What Nutrients Diet Coke With Vitamins Lacking

Federal health regulators have scolded Coca-Cola for placing inappropriate nutritional claims on its Diet Coke Plus soft drink.

The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning letter to the company, objecting to the product's labeling, which describes the drink as "Diet Coke with Vitamins and Minerals."

Regulators said the drink does not have enough nutrients to justify the use of the word "plus." According to the agency, foods labeled "plus" must have at least 10 percent more nutrients than comparable products.

The FDA also said it is inappropriate to add extra nutrients to "snack foods."

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

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Mystery of Healthy Fat People: Why Some Obese People Go on to Become Diabetic While Others Do Not

ScienceDaily (July 29, 2010) — It is common to find obese people -- even morbidly obese people -- who are healthier than their condition would normally allow.

Working with subjects with a body mass index of about 56, a team of researchers in Spain and Cambridge investigated the inflammatory and insulin signalling pathways in the patients' visceral adipose tissue and have published their findings in the Disease Knowledge Environment of the Biochemical Journal.

Barbarroja et al. found that the 'healthy' obese lacked an inflammatory response that was found in the unhealthy, insulin-resistant, obese.

The reason, they suggest is that there are pathways common to obesity yet unrelated to insulin resistance and pathways that lead to insulin resistance for a similar degree of obesity. It is the inflammation response that effects insulin resistance, through the expression of the cytokines interleukin 1β and interleukin 16.

Professor Peter Shepherd, Chair of the Editorial Board of the Biochemical Journal, said: "This is a very interesting finding and provides important clues as to why some obese people go on to become diabetic while others do not. It will be interesting to see if similar correlations exist with other diseases associated with obesity, such as cancer and heart disease."

Journal Reference:
1. Nuria Barbarroja, Rosario Lopez-Pedrera, Maria Dolores Mayas, Eduardo Garcia-Fuentes, Lourdes Garrido-Sanchez, M Macias-Gonzalez, Rajaa El Bekay, Antonio Vidal-Puig, Francisco Tinahones. The obese healthy paradox: is inflammation the answer? Biochemical Journal, 2010; DOI: 10.1042/BJ20100285

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Glucosamine May Be Ineffective for Back Pain

Glucosamine sulfate may not help alleviate chronic lower back pain, a new study suggests.

Glucosamine is a natural compound that is part of healthy cartilage. Glucosamine sulfate is one of the most commonly used supplements, and it has shown consistent benefit in relieving pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. It has been proposed that glucosamine sulfate may improve other types of osteoarthritis and that it may have anti-inflammatory properties, which could be useful in treating patients with inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers at Oslo University Hospital in Norway recruited 250 adults who had chronic lower back pain and degenerative osteoarthritis of the lower back. Half of the patients were randomly assigned to take 1500 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate, while the other half took a placebo for six months.

After the six-month treatment and again at a one-year follow up, the participants filled out questionnaires about their pain, pain-related disabilities and quality of life. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups.
Additional research is necessary to fully assess the effect of glucosamine in adults with chronic lower back pain before conclusions can be made.

Conventional treatment options for patients with lower back pain caused by osteoarthritis include physical therapy and exercise, surgery and medications. Commonly used medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin®) and celecoxib (Celebrex®), narcotic or opiate pain relievers such as hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Lortab®) and oxycodone extended release (OxyContin®), corticosteroids (such as prednisone) and muscle relaxants.

Some other integrative therapy options with strong supportive evidence for treating osteoarthritis include acupuncture, chondroitin sulfate and willow bark. Therapies with good evidence for back pain include cayenne, chiropractic therapy, devil's claw, hydrotherapy, physical therapy and willow bark.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20606148

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.blogspot.com/

Effects of Fenugreek Fiber on Postprandial Satiety, Blood Glucose, and Insulin

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seeds are used in traditional medicine to stimulate the appetite and treat digestive disorders. While traditional use of fenugreek has been as an appetite stimulant, it has also become a novel source of soluble dietary fiber which has indications for effects on satiety. Fenugreek seeds contain lipids, steroidal saponins, protein, and dietary fiber, primarily the water-soluble fiber galactomannan. Initial clinical and preclinical trials have demonstrated that fenugreek exerts hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic effects.1 The purpose of this clinical trial was "to examine the effects of an isolated fiber from fenugreek on postprandial satiety."

