Diet and Exercise Reduce Pain in Osteoarthritis

From the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2011 Annual Meeting: Abstract 722. Presented November 6, 2011.

November 7, 2011 (Chicago, Illinois) — Intensive diet and exercise can slash the amount of pain in older adults with osteoarthritis of the knees and improve function and walking speed, according to a study from researchers at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The 18-month Intensive Diet and Exercise for Arthritis (IDEA) trial was designed to evaluate the impact of intensive weight loss with or without exercise on disease progression. The results presented here at the American College of Rheumatology 2011 Annual Meeting are the first from the trial, and focus on pain and function only.

Investigators randomized 454 overweight and obese individuals (72% women), with a mean body mass index of 33.6 kg/m² and an average age of 65.6 years, to 1 of 3 groups: intensive diet designed to achieve weight loss of 10% or more; moderate exercise only (two 15-minute walks and 20 minutes of weight training 3 times a week); or both. Participants met weekly for the first 6 months, and biweekly thereafter. Eighty-eight percent of participants completed the 18-month study.

At the end of the study, participants in the diet-only group lost an average of 9.5% of their baseline weight, and those in the exercise-only group lost an average of 2.2%. The combined diet/exercise group, however, lost an average of 11.4%. None of the participants regressed to baseline levels, even after 18 months.

Although all groups reported less pain at 6 months, the difference between groups was not significant. However, at 18 months, the combined diet/exercise group experienced a 51% reduction in pain, compared with 27% and 28% in the diet-only and exercise-only groups, respectively (P < .0004), said lead author Stephen P. Messier, PhD, director of the J.B. Snow Biomechanics Laboratory at Wake Forest University. Forty percent of those in the combined group rated their pain at 0 or 1 at 18 months, he said, compared with 20% in the exercise-only and diet-only groups.

In addition, participants in the diet/exercise group improved their functional status by 47%, compared with 30% in the diet-only group and 26% in the exercise-only group. The combination group also increased walking speed by 12%, compared with 10% and 6% in the diet-only and exercise-only groups, respectively (P = .004).

“Clearly, our cohort has reversed the trend of declining mobility that is seen in older adults,” Dr. Messier said. In fact, the combination group had a faster walking speed than healthy middle-aged women aged 40 to 62, and one equivalent to that of healthy middle-aged men, he said.

Eric L. Matteson, MD, chair of the Department of Rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said that the most intriguing finding of the trial is that even patients who did not exercise experienced less pain.

“Both exercise and diet are a great way to improve pain and function,” he said, “but what was really unique in this study was the observation that patients who lost weight had less pain associated with just the weight loss, not even any exercise.” This could be the result of a lower load on the joints, he said, and might enable patients to postpone joint replacement surgery.

It is also possible that patients will be able to reduce the amount of pain medication they take if they lose weight, noted Dr. Messier, something his group hopes to show with additional analysis. “We are hoping from a public health standpoint that medication use goes down,” he said, “and we expect it will.”

The take-home message, he said, is that “clinicians can tell their patients that they will see marked improvement [in pain and function] in 6 months or less.” The fact that significant differences did not appear between the groups until 18 months, however, “underscores the need for long-term studies to detect clinically and statistically meaningful results.”

Dr. Messier and Dr. Matteson have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

 

How Autogenous Vaccine Can Turn Off Peanut Allergy

CHICAGO—By attaching peanut proteins to blood cells and reintroducing them into mice with peanut allergies, researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found they were able to turn off the allergic reaction.

“We think we’ve found a way to safely and rapidly turn off the allergic response to food allergies,” said Paul Bryce, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine in the division of allergy-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Their immune system saw the peanut protein as perfectly normal because it was already presented on the white blood cells. Without the treatment, these animals would have gone into anaphylactic shock.”

Researchers also found this approach has a second benefit: It creates a more normal, balanced immune system by increasing the number of regulatory T cells, immune cells important for recognizing the peanut proteins as normal.

“T cells come in different ‘flavors’” Bryce said. “This method turns off the dangerous Th2 T cell that causes the allergy and expands the good, calming regulatory T cells. We are supposed to be able to eat peanuts. We’ve restored this tolerance to the immune system.”

Bryce thinks more than one protein can be attached to the surface of the cell and, thus, target multiple food allergies at one time.

In the second part of the study, the researchers used the same approach with an egg protein, which was to provoke an immune response –- similar to an asthma attack — in the lungs. They attached the proteins to white blood cells and infused the cells back into the mice. When the mice inhaled the asthma-provoking egg protein, their lungs didn’t become inflamed.

 

Reduced Risk of Diabetes with Higher Vitamin D Levels

June 25, 2011 (San Diego, California) — Higher levels of vitamin D in the blood appear to be associated with a reduced risk for incident diabetes among people at high risk for the disease, according to a new report.

Anastassios G. Pittas, MD, from the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the Tufts New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues presented the findings here at the American Diabetes Association 71st Scientific Sessions.

According to Dr. Pittas, vitamin D might play a role in diabetes by improving insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity. “Most of the evidence focuses on a favorable effect in pancreatic beta cells,” he told Medscape Medical News.

To determine the relation between vitamin D status and risk for incident diabetes, the researchers analyzed data from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), a 3-group trial comparing intensive lifestyle modification or metformin with placebo for the prevention of diabetes in patients with prediabetes.

The mean follow-up of the 2039-person cohort was 3.2 years. Plasma vitamin D levels were measured at yearly intervals, and subjects were assessed for incident diabetes. For this analysis, only participants in the intensive lifestyle and placebo groups of the DPP were considered.

Participants with vitamin D levels in the highest tertile (median concentration, 30.1 ng/mL) had a hazard ratio of 0.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.93) for developing diabetes, compared with those with vitamin D levels in the lowest tertile (median concentration, 12.8 ng/mL).

The findings also suggest a dose-dependent effect for vitamin D levels; the hazard ratio for incident diabetes was lowest (0.46; 95% CI, 0.23 to 0.90) in the people with the highest vitamin D levels (50 ng/mL or higher), compared with those with the lowest levels (below 12 ng/mL).

In a subgroup analysis by tertiles of vitamin D, the association was similar in the placebo group (0.72; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.96) and the lifestyle group (0.80; 95% CI, 0.54 to 1.14).

According to Dr. Pittas, “this study offers several methodological advantages over previous studies.” Vitamin D status was assessed multiple times during follow-up, not just once at baseline, which might not reflect long-term vitamin D status.

“Our study also includes a large clinically relevant population at high risk for diabetes, with a substantial proportion of nonwhite participants, which improves the external validity of the results,” he said. However, he added, “this is an observational study and therefore confounding cannot be excluded. It would be premature to recommend vitamin D specifically for prevention of diabetes.”

“This prospective study confirms that there is an association between levels of vitamin D and risk of diabetes, even when correcting for body weight, with no absolute threshold of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D,” said independent commentator Clifford Rosen, MD, from the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. Dr. Rosen is a vitamin D researcher and member of the Institute of Medicine Committee that reviewed the evidence on calcium and vitamin D.

“The implications of this study relate to the importance of performing a randomized placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in those at high risk,” he told Medscape Medical News. “In the interim, clinicians should at least focus on maintaining vitamin D levels in high-risk individuals at or around 20 ng/mL,” he added.

The study was not commercially funded. Dr. Pittas and Dr. Rosen have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

American Diabetes Association (ADA) 71st Scientific Sessions: Abstract 0117-OR. Presented June 25, 2011.

High Dose Statin Therapy Increases Risk of Diabetes

High-Dose Statin Therapy Increases the Risk of Diabetes

June 21, 2011 (London, United Kingdom) — A meta-analysis of some of the more high-profile statin trials testing the effectiveness of high-dose therapy has revealed a significant increase in the risk of diabetes mellitus associated with statin use in high doses [1]. Compared with moderate-dose therapy across five statin trials, investigators report that treatment with high-dose statins increased the risk of diabetes by 12%.

Senior investigator Dr Kausik Ray (St George’s University of London, UK) said that while there might be consequences from the raised blood glucose levels, researchers do not yet know what these long-term effects mean. The net benefit of high-dose statin therapy “is definitely in favor” of using the drugs, he said.

“One thing we do know is that there does appear to be a dose effect with statin therapy, with the risk of diabetes mellitus increasing with higher doses,” Ray told heartwire . “Statins have multiple effects and cause a number of changes. What we’re seeing is probably an off-target effect, and right now we have no obvious mechanisms. However, lowering LDL-cholesterol levels is probably more important than the increase in blood-sugar levels.”

In their analysis, the number of patients needed to treat with high-dose statin therapy to prevent one cardiovascular event was 155, whereas the number needed to treat to cause one case of new-onset diabetes mellitus was 498. Overall, high-dose statin therapy reduced the risk of cardiovascular events in their meta-analysis by 16% compared with low- or moderate-dose statin therapy.

The results of the study are published in the June 22, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Previous Observed Diabetes Risk

Ray said that the idea for the meta-analysis began two years ago, when the signal for diabetes risk was observed in Justification for the Use of Statins in Primary Prevention: An Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER). The group later performed an analysis of some of the early statin trials comparing the lipid-lowering drugs with placebo in 90 000 individuals and observed a significant 9% increase in the risk of diabetes mellitus. That study was reported in the Lancet in 2010 [2].

