The Worst Possible Thing to Ignore if You Have Arthritis

Posted By Dr. Mercola | December 29 2011 | 7,943 views

Story at-a-glance

• A diet enriched with omega-3 fats may help prevent osteoarthritis as well as slow its progression; benefit was seen in both cartilage and bone beneath cartilage
• Omega-3 fats produce compounds called resolvins and protectins, which help quell inflammation before it can do too much damage to your tissues.
• Numerous studies have been published on the remarkable effectiveness of the animal-based omega-3 fat krill oil in combating inflammation-related disorders such as arthritis
  

By Dr. Mercola

About one in five adults, or nearly 50 million Americans, have been diagnosed with arthritis, the most common form of which is osteoarthritis.

If you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage within your joints is progressively being damaged, and the synovial fluid that keeps your joints lubricated and cushioned is typically reduced as well.

The pain and joint stiffness that you feel is a result of your bones starting to come into contact with each other as cartilage and synovial fluid is reduced, and if you don't take action it can become progressively worse until you are unable to carry out your normal daily activities.

More than 21 million Americans have trouble climbing stairs, getting dressed and staying active due to arthritis, a number that has jumped from 19 million just a few years back.

If you are one of the millions struggling with osteoarthritis, or want to avoid becoming one of them, one of the simplest and most powerful steps you can take is adding animal-based omega-3 fats to your diet. The research continues to pour in that these healthy fats have exciting potential to prevent and treat arthritis.

Omega-3 Fats Incredibly Important to Treat Osteoarthritis

According to the latest animal study, a diet enriched with omega-3 fats reduced the majority of disease indicators among guinea pigs prone to developing osteoarthritis. This included both cartilage and subchondral bone changes, and the lead researcher noted that the evidence was strong that omega-3 fats may help prevent the disease and also slow its progression in those already diagnosed.

Omega-3's impact on joint health, arthritis, and inflammation is an active area of research, as they're known to produce compounds called resolvins and protectins, which help quell inflammation before it can do too much damage to your tissues. Several studies have been published on the remarkable effectiveness of the animal-based omega-3 fat krill oil in combating inflammation-related disorders, including arthritis. Three notable examples are:

• A 2007 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition investigated krill oil's ability to reduce inflammation. Researchers found that 300 mg krill oil per day significantly reduced inflammation, pain, stiffness and functional impairment after just 7 days, and even more profoundly after 14 days.
• A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2005 showed similar findings with respect to reducing inflammation and arthritis symptoms, for both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis sufferers.
• A study in Advances in Therapy found participants with moderate-to-severe hip or knee osteoarthritis who received 1,500 mg of glucosamine sulfate along with 200 mg of omega-3 had greater pain reduction and fewer osteoarthritis symptoms (morning stiffness, pain in hips and knees) than those who took glucosamine by itself.

Omega-3 is actually anti-inflammatory in a very general way, which seems to be good for most people in general, even if you're interested in preventing a variety of diseases. For more information about the various health benefits of omega-3 fat, please review the following links:

Healthier, stronger bones	Improved mood regulation	Reduced risk of Parkinson's disease
Protecting your tissues and organs from inflammation	Brain and eye development in babies	Reduced risk of death from ALL causes

 

Are You Deficient in Omega-3 Fats?

Ideally, everyone really needs to aim for a lifetime of high omega-3 levels to reap all the health benefits that it has to offer, including protection from arthritis. However, the average American diet is seriously deficient in the animal-based omega-3 fats, DHA and EPA, as except for certain types of fish, which I don't recommend eating because of pollution concerns, there are very few sources of these crucial fats.

As a result, many are deficient and omega-3 deficiency has actually been called the sixth biggest killer of Americans,

You can now measure the omega-3 level in your blood, thanks to the research of Dr. William Harris, a research professor at the Sanford School of Medicine in South Dakota, and an established authority on omega-3 fats. Dr. Harris' research led to the development of an assay that measures your omega-3 level, which is referred to as the "omega-3 index."

Make Sure You Include a High Quality Animal-Based Source of Omega-3

Most people today are deficient in omega-3 fats and consume far too many damaged omega-6 fats, which are found in vegetable oils and processed foods. The ideal ratio is probably close to 1:1, but the average American's ratio is more like 20:1, or even 50:1 in favor of omega-6. Because of this severe imbalance, I recommend you supplement your diet with a source of high-quality omega-3 fats, while simultaneously reducing your omega-6 intake to bring this ratio into balance.

There are both plant and animal sources for omega-3 fats, and there are differences between them. All have different ratios of three important omega-3 fatty acids—ALA, EPA and DHA. DHA is the most important for your brain. EPA is also required by your brain, but in smaller amounts.

