Did you make New Year’s resolutions this year? Like most folks, will yours have one about losing weight?  Here are some tips for writing healthy new years’ resolutions that have a better likelihood of being achieved.  For starters, focus on the “Thou shalt” resolutions, rather than the “Thou shalt nots.”

Writing New Year’s resolutions is a time-honored American tradition. For many of us, these resolutions focus on what we want to improve in our health-related behaviors. We tend to focus on things we want to lose (generally weight), give up or cut down on(watching TV, drinking alcohol), or stop (smoking).  While many of us do say we want to start or increase our exercise time, we often view that as a punishment instead of as a gift.

This year let’s try a different approach.  Try writing 10 healthy resolutions that you can and will achieve; write resolutions that are not only specific and achievable, but which you can view as GIFTS to yourself and to your family. Too often we fail to focus on our own health because we feel a need to focus on other family members first. The best gift we can give to our loved ones is to take care of ourselves. 

I suggest starting the process with a positive and healthy attitude.  Make as many of the resolutions “Thou shalt” commitments, as opposed to “Thou shalt nots.”  The first priorities are to focus on overcoming dangerous behaviors.  If you smoke, drink too much alcohol, or practice reckless sexual behaviors (those that increase your risk of unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases), just stop.  If you need help, see your physician or a trained psychologist.  Enlist the support of your friends and family members.

If you need to lose weight, you know it and your body knows it. This year, try something new and leave off the “I will lose 15 pounds” resolution.  Instead, try positive and specific resolutions that will enable you to achieve the desired weight loss without focusing on the “losing” concept.  For example, try “I will eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day” or “I will start each day with a healthy breakfast sitting down.”  No - coffee and a doughnut is not a healthy breakfast!  You don’t need to have a four-course meal, but ideally you should have 4 food groups represented, and protein should be one of them.

Increasing water consumption often helps dieters and most Americans are not getting enough water daily.  Do you really need 8 glasses per day?  At least.  To calculate exactly how much you should be drinking, divide your weight in pounds by 2.  This is how many ounces per day you need before exercising.  With exercise, add an additional 8 ounces per 20 minutes of aerobic exercise.

Go through each resolution and write a paragraph about it.  Add something about sleep. Add something about fun!

Suggested Healthy New Year’s Resolutions:

• I will give myself and my family the gift of a healthier lifestyle this year.
• I will give myself the gift of a healthy breakfast each day.
• I will give myself the gift of stopping my unhealthy behaviors (e.g. smoking, drinking too much alcohol, etc.).
• I will take my necessary vitamins and supplements.
• I will wear my seat belt religiously.
• I will increase my water intake.
• I will practice proper dental hygiene.
• I will get my annual physical exam(s).
• I will keep myself mentally and spiritually healthy.
• I will increase my daily activity and enjoy it!

This article comes with my best wishes to all for a happy and healthy New Year!

Original article by Donnica Moore, M.D.

I just finished reading a recently-released article on the “ineffectiveness” of dietary supplements. It is amazing to me that this subject and its exaggerated conclusions keeps coming up. The media is so quick to put out information that dietary supplements are not helping thousands - if not possibly millions - of people, and have a serious place in our daily lives supporting and protecting our health. Dietary supplements are an inexpensive, convenient, and reliable way to deliver specific quantities of particular nutrients to a person or an entire population. That is why so many people take multivitamins and other dietary supplements to improve or optimize their nutrient intake. That is also why dietary supplements are often used in clinical trials, to test whether certain nutrients or other substances can help fight against diseases such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

However, there are some common myths about dietary supplements that may keep some people from making supplements a part of their everyday routine. Let’s take a look at some of these common myths and consider whether they are true or false.

Using supplements may cause people to pay less attention to improving their diets. FALSE.

Many nutrition surveys show that people who use supplements also tend to pay attention to their diets, in fact supplement users have slightly better diets than other people — not perfect diets by any means, but still better. Dietary improvement and supplement use are complementary aspects of the effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

People who use supplements tend to go overboard, believing that if one is good, more is better. FALSE.

Most people use dietary supplements in a reasonable way. National surveys show that more than 80% of supplement users take only one to three products on a regular basis, and in most cases one of those is a multivitamin. But taking more than this is by no means unreasonable. Regardless of the number of supplements you are taking, always be sure to read and heed label directions.

Taking vitamins and minerals in quantities greater than the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is unsafe. FALSE.

Most vitamins and some minerals are safe at levels many times greater than the RDA. The RDA is the level of intake recommended to maintain health, and is not in any way a safety limit. In fact, for many nutrients, for example vitamins D and E, scientific research suggests potential benefits can be gained by intakes beyond the RDA. The same experts that establish the RDA also set Upper Levels of Tolerable Intake (UL). The UL is also not a safety limit, but simply identifies a level of daily intake at which there is no known toxicity, and at which there is sufficient evidence of safety for the nutrient. The UL neither suggests that intakes above that level are unsafe, nor does it constitute a recommended intake. For some vitamins, like C and E, the UL is more than 10 times higher than the RDA. In some cases there is no UL as is the case for some B vitamins. This is because no study has ever identified an unsafe level, even when large amounts have been given.