In this newest analysis, the researchers included large, randomized, controlled, hard-end-point studies that compared intensive–dose statin therapy with moderate-dose statin therapy followed for more than one year. The trials included in the meta-analysis were PROVE-IT, A to Z, TNT, IDEAL, and SEARCH, five trials that together included 32 752 patients without diabetes mellitus at baseline.

“We wanted to look at the different studies comparing the intensity of statin treatment,” said Ray. “If the diabetes finding was a real finding, we would expect to see it in the statin trials that tested different intensities of treatment in about 33 000 subjects. The trials all ranged from two to five years in duration, and we had information from five trials comparing high versus low/moderate treatment doses. Our results support our initial findings. We observed a 12% increase in risk for those patients treated with high-dose statin therapy.”

In total, 1449 patients treated with high-dose statin therapy developed diabetes compared with 1300 patients assigned to moderate-dose statin therapy. This translated into two additional cases of diabetes mellitus per 1000 patient-years. The odds ratio for new-onset diabetes was 1.12 (95% CI 1.04–1.22). Regarding benefit, 3134 patients treated with high-dose statin therapy and 3550 patients treated with moderate-dose therapy had a cardiovascular event, translating into 6.5 fewer outcomes per 1000 patient-years in the high-dose statin arm, or a relative reduction of 16%.

The investigators did observe differential effects with the different drugs. Whereas atorvastatin 80 mg and simvastatin 80 mg were both associated with similar risks of diabetes mellitus, the benefit differed significantly, with evidence in favor of atorvastatin (22% vs 5% risk reduction for cardiovascular events). The data, said Ray, support the recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to warn physicians to not start new patients on simvastatin 80 mg and to be vigilant to the risks of muscle toxicity caused by the drug in those who are still taking it.

Getting Patients to Goal

Dr Brendan Everett (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA), who was not involved in the analysis, agreed with the conclusions of Ray and colleagues, that the signal observed in this latest analysis supports the findings from JUPITER and the Lancet meta-analysis “and supports the idea of a dose effect, that there is an increasing risk of diabetes with increasing doses of statins.”

Everett said the investigators helped clinicians by providing data on the relative benefits and relative harms of high-dose statin therapy. The number needed to treat to prevent one cardiovascular event and number needed to treat to cause one new case of diabetes mellitus clearly support the use of high-dose statin therapy in the patients studied in the five clinical trials.

“The benefits of statins for reducing important macrovascular events is so overwhelming that the balance is clearly on the side of benefit,” said Everett. “This is an important point that shouldn’t be forgotten.”

Dr Roger Blumenthal (Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD) agreed, stating that while “it makes sense that higher doses [of statins] would have slightly higher adverse effects,” there is still no proposed mechanism for the increased risk of diabetes. Like the others, the benefits of moderate/high doses of statins outweigh the risks, although he added that some physicians might decide to downgrade the dose based on these new data.

In addition, Dr Steven Nissen (Cleveland Clinic, OH) said that the effect is likely real as it has been observed in enough trials and analyses. That said, “it is notable that despite the increase in the risk of diabetes mellitus, the reduction in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is maintained,” he added. “It leads me to believe that the effect is not very clinically significant.”

Everett added that what is currently unknown is how the risks of diabetes mellitus differ in other patient populations. Clinicians need to understand their patients’ baseline risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus when making a decision about high-dose statin therapy, and it will be important to determine whether patients at greater risk for adverse side effects can be identified. Researchers will also need to determine what effects high-dose statin therapy has on microvascular complications, such as retinopathy.

“The bottom line is that we need to follow up on the signal, but I don’t believe the results should change treatment goals,” said Everett. A failure to aggressively treat patients at high risk for cardiovascular events will result in an excess of clinical events, he added.

Ray suggested that clinicians monitor Hb_A1c levels when treating patients with high-dose statin therapy.

Like Ray, Everett said the results support the FDA decision regarding simvastatin 80 mg, that the drug is associated with more side effects without a corresponding balance of efficacy. In the interest of getting patients to treatment goal and trying to do so in a cost-efficient manner, some physicians had been using high-dose simvastatin. However, if they are unable to get to goal at 40-mg simvastatin, switching over to other, nongeneric drugs is not difficult, although it does involve extra paperwork when dealing with drug payers, he said.

This Sunday at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2011 Scientific Sessions, Dr David Preiss (University of Glasgow, Scotland), the first author of the analysis, will present their data at a special symposium organized by the ADA and FDA. The presentation will highlight the newly observed risks with high-dose statin therapy, as well as their Lancet analysis of 13 randomized trials comparing placebo and standard-therapy trials.

References

1. Preiss D, Seshasai SR, Welsh P, et al. Risk of incident diabetes with intensive-dose compared with moderate-dose statin therapy. JAMA 2011; 305:2556-2564.
2. Sattar N, Preiss D, Murray HM, et al. Statins and risk of incident diabetes: a collaborative meta-analysis of randomized statins trials. Lancet 2010; 375:735-742. Abstract

 

What Wrinkles Say About Your Bone Health

Skin Wrinkles May Provide a Glimpse Into Bone Health

June 6, 2011 (Boston, Massachusetts) — A close look at the skin of early postmenopausal women might provide a glimpse into their skeletal health, according to a study presented here at ENDO 2011: The Endocrine Society 93rd Annual Meeting.

The study found a significant inverse association between skin wrinkles and bone mineral density (BMD) in a population of women within 3 years of menopause who were not on any hormone therapy and who had not had any cosmetic skin procedures.

“It’s a unique population when changes are happening in a dynamic fashion.” This is a relation “not previously described,” said study presenter Lubna Pal, MBBS, MRCOG, MSc, a reproductive endocrinologist and associate professor at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut.

Common Building Block

The architecture of the skeleton and the skin share a common building block: collagen, Dr. Pal explained. Age-related changes in collagen contribute to age-related skin changes like wrinkles and sagging, and might also contribute to reduced BMD.

“When I am seeing an older patient, her bigger concern is what is happening to her skin; the clinician’s concern is what is happening to her bones,” Dr. Pal said. “So part of the question was: Can I fine tune to the patient’s concern and get a sense of the bone health?”

Dr. Pal and colleagues performed a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data on 114 early postmenopausal women (70% white) enrolled in the longitudinal Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS).

As part of an ancillary study of the skin, the distribution and depth of skin wrinkles were assessed at 11 sites on the face and neck using the Lemperle wrinkle scale. Skin firmness was assessed at the forehead and cheek using a durometer, which has been validated in patients with scleroderma, and bone density was assessed with dual x-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine, hip, and total body.

The researchers observed a clear inverse correlation between skin wrinkling and BMD at the spine (r, –0.27; P < .01), femoral neck (r, –0.29; P < .01), and total body (r, –0.26; P =.01), independent of age, body composition, or other factors known to influence BMD.

“Basically, what we found was that the higher the wrinkle score, the worse the bone mineral density,” Dr. Pal said, “so our hypothesis was substantiated by these associations.”

Firmer skin of the face and forehead was associated with higher BMD.

“Powerful Potential Relevance”

Madhusmita Misra, MD, MPH, from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, in Boston, who was not involved in this study, said: “This is a meaningful association if, indeed, it is real; we need future data to confirm that.”

“We have multiple clinical risk factors that are already available that identify an individual’s fracture risk; this may be yet another piece that would enhance the overall predictability. I think it is of powerful potential relevance, but it needs to be substantiated,” Dr. Misra added.

“Ultimately,” Dr. Pal said, “we want to know if the intensity of skin wrinkles can allow the identification of women who are more likely to fracture a bone, especially the femoral neck or hip.” If this is the case, then looking at skin wrinkles plus other clinical risk factors “may allow the identification of fracture risk in populations that do not have access to more costly technology.”

But Dr. Pal agrees with Dr. Misra that much more study is needed.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Dr. Pal said. “It’s a tantalizing association” that needs to be followed-up in long-term studies to substantiate a relation between wrinkles and the risk for bone fracture.

Dr. Pal noted that the women in the study are being followed longitudinally, and that it will be “interesting to see in the coming years whether women with deeper wrinkles are losing bone at a faster rate than other women.”

The study was funded by Aurora Foundation to the Kronos Longevity Research Institute in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Pal and Dr. Misra have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

ENDO 2011: The Endocrine Society 93rd Annual Meeting: Abstract P3-126. Presented June 4, 2011.

Is There a Link Between Forgiveness & Immune Health?

Could forgiveness lead to enough beneficial physiological change to improve immune function in people whose immune status is already compromised?

A new study conducted in people living with HIV shows individuals who truly forgave someone who had hurt them in the past showed positive changes in their immune status.

The study was presented here at the Society of Behavioral Medicine 32nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions.

Amy Owen, PhD, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, found that greater forgiveness significantly correlated with higher CD4 cell percentages (P = .042). Unlike the CD4 cell count, which is a measure of how many functional CD4 T cells are circulating in the blood, the CD4 cell percentage represents the percentage of total lymphocytes that are CD4 cells.