Plant-based omega-3 sources like flax, hemp and chia seeds are high in ALA, but low in EPA and DHA. Although ALA is an essential nutrient, the key point to remember is that the conversion of ALA to the far more essential EPA and DHA is typically inhibited by impaired delta 6 desaturase, an enzyme necessary for you to convert the ALA into the longer chain EPA and DHA. Elevated insulin levels impair this enzyme, and more than 80 percent of the U.S. population has elevated insulin levels. So from that perspective alone, it is important to include animal-based sources of omega-3 fats in your diet.

The Three Types of Animal-Based Omega-3 Fat

When it comes to choosing between the animal-based omega-3 options, the primary sources are fish, fish oil, or krill oil. As I'll explain, I believe krill oil is the far superior choice on this list.

• Fish: In a perfect world, you would be able to get all the omega-3s you need by eating fish. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our fish supply is now so heavily contaminated with industrial pollutants and toxins like mercury, PCBs, heavy metals and radioactive poisons that I just can't recommend most fish any longer. However, there are suppliers, like Vital Choice, that do harvest the fish from less polluted areas of the world and they clearly are less contaminated.
• Fish oil: I used to recommend that you take fish oil to enhance your intake of omega-3 fats, and high-quality fish oils are certainly great products with many important health benefits. However, fish oil is weak in antioxidant content. This is a major drawback for fish oil, because as you increase your intake of omega-3 fats by consuming fish oil, you actually increase your need for even more antioxidant protection.
  This happens because fish oil is quite perishable, and oxidation leads to the formation of unhealthy free radicals. Therefore, antioxidants are required to ensure that the fish oil doesn't oxidize and become rancid inside your body. So, you need to consume additional antioxidants both for your health in general, AND for your increased need for antioxidants when using fish oil. Dr. Rudi Moerck expounded on these risks at great length in a previous interview.
  
• Krill oil: Last but certainly not least is my preferred choice for animal-based omega-3 fats. I believe krill oil is superior to fish oil because it contains phospholipids that dramatically improve DHA and EPA absorption. It also has a very powerful antioxidant called astaxanthin, and omega-3s bonded together in a way that keeps them protected from oxidation. Many popular fish oil brands are already oxidized before you open the bottle. Krill oil is also 48 times more potent than fish oil and contains vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin D.
  Additionally, as Dr. Harris confirms, krill oil is also more potent gram for gram, as its absorption rate is much higher than fish oil. According to his research, you get somewhere between 25 to 50 percent more omega-3 per milligram when you take krill oil compared to fish oil.
  

  "You actually get more omega-3 from eating krill," he says.

  Krill is also a completely sustainable and environmentally friendly source of omega-3. Not only is krill the largest biomass in the world, but krill harvesting is one of the best regulated on the planet, using strict international precautionary catch limit regulations that are reviewed regularly to assure sustainability. You can read more about why krill oil is completely environmentally friendly here.

If You Have Arthritis, You Need to Know About Astaxanthin

It is likely that astaxanthin may be even more powerful in helping people with arthritis symptoms than omega-3 fats, as this antioxidant is leaps and bounds more powerful than beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, lycopene and lutein, other members of its chemical family. It exhibits VERY STRONG free radical scavenging activity and helps protect your cells, organs and body tissues from oxidative damage and inflammation.

Specifically, astaxanthin is a carotenoid antioxidant produced only by the microalgae Haematoccous pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. It's the algae's survival mechanism -- astaxanthin serves as a "force field" to protect the algae from lack of nutrition and/or intense sunlight.

There are only two known sources of astaxanthin -- the microalgae that produce it, and the sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish, and krill). One of the reasons why I recommend krill oil is because it naturally contains astaxanthin to protect it from oxidation. Adding the antioxidant astaxanthin to fish oil reduces its susceptibility to oxidation while making its immunomodulatory properties more potent, which is the beauty of krill oil, which has this natural protection built in.

Download Interview Transcript

But although I don't recommend many supplements, I believe many could enjoy even MORE benefits by further increasing your astaxanthin, even if you are already taking a krill oil supplement. If you decide to give astaxanthin a try on its own, I recommend a dose of 8-10 mg per day. If you are on a krill oil supplement, take that into consideration, as different krill products have different concentrations of astaxanthin, so check your label.

Arthritis Doesn't Have to be a Debilitating Disease

Osteoarthritis can be extremely painful and debilitating disease. By losing weight, exercising, making changes to your diet and lifestyle, and using natural anti-inflammatory relief measures you can potentially overcome this disease, or at least significantly decrease pain associated with it.

• Healthy Diet: Arthritis rates are more than twice as high in obese people as those who are normal weight, because the extra weight puts more pressure on your joints. This can not only lead to osteoarthritis, it can also make the condition exponentially worse. So if you are suffering from arthritis and are overweight or obese, losing weight is an essential form of treatment. You will want to jumpstart your weight loss by eating a healthier diet based on the principles of my nutrition plan. Limiting your fructose intake to below 15 grams a day will be an essential part of this program.
  
