The result was a decrease in heart rate variability, along with increased lymphocyte and white blood cell levels.

Increases in white blood cell and lymphocyte levels are signs of increased inflammation in the body, which means the immune system is rapidly activated to fight the incoming stimulus. Decreased heart rate variability is a sign of autonomic nervous system dysfunction — the part of the nervous system that controls the cardiovascular system.

Quite surprisingly, these inhaled particles have acute effects on the cardiovascular system that could lead to a pollution-triggered heart attack.

According to a Journal of the American Heart Association Report, researchers examined cardiac arrests during 14 wildfire-affected counties in California between 2015 and 2017. They found that out-of-hospital cardiac arrests:

• increased on days rated as heavy smoke density and for several days afterward, with the highest risk (70% higher than on days with no smoke) on the second day after smoke exposure;
• increased among both men and women and in people aged 35 and older exposed to heavy smoke; and
• increased in communities with lower socioeconomic status (20% or more people living below the poverty line) with both medium and heavy smoke exposure.

According to Ana G. Rappold, Ph.D., a research scientist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment in the Office of Research and Development, “Particulate matter from smoke that is inhaled can penetrate deeply into the lungs, and very small particles may cross into the bloodstream. These particles can create an inflammatory reaction in the lungs and throughout the body. The body’s defense system may react to activate the fight-or-flight system, increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels and increasing blood pressure. These changes can lead to disturbances in the heart’s normal rhythm, blockages in blood vessels and other effects creating conditions that could lead to cardiac arrest.”

Protection from particulate air matter

In areas hardest hit by the air pollution from the Canadian wildfires, public health officials are warning older people and those with heart or breathing problems to stay inside — or at the least wear a mask if they must venture out. N95 masks are the most effective.

Even if you live in areas, not as heavily affected and have heart or issues like asthma or COPD, it would be wise to stay inside till of this literally blows over.

But you should know, wildfires or none, living near low levels of air pollution for a handful of years makes serious structural changes to your heart… even if you’re relatively young and healthy.

If you have access to an air purifier or can have someone deliver one to you, strongly consider it as an option. It’s also a good idea to install an indoor HEPA air filter in your HVAC return to minimize the particulates in the air of your home — or add houseplants that can improve your indoor air.

Now would also be a good time to consider supplementing B vitamins…

Research by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, individuals who were exposed to the same amount of pollution but were given B vitamin supplements for four weeks afterward, were able to almost completely reverse the pollution damage caused to their immune and cardiovascular systems.

In fact, B vitamin supplementation appeared to show incredible opposition…

• A 150 percent reduction in the particulate matter’s effects on heart rate
• A 139 percent reduced effect on white blood cell count
• And a 106 percent reduced effect on lymphocyte count

The post What are your health risks from the Canadian wildfires? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But when we do, it’s quite annoying, itchy and uncomfortable. Some can be downright deadly. So how can you avoid a yeast or fungal infection?

First, you need to understand how they develop. Yeast (single cells) will proliferate into a fungal (long chains of yeast) skin rash when you have excessive and localized skin moisture or sweating. That’s why you see more fungal infections occurring during the hot and humid summer months, especially ringworm, jock itch and athlete’s foot.

With summer practically here you may need to take extra steps to keep problem areas dry. Don’t hang out in a wet bathing suit longer than needed, and don’t forget to dry all the nooks and crannies well after bathing.

But there are a few other things that increase your risk for a fungal infection, including:

• An imbalance in your skin’s pH level due to something you are eating, medication you are taking or excessive stressors (mental, emotional, physical)
• Consuming high amounts of simple carbohydrates (refined sugar feeds yeast)
• A repeated mechanical skin injury (e.g. chaffing, rubbing)
• A food sensitivity (e.g. gluten in wheat, rye, spelt, triticale)
• A sensitivity to something your skin is coming in contact with, like a topical ingredient (lotions, soap, perfume, cleansers, etc.)

There’s also some misunderstanding surrounding some fungal infections. Hopefully, you already know that “ringworm” (tinea corporis) is definitely not a worm; it’s just a common fungal infection that manifests as a pink, itchy, circular rash on your trunk or extremity skin. There is one other common “tinea” called pityriasis versicolor that also affects the skin.