Recent clinical studies show that supplements don’t work. FALSE.

Science moves in a stepwise fashion, and the steps are not always in a forward direction. Each new study adds to our total knowledge, even though it may sometimes seem that the results go back and forth, with positive news one week and negative news the next. What is important is the overall picture, and for dietary supplements the overall picture is pretty good. Calcium and vitamin D supplements help protect against osteoporosis, antioxidant supplements protect the eyes and the brain, omega-3 fatty acids are good for heart health, selenium may reduce the risk of getting prostate cancer, vitamin E and other vitamins reduce the risk of heart disease in some studies but not others and folic acid (a B vitamin) even helps protect against birth defects such as spinal bifida. Perhaps the strongest testimony to the fact that supplements work is the fact that the National Institutes of Health and other research organizations are pouring millions of dollars into more studies using various supplements for health promotion and disease prevention. The results are good enough to justify that kind of investment, and they are good enough to provide a reason for people to add supplements to their healthy lifestyle choices.

Clinical trials are the most reliable tool for evaluating the benefits of specific nutrients or dietary habits. NOT NECESSARILY.

Clinical trials are a valuable and reliable tool for assessing the effectiveness of pharmaceutical products (drugs). The drug can be given to one group of patients and not to another group, and the difference in response can be observed. The patients are not already being exposed to the drug from their diet or any other sources — they are getting it in the study or they are not getting it at all. Studying nutrients—both in nutritional supplements and food—is different. People are likely already getting these nutrients from their regular diets, and if participating in a nutritional study should not be asked to eliminate these foods—so it becomes very difficult to evaluate the effects of the added amounts. Additionally, the benefits of specific nutrients or dietary patterns are related to disease prevention, not disease treatment. Such benefits may take years to develop — much longer than most clinical trials. Finally, most clinical trials are conducted in people who already have a disease, or very high risk factors for the disease, so these trials are not really testing preventive effects, but are essentially testing treatment effects. When it comes to dietary patterns and nutrient intake, large observational studies should be strongly considered in identifying those factors that make people healthy. For example, everything we know about the benefits of diets high in fruits and vegetables is based on observing what people ordinarily eat and analyzing the health benefits of certain patterns of intake — it is not based on clinical trials showing those benefits. The same may apply to long term supplement use. If an observational study in tens of thousands of nurses shows that women who take vitamin E for at least 2 years have a 40% lower risk of heart disease, that is good information, even if it does not come from a controlled clinical trial. When it comes to diet and nutrition, the best advice is : Do what healthy people do and look at outcome based studies and Quality of Life Studies. Drug studies do not take into consideration the protection QOL of life that many supplements give people, they simply look at disease or no disease and the fact of the matter is that health does not work that simply.

I encourage you to spend some time doing your own research, whether it be online, talking to your practitioner, talking to family and friends, or through other resources. Above all else, making informed decisions is the best thing you can do for your and your loved ones’ health. Additionally, if you’d like to talk to one of our consultants about the benefits of any of the supplements AMARC provides, and how they can work synergystically to improve your health and well-being along with god lifestyle choices, please give us a call at 866-765-9682.

Daily assault is part of your liver’s job description. After all, it’s your personal purification system—responsible for removing harmful compounds from your blood, and for metabolizing critical hormones and drugs. But for all the abuse it’s built to take, it’s not invincible… and it’s not nearly as difficult as you might think to push this vital organ over the edge.

Toxic overload, an autoimmune misfire, or a common viral infection could be the cause of a variety of liver problems. Acute hepatitis can be caused by everything from a viral infection to certain types of drugs, alcohol or autoimmune conditions such as lupus. Viral infection of the liver is called infectious or viral hepatitis—that is, inflammation of the liver—and it’s serious business.

The good news? Acute hepatitis—unlike its more destructive chronic counterpart—usually resolves itself in a matter of months. The bad news is that there’s no treatment available in most of these cases… and while only a small number of acute infections will actually result in death, the risk is still very much there.

Of course, even without that risk, acute hepatitis is a hard pill to swallow. When you’re faced with symptoms like persistent fatigue, nausea, and headache—not to mention a few extras, including jaundice and anorexia—simply “waiting it out” is no walk in the park.

Luckily, a recently published clinical trial offers some compelling modern-day support for the historical use of milk thistle—and more specifically, its main constituent silymarin. The study enrolled 105 subjects, each with symptoms of acute hepatitis—including levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) that were more than double the normal upper limits.

Participants were treated with either 140 mg of silymarin or placebo three times per day, for a period of four weeks—followed by an additional four-week follow up. Liver tests were run at regular intervals throughout the eight-week trial… with some very promising results.

Researchers found that subjects taking silymarin experienced a significantly quicker recovery from acute hepatitis symptoms—including jaundice, dark urine, and yellowing eyes—when compared to the placebo group. Liver function tests also revealed a decrease in this group’s levels of indirect bilirubin—a hemoglobin byproduct that’s excreted in bile, and which naturally rises in cases of hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other forms of liver disease. Even better, no adverse events were reported. (1)

You can find silymarin as a stand-alone supplement or as part of a comprehensive liver support formula. AMARC offers a superb liver support product which contains silymarin - read more here!