• Exercise: Most people have little appreciation for how powerful exercise can be in preserving bone density and joint function, which can help prevent and alleviate osteoarthritis as you age. The notion that exercise is detrimental to your joints is a misconception; there is no evidence to support this belief. Instead, the evidence points to exercise having a positive impact on joint tissues -- if you exercise sufficiently to lose weight, or maintain an ideal weight, you can in fact reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis.
  My most highly recommended form of exercise is Peak Fitness, and this program can be used by virtually everyone. However, if you've already developed osteoarthritis in your knee, you'll want to incorporate exercises that strengthen the quadriceps muscle at the front of your thigh. And, rather than running or other high-impact exercise, you may be better off with non-weight-bearing exercises like swimming and bicycling.
  People with arthritis must be careful to avoid activities that aggravate joint pain. You should avoid any exercise that strains a significantly unstable joint.
  
• Vitamin D: Low levels of vitamin D are associated with cartilage loss in your knees, and this is one of the hallmarks of osteoarthritis. The remedy, to make sure your vitamin D levels are optimized, is simple. It involves getting your blood levels tested, then optimizing them using safe sun exposure or indoor tanning on a safe tanning bed (safe tanning beds have electronic ballasts and produce less UVA than sunshine). LINE BREAK As a last resort, you can supplement with vitamin D3; recent research suggests the average adult needs to take 8,000 IU's of vitamin D per day in order to elevate their levels above 40 ng/ml, which is the bare minimum for disease prevention.
  To find out the details, watch my free one-hour vitamin D lecture.

If you need pain relief, which is typically an important component of osteoarthritis treatment, think long and hard before choosing anti-inflammatory drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics, like Tylenol. NSAIDs kill some 30,000 people every year due to bleeding ulcers, and the oral drugs have been linked to a host of problems including heart failure -- Vioxx and Celebrex are prime examples of these very real dangers.

There are safer, natural anti-inflammatory alternatives available, including:

• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense," this Indian herb is one treatment I've found to be particularly useful against arthritic inflammation and associated pain.
• Hyaluronic acid (HA): Hyaluronic acid is a key component of your cartilage, responsible for moving nutrients into your cells and moving waste out.
• Astaxanthin: As mentioned above, astaxanthin is one of the most powerful lipophilic antioxidants yet discovered and is the most abundant carotenoid pigment found in crabs, salmon, trout, shrimp, and krill. Studies have found that it can help support joint health and mobility.
• Eggshell membrane: Elastin, collagen and glycosaminoglycans are three nutrients found in eggshell membranes, which can help support the stability and flexibility of your joints by providing your joints with the building blocks needed to build cartilage.
• Ginger: This herb is anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
• Bromelain: This enzyme, found in pineapples, is a natural anti-inflammatory. It can be taken in supplement form, but eating fresh pineapple may also be helpful.
• Cetyl myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a "joint lubricant" and an anti-inflammatory.
• Evening primrose, black currant and borage oils: These contain the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain. It is reasonable for many to take these as a supplement, particularly if you struggle with dry skin in the winter, as this is a strong indicator that you are deficient in these fats. I prefer the use of GLA supplements from evening primrose oil but borage oil contains a higher concentration of GLA, which means you need fewer capsules, and it tends to be less expensive.
• Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body's supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.

Source: Life Extension October 25, 2011

Related Links:

Falling for This "Urban Myth" Can Damage Your Joints

The Incredible Oil that Helps Prevent Heart Attacks (And Stalls Aging Too!)...
The Antioxidant that Makes Fish Oil Work Better

http://articles.mercola.com/.

Simple ways to transform your health

Stand like Prince Charles to banish back pain: Surprising and simple ways to transform your health

By Anna Hodgekiss
Last updated at 1:32 AM on 27th December 2011

Daunted at the thought of starting a healthy 2012 with a rabbit food diet and vigorous gym routine?

Don’t despair. There are dozens of small and simple lifestyle changes you can make that will dramatically improve your health.

Here, leading experts tell ANNA HODGEKISS their secrets for a healthier life...

PICK FRENCH WINE OVER GERMAN

In moderation, alcohol — and red wine in particular — is thought to have a beneficial effect on heart health, as it relaxes the blood vessels.

Antioxidants in red wine may also have a protective effect on the arteries.

But wine buffs take note — French red wine has up to three times more artery-protecting enzymes than German reds, according to research in the Journal Of The American College of Cardiology.

TO BEAT BACK PAIN WALK LIKE A ROYAL

For perfect posture interlink your
fingers from each hand  behind your
back, just like Prince Charles does

‘For perfect posture — and to reduce back pain, among a host of other things — interlink your fingers from each hand behind your back, just like Prince Charles does,’ advises physiotherapist Sammy Margo.


‘This will open up your chest and get your shoulders back and down, reversing the slumping posture many people have while sitting.’


And to prevent slumping, the mantra is BBC — bum in the back of the chair — she adds.


Poor posture will throw the body out of its correct alignment, so certain muscles become overworked, while others, such as the stomach muscles, start to weaken through lack of use. This can cause undue stress and strain, especially on the lower back.