In regression analyses, the relationship of forgiveness and CD4 cell percentages remained significant even when controlling for variables that could affect CD4 cell counts, including age, race, sex, level of education, years with HIV, adherence, substance use, and viral load (P = .034).

“We hypothesized that higher levels of forgiveness would be associated with higher CD4 cell percentages controlled for demographic and behavioral variables as well as viral load,” Dr. Owen told Medscape Medical News. “And none of these variables accounted for the relationship between forgiveness and CD4 cell percentages. So there is something special going on between forgiveness and CD4 cell counts.”

Beneficial Effect

The study involved 78 individuals living with HIV and receiving antiretroviral medications. Subjects had been taking anti-HIV medications for at least 1 year, and 67% of them had undetectable viral loads. Eighty-one percent were nonwhite. Medication adherence was assessed by calculating the mean number of missed doses during the past 4 days. Subjects were also asked about tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use.

Forgiveness was measured by the Enright Forgiveness Inventory, a tool that assesses positive and negative feelings, thoughts, behaviors, or imagined behaviors toward an individual who caused the subject hurt.

Dr. Owen also defined forgiveness strictly as being a freely made choice to move away from negative cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses toward a person who caused a hurt and work towards developing positive cognitive emotional and behavioral responses toward that person.

“For my study, I compared the relationship of forgiveness of another person and CD4 cell percentages both without controlling for any other factors (using a bivariate correlation), and then I tested whether this relationship would hold up when I controlled for other possible factors linked to CD4 percentage levels that could account for an observed relationship between forgiveness and CD4 percentages (using a hierarchical linear regression).”

In bivariate correlations, results showed that greater forgiveness was significantly associated with higher CD4 percentages, whereas linear regression analyses found that this relationship remained significant after controlling for the potential influence of other factors.

“Results support our hypothesis and reflect previous findings on relationships of psychosocial factors with immune makers in people living with HIV/AIDS, and findings indicate that forgiveness of another person may be beneficial for their health,” said Dr. Owen.

Understanding Forgiveness is Key

She also noted that helping people who have been violated in the past come to a place of peace can be done, but it has to be done well.

“If psychiatrists want to counsel patients about forgiveness, they first need to understand very deeply what forgiveness is and what it is not,” she said. “If there isn’t a good therapeutic relationship between a physician and the patient, “what patients can hear from you when you are suggesting forgiveness is, ‘I don’t want to hear about it anymore and what’s wrong with you that you are not just fine with it.’ But that can be extremely violating and potentially retraumatize the person who has already been deeply hurt.”

It’s also very important to respect a patient’s anger, she added, because sometimes that is all a person has.

“If you threaten that by suggesting that the patient shouldn’t be so angry, it can be disrespectful, so if a psychiatrist wants to engage with a patient on the topic of forgiveness, it’s essential they understand the definitions of forgiveness and be willing to journey with that person over time. Patients will struggle with it; it’s not a linear process, but it is very transformative.”

Emotional Pain Common

Reverend Michael Barry, PhD, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, told Medscape Medical News that unforgiveness is a state where a person retains negative emotions, including anger and hatred, for a perpetrator of harm.

“This creates a state of chronic anxiety, and chronic anxiety has a predictable impact on a wide range of bodily functions, including the reproductive system, the digestive system, and the immune system,” he said.

For example, stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenalin, have been shown to reduce the production of natural killer cells — the “foot soldiers” in the fight against cancer, he noted.

Dr. Barry’s own research has shown that almost two-thirds of cancer patients identified forgiveness as a personal issue for them, and 1 in 3 of them indicated they had severe forgiveness issues, “so we are aware of the emotional pain that many of our patients are in.

“There is a direct correlation between unforgiveness and our immune system, which directly affects our healing processes. We teach people what we have learned about the process of forgiveness in a short-term forgiveness intervention program that works,” he added.

Dr. Owen has disclosed no relevant financial relationships. Dr. Barry is the author of The Forgiveness Project. He also developed a forgiveness program, entitled Release! The Healing Power of Forgiveness.

Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) 32nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions: Abstract 4010. Presented April 30, 2011.

Study: How to Save $15MM – Infant Hospitalizations & Air Pollution

REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION LINKED TO RESPIRATORY DISEASES IN CHILDREN

Researchers have concluded that, based on data from 1999 to 2007, higher levels of fine particulate matter, a type of air pollutant, in the areas surrounding some hospitals is associated with a greater cost for hospitalizations of infants aged one month to one year for bronchiolitis, a type of viral lung infection with symptoms similar to asthma.

Few studies have looked at the link between air pollution and infectious respiratory illness in children.

The team calculated that hypothetically, reducing the average level of fine particulate pollutant in the US to just 7% below the annual standard level would result in an annual saving of $15 million in healthcare costs.

This just-released study will appear in a future issue of the journal Health Affairs and is accessible online now at http://bit.ly/mwnVey without fee.

In a separate study, researchers found that, despite a reduction in healthcare costs related to lead exposure and asthma in children, environmental chemical factors may still have been behind 3.5 percent of the entire US healthcare budget in 2008 – which is estimated to be $76.6 BILLION. This study, which will appear in a future issue of Health Affairs, is available online at http://bit.ly/iVplkT without fee.

Ear Infections, Taste Disorder & Obesity in Children

Ever Met a Child Without a Taste For Candy?

Nearly 10% of children tested were found to be unable to identify “sweet.”

In a recent study, almost one in 10 children were unable to taste their food properly. Taste disorders such as this are known to lead to diet changes and could play a role in obesity.

David Laing at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues tested the taste buds of 432 children aged 8 to 12. Each was asked to drink a series of water-based drinks containing either sugar, salt, citric acid or bitter quinine hydrochloride. After each drink the children were asked to point to one of three photographs that they thought best described the taste. One photograph showed a food object with the correct taste and one showed food with the incorrect taste. The third photograph always showed a glass of water in case the children found the drink tasteless.

The experiment was repeated for five different concentrations of each flavored drink, making a total of 40 drinks. These were given to the children in a random order. Between drinks they rinsed their mouth with water.

A child is considered to have a taste disorder if they cannot point to the photograph that correctly relates to the taste in at least three of the five different concentrations of that particular flavor.

Surprisingly, 41 children – 9.5 per cent – met this criterion, with almost two-thirds of those children unable to identify a sweet taste.

Taste disorders can be caused by a variety of diseases including Bell’s palsy, renal failure and diabetes. But Laing suspects that chronic middle-ear infections may be responsible for the children’s disorders.

From ear to brain

Seung Geun Yeo at the Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea, found a strong association in 42 children between chronic middle-ear infections and difficulty identifying sweet and salty tastes.

A major nerve involved in tasting, called the chorda tympani, passes through the middle ear en route to the brainstem. Inflammatory proteins, viruses and bacteria from the infection can “chew up the nerve” and deteriorate taste sensations, says Laing.

In his study, Indigenous Australian children, who are particularly susceptible to ear infections, were also more likely to have taste disorders than non-Indigenous kids.

“Given the age of the children, it is likely that for many their taste loss is permanent,” says Laing.

No taste for exercise

The disorder may partly explain the rise of childhood obesity. The South Korean study found that children with taste disorders were heavier than those without. According to Laing, losing a taste sensation would “dramatically” change the taste of many foods, possibly leading to dietary switches. For example, children who could not appreciate a sweet taste may move to a high-salt diet.

The loss of taste sensations and childhood obesity is “a reasonable link”, says Beverly Mühlhäusler at the University of Adelaide, South Australia. While high-fat diets and low activity levels are the main cause of obesity, taste disorders could explain why some people are more likely to make those poor lifestyle choices, she says.

But it is also possible that obese children are predisposed to getting ear infections and the ensuing taste disorders. According to Yeo, obese people have a thicker fat pad around their ear and more inflammatory proteins than normal individuals – two factors that increase the likelihood of ear infection.

Journal references: Laing: Acta Paediatrica, DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02292.x; Yeo: Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, DOI: 10.1001/archoto.2011.23

A Novel Compound Fights Diabetes, Heart Disease & Obesity

CITRUS PEEL FLAVONOID FIGHTS DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND OBESITY

Researchers have discovered that the flavonoid nobiletin, found in peels of citrus fruits such as tangerine, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of most heart attacks and strokes.

Two years ago, the same scientists discovered that the grapefruit flavonoid naringenin fights obesity and metabolic syndrome but the new study found that nobiletin is about ten times more potent than naringenin in its particular protective effects.

Rats were fed a diet similar to the typical Western diet but some were also given nobiletin. In contrast to the control group, the nobiletin group experienced a higher expression of genes that prevent the manufacture of fat and its accumulation in the liver; experienced no increase in cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, glucose, or weight gain; became much more sensitive to the effects of insulin; and in the long term, were protected against a buildup of arterial plaque, known as atherosclerosis.

Nobiletin was previously linked to anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects.

This study was released April 6, 2011 and will be published in a future issue of the journal Diabetes. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/h1VSLH with subscription or fee.

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.