The researchers conclude that an 8 g dose of fenugreek fiber increases satiety and the postprandial insulin response. The mechanism of action for the observed increase in satiety may be related to delayed gastric emptying. The effect on postprandial insulin differs from other studies on fenugreek fiber and the authors recommend further research.


Mathern JR, Raatz SK, Thomas W, Slavin JL.
Phytother Res. Nov 2009;23(11):1543-1548.

Reference:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122240994/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

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SFDA warns against cure for diabetes

SFDA warns against cure for diabetes
By ARAB NEWS

Published: Jul 23, 2010 01:36

JEDDAH: The Saudi Food & Drugs Authority (SFDA) has warned against a website marketing a medicine that can allegedly cure diabetes.

A US-based company calling itself Natural Medicine International produces the drug, called “Stable Sugar”.

The website claims that diabetes patients will not need insulin shots if they take the capsules. SFDA said the medicine is sold at a high price, yet there is no proof that the medicine cures diabetes.

According to an SFDA statement, the medicine is not registered with the authority and carries a misleading claim that it cures diabetes, while its contents and any side effects of the drug are not known.

The regulatory body considered the company’s marketing illegal and recommended the drug’s withdrawal from the market.

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article88536.ece

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USDA examines diabetes benefits of cinnamon

Spices such as cinnamon could be used in the battle against type 2 diabetes, according to United States Agricultural Department (USDA) scientists.

Nutrition researchers from USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are purifying, characterizing and evaluating the components of cinnamon and other spices to explore their beneficial effects on insulin levels and related functions.

Research by chemist Richard Anderson, at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC), Maryland and colleagues suggests certain spices may be beneficial to some people with diabetes.

Blood glucose levels

Their study, based on a water-soluble extract of cinnamon, suggested that the spice could have a beneficial effect on insulin or blood glucose levels. “Insulin is a key hormone that ‘opens a door’ within cells and then escorts glucose into those cells, thus providing fuel to them,” according to the USDA website explaining the research. “Without a sufficient insulin supply, or ability to use available insulin, glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells where it can be metabolized and used for fuel. Over time, damage occurs to the eyes, kidneys, heart, and nerves.”

The cinnamon extract study, conducted in Ohio, focused on 22 volunteers with metabolic syndrome, which increases the chances of developing diabetes. Volunteers were randomly assigned to supplement their diets with either water-soluble cinnamon extracts or a placebo for 12 weeks.

Volunteers who took the cinnamon extract group showed significant decreases in fasting blood glucose and small increases in lean muscle mass compared with the placebo group. “Improvement in lean muscle mass is considered a marker of improved body composition,” according to the researchers.

Pre and post study analysis of the extract group also revealed small but statistically significant decreases in body fat and blood pressure. But other characteristics of metabolic syndrome, such as abnormal blood LDL or HDL cholesterol levels or triglycerides, were unaffected by the cinnamon extract.

Meanwhile, new biomarkers could help physicians and other health care professionals monitor the success of experimental nutrition-based strategies designed to help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Nutrition-based strategies

One study lead by ARS research physiologist Sean Adams explored the potential of natural compounds in the body, known as fatty acylcarnitines, to serve as diabetes biomarkers which could act as indicators to assess nutrition-based strategies to prevent the condition. The scientists determined this after searching for telltale molecules in blood samples from diabetic and nondiabetic African-American women who volunteered for the research.

Levels of some fatty acylcarnitines were nearly 300 percent higher in the diabetic volunteers than in those without the disease. The higher levels were assigned to incomplete or inefficient oxidation of fat in the diabetic women.

The biomarkers research also promises to identify more quickly children and adults who are at risk of developing this type 2 diabetes.

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/USDA-examines-diabetes-benefits-of-cinnamon

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The True Cause of Heart Disease – Part Two

Dr. Dwight Lundell is on the front line fighting a health war. His mission is to find a cure for heart disease. And he believes he has done just that.

He didn’t discover that cure overnight. It took 25 years of observation as a cardiac surgeon and over 5,000 heart surgeries to convince him of his findings. He dedicated his career to researching the most comprehensive studies and conducting his own cutting-edge research to find the truth.

In the second part of our exclusive interview with him, he reveals the truth behind heart disease. And even better… offers four critical steps to improve your heart health.

