How Do You Measure Up Against Dangerous Blood Clots?
GREATER HEIGHT SIGNIFICANTLY RAISES RISK OF DANGEROUS BLOOD CLOTS
A study concluded that in addition to the greater risk of serious clots from obesity, being taller may be a significant factor, especially for men, in the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a collective term for clots in deep veins, usually in the legs, and pulmonary embolisms, which are clots in blood vessels of the lungs.
Compared to men 5 feet 7.7 inches or shorter, the risk of VTE was 2.57 times greater among normal weight men who were 5 feet 11.7 inches or taller; 2.11 times greater among men who were short and obese; and 5.28 times greater among men who were both tall and obese.
Compared to women 5 feet 2.6 inches or shorter, the risk of VTE was no greater among women of normal weight who were 5 feet 6 inches or taller; 1.83 times greater among women who were short and obese; and 2.77 times greater among women who were both tall and obese.
Released April 28, 2011, this study will appear in a future issue of the journal, Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/isb4IC.
Prenatal Vitamins & Miscarriage Reduction
Women who take prenatal vitamin supplements early in pregnancy have a 57% lower risk of miscarriage, according to a study that appeared in the June 2009 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology.
(However, these results could have been due to other healthy behaviors commonly found in mothers who choose to take prenatal vitamins.)
Melatonin May Help Control Weight
MELATONIN LINKED TO WEIGHT CONTROL WITHOUT CALORIE REDUCTION
Researchers have uncovered evidence that melatonin, naturally produced by the body as a hormone with antioxidant properties and also found in some foods and supplements, may help control weight gain – even without reducing food intake – and may improve the profile of blood fats, including lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, increasing HDL (good) cholesterol, and reducing triglycerides.
These effects, if confirmed, would reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other obesity-related disorders. The researchers suggest that, if this rodent study link can be duplicated in humans, melatonin may help fight obesity and its associated risks, whether taken as a supplement or in the form of melatonin-containing food. (However, although melatonin is found in some supplements taken for sleep disorders and in some foods, especially cherries, no food has been shown to raise blood levels of melatonin in humans.)
The Journal of Pineal Research published only part of this research in its March 2011 issue, and online access to even this part requires either subscription or fee. However, the full study was posted online without charge at http://bit.ly/jpSooK April 27, 2011 by the University of Granada, where the international research team conducted the research.
Vitamin D & Racial Differences in Blood Pressure
VITAMIN D LINKED TO RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN BLOOD PRESSURE
A study found that low vitamin D levels may strongly contribute to the racial disparity in the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) among blacks and has added weight to previous evidence that low D levels promote hypertension generally.
The researchers compared systolic pressure readings (the upper number in a blood pressure reading) with blood levels of vitamin D among nearly 2,000 blacks and about 5,100 non-Hispanic whites, ages 20 and over. Among these subjects, 61%of blacks fell into the lowest 1/5th of vitamin D levels, compared to 11% of whites, which is consistent with evidence that darker skin limits vitamin D production from sunlight.
The study author said that lower vitamin D levels explained only one quarter of the racial disparity in hypertension and that further study is needed to tease out other pieces of the puzzle, which may include factors such as psychological stress. Prior research found that greater lactose intolerance reduces vitamin D-fortified milk consumption among blacks.
This just-released study will appear in a future issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/lnowzx.
Know Why to Buy Extra Light Olive Oil
Did you know?
Despite public perception that light or extra light olive oils have less fat or fewer calories, a tablespoon of extra light still contains the same 14 grams of fat and the same 120 calories as regular olive oil. 
These terms simply refer to the paler color and milder flavor.
Extra light will also withstand more heat before smoking.
How Health Awareness Impacts Survival Rates
LOW HEALTH LITERACY INCREASES RISK OF MORTALITY
Researchers have found that heart failure (HF) outpatients with the lowest health literacy have the highest risk of mortality, regardless of specific cause of death. Heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump enough blood for bodily needs. Treatment for HF outpatients is primarily self-care, and compliance with guidelines. But data show a significant number of people have low health literacy, defined as being unable to obtain, process and understand basic health information needed to make health decisions.
Of 2,156 HF patients assessed, 262 or 17.5 percent had low health literacy scores.
After researchers allowed for a number of characteristics shared by low scorers, such as greater age and lower socioeconomic status, they still found an independent link between poor health awareness and higher mortality from any cause. Three brief questions were sufficient to identify HF patients with low health literacy, suggesting that quick screening and health education may reduce mortality among this group. This study was published in the April 27, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association and is online at http://bit.ly/fL0BDo.