===================================

Kids Potential is now improved to contain 600IU of natural Vitamin D3 in response to the latest recommendation by the National Institute of Medicine.  To learn more about how Kids Potential can help your child succeed, please click here:  Kids Potential or here:  mykidspotential.com

Exciting New Improvements to Patented Kids Potential

This week we’re finishing production of our latest improvements to Kids Potential and we wanted you to be the first to know. 

Awarded Patent
In addition to the enhancements listed below, Kids Potential has been awarded the very first patent ever for “a Nutritional Supplement to Enhance Learning Academic & Behavioral Performance” patent #7,771,756. 

Improvements
We’re pleased to present these improvements (at no additional charge) to Kids Potential – for Learning & Academic Performance:

All Natural Sweeteners:  We’ve replaced the trace amount of sucralose with high purity natural stevia leaf extract for a delicious natural sweetness that livens the natural berries in Kids Potential.  The taste is better than ever!

Natural Vitamin K-2 for Healthy Bones:  We included an additional important form of Vitamin K called Vitamin K-2 at the dose recommended by published clinical trials in children to support healthy bones.  Latest research concludes that healthy bone density later in life begins in childhood.  Between the Vitamin K-1 & Vitamin K-2 in Kids Potential, your child will receive 100% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin K in two forms.

Complies with the New RDA for Vitamin D-3:  We’ve increased the Vitamin D-3 content from 400 IU to 600 IUs because the Institute of Medicine has just officially revised the RDA from 400 IU to 600 IU.  This is a brand new recommendation, so we’re one of the very first to increase the Vitamin D content in a kids dietary supplement.  We believe it is important to stay current with the scientific research which shows that we simply need more Vitamin D in our diet.

Additional Fruits & Berries:  We’ve augmented our fruit blend to to include pomegranate, blackberry and Patagonian Maqui berry, as part of our comprehensive Polyphenol/Anthoflavone Complex which already includes:  grape, citrus, decaffeinated green tea, blueberry, dark sweet cherry, cranberry, elderberry, raspberry, rose hips, wild bilberry, grape & red Concord grapeskin.    We think the new Berry Blast flavor is the very best ever.

Comprehensive Pesticide Testing
Our all natural fruits and berries have been rigorously tested by a comprehensive USP pesticide/agricultural chemical panel at a US reference laboratory.  Additionally, it has been tested for heavy metals and microbial contaminants to ensure that Kids Potential provides the cleanest, natural dietary supplementation for your child.  To our knowledge, no other kids’ vitamin is as rigorously tested.

What We Don’t Give Your Child
This is our list of “Nos” – ingredients commonly found in mass market kids vitamins that you will never find in Kids Potential:

We believe this is the best tasting Kids Potential ever and think your kids will agree.

Support your child’s academic learning and behavior for only $0.83/day. Click here to replenish your supply of Kids Potential.

Positive Emotions May Buffer Stress & Aging

Positive Emotions May Buffer Stress, Aging

United Press International

01-26-11

An optimistic outlook has been shown to combat stress — a known risk factor for heart disease and other illnesses, U.S. researchers say.

Anthony Ong of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., conducted a review of researchers to determine if it is really true that feeling good may be good for health.

“We all age. It is how we age, however, that determines the quality of our lives,” Ong says in a statement.

The review, published in the Current Directions in Psychological Science, suggests positive emotions may be a powerful antidote to stress, pain and illness.

Ong speculates that happier people might take a proactive approach to aging by regularly exercising and budgeting time for a good night’s sleep, or people who have positive emotions may avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and risky sex.

These benefits of a healthy lifestyle may become more important as adults age and their bodies become more susceptible to disease, Ong says.

In any event, the study says people with stronger positive emotions have lower levels of chemicals associated with inflammation related to stress.

Copyright United Press International 2011

===========================

Yes! You Can Be More Positive

InSight Natural and InSight HT can help.  Just click here to receive 15% off either product now for a limited time.

 

What You Should Know About Dietary Cholesterol

SAFETY OF DIETARY CHOLESTEROL QUESTIONED

Increasingly, people view dietary sources of cholesterol, such as eggs, as harmless. But a study suggests cholesterol-rich foods should be eaten rarely, especially patients at risk of cardiovascular disease. Research had shown moderate egg consumption to have little effect on fasting cholesterol, indicating low risk. However, this new review found long-term risks from mealtime increases in cholesterol, saturated fats, oxidative stress and inflammation, following cholesterol consumption. After meals, dietary cholesterol increases susceptibility of LDL (bad cholesterol) to oxidation, raises post-meal blood fats, and increases the adverse effects of dietary saturated fat. Moreover, diabetics who consumed one egg a day doubled their risk compared to those who ate less than one egg weekly.

Researchers confirmed earlier recommendations that dietary cholesterol be limited to 200mg a day, pointing out that a single large egg yolk contains 275mg of cholesterol, 125mg more than a KFC Double Down. Researchers concluded that eliminating egg yolks from the diet after a stroke or heart attack is akin to quitting smoking after a lung cancer diagnosis. The study was published in the November, 2010 issue of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology and is available online free at http://bit.ly/dveu1A.

Do Vitamin D Supplements Help Children?

Excellent article worth re-printing:

Bone density blow for vitamin D?

By Nathan Gray, 06-Oct-2010

Vitamin D supplements do not have any effect in boosting bone density for healthy children with normal vitamin D status, according to a new systematic review from the Cochrane collaboration.

The review, published in The Cochrane Library, concludes that supplementation with vitamin D does not improve bone density in the general population of children, but may have benefits for those with very low vitamin D status.

“Vitamin D supplementation had no statistically significant effects on bone density at any site in healthy children. There was, however, some indication that children who had low levels of vitamin D in their blood might benefit from supplementation,” said study leader Dr Tania Winzenberg, of the Menzies Research Institute, Tasmania.

Fragile bones

Osteoporosis is characterised by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissues, leading to high bone fragility and an increased risk of fracture.

Low bone mineral density is a major risk factor for osteoporosis. Previous studies have suggested that up to 90 per cent of bone mass is built during childhood, and increasing bone mass in childhood is seen as a potential way to reduce the impact of osteoporosis

“It is estimated that a 10 per cent increase in peak bone mass reduces the risk of an osteoporotic fracture in adult life by 50 per cent,” stated the researchers.

Vitamin D is known to improve calcium deposition in bones, and previous research has suggested children with vitamin D deficiency have reduced bone density.

“By measuring bone density, you can assess how well an intervention such as vitamin D supplementation improves bone health,” said Dr Winzenberg.

The new Cochrane review assessed the results of six high quality trails looking at vitamin D supplementation and bone density in children, investigating

No effect

The authors reported vitamin D supplementation to have no statistically significant effects on, hip bone, forearm, or whole body bone mineral density. However, a small but statistically insignificant trend was found lumbar spine bone mineral density.

Researchers also found “a trend towards a larger effect with low vitamin D for total body bone mineral concentration”, indicating that low vitamin D status trails reported significant effects on total body bone density and lumbar spine bone density from vitamin D supplementation.

Dr Winzenberg outlined two key findings to take from the review. “First, there is reasonable evidence that giving vitamin D supplements to a general population does very little in terms of bone density.”

“But secondly, if we look at a specific group like deficient children, then the indications are that groups with lower status could see some benefits. But as it stands, the evidence is not good enough to make firm conclusions.”

Further work

Commenting independently on the review, Dr. Ailsa Welch, from the University of East Anglia said that the effects of vitamin D hinge on the baseline status: “If your status is already adequate, then the authors found no effect. But there needs to be more work done to determine the effects in low status children.”

Welch added that she believed the research was “very useful”, and said that the work “points to the need for further research in children.”

Andrew Shao, Ph.D, Senior Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) highlighted that the authors “had very little data to work with, because there are very few studies in children.”

“Right from the start the researchers are restricted in terms of participants – there just aren’t enough studies in children to give a conclusive answer on the subject,” added Shao.

Shao also pointed out the “many other health benefits associated with vitamin D”, and stated that the findings of any study on vitamin D “should not overlook the fact that a lot of people – including children – have inadequate vitamin D status, or are fully deficient.”

Dr Winzenberg confirmed that the evidence is “pretty strong […]to suggest that research with deficient children is a promising area,” but added that “there is no suggestion that supplementing the entire population would be a good idea.”

Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Issue 10, Article Number: CD006944, doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006944.pub2.
“Vitamin D supplementation for improving bone mineral density in children”
Authors: T.M. Winzenberg, S. Powell, K.A. Shaw, G. Jones

Why Omega-3s are so important

This was an excellent article that we’re relaying because of the importance of Omega 3s.

 

Omega-3s Anti-inflammatory Mechanism Revealed

By Nathan Gray, 03-Sep-2010

Omega-3s may reduce inflammation by acting on a receptor found in fat tissue and on inflammatory immune cells called macrophages, according to research.

The new research published in the journal Cell, suggests the mechanisms behind omega-3’s actions as an anti-inflammatory are due to its action on G-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) working as an omega-3 FA receptor/sensor.