Reference:

1. El-Kamary SS, Shardell MD, Abdel-Hamid M, Ismail S, El-Ateek M, Metwally M, Mikhail N, Hashem M, Mousa A, Aboul-Fotouh A, El-Kassas M, Esmat G, Strickland GT. A randomized controlled trial to assess the safety and efficacy of silymarin on symptoms, signs and biomarkers of acute hepatitis. Phytomedicine. 2009 May;16(5):391-400.

Original source: Health News, VRP Staff

Prescription drugs often become a necessary component of patients’ health. And that presents a new need — the need for physicians and pharmacists to discuss the possible ramifications of taking a prescription, including nutrient depletion in the body.

Most people are well-versed in the importance of vitamins, minerals, and herbs to their health. Stress, environmental pollutants, and poor diet all contribute to the depletion of nutrient levels in the body. Unfortunately, most people are not aware of how prescription drugs create drug-induced nutrient depletion. This is an important issue that becomes even more important when a patient must take a prescription for a chronic condition.

As America ages, it’s inevitable that more of the population will need prescription drugs for chronic conditions. There’s already an influx of prescriptions for Americans’ high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease, and other health concerns. This is a prime opportunity to educate your patients about the need for nutritional therapy as an adjunct to taking prescription medications. Not only does this benefit the patient, but also enables you to integrate natural medicines into your clinic or pharmacy.

Consider that anti-hypertensive medications for blood pressure, drugs that comprise the sixth largest dollar-volume category of prescription drugs in the U.S. in 1998, will deplete zinc in the body. This mineral is crucial to the immune system and its many functions including wound healing and infection fighting. A zinc deficiency can also cause insulin resistance and sexual dysfunction.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs such as LipitorR and ZocorR comprise the third largest category of prescription drugs in the United States in 1998 and can easily deplete Coenzyme Q10(CoQ10). On the flip side, magnesium may inhibit the absorption of these drugs. And even commonplace NSAIDs deplete nutrients like folic acid And it’s this deficiency that poses greater risk for women because of the link to cervical dysplasia and birth defects in their children. Other problems associated with a lack of adequate folic acid include anemia, depression, elevated homocysteine levels (and corresponding risk of cardiovascular disease), and increased risks for developing breast and colorectal cancers.

Natural Medicine Online offers a chart of the most commonly prescribed drugs and their corresponding effects on body nutrient levels. Please use this chart to educate yourself about the added importance of nutritional supplements and natural medicines when taking prescription medications.

Top Prescription Drugs

NorvascR, ProcardiaR, and AdalatR
Description: Types of anti-anginal drugs used for heart disease. 
Depletion: Procardia and Adalat can cause potassium depletion (hypokalemia)
Interactions: Ingestion of grapefruit or grapefruit juice has been shown to increase the blood levels of these drugs and may increase side effects.
Nutritional Support: Krebs Magnesium- Potassium Chelates.
 
NSAIDS including AleveR, aspirin, ibuprofen, FeldeneR, IndocinR, RelafenR, NaprelanR, Naprosyn, etc.
Description: Types of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Depletion: Iron, folic acid, zinc, vitamin C, and possibly vitamin B12.
Interactions: High dosages of vitamin E (i.e.,>400 IU/day) can decrease platelet aggregation. This may result in additive blood thinning effects already present in NSAIDs.
Nutritional Support: Glucosamine Sulfate, a high potency daily multiple vitamin for women or men, and MSM.

PremarinR, PremproR, and other estrogen hormones
Description: Types of estrogen replacement (HRT) used for menopause. 
Depletion: Vitamin B6, folic acid, niacin, and vitamin C. 
Interactions: Red clover extracts and soy isoflavones may interfere with absorption.Vitamin D, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and ipriflavone may increase absorption.
Nutritional Support: A high potency daily mutiple vitamin for women or women 45+ and standardized black cohosh. Standardized black cohosh is effective for relief of menopause symptoms.

PrilosecR and other proton pump inhibitors
Description: Types of ulcer/gastric reflux medications (GERD)
Depletion: Vitamin B12.
Interactions: May decrease the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals by blocking the release of stomach acid.
Nutritional Support: Vitamin B12(Methylcobalamin) and a high potency daily multiple vitamin for women or men. Gastro-ReliefT helps relieve acid indigestion.

ProzacR, ZoloftR, and other SSRIs
Description: Types of anti-depressants. 
Depletion: Melatonin.
Interactions: Low levels of B vitamins may reduce the effectiveness of these drugs.
Nutritional Support: St. John’s Wort and 5-HTP should not be taken with any SSRI unless under a physician’s supervision. Melatonin and a complete daily multiple vitamin for women or men.