THB: Welcome back Dr. Lundell. Last week we talked a lot about inflammation. Can you please explain how inflammation is the real cause of heart disease?

Dr. Lundell: Inflammation is the real cause of heart disease because cholesterol would never be retained in the wall of the blood vessel and start causing plaque unless it was consumed by activated white blood cells.

The white blood cells recognize it as an invader because it was either oxidized or changed by having a sugar molecule attached. The biological and biochemical mechanisms demonstrating this have been well established.

THB: Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of all this. What is the connection between inflammation, obesity, and heart disease?

Dr. Lundell: To understand the connection between inflammation, obesity, heart disease and degenerative neurological disorders, and to prevent or reverse these conditions, we need to look at the factors that commonly cause chronic inflammation.

Chronic inflammation is our body’s response to chronic injuries, that is, small injuries that occur repeatedly and prevent healing from proceeding.

There’s no doubt that we live in a complicated environment with many chemicals and toxins that can injure us on a daily basis. Some of these can be prevented and some cannot because we must live in our environment.

THB: What are the most common factors that damage heart health? And how can we prevent them?

Dr. Lundell: The four most common things that injure us repeatedly and can be changed easily are:

1) The excess consumption of simple carbohydrates and refined grains.

Every time we consume that delicious sweet roll loaded with sugar and flour we raise our blood sugar. Every time we raise our blood sugar to high we injure the delicate lining of our blood vessels. There is no more obvious or sad proof of this than to look at the patient who has type II diabetes that lose kidneys, vision, and limbs and die prematurely of heart disease.

2) The excess consumption of vegetable oils which contain large amounts of omega 6 free fatty acids. We have been advised to avoid all animal fats and consume instead the supposedly healthy polyunsaturated fats from soybeans and corn. We do need some omega 6, but unfortunately we are getting as much as 20-25 times more in our diets. These fatty acids are metabolized into chemicals that cause chronic inflammation.

3) Deficiency in omega 3 three fatty acids from fish. Omega 3 is a very powerful natural anti inflammatory agent documented in extensive medical literature to reduce sudden death from heart attack; stabilize vulnerable plaque; and prevent and reduce Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological conditions. Some 80% of the population of the United States is deficient in omega 3 because we do not eat enough fish or take fish oil supplements.

4) Oxidative stress. This simply means the presence of more free radicals than antioxidants. Oxidative stress has been clearly demonstrated to be detrimental to human health and is associated with multiple degenerative diseases, especially those of the brain and nerves, and is definitely associated with heart disease.

http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2010/07/the-true-cause-of-heart-disease-part-two/

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Soy Alert!

Confused About Soy?

-Soy Dangers Summarized

•High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.

•Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.

•Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.

•Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.

•Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.

•Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D.

•Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.

•Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.

•Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.

•Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys.

The above soy dangers and our Myths & Truths About Soy are available in our Soy Alert! trifold brochure for mass distribution.

http://www.westonaprice.org/soy-alert.html

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Cashew seeds can help fight against diabetes

Written by Sade Oguntola Thursday, 22 July 2010

In what is best described as a proof of the effectiveness of cashew tree products in diabetes, scientists studying its natural components have postulated that it might be a cure for diabetes probably in the future.

Scientists at the University of Montreal and the University of Yaoundé in Cameroon studying how cashew products affected the responses of rat liver cells to insulin found out that only the cashew seed extract increased the absorption of blood sugar by muscle cells.

The cashew tree is native to northeastern Brazil and in other countries that are in the southern hemisphere.

It is known that when the body fails to respond well to insulin and/or does not produce enough of the hormone, then a person may display high blood sugar levels and develop diabetes. Throughout the world, around 220 million people are suffering from diabetes.

In some people with diabetes, a condition called insulin resistance prevents the body from processing the hormone, which regulates energy and the processing of sugars in the body. Lack of insulin can lead to heart or kidney diseases over time.
Medical experts say that risk factors for developing diabetes include family history, being overweight, leading an inactive lifestyle, and high blood pressure.
For many years, cashew tree products are believed to be effective anti-inflammatory agents, counter high blood sugar and prevent insulin resistance among diabetics.
This research study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, no doubt ascertain that the best part of the plant to use in the treatment of diabetes should be the cashew seeds rather than its other parts such as the leaves, barks and apples.