Other body areas that are common places for fungal infections include feet (athlete’s foot), the groin (jock itch), scalp/beard area (tinea capitis/barbae), the vagina (yeast), mouth (thrush) and nails (onychomycosis).

Fortunately, skin fungal infections are easy to diagnose and treat…

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Treatment for fungal infections

Skin and nail fungal infections come in about 40 species. The most common ones are Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton which are easy to detect and treat.

Prescription treatment is pretty simple:

• Skin areas: Nizoral (ketoconazole) 2% cream applied twice daily for 2 weeks
• Nails: Lamisil (terbinafine) 250 mg pill taken daily for 3 months
• Mouth: nystatin oral suspension several times daily for 1-2 weeks
• Vagina: Diflucan (fluconazole) 150 mg pill taken every other day for 3 days
• Pityriasis Versicolor, typically on the trunk of the body or shoulders: topical selenium sulfide, ketoconazole, or pyrithione zinc

But if you’d prefer to try the natural route before resorting to pharmaceuticals, apple cider vinegar has a strong reputation as a fungal eradicator because of its antimicrobial properties. It’s mildly acidic, so depending on where your infection is, you might want to do a dab test first to test for skin sensitivity. You can dilute it a little with water, but of course that could cut down on its effectiveness. To be effective you would need to apply apple cider vinegar at least three times a day for several days.

Other natural remedies reported to be effective against fungal infections include plain yogurt, coconut oil and some essential oils such as tea tree oil, olive leaf extract and lavender oil.

Systemic infections

Most often, fungal infections are localized, affecting a specific body part or area. But a systemic infection is one that may affect many areas of the body, including internal organs and systems. Candida albicans, the yeast most commonly found on (and in) humans, has proven to be especially dangerous in this respect.

Candida albicans is an opportunistic pathogen that is the 4^th leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. In this environment, it can become a serious infection of the blood, heart, brain, eyes, bones, etc. In this context, candidemia (candida in the bloodstream) is a life-threatening infection and commonly results in costly, long hospital stays with poor outcomes. For example, among 529 infected patients, death attributable to candidemia ranged between 19% and 24%. Treatment consists of aggressive IV antifungal medications and close monitoring.

Some common medications can upset your body’s pH and make your body ripe for candida to flourish, most notably broad-spectrum antibiotics and oral corticosteroids. An overabundance of sugar in your diet can also be problematic, leading to chronic candida.

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Chronic candida is a similar infection, in that its symptoms are systematic. But while certainly capable of dragging your health down and being responsible for myriad non-descript symptoms, it’s not often as severe, though recent research may link chronic candida with schizophrenia.

Chronic candida usually begins when candida overproduces in the digestive tract where it breaks down the intestinal lining so that large proteins can abnormally penetrate your bloodstream (this is known as Leaky Gut). This is mainly due to chronic unhealthy foods (refined sugars), medications (antibiotics, corticosteroids), diabetes or a weakened immune system. Any of these factors contribute to an environment perfect for candida to overpopulate.

Symptoms may be as simple as sugar cravings or new food sensitivities to dairy, eggs, corn or gluten. Or they may be more specific such as fatigue, mood disorder, recurring sinus or urinary infections, IBS or “brain fog.”

Treatment consists of a 3-7 day “candida cleanse.” This cleanse consists of:

• The “candida diet”: Eliminate simple sugar and foods that are rapidly broken down into sugars. Avoid gluten. Also avoid fermented foods because most are yeast-containing and you are trying to cut down on an overgrowth. Once the gut is in balance, fermented foods may slowly be reintroduced if tolerated.
• Probiotic supplementation.
• Bentonite clay, to bind and remove intestinal toxins.
• Coconut oil, clove, or oregano oil supplementation.
• Milk thistle, to boost liver detoxification.

Sources:

1. Definition of Ringworm — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2. Morgan J, Meltzer MI, Plikaytis BD, Sofair AN, Huie-White S, Wilcox S, et al. “Excess mortality, hospital stay, and cost due to candidemia: a case-control study using data from population-based candidemia surveillance.” — Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005 Jun;26(6):540-7.

3. Manos NE, Ferebee SH, Kerschbaum WF. “Geographic variation in the prevalence of histoplasmin sensitivity.” — Dis chest. 1956 Jun;29(6):649-68.