SynthroidR and other thyroid hormone medications (EltroxinR, Levo-TR, LevothroidR, LevoxylR, EuthroidR, ThyrolarR, etc.)
Description: Types of thyroid hormone replacement.
Depletion: Calcium. 
Interactions: Iron supplements and soy products taken at the same time as SynthroidR may interfere with absorption.
Nutritional Support: Milk thistle extract standardized to contain 70% silymarin. Thyroid preparations are best taken on an empty stomach at the same time every day.

VasotecR, CapotenR, (Captopril), PrinivilR, ZestrilR
Description: Types of (anti-hypertensives) medications for blood pressure.
Depletion: Zinc.
Interactions: These drugs may increase blood levels of potassium above normal or reduce potassium excretion in urine.
Nutritional Support: A high potency daily multiple vitamin for women or men.

Albuterol (ProventilR, VentolinR)
Description: Types of bronchodilator (asthma).
Depletion: Magnesium and calcium.
Nutritional Support: A high potency daily multiple vitamin for men or women and Krebs Magnesium-Potassium Chelates. BronchorilT can help keep airways free of mucus.

Amoxicillin preparations including AugmentinR, AmoxilR, PolymoxR, TrimoxR, and others
Description: Types of antibiotics.
Depletion: Biotin, vitamin K, and possibly other B vitamins.
Interaction: The enzyme bromelain increases the absorption of amoxicillin and other antibiotics.
Nutritional Support: Acidophilus and bromelain. Lactobacillus acidophilus preparations can be taken with antibiotics. 

ClaritinR, ClaritinR-D
Description: Types of allergy medications.
Depletion: None known
Interactions: None known
Nutritional Support: A high potency daily multiple vitamin for women or men.

CoumadinR (warfarin)
Description: Types of anticoagulant therapy used for heart disease (blood thinner).
Depletion: None known.
Interactions: Vitamin K may decrease the effect of CoumadinR.
Nutritional Support: Ginkgo biloba extract, vitamin E, and aspirin may increase the effect of Coumadin. A high potency, standardized grape seed extract helps to maintain healthy blood vessels. Iron, magnesium, and zinc may bind with CoumadinR and decrease its absorption. Take any supplement containing these compounds at least two hours before or after taking CoumadinR. 

Diuretics including LasixR, AldactoneR, EsidrixR, HydrodiurilR, EdecrinR
Description: Types of blood pressure medications also used for fluid retention.
Depletion: Potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins (especially thiamin). 
Interactions: Diuretics cause the body to excrete higher levels of potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins. However, calcium levels tend to be preserved.
Nutritional Support: A high potency daily multiple vitamins for women or men. Potassium supplementation is routinely provided by medical doctors when they prescribe diuretics

GlucophageR, also DiaBetaR, MicronaseR, GlucotrolR
Description: Types of oral anti-diabetic agents.
Depletion: Folic acid and vitamin B12. 
Interactions: These drugs should be taken on an empty stomach.
Nutritional Support: Magnesium, chromium, and a high potency daily multiple for diabetics. Diabetics have higher needs for virtually all nutrients, especially vitamins C, E, and B, magnesium, and chromium. 

LanoxinR (digoxin) 
Description: Type of inotropic heart medication.
Depletion: Magnesium, potassium, and thiamine.
Interactions: Low levels of potassium increase the risk of digoxin toxicity. Siberian ginseng should not be used with Lanoxin.
Nutritional Support: Krebs Magnesium-Potassium Chelates, and high potency daily multiple vitamin for women or men. Avoid licorice extract unless it is deglycyrrhizinated.

LipitorR, MevacorR, ZocorR, PravacholR, and other HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitors.
Description: Types of anti-cholesterol medications.
Depletion: Coenzyme Q10.
Interactions: Magnesium may inhibit the absorption of these drugs. High doses of niacin will increase risk for adverse liver effects and myopathies.
Nutritional Support: Coenzyme Q10 (softgel). Do not use concomitantly with red yeast rice products unless under the supervision of a physician.

Editor’s Note: Medical science has known for decades that even the most wonderful drugs of our time have a certain time and place for use. LONG TERM USE OF ANY DRUG HARMS THE BODY IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM. That is not to discount that some medications are keeping people healthy, rater that there is damaging being done elsewhere. The recent explosion of the pharmaceutical companies wanting people to stay on medication for the long term is primarily financially-driven. Our medical system is designed not around developing good health through good habits but what magic pill can we take to fix our problem. We all know what type of situations this short-term thinking can mean for our long-term health. It only hurts our health! The good news is that more research and more people are changing their lives through proper nutrition, exercise and supplementation. The top 4 supplements that are showing a great synergistic effect are CoQ10, Vitamin D, Fish Oils, and POLY-MVA.  The most exciting of these supplements is POLY-MVA. It’s a revolutionary, complexed supplement which can protect our cells and provide cellular energy support at the same time. The combination of these supplements not only protects and supports our cells but work across the basic fundamentals of good health and for many different situations - diabetic patients, stroke, cardiac situations and cancer cases, to name a few. By specifically targeting metabolic therapy, protection and support you really give your body the best chance of being healthy.

by Christopher Wanjek (LiveScience’s Bad Medicine Columnist)

Scientists are now reporting a breakthrough therapy to lower the risk of developing the most common and deadly chronic diseases - diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer - by about 80 percent.