The cashew seed is the nut that grows at the end of the apple, and contains oleic acid the healthy ingredient in olive oil, as well as minerals like copper, zinc, phosphorous and magnesium which can reduce the risk of the metabolic syndrome that contributes to diabetes development. It is also a source of B vitamins, protein, fibre, antioxidants and low saturated fat.

For now, experts say that exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy, balanced diet are among the best ways to prevent diabetes and control blood sugar levels naturally.

However, it was hoped the research will lead to new diabetes treatments in no short distance from now.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/natural-health/8565-cashew-seeds-can-help-fight-against-diabetes

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Herbs to fight fat and diabetes. Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals.

Obesity is a public health concern in the United States, and millions of people try to lose weight each year through diet, exercise, hypnotherapy, and other means. Being overweight stresses the body in various ways. People who are overweight have imbalances in their endocrine system that lead to insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Insulin is a hormone responsible for moving carbohydrates, the principle energy source for the body, into cells where it can be utilized. When cells are unable to use insulin, blood sugar rises. When blood sugar is elevated and the cells are unable use the sugar to make energy, sugars are converted by the liver into fat. Botanical supplements can help restore insulin sensitivity and improve the metabolic syndrome.

Four plants that increase insulin sensitivity are mentioned in this article. They are fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), Gymnema (Gymnema sylvestre), banaba (Lagerstroemea spp.), and bitter melon (Momordica charantia). Fenugreek helps control blood sugar by stimulating the release of insulin, and is used extensively in the treatment of diabetes. Supplementing with 15 g/day fenugreek "significantly reduced glucose levels after meals" in one human study.

Gymnema is also called gur-mar, or "sugar destroyer." It has the interesting ability to temporarily wipe out the ability to taste sugar when placed on the tongue, and to control blood sugar levels when ingested. It is native to India, where it has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Gymnema leaves reduce blood glucose and stimulate insulin secretion. Similarly, banaba leaf also reduces blood glucose. Unlike fenugreek and gymnema, however, banaba does not appear to increase insulin secretion. Rather, it increases the ability of the body to use the insulin it naturally produces. Banaba leaf contains corosolic acid, "reduced serum glucose in people with type 2 diabetes, but did not reduce serum glucose in healthy individuals." The recommended dose of banaba is 16–48 mg of corosolic acid daily. Animal studies have shown that banaba leaf reduces triglycerides, fat mass, serum insulin and urinary glucose excretion.

http://www.functionalingredientsmag.com/

http://www.ffnmag.com/ASP/articleDisplay.asp?strArticleId=646&strSite=FFNSITE&Scree
n=CURRENTISSUE (Accessed July 6, 2005).


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Glucosamine May Be Ineffective for Back Pain

Glucosamine sulfate may not help alleviate chronic lower back pain, a new study suggests.

Glucosamine is a natural compound that is part of healthy cartilage. Glucosamine sulfate is one of the most commonly used supplements, and it has shown consistent benefit in relieving pain associated with knee osteoarthritis. It has been proposed that glucosamine sulfate may improve other types of osteoarthritis and that it may have anti-inflammatory properties, which could be useful in treating patients with inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers at Oslo University Hospital in Norway recruited 250 adults who had chronic lower back pain and degenerative osteoarthritis of the lower back. Half of the patients were randomly assigned to take 1500 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate, while the other half took a placebo for six months.

After the six-month treatment and again at a one-year follow up, the participants filled out questionnaires about their pain, pain-related disabilities and quality of life. No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups.
Additional research is necessary to fully assess the effect of glucosamine in adults with chronic lower back pain before conclusions can be made.

Conventional treatment options for patients with lower back pain caused by osteoarthritis include physical therapy and exercise, surgery and medications. Commonly used medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin®) and celecoxib (Celebrex®), narcotic or opiate pain relievers such as hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Lortab®) and oxycodone extended release (OxyContin®), corticosteroids (such as prednisone) and muscle relaxants.

Some other integrative therapy options with strong supportive evidence for treating osteoarthritis include acupuncture, chondroitin sulfate and willow bark. Therapies with good evidence for back pain include cayenne, chiropractic therapy, devil's claw, hydrotherapy, physical therapy and willow bark.

Source: Natural Standard

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http://back2basicnutrition.blogspot.com/

Healthy Individuals = Successful Businesses #4

What about a vacation?

