Here are a couple interesting stories about tracing the history of the swine flu epidemic. This 5-year-old boy from La Gloria, Mexico seems to be the first human to contract the virus.
Washington Post
Wall Street Journal
Resveratrol: Anti-Aging Wonder?
Many people are very reluctant to give up their youth. After all, young people look good, feel good, and have plenty of energy. That’s why people are always looking for the fabled “Fountain of Youth.”
Resveratrol may not bring you eternal youth, but recent research suggests that it could significantly increase your life span.
What is Resveratrol?
Resveratrol is an organic compound found in grapes, red wine, purple grape juice, peanuts, and some berries.
The “French Paradox”
The “French Paradox” – the observation that mortality from coronary heart disease is relatively low in France despite relatively high levels of dietary saturated fat and cigarette smoking – led to the idea that regular consumption of red wine might provide additional protection from cardiovascular disease. Red wine contains resveratrol and even higher levels of flavonoids. These polyphenolic compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other potentially anti-atherogenic effects.
Recent Research on Resveratrol
In an Italian scientific study, resveratrol was used to test its anti-aging qualities on a variety of tropical fish. Results were witnessed where the fishes lifespan was increased up to an amazing 50%.
In another resveratrol experiment, the fish which was given resveratrol supplements as their food not only lived longer compared to the control group, but they also were more active and exhibited improved brain function.
And finally, in a groundbreaking Harvard study, Dr. David Sinclair discovered that resveratrol can increase cell life by a whopping 70%!!
Discover this revolutionary breakthough in cellular anti-aging here, or learn more by watching this informative video.
Probiotics: Host a Healthy Party In Your Body!
If you go to the supermarket, or look at a health magazine or commercial Web site, chances are you will find products with “probiotics“–certain types of bacteria that are also called “friendly bacteria” or “good bacteria.” Probiotics are available as conventional foods and dietary supplements (for example, capsules, tablets, and powders), and in some other forms as well. While some probiotic foods date back to ancient times (fermented foods and cultured milk products), recently interest in probiotics in general has been growing. Americans’ spending on probiotic supplements, for example, nearly tripled from 1994 to 2003.
What are probiotics?
Probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut.
There are several reasons that people are interested in probiotics for health purposes. First, the world is full of microorganisms (including bacteria), and so are people’s bodies—in and on the skin, in the gut, and in other orifices. Friendly bacteria are vital to proper development of the immune system, to protection against microorganisms that could cause disease, and to the digestion and absorption of food and nutrients. Each person’s mix of bacteria varies. Interactions between a person and the microorganisms in his body, and among the microorganisms themselves, can be crucial to the person’s health and well-being.
Probiotics are thought to have many positive effects on the human body, such as:
- Managing lactose intolerance
- Preventing colon cancer
- Lowering cholesterol
- Lowering blood pressure
- Improving immune functions and preventing infections
- Reducing inflammation
- Improving mineral absorption
Probiotic bacterial cultures are intended to assist the body’s naturally occurring gut flora, an ecology of microbes, to re-establish themselves. Maintenance of a healthy gut flora is, however, dependent on many factors, especially the quality of food intake.
Click here to buy a probiotic which guarantees delivery of at least half a billion live, beneficial bacteria directly to the small intestines.
Micronutrients: Essential Nutrition For a Healthy Body and Mind
Micronutrients are essential elements needed by our bodies in very small quantities. Microminerals or trace elements include at least iron, cobalt, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, zinc, and molybdenum among others.
They are dietary minerals needed by the human body in very small quantities (generally less than 100mg/day) as opposed to macrominerals which are required in larger quantities. Without these important nutrients, our body is malnourished and does not operate at its highest capacity.
These substances are the “magic wands” that enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper growth and development. As tiny as the amounts are, however, the consequences of their absence are severe. Iodine, vitamin A and iron are most important in global public health terms; their lack represents a major threat to the health and development of populations the world over, particularly children and pregnant women in low-income countries.
(Source: World Health Organization)
A report by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank stated that eliminating micronutrient deficiencies could:
- Improve GDP by more than 5 %;
- Enhance the intellectual capacity of populations by more than 10 %;
- Enhance worker productivity by 30 to 70 %;
- Reduce maternal deaths by up to 50%.
- Food biofortification using plant breeding (genetic biofortification) and/or micronutrient fertilizers (agronomic biofortification) can contribute to this goal.
A complete list of micronutrients, including sources and their role in the body can be found at http://www.orthomolecular.org/nutrients/micronutrients.shtml.
A great way to ensure you are getting your essential micronutrients is to take a daily multivitamin. Click here to compare your multivitamin to others on the market to make sure you’re getting your proper nutrition.
How To Control Heart Health
There are conflicting theories about the causes of heart disease with no clear answers to protect the heart completely. The most recognized causes are linked to cholesterol in the diet, lack of exercise and smoking. While each of these causes of heart problems are documented and preached by the medical community, conflicting views claim that research does not correspond to history. They point to the fact that the number of heart attacks was lower when smoking was more popular and eating foods high in fat content was in vogue.
Numerous studies, however, link these causes of heart attack to many deaths in the United States. Cholesterol is blamed for thickening the blood, causing the heart to work harder as well as causing blood clots. It is the blood clots that often block the arteries to the heart resulting in a heart attack. By reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood, it is one of the causes of heart disease that can be controlled by a change in lifestyle.