“Omega-3s are very potent activators of GPR120 on macrophages – more potent than any other anti-inflammatory we’ve ever seen,” said lead researcher Dr Jerrold Olefsky of the University of California, San Diego.

Anti-inflammatory

Omega-3 fatty acids have been long associated with anti-inflammatory effects; however the mechanisms behind such effects have been poorly understood.

GPR120 is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCRs) – part of a group involved in many important cell functions, and is the target of many drugs.

Previous research has suggested that five GPCRs – including GPR120 included – respond well respond to free fatty acids.

Since chronic tissue inflammation is linked to insulin resistance in obesity, the researchers used GPR120 knock-out mice to investigate if omega-3 leads to GPR120-mediated anti-inflammatory and insulin sensitizing effects in vivo.

Robust effect

Researchers found that GPR120 functions as an omega-3 receptor in pro-inflammatory macrophages and mature adipocytes.

When knock-out mice were fed a high-fat diet and treated with omega-3 fatty acids, they showed all the signs of inflammation and the insulin resistance that leads to diabetes with omega-3 having no effect.

Normal mice on a high-fat diet still gained weight, however, omega-3s “had a really robust effect in preventing inflammation,” Olefsky said.

The study also observed that by signaling through GPR120, omega-3 fatty acids mediate potent anti-inflammatory effects to inhibit certain key inflammatory signaling pathways.

The study reports that omega-3 treatment was as effective – or in some cases more effective – than the popular insulin-sensitizing drug Rosiglitazone.

The researchers noted that activation of GPR120 by omega-3s blocks not one, but all inflammatory pathways.

Interpretation

Olefsky said his team focused on GPR120 from the beginning because of where it is found – in fat tissue and on macrophages. Olefsky noted that if your goal is to fight inflammation then “that’s just where you’d want them to be expressed.”

How these findings can be interpreted for humans is not yet clear, but with a growing trend in omega-3 supplementation and increased dietary intakes of omega-3 a goal for many consumers.

Olefski says it is too early to make any formal recommendations at the moment, but highlights that he does not see any problem with people taking omega-3 supplementation “as long as it isn’t in enormous doses.”

Olefski said that further research needs to be conducted into several – currently unknown – omega-3 mechanisms. For one, omega-3s seems to block the migration of macrophage cells into tissues – “It’s a remarkable effect, and we don’t know its action,” he added.

The researchers also pointed out that while omega-3s appear to be very good at activating GPR120 to reduce inflammation, the fatty acid actually has a relatively low affinity for the receptor. Olefsky commented that it is possible other small molecules could be found to work even better than omega-3.

Source: Cell

Vol 142(5) pp. 687 – 698, doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2010.07.041

“GPR120 Is an Omega-3 Fatty Acid Receptor Mediating Potent Anti-inflammatory and Insulin-Sensitizing Effects”

Authors: D.Y. Oh, S. Talukdar, E. J. Bae, T. Imamura, H. Morinaga, W.Q. Fan, P. Li, W.J. Lu, S.M. Watkins, J.M. Olefsky

 

Vitamins & Kids Behavior

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-08-03/health/bs-hs-vitamins-behavior-20100802_1_supplements-abell-report-youth-violence

 

Link between vitamins, kids’ behavior explored

A bad diet may lead to bad health for many inner-city kids. And it may also lead to bad behavior.

That’s the conclusion of some public health experts who are advocating for vitamins and other nutritional supplements to curb youth violence and to increase learning. The controversial idea is getting a fresh hearing in Baltimore, where advocates for the disadvantaged are considering testing it on city kids.

If it’s proven that a tablet a day can tick up test scores and dial down violence, it could be a cheaper and easier means of improving a lot of young lives than costly and labor-intensive treatments, according to the Abell Foundation, which wants to determine whether a Baltimore study would be worthwhile.

“We wanted to see what the scientific view was at this point in time,” said Robert C. Embry Jr., foundation president. “It seemed like there was something there worth exploring.”

Embry passed the latest data on the issue to the Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, where a team will be assembled in the fall to consider the scientific studies and the outlines of a possible study, perhaps in city schools.

Some Baltimore schools, like many others in urban school systems, suffer with low test scores and chronic violence — though the number is down from previous years, there were more than 11,000 suspensions last school year for fighting and other offenses. A city schools spokeswoman had no comment about a possible study because officials had not been approached about participating or seen the Abell report. But Edie House-Foster said she recognized the link between proper nutrition and learning and said the sometimes poor eating habits of students were being addressed in the cafeteria and classroom.

As for supplements, Abell reports that there is a lot of suspect research, some funded by the $60 billion supplements industry. But there also are many encouraging studies that seem to show in prisons and school systems that the vitamins, minerals and fatty acids can help curb bad behavior and improve mood and learning.

Critics say the issue is complex and suggest consistent and better meals would be a more appropriate answer than supplements that may not have an effect or may make some children sick. And even scientists involved in credible supplement research say that more study is needed to show the overall effects on behavior and learning.

In previous studies, other elements could have influenced results. For example, government research has shown that hunger can influence academic performance, so it may be hard to separate supplements’ effect when regular meals are also provided. And without baseline information on deficiencies in each child, the specific effects of supplementation also are hard to measure.

But the Abell report points out that the cost of youth violence and aggression reached $156 billion in 2006, and Embry said possible solutions need examining.

The foundation report found promising studies published in the last decade in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the British Journal of Psychiatry, Aggressive Behavior and the American Journal of Psychiatry.

In previous studies, other elements could have influenced results. For example, government research has shown that hunger can influence academic performance, so it may be hard to separate supplements’ effect when regular meals are also provided. And without baseline information on deficiencies in each child, the specific effects of supplementation also are hard to measure.

But the Abell report points out that the cost of youth violence and aggression reached $156 billion in 2006, and Embry said possible solutions need examining.

The foundation report found promising studies published in the last decade in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the British Journal of Psychiatry, Aggressive Behavior and the American Journal of Psychiatry.

So, many researchers began studying the connection between omega-3s, vitamins and other nutrients and brain performance. He said there are four areas of study: violence, hyperactivity, academic performance and mood disorders.

He said the studies have shown the strongest link to mood disorders and depression, and he believes omega-3 supplements may work just as well as anti-depressants. Studies have shown promise in areas but are less conclusive, he said.

“But from my estimation, there’s no harm in trying supplements,” he said. “You’re not going to hurt anything by ensuring added nutrition for the brain, and this could be a really cost effective policy.”

No doubt, many children in Baltimore lack proper nutrition, which officials at the Health Department and schools have been seeking to tackle through a number of programs.

Health department officials point to a 2007 survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that: three-quarters of city high schoolers ate less than the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, 22 percent did not eat fruit and half did not eat a green salad in the week before the survey, more than a third drank a soda a day and about a quarter were slightly or very overweight. Many of the city results were below national averages.

In city schools, spokeswoman House-Foster said “nutrition and learning go hand in hand,” and officials have been looking at improving the cafeteria menus by adding more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and vegetarian options. There also are other programs such as a city farm where kids can learn about healthy foods.

“It’s been on our agenda,” she said. “Each year we try and ratchet it up one more step. Each year we want to do more to help the kids and families understand the link between good nutrition and learning.”

Ethics and clinical experts in Baltimore suggested in the Abell report that any study of these kids be done when they were young and the benefits could be greatest but that the benefits and risks such as nausea and conflicts with current medication be fully explained to participants. They also suggested convening a panel to discuss the issues and design an ideal study. Abell has asked Hopkins’ Bloomberg school to do this, but officials there declined to comment because they will not begin forming the panel until fall.

If the logistics of a proper scientific study are worked out, and safety issues are measured for individual students, at least one local school operator said she’d be interested in participating. Muriel Berkeley, president of the Baltimore Curriculum Project, a nonprofit that runs four city charter schools, has witnessed food make a difference in student behavior.

As a third grade teacher years ago, she said, she and other teachers discovered one bright little boy was behaving badly after eating sugar. They spoke to his mother, modified his diet, and the problems disappeared. When they reappeared one day, they noted the date — it was Halloween.

“That’s just one anecdote, and not scientific, but it showed me that it makes a difference,” she said of proper nutrition. “When the kids are eating well, they come to school healthy and ready to learn.”

But until each Baltimore City student can be taught about proper nutrition and is motivated to eat well, supplements may be a solution, she said.

“I’d absolutely like to hear about it,” she said.

Abell’s full report can be found at http://www.abell.org.

Fish Oil Helps With Weight Loss

Daily doses of fish oil containing omega-3 fats can, when combined with exercise, act as an aid to weight loss.

People who took fish oil during the 3-month exercise program lost an average 4.5 pounds.  But the exercise group that took sunflower oil – which does not contain omega-3 oil – did not lose any weight despite exercising.

This study was presented July 31, 2006 in Cairns, Australia at the Congress of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids.

High Protein Diets May Cause Bone Loss in Older Women

Post-menopausal women following high-protein diets to lose weight may be at a higher risk of osteoporosis – and calcium supplementation does not help, finds a new study.

New Research Suggests Regular Calcium Supplement Could Increase Risk of Heart Attack

New research suggests that regularly taking calcium supplements might increase the risk of heart attack.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, indicates that calcium supplements cause more cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks and stroke) than the number of fractures they prevent.