Vitamin D & Type II Diabetes
ADEQUATE VITAMIN D LEVELS PROTECT AGAINST TYPE 2 DIABETES
A study has concluded that avoidance of vitamin D deficiency may protect against type 2 diabetes, at least for elderly people, but that further research will be required to assess whether supplementation might help prevent this disorder.
Vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for developing diabetes type 2, suggesting that elderly people in northern latitudes may be at risk.
Researchers followed 668 people who were 70 to 74 years of age to determine their blood levels of vitamin D and glycated hemoglobin and whether they had or developed diabetes 2. They allowed for potentially confounding factors, including gender, body mass index (BMI), blood levels of triglycerides and cholesterol, PCB levels, smoking status, and month of sampling.
The team still found that those with lower blood levels of vitamin D (below 50 nmol/L) had double the risk of being diagnosed with diabetes 2; they also had increased glycated hemoglobin concentrations, which indicate poorer control of blood glucose levels and greater cardiovascular risk. Released April 22, 2011, this study will appear in a future print issue of Diabetes Care and is available online now at http://bit.ly/fY36Ld.
Peppermint Proven to Alleviate IBS Pain
PEPPERMINT PROVEN TO ALLEVIATE IBS PAIN
Researchers have finally provided conclusive clinical proof that peppermint relieves the pain of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and have explained the exact underlying mechanism by which it works, confirming it
s long-standing use by natural health practitioners.
IBS is a gastrointestinal inflammatory disorder involving bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, and diarrhea, and depending on the patient, it can be triggered by fatty or spicy foods, coffee, alcohol, food poisoning, or stress. IBS is sometimes debilitating, is twice as common in women as men, and has no known cure. The true peppermint plant is a not a species and does not produce seeds; it is a hybrid of the spearmint and watermint plants, and has a long history of medicinal use.
The researchers showed that peppermint activates TRPM8, a specific anti-pain channel in the colon, and reduces the sensitivity of pain sensing fibers in that area. It particularly reduces the sensitivity of pain fibers activated by chili peppers and mustard. This just-released study will not be published until a future issue of the journal, Pain. Its full-text version can currently be read at http://bit.ly/gTnP4S without fee.
Is Drinking Diet Soda Worth The Risk?
Diet soda may not be the healthier alternative many had hoped. A new study suggests that the popular drinks may increase the risk for stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death.
“People who had diet soda every day experienced a 61% higher risk of vascular events than those who reported drinking no soda,” lead investigator Hannah Gardener, ScD, an epidemiologist from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida, told reporters attending a news conference here at the International Stroke Conference.
The risk persisted after controlling for metabolic syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, and cardiac disease history (relative risk, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.03 – 2.12).
“This is the first report of this association,” said American Stroke Association national spokesperson Larry Goldstein, MD. “I think that it’s always good to do things in moderation. People should look at this information and consider it in the context of their other risk factors.”
The researchers looked at more than 2500 people from the multiethnic Northern Manhattan Study. Participants were asked to report how much and what kind of soda they drank.
During an average follow-up of 9.3 years, 559 vascular events occurred, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.
The researchers also observed a marginally significant increased risk for vascular events among those who consumed diet soda daily and regular soda once or more a month (adjusted relative risk, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.96 – 3.16).
As reported by Medscape Medical News, previous studies have suggested a link between diet soda consumption and the risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes. But this is the first time diet drinks have been associated with vascular events.
“This is an observational study and not a prospective randomized trial,” Dr. Goldstein, from the Duke Stroke Center, in Durham, North Carolina, pointed out. “This is an association and not yet a proven causal relationship.”
The investigators acknowledge that additional studies are needed. The potential mechanisms for the association between diet soda and vascular events remain unknown.
What should clinicians advise patients on the basis of the information we have today? Steven Greenberg, MD, from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, suggests that patients start by concentrating on a healthy diet and regular exercise. “Once the metabolic syndrome is under control and any risk of diabetes, then we can consider cutting back on soda consumption.” Dr. Greenberg is the vice chair of the International Stroke Conference Committee, and during an interview he suggested that patients shouldn’t rush to eliminate diet drinks.
“I do think this is a wake-up call, though,” he said, “and we need to start paying closer attention.”