SPACE OUT YOUR SUPPLEMENTS

Always leave a space of two hours between taking medication and any of the following: indigestion remedies, calcium (or multivitamins containing the nutrient), milk or iron.

These can affect the absorption of medication, explains Alison Freemantle, a pharmacist at Lloyds Pharmacy.

‘Iron, for example, stops antibiotics being absorbed properly, while calcium affects the absorption of the commonly used thryroid medication thyroxine.’

Indigestion remedies can bind to other drugs, reducing their effectiveness.

Poor posture will throw the body out of its correct alignment, so certain
muscles become overworked, while others start to weaken through lack of use

SWAP SPARKLING FOR STILL

Fizzy water can harm your teeth, warns the British Dental Health Foundation.

After drinking any fizzy drink, the hard outer coating (enamel) on your teeth becomes softer for a while and loses some of its mineral content.

This damage is slowly neutralised by your saliva, but if the acid attack happens too often, the saliva does not have chance to repair the damage, and over time the enamel can be destroyed.

Save your fizzy drinks for low calorie mixers to accompany spirits — by making this swap you halve the calorie content of the mixer, says nutritionist and personal trainer Sarah O’Neill.

LIFT YOUR LEGS IN THE AD BREAKS

‘The knee joints are the most important in your body when it comes to mobility as they bear most of our weight,’ says Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK.

‘A great exercise is to lie on your back and put a couple of pillows over the bottom of your legs, then lift them up straight, as high as you can.

'You will feel the muscles on the front of the thighs tightening up and this will gradually strengthen them. Just do ten repetitions twice a day while watching TV.’

START THE DAY WITH HOME-MADE MUESLI

While bran can make things worse for those with a sensitive gut, oats can be a gentler form of fibre, says Professor John Mayberry, consultant gastroenterologist at University Hospitals of Leicester.

That’s because unlike bran, oats aren’t coarse — they are known as soluble fibre, which is easier to digest. And rather than simply use them for porridge, he recommends making home-made muesli.

‘Not only will it have less sugar and additives than commercial varieties but you can add better ingredients to it,’ he says.

‘Cheaper varieties of oats from the supermarket are fine — then add some green raisins (found in the world foods aisle of the supermarket) which are very good at helping a sluggish bowel as they are very fibrous. Start with just five a day as they are very powerful.’

SQUEEZE INTO TIGHTER CLOTHES

Have you ever noticed how tight clothes naturally make you hold your stomach in?

In doing so you are getting a mini workout by constantly engaging those abdominal muscles, says personal trainer Sarah O’Neill.

‘Clothes that are loose around the waist make you slouch and also you’re more likely to overeat because they simply expand with you, rather than feeling tight.’

However, steer clear of leggings, as they can lead to a loss of tone in the legs, says Sammy Margo.

‘They hold in and support the quadriceps (thigh muscles), buttocks and muscles in your tummy, and do the job the muscles are supposed to do. As a result, the muscles are allowed to relax and switch off.’

TAKE YOUR PULSE

Around 12,500 strokes a year could be prevented if more people with atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm problem, were diagnosed, says Dr Matthew Fay, a GP from West Yorkshire and leading expert in atrial fibrillation.

Left untreated, it can cause a stroke and over-65s are particularly at risk.

‘The golden rule is if your pulse doesn’t tick steadily like a clock, it’s time to see the doc,’ says Dr Fay.

To take your pulse: lightly press your index and middle finger on the inside of your other wrist at the base of your thumb, near to where the strap of a watch would sit.

If you can’t feel anything, press slightly harder or move your fingers. Once you’ve found your pulse, continue to feel it for about 20 to 30 seconds.

Feel the rhythm and note if it’s regular or irregular. Occasional irregularities such as missed beats are very common and usually nothing to worry about.

But if your pulse is irregular for 20 to 30 seconds — or is rather like a Morse Code hammer in World War II films — then see your practice nurse or GP.

DOWNSIZE YOUR MORNING JUICE

If you start the day with a glass of fresh orange juice, dowsize the serving from 250ml to 150ml, says dietitian Helen Bond.

This will save you around 50 calories — equivalent to a brisk walk for ten minutes — and it’ll still count as one of your five-a-day.

PUT YOUR LAPTOP ON TOP OF A BOOK

Raise the height of your laptop with a large book - to stop

yourself looking down all the time - and buy a separate keyboard

 

Using laptops — even at a desk —for long periods of time should be banned as they promote terrible posture, and in turn, neck and back pain, says Sammy Margo.

Laptops encourage us to look down, whereas a screen should be directly in front, with no need to dip your head.

To combat this, raise the height of your laptop with a large book — to stop yourself looking down all the time — and buy a separate keyboard.

If nothing else, buy a separate mouse, rather than relying on the built-in touch sensitive one, adds osteopath Adam Dallison, as this can also lead to back pain.

It may surprise many people to learn that using a foot rest while working at a desk can also lead to long term back and neck pain.