In some ways, this might sound like old news. The therapy is called taking care of yourself: not smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.

True, you’d have to be smoking something hallucinogenic to not understand that cigarettes are unhealthy. Take away cigarettes, and you take away lung cancer and a good deal of heart disease. Similarly, the mantra of eating right and exercising has been drilled into us. Pork rinds and videogame expertise does not a healthy body make.

What’s new, though, is evidence of the cumulative protective effect provided by all four healthy factors. The research, published in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, involves over 23,000 Germans and is part of a larger, ongoing European study on lifestyle choices and disease.

Action cheaper than reaction

Americans, an ever ingenious and resourceful lot, are now debating how to have a world-class healthcare system without paying for it through higher taxes or taking steps to improve their health. Maybe we’ll succeed; we’ve defied gravity before. But this radical idea of taking care of yourself could help.

Chronic diseases are expensive because, as the name implies, they stay around usually for the rest of your life. This adds up in terms of drug costs, surgery, hospital stays, missed work and lower productivity.

Obesity is costing the American healthcare system more than $100 million annually. And while there’s some overlap, diabetes costs nearly $150 billion, cancer care costs more than $200 billion, and heart disease costs more than $300 billion annually, according to studies by the National Institutes of Health.

The way it was

Cancer is difficult to cure simply with lifestyle changes. Lung cancer would go away, but the four aforementioned health factors contributed to “only” a 36-percent reduced risk of all cancers on average.

Diabetes, on the other hand, doesn’t need to exist. And it hardly did exist until the 20th century. The researchers found that four health factors contributed to a 93-percent reduced risk in developing diabetes among the people in the study.

Heart disease, too, is largely preventable. Here the risk of a heart attack was lowered by 81 percent. In fact an unrelated study, also published this week, in PLoS ONE, suggests that heart attacks and strokes may have been rare for the vast majority of human history.

For this PLoS One study, team led by Michael Gurven of University of California, Santa Barbara, studied a remote Amazonian tribe in Bolivia known as the Tsimane. They found that peripheral arterial disease does not increase with age in this population despite risk factors found in industrialize countries, such as chronic inflammation and tobacco use. The implication is that these risk factors become deadly only in the context of an unhealthy diet and an inactive lifestyle.

Of course, life isn’t a paradise in the Amazon. Life expectancy is around 50 years, and half the Tsimane die from infectious or parasitic disease. Other leading causes of death are accidents and violence. Yet they remain mostly remarkably fit throughout life. This is the natural state for humans.

Genetic connection

Genetics do play some role in chronic disease.

For example, some people pack on extra pounds easily. Yet as the German study and other large studies are revealing, the obesity epidemic is mostly driven by lifestyle choices. The genetic predisposition, if any, is not the ease in gaining weight but the difficulty in losing it.

And so…

More certain is American’s genetic predisposition to rely on liposuction, stomach stapling, angioplasty, bypass surgery, dialysis and lots and lots of prescription drugs to fight disease. But the key to affordable healthcare, according to these two studies, is to pay for disease prevention, not treatment - and, perhaps, to avoid poisonous blow darts.
Christopher Wanjek is the author of the books “Bad Medicine” and “Food At Work.” His column, Bad Medicine, appears each Tuesday on LiveScience.

Poor eating habits precipitate more than just an enlarging waistline. They affect every aspect of your health, and although you may not notice it right away, your hormone levels suffer dramatically from sugary, fatty, and nutritionally-deficient foods. Many of your beneficial hormones will nose-dive, while the other more dangerous hormones - like insulin - skyrocket.

Insulin Resistance Syndrome

Our bodies do need sugar (glucose) as a fuel for our cells to perform their daily cellular functions. When we eat sugar or foods that are broken down into glucose such as high-glycemic carbohydrates, our body’s digestive process puts that glucose into the blood stream for the cells to collect and utilize. The cells rely on the pancreas to monitor the blood levels and to alert them when glucose is abundant. The pancreas does this by secreting insulin which circulates through our bodies delivering the message to the cells of glucose’s presence.

In perfect balance, when we eat carbohydrates and produce glucose, the cells use it up as energy and there is little left over.

When our cells ignore insulin and become resistant

Over the course of years as we get older, become more sedentary, and our diets become “sugar loaded,” we process more glucose than our cells can use and the excess floats around in our blood, or is turned into fat in the cells.

Insulin Resistance also increases the symptoms and/or risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, contributing to:

1. Accumulation of body fat
2. Obesity
3. Elevated triglycerides
4. High blood pressure.
5. Acceleration of the aging process.

Diet

It is commonly accepted that eating large amounts of simple carbohydrates (pastas, breads, and sugar filled foods) could lead to Insulin Resistance, elevated cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, and obesity. For this reason, as part of our program, we recommend that our patients change to a low-glycemic index diet.