American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference. Abstract # P55. News conference February 9, 2011.
A Must Read For Anyone Who Eats Meat
RETAIL MEAT WIDELY CONTAMINATED
Researchers conclude that drug-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), a bacterium linked to many human diseases including pneumonia and sepsis, should be added to the list of drug-resistant bacteria known to be prevalent in meat and poultry products, a list which currently includes antibiotic-resistant E. coli and Enterococcus.
While it is expected that bacteria found in meat would be resistant to antibiotics used in food animal farming, there was a high contamination of S. aureus that was resistant to drugs that have never been approved for farming, including vancomycin and daptomycin, leading to the disconcerting conclusion that some contamination of meat may be coming from sources other than domestic farm animals themselves.
Meat samples included ground beef, chicken breasts and thighs, ground pork chops, and ground turkey cutlets, which were collected from 26 grocery stores in Chicago, Washington DC, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, and Flagstaff. Ninety-six percent of the S. aureus collected were resistant to at least one antibiotic, with many resistant to several, especially the turkey and pork samples.
Released April 15, 2011, this study will appear in a future print issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases and is available online at http://bit.ly/g6sNtJ without fee.
Could Broccoli Be the Answer for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?
BROCCOLI COMPOUND CONSIDERED FOR COPD THERAPY
Scientists seeking a new therapeutic strategy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have shown that lung inflammation can be decreased, and lung immune function increased, after treatment with sulforaphane, a compound for which a precursor is found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. (The lung disease COPD, which encompasses conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the third leading cause of death in the US and Canada. Its symptoms are exacerbated by frequent bacterial lung infections.)
Researchers found that, when targeted at specific pathways, sulforaphane could improve the activity of certain receptors and in turn, boost the performance of macrophages, which are a type of white blood cell capable of binding with, and destroying, bacteria. The study findings suggest that this antibacterial action is compromised in COPD sufferers and that sulforaphane could get the bacteria-absorbing process to work more fully again.
Determining whether a sulforaphane-rich diet could be an effective COPD treatment will require further research.
This study was published April 13, 2011 in the journal Science Translational Medicine and is available online at http://bit.ly/eSh0TM.
Low Vitamin D in Children & Risk for Diabetes
Children with low serum vitamin D levels are at risk for diabetes and increasing insulin resistance, according to a new study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal.
Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) looked at the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) and fasting glucose, insulin and insulin sensitivity in obese and non-obese children. The cross-sectional design involved 85 kids age four to 18 years from the local community and sleep center. Researchers measured the fasting blood glucose, insulin and 25-OH-D levels of these children, and calculated insulin resistance using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). In addition, they measured body-mass index (BMI-z) standard deviation and determined pubertal stage of the children.
Median vitamin D levels were 52 nmol/l, with 26 percent of subjects showing sufficient D levels (higher than 70 nmol/l), 27 percent having intermediate levels (50 to 75 nmol/l) and 47 percent having insufficient (25 to 50 nmol/l) or “frankly deficient” 25-OH-D levels (under 25 nmol/l). In the multivariate model used to determine the association of vitamin D levels with HOMA, children older in age, with higher BMI-z and of African-American race were all negatively associated with 25-OH-D levels—summertime saw slight increases in D levels among these children. Overall, lower D levels were associated with higher fasting blood glucose, insulin and HOMA after adjusting for puberty and BMI-z.
Researchers concluded low 25-OH-D levels are common in children, putting them at risk for diabetes and increasing insulin resistance.
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Sugar-Sweetened Drinks Linked to Diabetes
SUGAR-SWEETENED, BUT NOT DIET DRINKS LINKED TO DIABETES
A study has confirmed prior research showing an increased risk of diabetes type 2 from consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and has finally clarified the previously unclear relationship between artificially sweetened drinks and diabetes by showing no greater risk when confounding factors are excluded.
Compared to people who fall into the lowest quarter of consumption, those in the highest quarter of sugar-sweetened beverage intake showed a 25 percent greater risk of diabetes 2; when other confounding factors were excluded, the risk remained 24 percent higher.
Compared to the lowest intake quartile, those in the highest intake quartile of artificially-sweetened beverages showed a higher diabetes risk before adjustment; but when confounding factors were excluded, the risk dropped to statistically insignificant. (Confounding factors are those that could increase or lower the risk and therefore, skew the results; examples include multivitamin use, family history of the disease, health status, dieting, body mass index and other factors.)