Maybe you've heard a story like this: "My dad always bragged that he didn't take a day off in 50 years. But after Mom died, he regretted that they never took that trip she dreamed of. He told me to be sure to get away with my family. I took his advice -- and I'm glad I did."

You probably can think of a hundred reasons why you shouldn't take a vacation. Here are some reasons you should:

· Spend time with your family.
· Gain a clearer perspective on the business.
· Create memories with your family that last a lifetime.
· Develop confidence that this can be done again (you may be surprised at who steps up while you are gone).
· Reduce stress by focusing your energies elsewhere.
· Discover how other people live (you might even gain valuable insights about your farm business).

Part of the stress release of vacations is in the excitement and process of planning what to do. Remember, vacations don't always have to cost a lot. A contingency plan to handle something going wrong on the farm is a must for the farm and for your ability to relax.

A 50-year-old farmer talks about how they viewed the barriers to taking a vacation this way:

"Every time we've taken a vacation, my husband feels better physically and mentally when we return. He's rested and upbeat. But that also makes it hard to come back, sometimes, because we know what the workload is going to be like. What stops us from planning vacations isn't money, or people to fill in, because we have those, at least for the moment. It's this notion that we are indispensable, and no one else can do things quite as well when we're gone. Once we get beyond that, it's no problem!"

The take home message

Research indicates that individuals who take time away from work are better family members and better business people. Reflect and plan now to create alternatives that allow that to happen. But, most of all, make it become a reality in the near future.

Remember, no one on his or her deathbed says, “I wish I had spent more time working.”


Dr. Bob Milligan is Senior Consultant with Dairy Strategies, LLC and Professor Emeritus, Cornell University.

His insights come from 35 years of working with farm businesses. He also was an award-winning teacher in the fifth-ranked undergraduate business program in the country. Bob lives in St. Paul, Minnesota

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.blogspot.com/

New Growth for Herbs and Botanicals

Many factors are converging to inspire herbal supplement use by an estimated one quarter of adult Americans, ushering in ‘the largest sales increase in the mainstream market in recent memory,’according to Mark Blumenthal, HerbalGram editor and American Botanical Council executive director.

Factors supporting this momentum include an aging population wanting to stay, or get healthy, an increased awareness of possible conventional drug side effects and limited, or no, medical insurance—and all are driving people to take proactive steps in personal, natural healthcare.

Green Light for Herbs and Botanicals

Sales of herbal dietary supplements in mainstream U.S. food, drug and mass markets increased more than 14% last year, generating $336 million in sales, according to a recent report published in HerbalGram, the quarterly journal of the American Botanical Council, Austin, TX. Not included in these figures are retailers including Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, convenience stores and other large warehouse-buying clubs, which could add substantially to the bottom line.

“This news is really remarkable,” said Mr. Blumenthal, noting that, “in the most economically difficult market in over 70 years, when almost all consumer goods experienced a drop in sales, consumers voted strongly with scarcer dollars for herbal dietary supplements.”

Click on the link below to read the entire article:

http://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/contents/view/24839

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Healthy Individuals = Successful Businesses 3

How can we increase balance each day?

Information and communication along with problem-solving through shared decision-making (among business members, with employees, and with agribusiness personnel) are critical factors for viable farm operations today.

To do this well, you need energy - -physical, mental, and emotional. Life balance creates a larger pool of energy from which to build a successful business.

Mini-breaks are often the key to day-to-day life balance. We all need to develop habits that relieve the stress of work and create quality time away from work and with your family and friends. Research shows that how you spend time with your family is at least as important as how much time you spend.

Try some of the following:

• Schedule time during the day when all family members are together. Talk about the day. Ask each person to share one or two positives from their day -- a new friend, an accomplishment, something learned, an exciting experience with an old friend.
• Go for a walk. Don't look for weeds in the corn or problems with the beans. Listen to a bird sing, watch a butterfly flit by, marvel at a beautiful flower or the quiet of the countryside.
• Read something you enjoy. You need not spend a long time. A chapter or a few pages a day really add up. A short period of reading or reflection is very important to many very successful people.

Dr. Bob Milligan is Senior Consultant with Dairy Strategies, LLC and Professor Emeritus, Cornell University.