As Adam Dallison explains: ‘For the spine to be tilted into a natural curve, your feet should be significantly lower than your hips, i.e. flat on the floor.’

DRINK WATER TO PREVENT FALLS

Many older people are dehydrated, either because their thirst mechanism fades with age or because of medication such as diuretics, which cause more frequent trips to the loo.

‘Dehydration is often why people feel light-headed and/or fall upon standing up,’ says Dr Fay.

‘Therefore it’s a good idea to have an extra glass of water with your meals.’ Two glasses of water with meals could save you from a fatal hip fracture.

USE A BIGGER FORK

A study in the Journal Of Consumer Research found that when eating out, people who used a large fork ate less than those who used a smaller one.

Researchers believe those with smaller forks felt they were making slower progress in satisfying their hunger, so ate more.

The research team put its conclusion to the test by varying the portions of food. It was found that when served larger portions, diners with small forks ate significantly more than those with larger forks.

In contrast, when customers were served smaller portions, the size of their fork did not affect the amount of food they ate.

LEARN TO LUNGE

If you only do one set of exercises each day, make it lunges, says personal trainer Dan Roberts.

‘This is the most beneficial exercise because it uses lots of the large, lower body muscles — the back, bum and legs — and using bigger muscle groups means you’ll burn more calories.’

To perform a lunge: stand with your feet shoulder width apart and step forward, landing with the heel first.

The knee should be at 90 deg and directly above the toes, not further. Continue until the back knee is nearly touching the ground.

Reverse the move to stand up again. Beginners should aim for 40 a day (dependent on age/health), then gradually try and aim for 100 a day.

SWAP TO SKIMMED

‘Swapping full-fat milk for skimmed milk in your tea saves around ten calories per cup,’ says Helen Bond.

‘If you’re a big tea drinker — say you have on average five cups a day — you’ll have saved 350 calories over the course of a week.

'Plus, skimmed milk has the benefit of slightly more calcium, which is vital for healthy bones.’

Swapping from full-fat to semi-skimmed would save six calories a cup.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Fish- rich food could prevent Alzheimer's

 A fish-rich eating plan 'could help prevent Alzheimer's disease' by stopping brain from shrinking

• Study reveals those with diets high in omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to lose brain capacity later in life
  
• Scientists looked at nutrient levels revealed by blood tests rather than using health questionnaires

By Tamara Cohen
Last updated at 11:43 AM on 29th December 2011


Making some simple changes to your diet could help keep dementia at bay, a new study suggests.

U.S. researchers found that elderly people with high levels of omega 3 found in oily fish and vitamins common in fruit and vegetables did better in memory tests than those with a less healthy diet.

Fish dish: Scientists said people could potentially
 stop  their brains from shrinking and keep them
sharp by adjusting their diet

Brain scans confirmed those with the highest levels of vitamin D and omega 3 and vitamins B, C and E, also had a significantly larger brain volume.

Conversely people whose blood had higher levels of trans fats - found in cakes and fried foods, as well as red meat - had the worst scores and less brain tissue.

This is thought to be the first study to investigate nutrient levels through blood tests rather than looking at food diaries or questionnaires.

The scientists, from Oregon Health & Science University, say this gives a more accurate picture because it does not rely on memory or honesty, and because in old age some people’s blood absorbs more of the nutrients they eat than others.

Study author Dr Gene Bowman said: ‘These results need to be confirmed, but obviously it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet.’

As the research was carried out on healthy patients, rather than those with the degenerative disease, it suggests the effect of fish oils could be preventative, rather than a cure for age-related memory loss.

Dr Bowman said nutrient levels in the blood accounted for 37 per cent of the variations seen in brain volume. In memory tests, it accounted for a ‘significant’ 17 per cent - other factors being age, years of education and blood pressure.

The authors noted that very few studies have assessed the risk of effect of trans fats on Alzheimer’s, and the fact that they ‘may aggravate cognitive decline’.

Fish was found to boost the brain, but the study was small with 104 participants

They studied blood samples from 104 healthy older people with an average age of 87, and few known risk factors for Alzheimer’s, who also undertook cognitive tests.

Brain scans were then carried out on 42 of the participants which found those with nutrient-rich diets had larger brains as well as higher test scores, according to the study published today in the journal Neurology.

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, welcomed the study, although noted that it was a small sample of people and the researchers did not investigate whether these people went on to develop Alzheimer’s.

He said: ‘One strength of this research is that it looked at nutrients in people’s blood, rather than relying on answers to a questionnaire.

‘Although there is no sure-fire way of preventing Alzheimer’s yet, we know that risk factors for heart disease and stroke can also increase the risk of dementia.

'The best advice at the moment is to eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, and keep healthy by not smoking, taking regular exercise and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol in check'

Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer's Research UK

‘There is a clear need for conclusive evidence about the effect of diet on our risk of Alzheimer’s, which can only come from large-scale, long-term studies.