The post Tips to treat and avoid the fungus among us appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Type 3 diabetes is the name some scientists are giving to Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. According to the Mayo Clinic, type 3 diabetes occurs when neurons in the brain become unable to respond to insulin, which they need for basic tasks such as memory and learning.

In fact, some researchers believe insulin deficiency is central to the cognitive decline that occurs in Alzheimer’s patients.

Given this, it’s no surprise that investigators have found a link between uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and dementia. One study showed people with untreated diabetes develop signs of Alzheimer’s nearly twice as fast as those who treat their diabetes.

And the earlier you develop T2D, the higher your odds for dementia…

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Age and the T2D-dementia link

Prediabetes is an intermediate stage where blood sugar is elevated but has not yet crossed the threshold into full-blown T2D — the risk of which is substantial.

In the U.S., up to 96 million adults have prediabetes. And 70 percent of those will progress to full-blown T2D.

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health decided to investigate the association between prediabetes and dementia using data from participants aged 45 to 64 in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

They specifically looked at measures of blood sugar control, particularly HbA1C and cognitive function. In addition, they examined whether age at diabetes diagnosis modified dementia risk — and the results were sobering…

When looking at age at diabetes diagnosis, they found:

• The risk for dementia is three times higher for those developing T2D before the age of 60.
• For those developing T2D between the ages of 60 and 69, dementia risk increased by 73 percent.
• For those developing T2D between the ages of 70 and 79, the increased dementia risk fell to 23 percent.
• There was no increased dementia risk for those developing T2D at ages 80 or older.

The researchers conclude that while prediabetes is associated with dementia risk, this risk is explained by the development of diabetes.

“Diabetes onset at early age is most strongly related to dementia,” they write in the study. “Thus, preventing or delaying the progression of prediabetes to diabetes will substantially reduce the future burden of dementia.”

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Prediabetes is tough to catch

One of the challenges with diagnosing prediabetes is it often has no symptoms. Your blood sugar could be slowly ticking higher without you even knowing it.

You’ll want to keep an eye out for prediabetes if you have any of the following risk factors:

• Weight – a body mass index (BMI) higher than 25
• Lack of physical activity
• Family history of prediabetes or diabetes
• Age – at age 45, your risk begins to rise and rises even more rapidly around 65
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

If you find yourself in prediabetes limbo, you’ll want to pay close attention to your diet and get plenty of exercise.

But you can also get extra help from vitamin D. The common vitamin was recently been found to slash the risk of progression to T2D by 15 percent. It may be the reason that in a previous study, consuming full-fat dairy was shown to decrease risk of T2D progression by as much as 70 percent.

An extra plus about vitamin D? A study from the University of Calgary’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute found that a group of people who took vitamin D supplements had 40 percent fewer dementia diagnoses than those who did not take the supplements.

Sources:

Study shows dementia risk increases the younger a person develops diabetes — EurekAlert!

Prediabetes, intervening diabetes and subsequent risk of dementia: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study — Diabetologia

What is the link between Alzheimer’s and Type 3 diabetes? — Mayo Clinic

Prediabetes — Mayo Clinic

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Test for Diabetes — WebMD

The post How age, diabetes and dementia intersect appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This remedy has ancient roots and has long been valued for its ability to manage bladder disorders, but scientific studies have shown it also has lots of potential for prostate health.

Here are some reasons why you may want to consider pygeum to support your prostate…

What Is Pygeum?

Pygeum supplements are made from the bark of the Prunus africanum tree, although both the tree and the extract are often referred to simply as pygeum. The active ingredients in the extract include phytosterols, the most common of which is beta-sitosterol. Other components in pygeum include triterpenes and compounds called ferulic acids.

You may recognize beta-sitosterol as another natural supplement that is beneficial for the prostate. It is found in stinging nettle and saw palmetto, two other herbal remedies shown to support prostate health. Phytosterols can inhibit the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that plays a major role in the development of an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) and in hair loss.

Although pygeum has been studied for a variety of ailments, it has demonstrated the most promise for the management of an enlarged prostate.

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Pygeum And Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate is a common condition caused by the noncancerous growth of the prostate gland as men age. Enlargement of the prostate can constrict the urethra, the tube that transports urine out of the body. Therefore, men who have an enlarged prostate often, but not always, experience urinary tract symptoms such as urinary urgency, painful urination, dribbling, the need to urinate often during the night and urinary frequency.