Beverages classified
as sugar-sweetened included lemonade, fruit punches and fruit drinks.
Released March 23, 2011 by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this study will appear in a future issue but is available now at http://bit.ly/fOJIZs.
How Shopping May Save Your Loved One
FREQUENT SHOPPERS MAY LIVE LONGER
A study found that frequent shopping trips by elderly people may be linked to longer life.
A survey of 1,850 men and women aged 65 years and over found shopping frequencies of: every day (17%); between 2-4 times/week (22%); and from infrequently to never (48%). Accounting for potentially confounding factors – such as ethnicity, age, financial status and lifestyle – researchers found that those who frequently shopped enjoyed longer lives.
Men and women who shopped daily were 28% and 23% respectively, less likely to die.
It was not clear whether shopping was the direct cause of the lowered risk of death, or whether shopping itself is an indicator of pre-existing good health.
The research team suggested that it is possible that shopping prolongs life by ensuring an adequate supply of food, by providing exercise that does not require the motivation of attending a gym, and by promoting social contact.
This just-released study will appear in a future print issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, but it is available online now at http://bit.ly/h9LhOn.
How Skipping A Meal Can Help You Stay Lean & Healthy
PERIODIC FASTING REDUCES CARDIOVASCULAR RISK
A 24-hour fast lowers blood levels of triglycerides and sugar, reducing the risk of both cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Previous research linked people who fast with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease; but this link could have resulted from other lifestyle factors among people inclined to fast. The new study, however, measured various factors during a 24-hour fast, and then measured those factors in the same group during an additional 24 hours on their regular diet – assuring no other lifestyle factors were involved.
Fasting also raised blood levels of human growth hormone (HGH) by 1300% in women and 2000% in men; this metabolic protein protects lean muscle and metabolic balance.
Also, 24-hour fasting raised total blood cholesterol by increasing LDL or bad cholesterol by 14 percent, and HDL or good cholesterol by 6%; this indicates that, instead of utilizing blood sugar for fuel, the fasting body releases stored cholesterol to burn fat for fuel. This reduces fat cells, further reducing diabetes risk.
This study was presented April 4, 2011 in New Orleans at the annual sessions of the American College of Cardiology but has not yet been published.
Boost Your Memory!
Cognitive and memory problems are linked to unhealthy habits.
A study in the September, 2009 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology found memory loss was 200% more prevalent and cognitive deficit 300% more prevalent, among the third of people having the most unhealthy habits and for the longest period.
Unhealthy habits included not getting enough physical activity, not eating enough fruits and vegetables, smoking, and abstaining completely from alcohol (versus moderate drinking).
Tips on How to Reduce Your Exposure to BPA
This article appeared following the publicity on how to reduce blood levels of BPA simply by eating fresh vs. canned food.
BPA is found in some water bottles, plastic food storage containers, plastic food wrap, sealing wrap and inside of food cans (the white plastic-like liner you see in cans) and thermal receipt paper. BPA is a hormone disruptor that is associated with at least heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, infertility and ADHD.
Valuable tips to help you and your family cut back on your exposure to BPA are highlighted in blue. While these suggestions are a good start, they only addresses food sources of BPA. Our bodies are exposed to BPA from non-food sources daily. One doctor suggests a more zen approach to looking at the situation – “we can’t be perfect, but we can be better.”
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Eat Fresh
March 30, 2011 — Families who gave up canned foods and food and beverages prepared and packaged using plastic containers saw their levels of a hormone-disrupting chemical fall by 66%, a new study shows. All it took was three days of eating only freshly prepared, organic foods.
The chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is found in many kinds of plastic food packaging, such as some water bottles, food storage containers, and sealing wrap. It is also used to line the inside of food cans.
BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that has been associated with a host of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and infertility in adults, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
“The study provides clear evidence that food packaging is the major source of people’s exposure to bisphenol A and the phthalate known as DEHP,” says study researcher Ruthann A. Rudel, MS, director of research for the Silent Spring Institute in Newton, Mass.
Phthalates are chemicals that make plastics strong, transparent, and clear.
“And that we found just by substituting fresh foods with limited packaging for three days, we reduced exposure levels in these participants by more than half,” Rudel says.
The study is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Avoiding Sources of BPA
For the study, researchers from Silent Spring and the Breast Cancer Fund, in San Francisco, recruited 20 people from five different families in the San Francisco area by posting on listserv sites.