A lack of exercise is also pointed to as one of the causes of heart disease and logic bears this out. People who do not have some form of regular exercise often have weakened heart muscles. A sudden surge in activity level will cause the heart to work harder that it is used to an can cause weakened blood vessels to collapse.
Strengthening The Heart Also Opens Arteries.
Another benefit to exercise is that it prompts the heart to pump more blood, which includes an increase in oxygen levels. Exercise does not have to be on level with professional athletes training for a big event, but about 30 minutes a week can help eliminate one of the causes of heart disease with minimal effort.
Smoking is another of the causes of heart disease that can be eliminated by a lifestyle change. Smoke from cigarettes blocks the lungs ability to pass along oxygen to the blood, which carries it to the heart, the brain and to all of the other organs. By eliminating the toxins in cigarette smoke, the oxygen going to the blood is more pure and more healthy.
Another of the causes of heart disease is hereditary. With parents passing along congenital heart problems there may be generations that will suffer heart disease even when they do not participate in any lifestyle activities considered to be at risk for heart trouble.
Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with heart disease such as Vitamin B, Green Tea, and Oat Bran.
Vitamin B taken together as a team perform vital biological processes including aiding in the healing process for congestive heart failure and reduces fluid retention. It is required for the development of red blood cells.
Green Tea Contains antioxidants that may protect against heart disease, several types of cancer, and skin damage.
Oat bran muffins lower blood cholesterol among healthy college students by almost 10 percent.
Author Description:David Cowley has created numerous articles on heart disease. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to heart disease and how to treat them.
Here are some other effective vitamins and supplements you can use to improve your heart health:
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Omega 3 decreases the thickness of the carotid arteries and improves blood flow
- Magnesium - Inadequate magnesium intake frequently causes muscle spasms, and has been associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety disorders, migraines, osteoporosis and cerebral infarction. It is estimated that 80% of the population do not have enough magnesium in their diet (300 – 400mg/day).
- CoQ 10 – Coenzyme Q10 has the potential in hypertensive patients to lower systolic blood pressure. Also, there is some clinical evidence that supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 is beneficial treatment of patients with congestive heart failure.
- Fiber – Fiber has health benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels, reducing risk of coronary heart disease andcolon cancer, and losing weight.
- Garlic – Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease (including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure).
The Basics of Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is one of the B-Complex vitamins and is also known as Cobalamin. It is important for the normal functioning of the brain, nervous system and for the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 helps keep the red blood cells healthy which helps prevent heart disease and helps keep the immune system functioning at its maximum level. It is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the body, especially affecting the DNA synthesis and regulation.
Vitamin B-12 is also essential in fatty acid synthesis and energy production or the process that converts the carbohydrates, fats and proteins from food into energy. This vitamin is also important in maintaining the nervous system. All nerves are surrounded by a fatty protective covering made up of a complex protein called myelin.
If a deficiency occurs, DNA production is disrupted and abnormal cells are produced. This results in anaemia. Symptoms of anaemia include excessive tiredness, breathlessness, listlessness, pallor, and poor resistance to infection. Other symptoms might include a smooth, sore tongue and menstrual disorders. Prolonged deficiency can lead to nerve degeneration and irreversible neurological damage.
When a deficiency occurs, it’s most commonly linked to a failure to effectively absorb the vitamin from the intestine rather than a dietary deficiency. Vitamin B-12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases Vitamin B-12 from proteins in foods during digestion.
Absorption of Vitamin B-12 requires the secretion from the cells lining the stomach of a glycoprotein, known as intrinsic factor. The intrinsic factor complex is then absorbed in the small intestine in the presence of calcium. Certain people are unable to produce intrinsic factor and the subsequent anaemia is treated with injections of Vitamin B-12.
The old Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA’s) have been replaced by the term Reference Nutrient intake (RNI). The RNI is the amount of nutrient which is enough for at least 97% of the population.
Reference Nutrient Intakes for Vitamin B-12, micrograms/day by age.
- 0 to 6 months 0.3 micrograms
- 7 to 12 months 0.4 micrograms
- 1 to 3 yrs 0.5 micrograms
- 4 to 6 yrs 0.8 micrograms
- 7 to 10 yrs 1.0 micrograms
- 11 to 14 yrs 1.2 micrograms
- 15 + yrs 1.5 micrograms
- Breast feeding women 2.0 micrograms
The vitamin has very low toxicity and exceeding the RNI is not considered to be dangerous.
The only verified unfortified sources of Vitamin B-12 are meat, dairy products and eggs. There has been plenty of research into possible plant food sources like soya products, seaweeds and algae, but analysis found no significant Vitamin B-12.
Strict vegetarians or vegans are likely to require supplements if they do not eat any animal products. Some sources of Vitamin B-12 for vegetarians are dairy products, free-range eggs, milk, vegetarian cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs. Many vegan foods are actually supplemented with Vitamin B-12. These include yeast extracts, Vecon vegetable stock, veggieburger mixes, textured vegetable protein, soya milks, vegetable and sunflower margarines, and breakfast cereals.
Article source: ContentLog.com
Author Description
Denise Villani an author and the webmaster of several websites and article directories. Find more articles and information on vitamins by visiting BestVitaminStuff.info
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