A number of studies have indicated that pygeum has properties that can help relieve symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

A few of the findings and reports on pygeum and BPH:

• A total of 263 men who had an enlarged prostate were given either 50 mg of pygeum extract or a placebo twice daily for 60 days. At the end of the study, the men who had taken pygeum extract had a “marked clinical improvement” in urinary tract symptoms. In fact, there was a 66 percent improvement in urinary symptoms in the pygeum group compared with 31 percent in the placebo group.
• A meta-analysis involving 18 trials evaluated a total of 1,562 men who had an enlarged prostate. Overall, the reviewers concluded that compared with placebo, pygeum offered men a “moderately large improvement” in urinary tract symptoms. Men who took pygeum were more than twice as likely to experience an improvement than men in placebo groups.
• In a comparison of pygeum with saw palmetto, another herbal remedy shown to be helpful in supporting prostate health and coping with an enlarged prostate, investigators reported on two studies: In one, 70 men with an enlarged prostate were given either 320 mg of saw palmetto for 30 days or 100 mg of pygeum plus 320 mg of saw palmetto for 30 days. In both studies, men experienced an improvement of about 50 percent in frequent urination and painful urination.
• In a review article in American Family Physician, the author noted that “limited evidence shows that the herbal agents saw palmetto extract, rye grass pollen extract, and pygeum relieve symptoms” of an enlarged prostate.

Taking Pygeum Supplements

If you are considering pygeum supplements, there are two options. One is to take the herbal remedy alone. The other is to take a supplement that contains pygeum along with other natural remedies for prostate health. In either case, the suggested dose of pygeum (standardized to contain 13 percent total sterols) is 75 to 200 mg daily as a single dose or divided into two equal doses.

Sources:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006122

Efficacy of Pygeum africanum extract in the treatment of micturational disorders due to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Evaluation of objective and subjective parameters. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1702916

Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Databases of Systematic Reviews 2002; (1)CD001044. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11869585

Serenoa repens in benign prostatic hypertrophy: analysis of 2 Italian studies. Minerva Urol Nefrol 2010 Dec; 62(4): 335-40. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20944533

Edwards: Diagnosis and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/0515/p1403.html

NBBS isolated from Pygeum africanum bark exhibits androgen antagonistic activity, inhibits AR nuclear translocation and prostate cancer cell growth.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19771394

Papaioannou M et al. The natural compound atraric acid is an antagonist of the human androgen receptor inhibiting cellular invasiveness and prostate cancer cell growth.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18627423

The post Pygeum: Natural prostate support that stacks up appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But the truth is women are more than twice as likely to die after a heart attack than men.

Thanks to mountains of research into what can help us avoid such a fate, it’s not a risk that you have to take lying down.

In fact, simple dietary changes such as embracing the DASH or Paleo diets, or even going all out with the Pesco-Mediterranean diet, can make big strides when it comes to improving your heart health.

But you know what, it gets even simpler than that…

According to a study published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society, the meal that boosts your heart health the most isn’t all about what you eat, but who you eat with…

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Previous research notes the dangers of eating alone

It may seem odd, but if you’re eating alone, you’re putting your heart at risk.

It’s true — previous studies have reported that eating alone more often is associated with a higher risk of abdominal obesity and elevated blood pressure.

This is likely due to the fact that when you eat by yourself, you’re more likely to eat faster, which can lead to an increase in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure and cholesterol — all of which skyrocket your risk of heart disease.

And if that weren’t enough, eating alone has also been found to negatively impact your mental health, which is further linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

So this got the researchers wondering: Just how much of an effect does going it alone at mealtime really have on women’s heart health?

The easiest meal with the biggest impact

To find out, the research team followed nearly 600 menopausal women, 65 and older, and compared health behaviors and nutritional status between ladies who ate alone and those who spent mealtimes with others.

Hands-down, the team discovered that older women who ate alone had both poorer nutritional knowledge and intake than their counterparts.

Specifically, the researchers say that eating alone went hand-in-hand with lower intakes of energy, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, sodium and potassium.

Even worse, women who ate alone were 2.58 times more likely to have angina, a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart and a symptom of coronary artery disease.