His insights come from 35 years of working with farm businesses. He also was an award-winning teacher in the fifth-ranked undergraduate business program in the country. Bob lives in St. Paul, Minnesota

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

Americans Failing to Meet Fiber Needs

Recent research from Mintel International suggests fiber is noticeably absent from the typical American diet. One in three respondents to a recent survey consider their diet to be healthy, but only one in five report actively looking for and buying products with added health claims. Based on these results, only a minority of adults are likely to be interested in fiber-enhanced products with digestive claims.

While 30% of consumers say they make it a point to eat naturally fiber-rich foods, studies show most Americans are failing to meet their recommended daily fiber intake. This may be explained by the 27% of respondents who think food with added fiber usually has an unpleasant taste.

“Many people have negative perceptions about the taste of fiber,” said Molly Heyl-Rushmer, senior health and wellness analyst at Mintel. “The taste deters them from eating a fiber-added product that has numerous health benefits.”

Twenty-five percent of respondents think fiber is only necessary for those who suffer from irregularity or other digestive problems, with men being more likely than women to hold this belief. Thirty percent of men (compared to 23% of women) also believe supplements are just as effective as fiber-enriched foods.

Despite the fact that research shows a lack of fiber is linked to various cancers, heart disease and diabetes, 22% of consumers don’t know enough about fiber to know if it is important to their health. Furthermore, 37% believe they can get enough fiber from regular foods, so supplements and food with added fiber are unnecessary.

“Consumers are more likely to report limiting sugar, fat, sodium and calorie intake than they are to eat naturally fiber-rich foods,” notes Ms. Heyl-Rushmer. “Adults don’t fully understand the link between fiber and health.

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

Healthy Individuals = Successful Businesses 2

Why is life balance important?

Each of us finds balance in different ways. What one does to regenerate energy levels and reduce work stress differs for each person. It may mean developing a hobby, getting more exercise, involving yourself in school activities of your children, finding time alone as a couple, socializing with family or friends, or taking a vacation.

In challenging times, as farmers experience every day, an unconscious voice often kicks in to say that there just isn't time for these activities. There is an unstated belief that if only one works harder, then problems will go away and things will get better.

But it doesn't work that way. Not only do they not get better, the stress resulting from the long hours and unsolved problems starts to pile up. That pile-up often comes not just from the business but from the family as well, because there is little to no time remaining for the family.

Dr. Bob Milligan is Senior Consultant with Dairy Strategies, LLC and Professor Emeritus, Cornell University.

His insights come from 35 years of working with farm businesses. He also was an award-winning teacher in the fifth-ranked undergraduate business program in the country. Bob lives in St. Paul, Minnesota

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/

Healthy Individuals = Successful Businesses

Have you come to the end of a long day and still felt guilty about not working harder and longer?

Have you felt guilty about not spending more time with your family and friends but still kept working? Have you worked long hours but wondered whether you were making any progress?

If any or all of these are common in your life, ask yourself if you feel that your life is in balance. Many farmers believe their work is a seven-day-a-week, 365-day-a-year job. The health of the livestock and crops is critical to business productivity, but so is your health and that of your family.

Research shows that those whose lives are in balance are healthier, and healthy individuals are more productive in their businesses. Time for regeneration (refueling your energy level) is important to your health. Vacations, of course, are a vital way to refuel, reduce stress, and energize family unity. So, however, is how we live each and every day.

This month we address this issue by answering three questions:
• Why is life balance important?
• How can we increase balance each day?
• What about a vacation?

By Bob Milligan

Dr. Bob Milligan is Senior Consultant with Dairy Strategies, LLC and Professor Emeritus, Cornell University

http://www.agweb.com/Blogs/BlogPost.aspx?src=StrengthenYourTeam&PID=befc9b63-b253-4b91-aa55-1ed30c1145cb

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Why Consumers Turn To Alternative Medicine

Alternative health remedies are increasingly important in the health care marketplace. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research explores how consumers choose among the many available remedies.

"Examples of the wide array of health remedy options available to consumers include drugs, supplements, acupuncture, massage therapy, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (to name a few). Such medical pluralism is common in both developed and developing countries and raises the questions: How do consumers choose among health remedies, and what are the consequences for a healthy lifestyle?" write authors Wenbo Wang (New York University), Hean Tat Keh (Beijing University), and Lisa E. Bolton (Pennsylvania State University).

The authors use "lay theories of medicine" to explain how consumers choose between Western medicine and its Eastern counterparts, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine.