The families were chosen based on answers to questions about how often they ate food from cans, drank water from plastic bottles, drank from an office water cooler, ate restaurant meals, or microwaved in plastic containers — all sources of exposure to BPA and phthalates.
Monica Laurlund, 40, from Alamo, Calif., signed up her son, daughter, and husband because breast cancer runs on both sides of their family.
“To me, it seemed like an interesting way to find out if I’m being as healthy as I can be,” she says.
Researchers took urine samples from each family member before, during, and after the study to check for levels of BPA and other chemicals found in plastics.
For three days, a caterer who had been specially coached to avoid preparing food exposed to chemicals from plastics delivered meals prepared from fresh and organic fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats.
- The cooks were instructed to avoid contact with plastic utensils, and nonstick cookware and foods had to be stored in glass containers with BPA-free plastic lids. Researchers even told food preparers not to overfill the containers so the food wouldn’t touch the plastic lid.
- Microwaving in plastic was out; so was using coffee makers with plastic parts. Coffee drinkers got their morning coffee from French presses or ceramic drip models.
- Participating families gave up water in plastic bottles in favor of stainless steel.
- Eating out was also avoided since other studies have shown some restaurant meals to be high in BPA.
By the end of the study, urine tests showed the average BPA level dropped 66%, from 3.7 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) to 1.2 ng/mL. Levels of DEHP metabolites dropped by about half, from 57 ng/mL to 25 ng/ML.
People who started the study with the highest BPA levels saw even bigger reductions — 76% for BPA and about 95% for DEHP metabolites.
“Especially after finding out the results, we have completely eliminated the plastics and the canned food,” Laurland says. “It’s really very simple things, and overall, those things are healthier for you anyway.”
“What sold me on it is that I can easily take that toxic chemical out of my body and I don’t have to worry about it,” she says.
Why Worry About BPA?
Participants saw their levels drop, but science still doesn’t know whether or not that matters.
“What the question is, is exactly how much risk, and to whom, from this kind of exposure? We’re at a point where that’s still emerging,” Rudel says.
Still, the existing science has been compelling enough for Canada, which banned the use of BPA in baby bottles in 2008.
In the U.S., Eden Organic has started to sell foods in BPA-free cans. Several states have acted to limit the use of BPA, and similar bills are pending around the country.
The FDA is still studying that question, but so far, says that there’s no need for families to change how they eat.
The food industry supports that statement.
“We agree with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that foods packaged in cans with epoxy linings that utilize BPA are safe, and that there is no need for consumers to change their consumption habits,” the Grocery Manufacturers Association says in a statement. “That position is supported by the findings of numerous food safety agencies around the globe, such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in the EU, Germany, Japan, UK, Canada, and Australia-New Zealand, which have all repeatedly confirmed the safety of BPA and continue to reaffirm the safety of BPA, including at levels comparable to those found in the exposure survey published in EHP.”
What Studies Show
Animal studies have shown an association with high and low levels of BPA with problems in neurodevelopment and reproductive development.
In 2008, the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study that found that adults with the highest levels of BPA in the study had more than twice the risk of getting diabetes as adults with the lowest levels.
But most studies such as these can only show associations; they can’t prove that the chemicals are directly causing health problems.
Nira Ben-Jonathan, PhD, a professor of cell and cancer biology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio, has studied what happens to cells when they are exposed to BPA in test tubes.
In one study, her team found that BPA exposure protected breast cancer cells from chemotherapy. In another, it made cells ignore a hormone that protects against the development of diabetes.
Even seeing those changes in cells, she said she had reservations about the message of this study.
“Interesting, but not as striking as one would expect,” says Ben-Jonathan, who reviewed the study for WebMD. She said she found it suspicious that even after adhering to such a strict regimen that some chemical traces remained.
“That suggests to me that they’re also getting BPA from nonfood sources,” she says.
And if that’s the case, she wonders, is it practical to advise people to make such big changes if it’s not possible to really avoid the chemical?
“To tell people only to use organic food and they can reduce their BPA levels, I don’t think so,” she says. “It’s so prevalent. … It’s not just food.”
She said the greatest good could be accomplished if manufacturers made packaging changes.
“We are in an industrial world. We are surrounded by plastics. It’s very difficult to avoid it. I think that the food industry and the chemical industry should really avoid using bisphenol A if they can find an alternative. Not all plastics can do this,” she says.