‘Currently 820,000 people are affected by dementia in the UK and with a rapidly ageing population, those numbers are expected to soar.

'We urgently need to find ways to prevent dementia if we are to head off a future crisis, and that means it’s vital to invest in research.’

A major £7million study last year from the same U.S. university found taking fish oil supplements did not slow mental or physical decline in patients who already had the degenerative brain disease.

However previous studies have linked them with reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk
.

Vitamin D to Stave Off MS

Food in Scotland should be laced with vitamin D to stave off MS, experts say

• Residents do not get enough UBV rays from the sun on the skin
• Many do not eat enough vitamin D-rich food

By Kerry Mcqueeney

Last updated at 3:26 PM on 24th December 2011


Scotland's food supply should be laced with vitamin D in a bid to cut the high rate of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the sun-deprived region, experts have said.

Scotland has some of the highest MS levels in the world and many experts believe vitamin D deficiency is a contributing factor.

Vitamin D deficiency is caused by a lack of sunlight and for half of the year no one living in Scotland gets enough UBV rays from the the sun on their skin to make adequate levels of the vitamin D, it has been reported.

Ray of light? Medical experts believe fortifying Scotland's food supply
 could tackle high MS levels in the absence of regular sunshine

Gloomy outlook: Scotland has some of the highest MS levels in the world and many
experts believe vitamin D deficiency is a contributing factor

In addition, many do not eat enough of the foods that contain it, such as oily fish, which has led to international health experts calling for the food supply in the Scotland to be fortified with the vitamin.

Oxford academic Professor George Ebers says the evidence of the link between MS and vitamin D deficiency is so strong it warrants fortifying food with it, the Guardian reported.

Professor Ebers, from the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and his team this month published their findings of a genetic link between MS and an uncommon inability for the body to produce vitamin D.

He told The Guardian: 'Now the question is, can we finally persuade the public health authorities that they should supplement the population?'

There have long been theories that high numbers of people with MS live in areas deprived of sunshine - while low levels of those in countries with year-round sunshine.

Sir Harry Burns: Scotland's chief medical officer

 said 'broader scientific consensus' was needed

However, the authors of this new report claim it offers strong scientific evidence.

About 10,000 people in Scotland have MS.

Scotland's chief medical officer said this sort of change would only be considered after 'broader scientific consensus'.

Sir Harry Burns told The Guardian: 'It is important to remember that dietary supplements can have harmful as well as positive consequences and recommendations need to be made on the basis of evidential benefit in well conducted randomised studies in large populations.

'Mass medication of the Scottish population without such evidence would be considered irresponsible by the public health community.'

The MS Society in Scotland is championing a campaign launched by a 13-year-old boy whose mother had the disease diagnosed.

Shine on Scotland is teenager Ryan McLaughlin's response to vitamin D deficiency. His mother, Kirsten McLaughlin, is very ill in hospital with MS.

The campaign has seen Ryan meet with Government officials to appeal for vitamin D-fortified food.

The youngsters father, Alan, revealed that the campaign had persuaded Kellogg's to add the vitamin to cereals.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Virgin Coconut Oil Helps you Maintain a Healthy Weight

Eat More of this Fat and You Might Slim Your Waist Size in One Week

 Posted By Dr. Mercola | December 29 2011 | 5,083 views

Story at-a-glance

• Adding coconut oil to obese men’s diets for four weeks resulted in reduced waist circumference
• Separate research also supports the role of coconut oil for weight loss, reduced waist circumference, improvements in cholesterol levels and more
• Coconut oil is nature's richest source of healthy medium chain fatty acids, which help stimulate your body's metabolism, leading to weight loss

By Dr. Mercola

Many still believe that saturated fats like coconut oil are "fattening" and bad for your heart -- a pervasive myth that began in 1953 following the publication of a seriously flawed study by Dr. Ancel Keys.

But the truth is, coconut oil is actually one of the healthiest oils you can consume, especially for cooking, which is why it is one of only two oils you'll find a gallon container of in my kitchen.

Many are initially surprised when they learn coconut oil is actually good for you, but indeed it is -- and it may even help you attain your weight loss goals as well.

Why is Your Waist Size so Important?

As you may know, your waist size is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also a powerful indicator of a build-up of visceral fat, a dangerous type of fat around your internal organs that is strongly linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Your waist size is a far more accurate predictor of your heart risks than even your body mass index (BMI), Your waist size is also a powerful indicator of insulin sensitivity, as studies clearly show that measuring your waist size is one of the most powerful ways to predict your risk for diabetes.

If you want to determine if your waist size is in a healthy range, use a tape measure to figure the distance around the smallest area of your abdomen below your rib cage and above your belly button. Then compare your measurements to this general guide:

• For men, between 37 and 40 inches is overweight and more than 40 inches is obese
• For women, 31.5-34.6 inches is overweight and more than 34.6 inches is obese

Coconut Oil Shrinks Your Waist Size

When 20 obese men added coconut oil to their diets for four weeks, their waist circumferences got significantly smaller, with a mean reduction of 2.86 cm. Researchers noted:

"[Virgin coconut oil] is efficacious for WC [waist circumference] reduction especially in males and it is safe for use in humans."