“This study shows that older women who eat alone are more likely to have symptomatic heart disease.  Given that women live longer than men, finding ways for older women who are socially isolated to engage and create meaningful social ties may not only improve their nutrition but also their overall health,” said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director.

Call a friend for dinner, lunch or breakfast

So, there you have it. The easiest meal to support your heart health is the one (or ones) you enjoy with someone else. When your next mealtime rolls around, be sure to use your “call a friend” lifeline to keep your heart at its best.

And if you’re a woman already living with heart disease, there’s one more tip that could up your chances of survival even if you were to suffer a heart attack…

Switch to a female doctor.

Research has shown that women who see female doctors are more likely to get the treatment they need in time to save their hearts and their lives.

Sources:

Can eating alone be bad for your heart? – EurekAlert!

The post The meal that boosts your heart health the most appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But this little organ does a lot, storing bile until it’s needed by the small intestine to digest fats and carry away toxins produced by the liver.

Several years ago, my mom had to have her gallbladder removed in a procedure known as a cholecystectomy. She just had too many gallstones, and they were starting to cause a painful and dangerous blockage in the bile duct.

She didn’t suffer too many short-term side effects after the procedure, and the ones she did diminished over time.

However, growing research indicates the long-term repercussions of gallbladder removal may be a lot more serious — including cancer.

Gallbladder removal and cancer risk

For instance, one study showed in the year before their diagnosis, 4.7 percent of patients with pancreatic cancer had a diagnosis of gallstone disease, with 1.6 percent of them requiring gallbladder removal. By contrast, only 0.8 percent of non-cancer patients had gallstones, with 0.3 percent having their gallbladders removed.

Now there’s evidence of a second and bigger cancer risk associated with gallbladder problems…

Drawing on data from large prospective cohorts using Mendelian randomization — a method that uses measured variation in genes of known function to strengthen the causal effect of a modifiable exposure on disease in observational studies — an international team of researchers conducted a large two-part analysis exploring the link between gallbladder health and kidney cancer.

In the first part of the study, the researchers examined the risk of kidney cancer in more than 16 million individuals from a Swedish database who were followed for about 13 years. During that time, some experienced gallbladder removal. They took into account the age at which the cholecystectomy occurred, as well as the time between the gallbladder removal and kidney cancer diagnosis.

Next, the researchers studied the causal effect of gallstones on kidney cancer risk based on data from more than 400,000 participants in the U.K. Biobank.

In their analyses, the team discovered that:

• In the first 6 months after gallbladder surgery, the risk of developing kidney cancer shot up by a whopping 279 percent.
• Patients who had a cholecystectomy before the age of 40 saw a 55 percent increase in their kidney cancer risk compared with those who did not.
• The risk of kidney cancer increases by almost 10 percent for every doubling of gallstone prevalence.

Excess bile acids could be the problem

The researchers have a couple of theories about the gallstones-kidney cancer link…

Study leader Dr. Justo Lorenzo Bermejo of the Institute of Medical Biometry at Heidelberg University in Germany told MedPage Today that it’s possible gallbladder removal could result in increased excretion of bile acids, which could lead to oxidative stress and damage to the kidneys that could lead to kidney cancer.

“Another possible explanation is that excess bile acids lead to increased synthesis of secondary bile acids, which in turn can alter Wnt/β-catenin signaling and promote cancer,” Bermejo says. “The Wnt gene pathway regulates a huge array of cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation, renewal and apoptosis [cellular death].”

The results also suggest type 2 diabetes and smoking may mediate the effect of gallstones on kidney cancer. Cigarette smoke releases harmful chemicals that spread to the kidneys and can damage DNA, making it harder for kidney cells to repair themselves.

Bermejo told MedPage Today the study emphasizes the compelling need to screen for and rule out kidney cancer before and during gallbladder removal. “It would also be important to inform patients undergoing cholecystectomy in their 30s about their increased risk of kidney cancer 25 to 30 years after surgery,” he adds.

Keeping a healthy gallbladder

This study is just one more reason to consider our gallbladders before things go bad. Start by understanding your risks…

The risk of gallbladder disease is higher for women, especially if pregnant, on hormone therapy or using birth control pills, or over the age of 60.

Other risk factors include a history of rapid or significant weight loss using very-low-kilocalorie diets,  increased fat and sugar intake, high cholesterol, diabetes, bariatric surgery and a sedentary lifestyle.