The Glycemic Index is the rate that carbohydrates break down into sugar in the blood. The best source of low-glycemic carbohydrates are vegetables. Vegetables are slow burning carbohydrates and help keep insulin levels steady.

A diet rich in vegetables, proteins, good fats in the form of omega-3, and water is optimal for a long health span.

It is important to point out that a single diet will not work for everyone. To optimize your nutritional needs you should visit with an experienced health care professional well versed in the issues of metabolic syndrome and nutrition.

Editor’s Note: Targeting cellular health and energy support is key to helping your body regulate its hormones and get the most benefit from a healthy diet. A key supplement in metabolic support, cellular energy production and protection is POLY-MVA. Its unique complex of alpha lipoic acid, B-1 and the mineral palladium make it ideal for these types of situtiaons. Only ¼-1/2 tsp per day and you have the added benefit of a superior antioxidant while at the same time supporting energy production for you cells. Read more…

by Sarah Baldauf

Added sugars, which are sprinkled on and processed into packaged foods and beverages, have become all too common in the American diet, says the American Heart Association. The group argues that sugar bingeing is helping drive the uptick in metabolic changes in the American population, including the exploding obesity rate, and has now recommended an upper limit on daily consumption. (Sugar intake and cancer: What’s the link?) Women should consume no more than 100 calories per day of added sugars, and men should not top 150 calories per day. There goes the soda habit: One 12-ounce can contains about 8 teaspoons or about 33 grams of added sugar, which equals approximately 130 calories, notes the AHA. One gram of sugar serves up 4 calories, according to the American Dietetic Association.

With math like that, it’s not surprising that the average American rings up an average of 22.2 teaspoons, or 355 calories per day, of added sugars, mostly from sugar-sweetened beverages. But those who shun sweet-tasting drinks are not off the hook. Part of the challenge of avoiding added sugars, argues the AHA, is that they have become far more prevalent over time; the amount of added sugars in Americans’ food options increased 19 percent between 1970 and 2005.

Here are 11 sneaky dietary sources that are surprisingly high in added sugars based on serving sizes from non-brand name nutrition labels at www.nutritiondata.com. The per-serving figures allow you to calculate your own added sugar intake, both in grams and calories, if you use more or less.

1. Fortune cookies. Just one fortune cookie packs about 3.6 grams of added sugar.

2. Flavored booze. Exercise good judgment when you drink: One ounce of crème de menthe has 14 grams of added sugar; 53-proof coffee-flavored liqueur has 16 grams of added sugar per ounce.

3. Baked beans. A one-cup serving of canned baked beans with no salt added will cost you nearly 15 grams of added sugar.

4. Dried, sweetened cranberries. Without the sweetener, this fruit can be incredibly tart. But one serving-a third of a cup-of this treat will hit you with 25 grams of added sugar.

5. Ketchup. A favorite condiment, a single one-cup serving of regular-or low sodium-ketchup racks up nearly 40 grams of added sugar.

6. Cream substitutes. A one-cup serving of a liquid “light” cream substitute packs 22 grams of added sugar, while a one-cup serving of a powdered “light” cream substitute adds a whopping 69 grams.

7. BBQ sauce. A one-cup serving of this summertime favorite adds 9 grams of added sugar onto those ribs and chicken.

8. “Reduced” salad dressings. A one-cup serving of reduced-calorie French dressing heaps 58 grams of added sugar, and a one-cup serving of reduced-fat coleslaw dressing hits a home run with 103 grams of added sugar.

9. Lemonade. A cup of lemonade powder has a massive 200 grams of added sugar. A single serving of the drink has almost 17 grams of added sugar.

10. Flavored popcorn. Think the added sweetener can’t be that bad here? Fat-free-syrup caramel popcorn has 18 grams of added sugar per ounce serving.

11. Granola bars. Often deemed a healthful snack, some are tricky-a 1-ounce serving of a granola bar with oats, fruit, and nuts has 11 grams of added sugar.

Source: http://health.yahoo.com/featured/35/foods-surprisingly-high-in-added-sugar/

It’s hard to believe that a single substance could be responsible for diminishing the pain and deterioration of osteoarthritis… for giving your skin its smooth, elastic, youthful appearance…for being able to keep your eyes lubricated and protect them from damaging UV rays… and for supporting the health of the gums.

But it’s true: One critical compound forms the backbone of all of these age-defying marvels. (1) Even better, this very substance occurs naturally as part of your own body’s most delicate and important cellular structures—at least, for a while.

This substance is hyaluronic acid (HA)—and as a critical building-block of your body’s tissues and fluids, there’s no question that even modest shortages can add up to some serious problems for your daily health. The trouble is, your body’s levels of this health-sustaining molecule start to drop—and quickly—with advancing age. And the result is sagging skin, degenerating eyesight, expensive dental visits… and most notably, painful, aching, arthritic joints.

Just because these changes are normal consequences of aging, that doesn’t mean you have to accept them. In fact, there’s absolutely no reason to—especially when HA supplementation has been proven in numerous clinical trials to be beneficial in reversing these distressing complications and more.