Calcium supplements are commonly taken by older people as a measure to reduce the effects of osteoporosis. The widely used supplements have been shown to marginally reduce the risk of fracture for osteoporosis sufferers and improve bone density, but very little research has been compiled on the risks of calcium supplementation.

The new study, led by Professor Ian Reid at the University of Auckland, is a meta-analysis of fifteen randomized trials on calcium supplements conducted in the last twenty years, with the aim to investigate the links between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular events.

From analyzing the data on the 12,000 people involved in the 15 trials, the researchers found that calcium supplements increase the risk of heart attack by about 30 percent. Although this increase in heart attack risk is modest, the researchers suggest that the widespread use of calcium supplements means “even a small increase in incidence of cardiovascular disease could translate into a large burden of disease in the population.” The researchers wrote: “The likely adverse effect of calcium supplements on cardiovascular events, taken together with the possible adverse effect on incidence of hip fracture and its modest overall efficacy in reducing fracture (about 10% reduction in total fractures) suggest that a reassessment of the role of calcium supplements in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is warranted.”

The results observed in this study only saw an increased risk in people using supplementation, and do not affect people with high dietary intakes of calcium. Professor Reid explained that this could be related to higher blood calcium levels from supplementation compared to dietary calcium – higher blood calcium levels are believed to lead to hardening of the arteries, which can cause heart attacks.

Read more here at the national library of medicine:  Pub Med:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20671013

====================================

The latest research shows that Vitamin K2, specifically menaquinone 7 derived from soy can support healthy bone density and cardiovascular health. Learn more here: http://www.advantig.net/products/osteo-k-2.

Acupuncture Works – Confirmed by Science

Acupuncture Increases Adenosine

Clarifying how acupuncture may work to reduce pain, a study shows that, at the site applied, acupuncture needles increase levels of a molecule called adenosine, a natural compound that regulates sleep, anti-inflammatory responses – and painkilling.

Research previously showed an increase in brain-signaling and painkilling endorphins when the central nervous system is affected by acupuncture. But this study found that stimulation of nerve endings not linked to the brain and spinal cord also increase levels of adenosine. Mice bred to have no adenosine received no pain benefit from acupuncture; mice whose adenosine was “turned on” received benefit without acupuncture; and mice with normal adenosine had pain reduced by two thirds while adenosine levels at the needle site jumped 24 times normal levels.

This study will be published in a future issue of Nature Neuroscience by July 2010 issue and full details will be available with subscription.  You can read the full-text study  released May 30 without cost at:  http://bit.ly/dogW0U.

To help support pain management, try Myo-Nerve — for neuromuscular pain support & deep relaxation.

The Truth About Skim Milk

Contrary to common belief, even skim milk is not fat-free:  5% of skim milk’s calories come from fat.

• A full 34% of the calories contained in partly skimmed of “2%” milk come from fat.  It’s called 2% milk because the fat content makes up 2% of the total weight of the milk.

• Whole milk contains 48% fat by calories. (For comparison, lean hamburger runs about 64 percent fat by calories.)

How to Get the Most From Vitamin D

Your body may make better use of supplemental Vitamin D if you take it with your largest meal of the day, boosting its uptake over a  2-3 month period by as much as 56 percent, according to a study at the Cleveland Clinic, detailed in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

TIP TO REMEMBER – Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin.  Fat soluble vitamins should always be taken with the highest fat meal of the day.

Vitamin D is loosely linked with a decreased risk of autoimmune disorders.

Mediterranean Diet – Rich in Antioxidants

A study has concluded that the Greek diet, which is generally similar to the plant-based Mediterranean diet (MD), is a rich source of a variety of antioxidants, including flavonoids, proanthocyanidins and other antioxidant micro-components.  

The researchers suggest this may be the reason for the health benefits of the MD. Over 200 foods and recipes were involved and their consumption was estimated using dietary statistics on over 28,000 Greeks.  Antioxidants are molecules that can stop chain reactions, called oxidation, which potentially can damage cells.   A brief summary was released May 12, 2010 and further details, which will appear in a future print issue of the Journal of Nutrition, are now available online at: http://bit.ly/cBOD1k.

Air Pollution & Cardiovascular Risk

Evidence is growing that air pollution, especially fine particulate matter, can trigger cardiovascular death within a few hours of exposure among those who are at risk.

Long-term exposure can shorten lifespan by a few months to a few years. To cut the risk of pollution-triggered death, seek treatment for underlying heart risk factors: blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and smoking.  Also, those with heart problems should monitor air quality reports and stay indoors or limit activity during high-particulate days.

For guidance, speak to your natural health practitioner.

For systemic environmental detoxification, visit our site on our Healthy Detoxification Kit:  http://tinyurl.com/33nvhe5.

For detailed information, visit the American Heart Association article on Circulation: http://bit.ly/cQhl4g.

Good Fats Fight Heart Disease

A study suggests foods rich in good fats may partly offset risk factors for ischemic heart disease (IHD). High cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and aging are risk factors for IHD, a reduced blood supply to the heart. But IHD rates are low in Spain, where risk factors are high. So scientists compared blood levels of unsaturated fats in healthy people with those showing signs of IHD and concluded greater levels of oleic, alpha-linolenic and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids – found in olive oil, walnuts and fish, respectively – protected against IHD. This brief summary was released May 12 but details are withheld until a future issue of the online and print editions of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

How to Reduce Your Daily Exposure to Toxins

This is the first in a series of suggested steps you can take to reduce your body’s daily exposure to environmental toxins.

#1.  Choose Naturally Colored Foods

So how yellow do your pickles really need to be?

Did you know that most commercially available pickles contain FD&C yellows and blues?  Chemicals don’t improve the crunch so just walk past the pickle shelf to the refrigerators to find pickles that contain Turmeric, a natural yellow spice instead.

Artificial colors have been linked to a wide range of health conditions, which is why you won’t find them in Advantig products.  We’ve listed just a few of the problems associated with artificial colors in their descriptions below.  To reduce your daily exposure to toxins, choose clean foods that use simple natural alternatives to artificial colors which would include these healthful substitutes:

• Annatto (spice)
• Aronia juice (Chokeberry)
• Beet juice or powder (vegetable)
• Carrot juice or powder (vegetable)
• Carmine (Cochineal extract)
• Chlorophyllin (Chlorophyll)
• Elderberry juice (Berry)
• Grape juice (Fruit)
• Grapeskin
• Lycopene (from tomatoes)
• Paprika (sometimes called Oleoresin paprika – spice)
• Red beta-carotene (natural vitamin)
• Saffron (spice)
• Tomato (vegetable or fruit?)
• Turmeric (spice)

In fact, the fewer artificial colors you and your family ingest, the better for your mental and emotional health.  A ground-breaking study published by the Lancet in 2007, reversed previous theories to prove that food additives have a negative impact on children’s behavior.  In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics reversed its position to concur with the Lancet’s findings on the link between food and behavior to admit that “they might have been wrong.”

Lancet 2007, Nov 3:370(9598)1560-7 “Food Additives & Hyperactive Behavior in 3 Year Old and 8/9 Year Old Children in the Community: a Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo Controlled Trial.” McCann D, Barrett A, Cooper A, Crumpler D, Dalen L, Grimshaw K, Kitchin E, Lok K, Porteous L, Prince E, Sonuga-Barke E, Warner JO, Stevenson J. School of Psychology, Dept. of Child Health, University of Southampton, UK.  300 Children Studied.

American Academy of Pediatrics, Grand Rounds: “The overall findings of the study are clear and require that even we skeptics, who have long doubted parental claims of the effects of various foods on the behavior of their children, admit that we might have been wrong.” ADHD & Food Additives Revisited – Alison Schonwold, MD, FAAP, Developmental Medicine Center, Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, American Academy of Pediatrics, Grand Rounds 2008; 19:17.

For more information on how artificial colors & additives may impact your child’s behavior, go to: the Center for Science in the Public Interest at:  http://www.cspinet.org/fooddyes/.

Artificial Colors To Avoid

FD&C BLUE #1

Found in:  beverages, candy, baked goods.

One (unpublished) animal test suggested cancer risk and a test-tube study indicated the dye might affect neurons.  It has the capacity for inducing an allergic reaction in individuals with pre-existing moderate asthma.  It is one of the colorants that the Hyperactive Children’s Support Group and the Feingold Association recommends to be eliminated from the diet of children.  Please note that both of the products below contain FD&C Blue #1 and are targeted to the toddler market.

Surprise Product:

Goldfish “Colors” & Pediasure’s NutriPals Balanced Nutrition Bar S’Mores (Baby Cereal/Snacks)

FD&C BLUE #2

Found in pet food, beverages, candy.

Animal studies found some—but not conclusive—evidence that Blue #2 causes brain cancer in male rats, but the Food and Drug Administration concluded that there is “reasonable certainty of no harm.”

Surprise Product:

Philadelphia Blueberry Jammin’ Swirls Cream Cheese Spread

GREEN #3

Found in candy, beverages, canned peas, vegetables, jellies, sauces, fish, desserts and dry bakery mixes.