My colleague Joyce Hollman writes about six natural ways to reduce your risk of gallstones. The herb milk thistle has also been found to raise the solubility of bile, deterring the formation of gallstones.

The perfect diet for avoiding gallstone would look something like this:

• Five servings of fruit and vegetables
• Several servings of carbohydrates, preferably whole grain
• Two to three servings of low-fat milk or dairy products
• Lean protein, such as chicken, fish or beans

Focus on foods high in fiber and low in fat and sugar. Flax seed, salmon, walnuts and other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids can also help lower your cholesterol. Gallstones are usually made up of cholesterol or bilirubin.

Sources:

Patients With Gallstones Should Undergo Kidney Cancer Screening — MedPage Today

Justo Bermejo on the Gallstone-Kidney Cancer Connection — MedPage Today

Gallstones, Cholecystectomy, and Kidney Cancer: Observational and Mendelian Randomization Results Based on Large Cohorts — Gastoenterology

Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) — Mayo Clinic

Can you recommend a diet after gallbladder removal? — Mayo Clinic

Anti-gallstones Diet: What Foods to Eat and What to Avoid — University of Maryland Medical System

The post The crazy high cancer risk that comes after gallbladder surgery appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In scans of patients with Parkinson’s, scientists have been able to see the loss of dopamine neurons in a brain region called the substantia nigra. The death of these neurons is a hallmark of the disease.

In addition to genetic and biological considerations, certain environmental factors are believed to play a role in the development of Parkinson’s…

A study from 2018 found that people exposed to the chemicals paraquat and maneb were 250 percent more likely to develop Parkinson’s than the general population.

And now research has identified not one or two but 10 toxic pesticides that significantly damage dopamine neurons, paving the way for the development of Parkinson’s.

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10 pesticides linked to Parkinson’s development

Researchers from Harvard, UCLA and Mt. Sinai Hospital examined decades-long exposure to 288 pesticides among residents of California’s Central Valley who have Parkinson’s disease (the Central Valley is a major agricultural area).

First, they were able to determine each person’s long-term exposure to each pesticide. Then they tested each pesticide for associations with Parkinson’s.

Ultimately, they identified 53 pesticides that appeared to be involved in causing Parkinson’s. Most had never before been studied and are still in use.

Then, digging further, they tested each pesticide on neurons that closely resembled the dopaminergic neurons that, when damaged, cause the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s: the shuffling gait, uncontrollable tremors and rigid facial and body muscles).

They narrowed down their search to ten pesticides that are responsible for the death of dopamine-producing nerves, including.

• Four insecticides: dicofol, endosulfan, naled, and propargite
• Three herbicides: diquat, endothall, and trifluralin
• Three fungicides: copper sulfate (basic and pentahydrate) and folpet.

Additionally, they tested the toxicity of multiple pesticides that are commonly applied in cotton fields. Combinations including trifluralin, one of the most commonly used herbicides in California, produced the most toxicity.

Previous research involving pesticide applicators had also pointed to trifluralin as a culprit in causing Parkinson’s.

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Precautions you can take

Those at the highest risk from these toxins are people that work with them often.

Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, medical toxicologist, co-medical director, and interim executive director at the National Capital Poison Center, notes that precautions can reduce exposure…

“Wear protective clothing, including gloves, when handling pesticides. Since wind can cause pesticides to spread over larger regions or unintended areas after application, don’t apply pesticides on windy days.”

However, you can come into contact with dopamine-damaging toxins even if you don’t work with them…

Before this study, two other pesticides were identified as having a role in causing genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease: rotenone and paraquat.

Both of these are used routinely to maintain golf courses. Golf courses use four to seven times the amount of pesticides per acre that agricultural growers use.

Golfers are exposed to these toxins mainly through direct skin contact with turf usually on the ankles, legs, hands and arms. If you’re a lover of the game, there are some ways to protect yourself:

• Wear golf shoes, long socks that cover the legs and long pants.
• Consider wearing gloves, and/or wash your hands after golfing and before eating or drinking.
• Call ahead to schedule tee times a few hours after pesticide application, or the following day.
• Also, consider a detoxifying diet.