A similar 12-week-long study on women, published in the journal Lipids, also found that dietary supplementation with coconut oil may result in a reduction in waist circumference, among other benefits, compared to supplementing with soybean oil.  

Divided into two groups of 20 participants each, the women received a daily supplement of 30 ml (about two tablespoons) of either soybean oil or coconut oil. They also followed a balanced low-calorie diet, and walked for 50 minutes per day. The end result?

The coconut oil group presented:

• Increased levels of HDL (good cholesterol)
• Decreased LDL/HDL ratio
• Reduced waist circumference/abdominal obesity

The soybean oil group presented:

• Increased total cholesterol
• Increased LDL (bad cholesterol)
• Increased LDL/HDL ratio
• Decreased HDL (good cholesterol)
• No reduction in waist circumference/abdominal obesity

Many of coconut oil's benefits may be due to its content of medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs, rather than the long chain fatty acids found in vegetable oils like soybean oil and animal fats such as lard. The authors concluded:

"It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia [an abnormal amount of cholesterol and/or fat in your blood] and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity."

Why Coconut Oil's Medium-Chain Fatty Acids are so Good for You -- and Your Weight

Coconut oil is nature's richest source of healthy MCFAs. By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs. There are several reasons why these long-chain fatty acids are not as healthy for you as the MCFAs in coconut oil: Additionally, many LCFAs are from genetically engineered vegetable oils that are loaded with omega-6 fats. Not only do you want to avoid the genetically engineered foods, but even if they were organic these vegetable oils should be avoided as they are high processed and also distort you fragile omega 6/3 ratio.

• LCFAs are difficult for your body to break down -- they must be packaged with lipoproteins or carrier proteins and require special enzymes for digestion.
• LCFAs put more strain on your pancreas, your liver and your entire digestive system.
• LCFAs are predominantly stored in your body as fat.
• LCFAs, when oxidized, can deposit within arteries, contributing to both blood vessel inflammation and plaque build-up.

On the other hand, the MCFAs in coconut oil are more health promoting, because:

• MCFAs are smaller. They permeate cell membranes easily, and do not require lipoproteins or special enzymes to be utilized effectively by your body.
• MCFAs are easily digested, thus putting less strain on your digestive system. This is especially important for those of you with digestive or metabolic concerns.
• MCFAs are sent directly to your liver, where they are immediately converted into energy rather than being stored as fat.
• MCFAs in coconut oil can actually help stimulate your body's metabolism, leading to weight loss.

There are numerous studies showing that MCFAs promote weight loss, including one study that showed rats fed LCFAs stored body fat, while rats fed MCFAs reduced body fat and improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Yet another study found that overweight men who ate a diet rich in MCFAs lost more fat tissue compared to those eating a high-LCFA diet, presumably due to increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation from the MCGA intake.

Researchers concluded:

"Thus, MCTs may be considered as agents that aid in the prevention of obesity or potentially stimulate weight loss."

Additionally, a very exciting discovery is that coconut oil may even serve as a natural treatment for Alzheimer's disease, as MCT's are also a primary source of ketone bodies, which act as an alternate source of brain fuel that can help prevent the brain atrophy associated with dementia. Coconut oil is also rich in the medium-chain fatty acid derivative lauric acid, which converts in your body to monolaurin -- a compound also found in breast milk that strengthens a baby's immunity and has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties.

How Coconut Oil Was Miscast as a Dietary Villain

Saturated fat like coconut oil has been wrongfully vilified as the cause of high cholesterol and heart disease for the last 60 years, when in fact the converse was true all along. You can read the details of how this widely perpetuated myth became conventional medicine's dietary dogma here, but basically it was spawned from a series of flawed studies that snowballed the theory out of control.

Coconut oil, in particular, continued to be demonized by the vegetable oil industry throughout the ensuing decades. The soybean industry was especially ruthless in their condemnation of the use of tropical oils, and I'm sure you realize the reason why – competition ... and millions and millions of dollars.

Unfortunately, the tropical oil industry, centered in poorer nations like the Philippines and Indonesia, could not afford to counter the negative propaganda spread by rich American industrial conglomerates. And in the United States coconut oil largely disappeared from the radar, except among small groups of health-seekers who had examined the research for themselves and/or experienced positive results firsthand.

Through it all, however, the healing properties of coconut oil were apparent for anyone who was willing to see them. Back in the 1930's, a dentist named Dr. Weston Price traveled throughout the South Pacific, examining traditional diets and their effect on dental and overall health. He found that those who consumed diets high in coconut products were healthy and trim, despite the high fat concentration in their diet.

Similarly, in 1981, researchers studied populations of two Polynesian atolls. Coconut was the chief source of caloric energy in both groups. The results, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, demonstrated that both populations exhibited positive vascular health. There was no evidence that the high saturated fat intake had a harmful effect in these populations.