A 1981 industry-sponsored study gave hints of bladder and testicular tumors in male rats, but FDA re-analyzed the data using other statistical methods and concluded that the dye was safe. Fortunately, this possibly carcinogenic dye is not widely used.   This substance has been found to have tumorigenic effects in experimental animals, as well as mutagenic effects in both experimental animals and humans.   It can irritate the eyes, skin, digestive tract, and respiratory tract in its undiluted form.  See this post:  About Green #3.

Surprise Products:

Edy’s Sherbet Tropical Rainbow & Honey Bunches of Oats

FD&C RED #3

Found in candy, baked goods, cake icing, fruit roll ups & chewing gum.

Evidence that this dye caused thyroid tumors in rats is “convincing,” according to a 1983 review committee report requested by FDA.  FDA recommended that the dye be banned, but this was overruled by pressure from the Reagan Administration.  Red #3 once colored maraschino cherries, but it has since been replaced by the less controversial Red #40.

Surprise Product:

Yoplait, Trix Strawberry Banana Raspberry Yogurt

FD&C RED #40

Found in soft drinks, candy, cotton candy, gelatin desserts, pastries, pet food, sausage.

Red #40 is the most widely used food dye.  While this is one of the most tested food dyes, key mouse tests were flawed and therefore inconclusive.  An FDA review committee acknowledged problems, but said evidence of harm was not “consistent” or “substantial.”  Red #40 can cause allergic reactions.  In Europe, Red #40 is not recommended for consumption by children.  (Note the children’s products below that are colored by Red #40.)

Surprise Products:

Centrum Silver, Colgate (Barney) Toothpaste for children, Pillsbury Vanilla Frosting, Fruit by the Food, Froot Loops, Kraft Barbecue Sauces, Robitussin Pediatric Cough Liquid, Tylenol Cold & Cough, Centrum Kids, Tums

FD&C YELLOW #5 (Tartrazine)

Found in gelatin dessert, puddings, candy, pet food, baked goods, soft drinks (Mountain Dew), corn chips (Doritos, Nachos), cereals (corn flakes, muesli), cake mixes, pastries, custard powder, soups, instant or “cube” soup, boxed rices (paella, risotto), powdered drink mixes, sports drinks, ice cream, ice pops, mustard, horseradish, yogurt, noodles, pickles (& other pickled products), squash, fruit cordials, potato chips, biscuits & convenience foods together with glycerin, lemon and honey products.

FD&C Yellow #5 is the second-most-widely used coloring  and has been know to cause allergy-like hypersensitivity reactions primarily in aspirin-sensitive persons, triggering hyperactivity in some children.   According to the CSPI, Tartrazine may be contaminated with such cancer-causing substances as benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances).

Tartrazine is a coal tar-derived azo dye that appears to cause the most allergic and intolerance reactions of all the azo dyes, particularly among asthmatics and those with an aspirin intolerance.  Symptoms of tartrazine sensitivity can occur by either ingestion or cutaneous exposure.  A variety of immunologic responses have been attributed to tartrazine ingestion, including anxiety, migraines, clinical depression, blurred vision, itching, general weakness, heatwaves, feeling of suffocation, purple skin patches, and sleep disturbance.  Certain people who are exposed to tartrazine experience symptoms even at extremely small doses, some for periods up to 72 hours after exposure.  In children, asthma attacks and hives have been reported, as well as supposed links to thyroid tumors, chromosomal damage, and hyperactivity.

Surprise Products:

Contadina Tomato Sauce (by Del Monte Foods) & Most unrefrigerated pickles

YELLOW #6

Found in beverages, candy, baked goods, orange squash, jelly, marzipan, apricot jam, citrus marmalade, lemon curd, sweets, hot chocolate mix, packet soups, trifle mix, breadcrumbs and cheese sauce mixes, soft drinks.  Found specifically in DayQuil (in high concentrations) and some extra strength Tylenol products.  Also found in some yogurt, fortune cookies, some red sauces, certain pound cakes, snack chips and other yellow, orange or red food products.

Industry-sponsored animal tests indicated that this dye, the third most widely used, causes tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney.  In addition, small amounts of several carcinogens, such as 4-aminobiphenyl and benzidine (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances), contaminate Yellow #6, according to the CSPI.  However, the FDA reviewed those data and found reasons to conclude that Yellow #6 does not pose a significant cancer risk to humans. Yellow #6 may cause occasional, but sometimes-severe hypersensitivity reactions.

Surprise Products:

Velveeta Bacon Scalloped Potatoes, Frigo Romano Cheese, Fleischmann’s Olive Oil Spread

Conclusion

Become an unrelenting, scrutinizing label reader.

Scan labels thoroughly when you buy food, vitamins, oral hygiene products & any type of drink.  Before you buy that non-fat, extra hot, strawberry whippaccino at the fancy coffee shop, ask to review the label on the bottle of flavoring.  Anything that goes into your mouth should be toxin-free.  Your body deserves your attention.

Avoid purchasing any items that include the artificial colors we’ve listed above, or that include the word “Lake” or say “Color Added.”  It is possible for “color added” to include natural colors, but chances are that if the label doesn’t say “natural,” it probably isn’t.

Advantig Health & Sport products do not contain artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or nutritionally non-essential ingredients.  In fact, we invented the “No” panel.  Go to any of our products and look at the list of No’s … what’s not in our products is our commitment to purity and quality.

Holiday Survival Tips

This statement rings from stores, appears in our mail and seems to permeate all of November & December.  Instead of experiencing “happy holidays,” many are likely to be feeling holiday blues for different reasons.

• Holidays can be a reminder of loss-a relationship, a family, a marriage, a loved one.

• Many feel overwhelmed by the stress of family dynamics at a time when everything you see and hear tells you to be happy at family gatherings.
  

• Economic uncertainty and unemployment leave many feeling blue and stressed about how to manage.

• The shopping, cooking, baking, gift giving marathon can leave people feeling drained and incapable of relaxing.
  

• This time of year can be a time of self-evaluation and reflection about the past but also creates anxiety about the future.

• Some feel excluded and lonely if they do not partake in the holidays or have no family.
  

• Reduced day light during shorter winter days can contribute to feeling sluggish, tired and short on energy.

• A myriad of stressors can produce feelings of sadness, loneliness, gloom, hopelessness, fatigue, etc.  If you were already feeling blue before this time of year, these feelings may only intensify.

Basic Holiday Survival Tips & Product Recommendations

We would like to share a few key “Holiday Survival Tips” that have helped many people make it through “the happiest time of year” and suggest several products for those who need a little help this holiday season.   Take the biggest step first:  resolve to help yourself.

1.         Don’t sacrifice sleep.  Visiting friends, baking cookies and shopping are no longer fun if you are worn out and ready to collapse.  Fatigue can also darken your mood.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Z-Caps:  If getting to sleep is troublesome, try (1-2) Z-Caps at least one hour before bedtime.

To learn more about Z-Caps, click on the Z-Caps bottle to the left.

Myo-Nerve:  If you need even deeper sleep to calm a busy mind or address pain support, try Myo-Nerve one hour before bedtime.  Myo-Nerve is our latest innovation for neuromuscular relaxation.  Just add 1 scoop or less to a small serving of natural applesauce or yogurt one hour before bedtime.

Click on Myo-Nerve (to the right) for more information.

2.         Set your boundaries.  A person who struggles with personal boundaries often gets stressed and hangs on to anger and frustration, making them more likely to experience holiday blues.

3.         Exercise.  Don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution to start or resume your exercise program.  Your body’s ability fight the blues is strengthened by the natural chemistry that occurs when your body moves regularly.  So write yourself a reminder to enjoy a brisk walk, take stairs, ride your bike or make use of your gym membership now.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:

ProSport & ProSport MAX:  To maximize your exercise benefits, enhance your hydration.  ProSport and ProSport MAX are the choice of elite and amateur athletes who rely on the antioxidant power these drinks deliver.

ProSport MAX offers 2075 ORAC units/serving — the antioxidant equivalent of 4-7 servings of fresh fruit or berries.

Click on the ProSport photo to learn more.

At only $2 – $2.50/serving, ProSport & ProSport MAX offer so much more than designer coffee or mass market energy drinks.

Click on the ProSport MAX photo to learn more.

ProSport MAX delivers 4200 ORAC units/serving – the antioxidant equivalent of 10-14 servings of fresh fruit or berries.

Try either drink powder in a delicious smoothie for quick energy or “nutrition on the run.”

4.         Monitor Caffeine & Alcohol Intake.  Caffeine can give you a quick high but a jolting crash once it wears off, leaving you feeling worse than before you drank that high calorie, triple strength, ultra-sized Italian-sounding coffee bar drink.  Alcohol is a depressant and can intensify seasonal blues.  Bring your own healthy alternative to parties if you think there may not be a non-alcoholic option.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION:

PowerThru:  If you’re feeling low on energy, boost your body’s own cellular energy production with our botancial, EGCG Green tea formulation that contains time tested natural ingredients.  Try PowerThru in the morning or at lunchtime for smooth alertness without the jolt & crash.