Sources:

10 pesticides toxic to neurons involved in Parkinson’s — Science Daily

10 commonly used pesticides directly linked to Parkinson’s in new study — Medical News Today

A pesticide and iPSC dopaminergic neuron screen identifies and classifies Parkinson-relevant pesticides — Nature Communications

Rotenone, Paraquat, and Parkinson’s Disease — Environmental Health Perspectives

The post 10 neurotoxic pesticides linked to Parkinson’s appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

However, while the message that cholesterol issues and heart disease go hand in hand has been trumpeted by the medical community for decades, the truth that high cholesterol can damage other aspects of your health as well has been largely overlooked.

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Beyond your heart

In fact, in addition to the heart problems that can arise with high cholesterol, the condition is also associated with:

• Gallstones — High cholesterol means that your body is also more likely to form gallstones that can block the bile ducts in your gallbladder and land you in surgery.
• Cramps, tingling, numbness and spasms — If the fatty deposits in those blood vessels block blood flow to your extremities, you can experience cramping, tingling, numbness and even muscle spasms in your legs, feet, arms and hands due to peripheral artery disease (PAD).
• Headaches — Cholesterol deposits can even block blood flow in the vessels in the vessels leading to your skull. Symptoms often present as headaches and pain at the back of your head. High cholesterol is also associated with more severe and frequent migraines.
• Impotence — If fatty deposits build up in the blood vessels that supply the penis, achieving and sustaining an erection may become difficult or impossible.

Clearly, high cholesterol can affect numerous areas of your health in a very negative way.

And sadly, things don’t get a lot better if you’re living with high cholesterol and are prescribed medication to help.

That’s because the statins used to treat the condition come with side effects that aren’t much different from the damage caused by cholesterol issues, including sexual dysfunction and feelings of tingling, pins and needles. Side effects can even encompass liver damage, stomach pain and memory problems.

Yikes!

No wonder so many people with high cholesterol are searching for natural ways to normalize their numbers so they don’t have to worry.

And luckily, there’s good news on that front…

Since cholesterol issues are so common, researchers spend a lot of time and energy looking for ways to help and recently, they found one…

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Improving total and LDL cholesterol

The scientists set out to comb through the research to determine the effects of prickly pear fruit on blood markers for cholesterol.

If you haven’t heard of it before, prickly pear is actually the nopales cactus, which produces neon purple fruits that Simply Recipes says, “tastes like a cross between all-natural bubble gum (if indeed there is such a thing) and watermelon.”

The team eventually narrowed their research down to 11 studies and separated their results into the effects provided by the prickly pear fruit itself or the leaves and stems of the prickly pear cactus.

And here’s what they found…

In healthy and obese people as well as those with metabolic illnesses, specifically type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, consumption of prickly pear was associated with:

• A significant reduction in total cholesterol
• Decreased LDL (bad cholesterol)

The consumption of the stems and leaves on the other hand resulted in only small changes in cholesterol, with one study reporting a significant increase in plasma HDL-C (good cholesterol).

In other words, while the stems and leaves may help boost the good, if you’re trying to get your high numbers under control, prickly pear fruit is the way to go.

The scientists believe these differing effects may be due to the variations in composition between the fruit versus other parts of the cactus, such as fiber levels. This makes sense, since according to the Mayo Clinic, fiber may help lower both total cholesterol and LDL levels.

So if you want to lower your cholesterol without turning to dangerous statin drugs, prickly pear fruit may just hold the answer you’ve been looking for. You can add it to your daily diet in supplement form or find the fruit itself in your local grocery store or farmers market to make everything from prickly pear juice to a yummy sauce for fruit salads. For advice on how to get started, our friends at Simply Recipes can help!

Sources:

1. The effects of Prickly Pear fruit and cladode (Opuntia spp.) consumption on blood lipids: A systematic review — AHPA Science Alert
2. Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet — Mayo Clinic
3. How to Cut and Prepare Prickly Pears — Simply Recipes
4. Cholesterol: High Cholesterol Diseases — Cleveland Clinic
5. Understanding Cholesterol Problems: Symptoms — WebMD
6. Certain type of migraine may contribute to high cholesterol — PPM
7. Migraine Intensity, Frequency Linked to High Cholesterol — National Headache Foundation
8. Side effects –Statins — NHS
9. High cholesterol — Mayo Clinic
10. The new oil on the block that gives olive oil stiff competition — Easy Health Options

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