Recent studies show that men and women over 40 with osteoarthritis in their knees reported a greater decrease in total symptoms and pain relief when supplementing with HA as opposed to placebo—while needing only half the anti-inflammatory pain medication—over a period of just eight weeks. (2) Similar results have been seen in older patients whose daily activities are limited by arthritis-related pain—with further clinical research demonstrating HA’s ability to reduce pain and inflammation, enhance DNA repair, and combat free radicals while protecting cartilage and increasing patient mobility. (3-6)

These same abilities make HA a critical natural skin-saver—with applications that range from collagen regeneration to reducing most of the complications of disorders like oral lichen planus (OLP), a common inflammatory disease of the skin and mouth. (7-12)  And your vision can benefit, too—from the added protection HA offers against sun, eye strain, and dryness of the eyes. (13-16)

Take HA’s natural antibacterial and tissue-healing properties into account—both of which support its role against gingivitis, periodontitis, canker sores, and other diseases of the mouth—and it’s hard to deny the usefulness of a quality HA supplement when it comes to averting the most common, painful annoyances of aging. (17-22)

References:
1. Volpi N, Schiller J, Stern R, Soltés L. Role, metabolism, chemical modifications and applications of hyaluronan. Curr Med Chem. 2009;16(14):1718-1745.
2. Kalman DS, Heimer M, Valdeon A, Schwartz H, Sheldon E. Effect of a natural extract of chicken combs with a high content of hyaluronic acid (Hyal-Joint) on pain relief and quality of life in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: a pilot randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Nutr J. 2008 Jan 21;7:3.
3. Strauss EJ, Hart JA, Miller MD, Altman RD, Rosen JE. Hyaluronic Acid Viscosupplementation and Osteoarthritis: Current Uses and Future Directions. Am J Sports Med. 2009 Feb 3.
4. Akmal M, Singh A, Anand A, et al. The effects of hyaluronic acid on articular chondrocytes. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2005;87:1143-1149.
5. Grishko V, Xu M, Ho R, et al. Effects of hyaluronic acid on mitochondrial function and mitochondria-driven apoptosis following oxidative stress in human chondrocytes. J Biol Chem. 2009 Apr 3;284(14):9132-9139.
6. H, Nakamura H, Katayama K, et al. Effects of an oral administration of glucosamine-chondroitin-quercetin glucoside on the synovial fluid properties in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2009 Feb;73(2):288-292.
7. Greco RM, Iocono JA, Ehrlich HP. Hyaluronic acid stimulates human fibroblast proliferation within a collagen matrix. J Cell Physiol. 1998 Dec;177(3):465-473.
8. Karna E, Miltyk W, Pałka JA, Jarzabek K, Wołczyński S. Hyaluronic acid counteracts interleukin-1-induced inhibition of collagen biosynthesis in cultured human chondrocytes. Pharmacol Res. 2006 Oct;54(4):275-281.
9. Nawrat P, Surazyński A, Karna E, Pałka JA. The effect of hyaluronic acid on interleukin-1-induced deregulation of collagen metabolism in cultured human skin fibroblasts. Pharmacol Res. 2005 May;51(5):473-477.
10. Pageon H, Bakala H, Monnier VM, Asselineau D. Collagen glycation triggers the formation of aged skin in vitro. Eur J Dermatol. 2007 Jan-Feb;17(1):12-20.
11. Tanaka M, Masuko-Hongo K, Kato T, Nishioka K, Nakamura H. Suppressive effects of hyaluronan on MMP-1 and RANTES production from chondrocytes. Rheumatol Int. 2006 Jan;26(3):185-190.
12 Nolan A, Badminton J, Maguire J, Seymour RA. The efficacy of topical hyaluronic acid in the management of oral lichen planus. J Oral Pathol Med. 2009 Mar;38(3):299-303.
13. Pauloin T, Dutot M, Joly F, Warnet JM, Rat P. High molecular weight hyaluronan decreases UVB-induced apoptosis and inflammation in human epithelial corneal cells. Mol Vis. 2009;15:577-583.
14. Johnson ME, Murphy PJ, Boulton M. Effectiveness of sodium hyaluronate eyedrops in the treatment of dry eye. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2006 Jan;244(1):109-112.
15. Brignole F, Pisella PJ, Dupas B, Baeyens V, Baudouin C. Efficacy and safety of 0.18% sodium hyaluronate in patients with moderate dry eye syndrome and superficial keratitis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2005 Jun;243(6):531-538.
16. Acosta MC, Gallar J, Belmonte C. The influence of eye solutions on blinking and ocular comfort at rest and during work at video display terminals. Exp Eye Res. 1999 Jun;68(6):663-669.
17. Sukumar S, Drízhal I. Hyaluronic acid and periodontitis. Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove). 2007;50(4):225-228.
18. Pistorius A, Martin M, Willershausen B, Rockmann P. The clinical application of hyaluronic acid in gingivitis therapy. Quintessence Int. 2005 Jul-Aug;36(7-8):531-538.
19. Lee JH, Jung JY, Bang D. The efficacy of topical 0.2% hyaluronic acid gel on recurrent oral ulcers: comparison between recurrent aphthous ulcers and the oral ulcers of Behçet’s disease. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2008 May;22(5):590-595.
20. Mendes RM, Silva GA, Lima MF, et al. Sodium hyaluronate accelerates the healing process in tooth sockets of rats. Arch Oral Biol. 2008 Dec;53(12):1155-1162.
21. Higuchi Y, Ansai T, Awano S, et al. Salivary levels of hyaluronic acid in female patients with dry mouth compared with age-matched controls: a pilot study. Biomed Res. 2009 Feb;30(1):63-68.
22. Yuan J, Tohara H, Mikushi S, Hoshino T, Yue B, Uematsu H. The effect of “Oral Wet” for elderly people with xerostomia—the effect of oral rinse containing hialuronan. Kokubyo Gakkai Zasshi. 2005 Mar;72(1):106-110.