Click on the PowerThru bottle for more information.

5.         Savor the treats in moderation.  At home, you’re in charge.  Choose to prepare healthy, balanced meals that in turn, keep you feeling more emotionally and physically balanced.   If you know that it may be difficult to stick with your regimen away from home, eat lightly before you leave home so that you can savor treats in moderation and spend more time in conversation.

6.         Lighten the load.  Yours and others.  Volunteer at the food bank, at a soup kitchen, for children or people in need.  Don’t underestimate the power of helping others.

7.         Keep track and be reasonable.  Make lists to stay on top of a reasonable number of tasks, gifts, events to attend and money to spend.  Staying in control is empowering and a critical step in maintaining healthy emotional balance.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:

InSight Natural:  For natural mental health support and a positive, proactive attitude, try our cocoa flavonoid-based formulation that has been dispensed by physicians to thousands of patients.

For more information on InSight Natural, click on the product photo to the left.

InSight HT:  When high tension and stress require an extra strength mood/relaxation product, try InSight HT to help you manage stress better.  Unlike other natural “mood” products, both InSight HT and InSight Natural offer noticeable benefits.

To read more about InSight HT, including stress management tips, click on the InSight HT bottle to the left.

===========================================================

If you would like to share your tips for enjoying the season, we invite you to post your comments or questions.  The Advantig Blog is a moderated blog, so please expect approved comments and answers to questions to post within 24-48 hours.

Bone Health: Are Calcium & Vitamin D Enough?

“The WHI CaD” study is the largest randomized clinical trial conducted on calcium supplementation in post-menopausal women.  It followed over 36,000 women for ~7 years.  Half of the women took 1,000 mg of Calcium and 400 IU of Vitamin D; the other half took a placebo.

RESULTS:  Women taking placebos had a hip fracture rate of 14/10,000.  Women taking calcium and vitamin D had a hip fracture rate of 10/10,000.  While the trend is favorable, the message of the study is that calcium and vitamin D are not enough, according to Dr. Joel Finkelstein, an osteoporosis researcher at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.  “It is a good start, but women at higher risk need to know it is not enough.”

Dr. Joel Finkelstein:

“With widespread marketing calcium & vitamin D, many women believe that they are completely protected against the development of osteoporosis if they are taking these supplements.  This study should help correct this important misconception and allow more women to receive optimal therapy for bone health.”

Finkelstein, JS. Calcium plus Vitamin D for post menopausal women – Bone Appetit? N Engl J Med 2006: 354; 750-752.

Suggestions for Optimal Bone Health

The Importance of Natural Vitamin K2 (MK-7)

Researchers investigated why women in the Eastern part of Japan had much lower incidence of hip fracture vs. women who lived in other parts of Japan.   It came down to a Japanese traditional food consumed only in the region where women had very low incidence of hip fracture – a marker in medicine for bone density.

Natto.

Natto is a traditional Japanese fermented soybean dish commonly consumed in Eastern Japan.  Natto is a fermented, soybean cheese-like dish that has a very strong amoniacal smell with a gluey texture and spiderweb-like strings when you stir it.  So what does Natto have to do with bone density?

Vitamin K2, specifically, Menaquinone 7 (MK-7)

Researchers report Natto contains natural Vitamin K2, specifically Menaquinone 7 (MK-7) that is linked to stabilization of bone proteins, positively impacting bone density.  Not only is Natural Vitamin K2 (specifically MK-7) important for healthy bones, scientists discovered that MK-7 supports cardiovascular health as well.  The growing body of Vitamin K2 research indicates that it is a very promising nutrient for supporting healthy bone density.

For more information on nutrients that support bone density, click here to read about Osteo K-2.

Save the Dark Mood for Halloween – How InSight Can Help

Seasons are changing, the sky is steely gray, fallen foliage reveals skeletons where there once were woods.  Sounds like the start of a scary Hitchcock thriller doesn’t it?

For many people affected by seasonal change, these are the ominous signs of Fall & Winter– the foreboding seasons of mental gloom, darkness and sluggishness.  It is tough to be jolly when you are tired and feel out of sync.

Don’t despair.  This season can be different for you.

Research shows that specialized flavonoids from the unroasted cocoa nib can have a positive impact on cognitive function and brain chemistry.

InSight Natural is a cocoa flavonoid based natural formulation designed to support healthy mental balance, mood, attitude and equilibrium.  Many people have experienced positive changes with InSight Natural.

While InSight Natural is great for the times you feel emotionally or mentally stressed, it offers an entirely new dimension to healthy mental equilibrium.  For example, InSight Natural is used by endurance athletes for the competitive mental edge and to avoid “hitting the wall”.  InSight is preferred by caregivers who are under emotional stress by the very nature of their job.  InSight helps people who are under stressful deadlines or any situation in which a person’s abilities are affected by their emotional state.

InSight Natural contains a synergistic blend of B Vitamins needed in higher demand when you’re under stress, botanicals and cocoa flavonoids that support healthy brain function to put you back on track so that you can focus on the tasks at hand.

See our website at www.advantig.net for specials on InSight.

InSight Natural can help take the BOO out of your attitude.

Fitness Fridays at Advantig

Fitness Friday: exercise 1 day a week?

Not exactly.  I’ve declared “Fitness Fridays” at Advantig not just to encourage regular exercise, but to use Fridays as an assessment day to review goals, find & plan something active to do on the weekend & review the meal plan (going out & quick meals) – for the sake of good mental & physical well-being.  Not only does it make me feel great, but I notice that everyone around me feels more motivated and productive.

So if you need time for a brisk walk, make it and bring your furry friend too.  Fido is dependent upon you for his healthy longevity!

You Can Tell When People Exercise Regularly or Occasionally!

And not just from their body tone, but also from the tone of their voice and mental outlook.  Exercise is the catalyst for important physical and brain chemistry that keeps your engine running smoothly.  (OK, I love cars and love to listen to “Car Talk” on NPR)

The Mayo Clinic has posted a nice article on the benefits of exercise that we’ve summarized below or you can read in detail here:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676.

(Condensed Version) 7 Benefits of Exercise

1. Exercise improves your mood.  Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day?  A workout at the gym or brisk 30 minute walk can help you calm down.
2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.  Worried about heart disease?  Hoping to prevent osteoporosis?  Physical activity may be the ticket.
3. Exercise helps you manage your weight. Want to drop those excess pounds?  Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.
   
4. Exercise boosts your energy level.  Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues which helps your entire cardiovascular system.  You’ll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.
5. Exercise promotes better sleep.  A good night’s sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood.  Physical activity is sometimes the key to better sleep helping you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep.
6. Exercise can put the spark back in your sex life.  Are you too tired or out of shake to have sex?  Physical activity to the rescue.
7. Exercise can be – gasp – fun! Physical activity doesn’t have to be drudgery.  Take a ballroom dancing class.  Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail.  Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym.  Find a physical activity you enjoy and go for it!

=================================

A note from the doctor…

It doesn’t matter if you’re an accomplished athlete or just value regular activity, Advantig has products to help your body hydrate & your muscles recover more efficiently.  I recommend drinking ProSport or ProSport MAX 30 minutes before exercise or any physical activity that will push your body.  If you’re working for more than 2 hours, drink 1 more to optimize muscle recovery and nutrient replenishment.

Stay away from artificial colors, flavors, sugar & salt marketed as “electrolytes” that don’t nourish the body and deliver far more salt than you typically need.

http://www.advantig.net/products/prosport

Next Page »

• CATEGORIES

  • A Message from the Doctor (33)
  • Caring for Your Children (31)
  • Coming Soon! (2)
  • Did You Know? (7)
  • Discount Codes (2)
  • Fitness & Tips (7)
  • Free Stuff (5)
  • In the News (294)

• ARCHIVES

  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009

• Links

  • Active.com review on ProSport
  • Advantig Health & Sport
  • Air quality at your child's school
  • Air Quality Report-Cities
  • Attitude, Mood & Stress Support
  • Environmental Working Group
  • Kids Potential Videos
  • MyKidsPotential.com
  • PBS Documentary-How to Turn Around a Failing School
  • Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
  • SheBlogs.org
  • Strength, Power, Speed
  • TWITTER
  • Water quality in your area

• RECENT POSTS

  • BPA Exposure Higher From Paper Than From Cans
  • Diet and Exercise Reduce Pain in Osteoarthritis
  • Prenatal BPA Exposure Effect on Emotional Health in Girls
  • Soft Drink Consumption Linked to Youth Violence
  • Why Vitamin K2 is So Important for Your Kids
  • Eat Your Greens, Change Your Genes
  • How Autogenous Vaccine Can Turn Off Peanut Allergy
  • Cheaper Natural Smoking Cessation Assistance
  • Data Show Drug Deaths Outnumber Traffic Fatalities
  • Reason Why Elderly May be at Cardiovascular Risk
  • Vitamin C Linked to Lower Blood Pressure
  • How 15 Minutes/Day Can Impact Your Life
  • Another Benefit of Vitamin D
  • Is that Statin Drug Necessary?
  • Is Your Glass of Water A Cocktail of This…?