"Western Medicine is primarily concerned with the material aspect of the body and views all medical phenomena as cause-effect sequences, relying on rigorous scientific studies and research that seeks empirical proof to all phenomena," write the authors. "On the other hand, TCM and Ayurvedic Medicine favor a holistic approach, view the mind and body as a whole system, and rely upon inductive tools and methods for treatment."

A preprint of this article (to be officially published online soon) can be found at http://journals.uchicago.edu/jcr

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Allan Savory Comments on McChrystal and Holistic Management

In a recent paper entitled The Buckminster Fuller Award and the Afghanistan War, Allan Savory describes why land health and good governance are key to world wide peace and stability. He talks about the strong need for the Obama Administration to review and rewrite the land policies that they inherited that are extremely flawed. Savory writes:

This administration has inherited policies that can only exacerbate poverty and conflict for years to come costing increasing civilian and military lives and money.

He goes on to say that:

Central to a stable, prosperous Afghanistan are good corruption-free governance and sound land and agricultural policy that address the major cause of poverty, social breakdown and violence - fertile soil for dissident movements

The entire article can be viewed in the

http://www.savoryinstitute.com/storage/Land%20Health%20and%20War.pdf

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Research from Utah State reconfirms health benefits

LOGAN, Utah: Research by Drs Dhiman, Poulson and Cornforth in the Department of Animal and Dairy Science at Utah State University have once again confirmed the greater health benefits of grassfed over grainfed beef.

The research also reconfirmed that steer calves fed grain early in their lives never achieve the CLA levels of calves raised exclusively on pasture for their entire lives.

Generally, the calves fed grain early in their lives but finished on pasture had 218% more of the anticarcinogenic CLA than feedlot-finished cattle, but this was less than half the amount of the calves raised on grass their entire life. This compares with 466% more in completely grassfed animals.

This is the same magnitude of increase previously found in the milk of completely grassfed dairy cows.

The Utah researchers surmise that grain feeding at any time in the animal’s life somehow decreases the expression of the mechanism responsible for the synthesis and incorporation of the anticarcinogenic CLA into meat tissues.

Some researchers have argued that the leaner carcass of grassfed animals offsets the increased CLA content as the CLA is found mostly in the fat of the animal.

However, the Utah research said that even figuring a fat content of only 60% of that of grainfed beef the CLA per 100 grams of meat was still 330 % greater.

Also, the grainfed animals had only 60% as much omega-3 fatty acid as the pasture finished animals.

Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to increase immune function and to reduce heart disease.

Vitamin E in the meat was 300% higher than in the grain-finished animals. This resulted in a significantly redder meat color than that found in the grainfed animals.

There was no difference in tenderness or juiciness between the three treatments. However, a slight off-flavor was noted in the grassfed and grass-finished group.

Surprisingly, this off-flavor was not found in the cattle which had been grain supplemented as stocker cattle but had been completely grassfed for the final 130 days of their lives.

Other research by Dr. Dhiman in 2005 found that supplementing grassfed steers with soybean oil for the last 105 days prior to harvest did not significantly increase CLA content in either grainfed or grassfed animals.

Complete details of this and other CLA research can be found at www.usu.edu/trdhiman/publication.html.

Source: The Stockman Grass Farmer

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Ginger for Muscle Pain

A new study suggests that ginger may help alleviate pain from exercise-induced muscle injury.

Earlier evidence suggests that ginger may have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.

In the trial, 74 patients were randomly assigned to receive two grams of raw or heat-treated ginger supplements or placebo daily for 11 days. The participants then performed 18 elbow extensions with heavy weights to induce pain and inflammation. The researchers assessed arm function, inflammation and pain at the beginning of the study and for three days after exercise.

Compared to subjects in the placebo group, those treated with either raw or heat-treated ginger experienced a 24 percent reduction in pain 24 hours after exercise.
However, in another small study published in 2008, ginger did not affect muscle pain, rating of perceived exertion or recovery of oxygen consumption during and after moderate-intensity cycling exercise. Therefore, additional research is needed before conclusions can be made.

Ginger has been studied for various other medical conditions. Several studies support the use of ginger for morning sickness in pregnant women. Ginger's effects on other types of nausea or emesis, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea, postoperative nausea and motion sickness remain undetermined.