Article courtesy of Vitamin Research Products Health News.

The proposed budget of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is worrying many people. They are concerned that FDA’s annual increases in industry user fees—$828 million from manufacturers of medical and food products, including hundreds of millions drug manufacturers pay annually to help speed the review of new medicines—might compromise the agency’s independence.

For fiscal year 2010, FDA is requesting a budget of $3.2 billion. The acting head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Joshua Sharfstein, defended the agency’s request for more funding from drug companies: “I understand the concern that people . . . have expressed that user fees create a perception or a conflict of the agency’s work. I think these concerns reflect a broader lack of trust in the FDA.”

To alleviate unease, he said, the new FDA head, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, must “renew the public’s confidence by acting with integrity and transparency” and send “the signal inside and outside the agency that we will make decisions based on the best available scientific evidence and not on influence that’s inappropriate.”

The budget plan also seeks new fees to help clear a backlog of generic drug applications, and to reinspect food and medical product plants that fail to meet FDA standards.

US Rep. Maurice Hinchey said the growing percentage of fees from drugmakers “is something of great concern for a number of people on our committee.” We agree. We believe it is time to reform the Food and Drug Administration from the ground up. If you have not done so already, please go to ReformFDA.org and sign this petition, which will be delivered to Congress.

By Susan Adams

Eaten many coconuts lately? How about cherries or blueberries or grass-fed beef?

You should, because these are all foods with powerful health properties. However, few people pack their grocery carts full of these items.

Take kiwifruit. It’s chock full of vitamin C–a whopping 115% of what you need to eat in a day. It’s also low in calories–just 45 per fruit, sans skin.

“In America, most people don’t eat three servings of fruit and vegetables a day,” says nutritionist Jonny Bowden, author of seven books including, most recently, The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy. According to him, there are 10 very healthy foods we don’t eat enough of.

IGNORE THE FOOD PYRAMID (or at least branch beyond it)

Bowden says many Americans are misled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food pyramid, which is a graphic, pyramid-shaped depiction of nutrition guidelines, updated every five years, that tells Americans what to eat according to food groups. Bowden dismisses it as the product of interest group politics.

“It demonizes fat,” notes Bowden. “Fat is an essential building block for many important compounds in the body.” This is why Bowden puts grass-fed beef, wild salmon and, yes, coconuts, on his top 10 list.

Salmon, in particular, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with heart and brain health as well as bringing down blood pressure and triglycerides, a risk factor for heart disease. Omega-3s have also been found to improve mood and reduce inflammation, says Bowden.

Another food packed with nutritional value that’s present–but not necessarily front and center in every grocery store–is kale. A member of the cabbage family, which Bowden dubs “vegetable royalty,” kale contains indoles, a compound found to fight cancer. Kale is also rich in antioxidants, which also help prevent cancer, says Bowden.

If that’s not enough for you, kale is also full of sulforaphane, yet another cancer-prevention agent. Kale has calcium, iron and vitamins A, C and K, and two nutrients that are great for the eyes, including zeaxanthin. Kale’s pièce de résistance: Two cups packs three grams of fiber. Try sautéing it with garlic and butter, recommends Bowden. Or eat it like salad, with pine nuts, cranberries and olive oil.

Then there are coconuts, a terribly misunderstood food, according to Bowden. The fat in coconuts is a particular kind that’s good for you. It’s called MCT, or Medium-Chain Triglycerides. The body doesn’t store MCT as fat, says Bowden, but rather uses it as energy, like a carbohydrate. Coconuts are also high in lauric acid, a fatty acid that tends to kill pathogens. In addition, coconut oil is great for cooking since it has a very high smoke point.

EAT MEDITERRANEAN

For Bowden, sticking to a Mediterranean-style diet is the healthiest way to eat. That means plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and lots of olive and nut oils. The Mediterranean diet has indeed been proved by study after study to have multiple healthful properties.

If all that sounds just too healthy, consider the 10th food on Bowden’s list: dark chocolate. Rich with a phytochemical called flavanol, found by a 2005 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology to improve cardiovascular health, chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content should be a regular on your shopping list.

Chocolate and coconut anyone? OK, but not until you’ve finished your kale.