The Can Manufacturers Institute says they are working on alternatives.
Advice for Consumers
Richard W. Stahlhut, MD, MPH, an environmental health researcher and preventive medicine specialist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in New York, who has studied BPA exposure, says he tries to take “a Zen approach.”
Stahlhut says when he’s at home he tries to avoid plastics unless he needs them. If he can’t avoid plastics, he tries not to worry too much about it.
“You can’t be perfect, but you can be better,” he says.
Stahlhut, who reviewed the study, says it appears to be well done and shows that you can make a big dent in BPA exposure by making straightforward changes to how you cook and eat.
And that those reductions are probably prudent, even though knowledge about BPA is still incomplete and probably will be for decades to come.
“Since it takes 10, 20, 30 years to find out, the best approach is that if you don’t need an exposure, reduce it when you can. And when you can’t, be Zen about it, because we don’t know for sure that it’s bad anyway.”
In particular, experts said, it’s probably smart to avoid heating food in plastic containers or covered in plastic wrap, since heating makes the chemicals in plastic break down more quickly and leach into food.
“Just say no. But be Zen about it,” he says. “Because that’s where we are in history. 100 years from now, we’ll have new problems, but these are the ones we have now.”
SOURCES:
Rudel, R. Environmental Health Sciences, March 30, 2011.
Ruthann A. Rudel, MS, director of research, Silent Spring Institute, Boston.
Monica Laurlund, study participant, Alamo, Calif.
Statement, Grocery Manufacturers Association.
Lang, I. Journal of the American Medical Association, Sept. 16, 2008.
FDA: “Update on Bisphenol A for Use in Food Contact Application.”
Stahlhut, R. Environmental Health Perspectives, May 2009.
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Even More Reason to Manage Weight, Cholesterol & High Blood Pressure
NON
-ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE POISED FOR EPIDEMIC STATUS
A study projects that new cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) will soon push this type of chronic liver disease (CLD), one of the major worldwide causes of morbidity and mortality, into epidemic status. (NAFLD is a spectrum of disease in people who do not drink alcohol excessively and ranges from excess fat in the liver, to fat in combination with inflammation and liver cell injury, to cirrhosis and its complications, particularly liver cancer.)
During the first cycle of statistics studied (1988-1994), NAFLD accounted for 46.8 percent of all CLD; but by the third cycle studied (2005-2008), NAFLD accounted for 75.1 percent of all CLD cases.
At this rate, prevalence will increase a further 50% by 2030. The researchers concluded that it is urgent to alert the public to the importance of exercise, proper diet and avoiding obesity, all of which lower NAFLD risk.
The study may also suggest a need to prevent the underlying causes of NAFLD, which in addition to obesity, include: metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance associated with diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. This not-yet-published study was presented in Berlin today, April 2, 2011, at the International Liver Congress.
Coupon Code Good Until 4-6-11
The unadvertised discount code to save 15% off your order total is: COUP15PC.
This coupon code expires on April 6, 2011.
What’s Your Favorite Milk?
Did you know that…
A substantial 34 percent of the calorie content of 2% milk comes from fat. So why is it called 2%?
The fat content of 2% milk accounts for 2% of the total weight of the milk.
Whole milk contains 48% fat by calories. 
And contrary to common belief, skim milk is not fat-free – 5% of the calorie content of skim milk comes from fat.
Reduce BPA Levels in Your Body With Diet
DIET CHANGE REDUCES BISPHENOL A (BPA) LEVELS 
It has been unclear whether body levels of the hormone disruptor Bisphenol A, or BPA, come from BPA-treated cans and packaging, or from other BPA-containing products, such as shower curtains and toys.
The same question lingered for bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, another hormone disruptor.
In recent years, controversial reports have questioned whether established safe limits for BPA and DEHP may be too high. So researchers monitored urine levels of BPA and DEHP in 20 participants first on their regular diet, which included canned and packaged goods, and then on a diet of fresh food not canned or packaged in plastic.
On the BPA-free diet, urine levels of BPA and DEHP dropped by an average of over 60% and 50%, respectively. The team concluded that a substantial proportion, although not all, of the body level of BPA and DEHP comes from food packaging and that food producers could reduce body levels substantially with BPA- and DEHP-free cans and plastic packaging.
Released March 30, 2011, this study will not be published until a future issue of Environmental Health Perspectives but is available now at http://bit.ly/hBUlDQ without fee.
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