The most frequent side effects associated with ginger use are gastrointestinal upset, heartburn, gas and bloating. Ginger may also inhibit blood clotting, thus increasing bleeding risk.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20418184


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19164834?dopt=Abstract

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Milk May Improve Exercise Recovery

New evidence suggests that by drinking milk after weightlifting, women may gain more muscle and lose more fat than by drinking energy drinks.

The study, published in Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise, included 20 aerobically fit women who had not participated in resistance-training programs or taken any dietary supplements eight months before the trial.

Two hours before exercising, the women were only allowed to drink water. The daily workout routine included various exercises, such as pull ups, bench presses and hamstring curls. Immediately after exercising and one hour later, one group of women drank 500 milliliters of fat-free milk, while the rest drank a sugar-based energy drink.

After three months, the researchers found that women in the milk group gained more lean body mass and strength and lost more fat mass compared to the control group.
The results support earlier studies that showed similar results in men.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684208

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When money is tight don’t sacrifice nutrition

Eating well is your first defense against disease, but when the economy sours and money is tight, most individuals look to cut corners. Before you cut costs on your next supermarket trip, Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned author and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, wants you to take a look at what you might be trimming.

“So often, people sacrifice nutrition to save money,” Weil said. “Unfortunately, the best ‘bargains’ in grocery stores are often on food that carry the least nutritional value such as sodas, cookies, refined cereals, refined breads and pastas, processed meats, high-fructose laden juices and convenience desserts. Supermarket promotions cause consumers to gravitate to them. But while a diet made up of such foods may help trim your grocery bill, it could end up costing you big bucks in the long term.”

High cholesterol, high sugar and high sodium diets, research shows, are clearly associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2005, 133 million Americans, nearly 50 percent of the population, were living with at least one chronic condition. Moreover, chronic disease accounts for 70 percent of all deaths in the United States. Of the nation’s $2 trillion cost for medical care, chronic disease eats up more than 75 percent.

Diabetes alone racks up direct and indirect costs of $174 billion a year. Obesity costs in 2000 were nearly $117 billion in 2000, the CDC notes. Heart disease and stroke were projected to cost $448 billion in 2008. If you think major diseases such as these don’t concern you, and those candies and sodas aren’t a big problem, sink your teeth into this statistic: nearly $98.6 billion is spent on dental services each year.

Still, nutritious, whole food can be more expensive than the give-away, utritionally vacant foods. Vitamin and mineral rich foods don’t appear in the bargain aisle. Still you can make wise choices and still save money. Here’s why:

When you eat nutrient-rich foods, your body is more satisfied than when eating refined foods, so you’ll eat less. Moreover, money spent on nutrition is money you won’t need to spend on medications and doctor bills down the road.

During these difficult times, when people are losing their jobs and health insurance, healthy eating could be the first-line defense against economic defeat. The strong survive, and you cannot be strong with an undernourished body.

So eschew the convenient, sugary, fat-laden foods that are on sale. Instead, choose nutrient-rich foods and cook from scratch. You will immediately be ahead of the game nutritionally because you control the amount of sugar, salt and fat in the dishes.

For more information visit www.nutritionandhealthconf.org.

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Blood Pressure and Diabetes: How Low Should You Go?

Study Suggests Guidelines Calling for Tight Control May Need a Second LookBy Kathleen Doheny

July 6, 2010 -- Tight control of high blood pressure, recommended for those with diabetes by national guidelines, gives no better results than moderate control, according to a new study.

''The guidelines suggest you want diabetics to have [systolic pressure] under 130," says researcher Rhonda M. Cooper-DeHoff, PharmD, associate professor of pharmacy and medicine at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

But in her study, those who kept their systolic pressures moderately controlled -- at 130 to 139 -- did as well as those who controlled it more tightly. Systolic pressure is the upper of the two blood pressure numbers, representing the maximum pressure exerted when the heart contracts.

She compared ranges of blood pressure control on the effect on death, heart attack, and stroke during the follow-up. "There was no difference comparing those with tight control or usual control," she tells WebMD,'' which is contrary to what the guidelines would suggest."

''The message is: we need to get diabetic patients' systolic blood pressure to less than 140, particularly when they have heart disease, but working to get it to less than 130 does not appear to add any additional benefit with regard to the risk of death, stroke, or heart attack," Cooper-DeHoff says.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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