Why Coconut Oil is the Superior Choice for Cooking

Whether you're trying to lose weight or not, using coconut oil as your primary cooking oil is important because it is the only one that is stable enough to resist heat-induced damage.  

Extra-virgin olive oil, while great as a salad dressing or for other non-heated uses, should not be used for cooking. Due to its chemical structure (it's one double carbon bond per fatty acid), heat makes it susceptible to oxidative damage.

And polyunsaturated fats, which include common vegetable oils such as corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola, are absolutely the worst oils to use in cooking. These omega-6 oils are highly susceptible to heat damage because of their multiple double bonds.

Coconut oil is far superior to any other cooking oil and is loaded with health benefits, not to mention flavor. Make sure you choose an organic coconut oil that is unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and does not contain genetically engineered ingredients.

Source: ISRN Pharmacology 2011

Source: Green Med Info

Related Links:

This Cooking Oil is a Powerful Virus-Destroyer and Antibiotic…
The Amazing Oil That Trims Women's Waistlines

Four Tablespoons of This "Brain Food" May Prevent Alzheimer's

http://articles.mercola.com
.

The Kind of Melanoma to Look Out For

December 29, 2011

It’s no surprise that a new study has found that among both new and established patients, dermatologists are better, overall, at detecting melanomas. I should hope so! After all, they are trained professionals. But more interestingly, the research also found that "established" patients -- those who had been seeing a dermatologist for at least three months -- were just as good as their dermatologists at detecting thin (early-stage) melanomas, in particular. That’s hopeful news, since early detection can make all the difference with this aggressive type of cancer.

At Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Pigmented Lesion Clinic (PLC) in New York City, researchers reviewed 394 patient records dated from January 1998 to December 2008, which included men and women ages 17 to 91 (average age about 62). The PLC sees patients at high risk for melanoma. Patients are given total body skin exams at least annually and are also given brochures and a personal lesson on how to perform a skin self-exam. The researchers split the patients into two groups: New and established. Then they compared melanoma detection by dermatologists with detection by each group of patients.

Overall, the majority of melanomas (63% to 82%) were missed by patients and discovered by dermatologists during office exams. But there was one area, in particular, where certain patients did measure up -- which provides a glimmer of hope. Established patients (those who were taught how to inspect their own skin and did) were just as successful as their dermatologists in detecting thin, early-stage melanomas (lesions less than 1 millimeter thick). So learning how to perform a proper self-exam certainly isn’t useless information. These study results appeared in the July 18, 2011, edition of the Archives of Dermatology.

To find out more, I called Stephen Dusza, DrPH, a research epidemiologist and member of Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Melanoma Disease Management Team and a coauthor of the study.

THE SKINNY ON SKIN CANCER

The fact that established patients were able to detect thin melanomas just as well as dermatologists is wonderful news, said Dr. Dusza, because the survival rate for melanoma is much higher -- 95% -- when lesions are detected at that stage. In contrast, with lesions detected at 1.01 mm to 2.00 mm, five-year survival is about 88%... and at greater than 4 millimeters thick, the survival rate is only about 57%. In other words, with guidance from our dermatologists and by practicing self-exams, we can become more skilled at detecting thin melanomas -- and catching them at their earliest, most beatable stage.

The bottom line is that both physician screening and self-examination are essential and work in concert, said Dr. Dusza. So ask your dermatologist to teach you how to perform a thorough skin exam that looks specifically for thin lesions. And make sure that you also visit him or her at least once a year (more often if you’re at high risk for skin cancer), since you can’t see your whole body. For more information on how to do a skin exam, check out Daily Health News, July 12, 2007.

Source:
Stephen Dusza, DrPH, research epidemiologist, Melanoma Disease Management Team, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), New York City.

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

Why Go Nuts For Nuts?

December 29, 2011

If you’ve relegated nuts to the "occasional snack" category, it’s time to get more creative. Substitute nuts for some or all of the meat in a stir-fry entrée... sprinkle sliced or chopped nuts over vegetables, rice, soup or cereal... add ground nuts to a smoothie or yogurt... dress salads with nut oils... spread nut butter on celery sticks or apple slices.Why am I pushing nuts? Because from all corners of the nutrition world, I am hearing from wellness professionals who are amazed by nuts’ health benefits. Recent research shows that eating a moderate amount of nuts on a regular basis may help...

Control weight. According to Richard D. Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD, a professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University who has done extensive research on the topic, nut consumption increases your resting energy expenditure, which means that you burn more calories just sitting still than you otherwise would. Also, about 5% to 15% of the calories in nuts are excreted without being absorbed. And nuts’ unique combination of protein, fiber, fatty acids and other characteristics quells hunger quickly and for prolonged periods.

Prevent heart disease. Most of the fats in nuts are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids that help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides... increase HDL (good) cholesterol... and prevent abnormal heart rhythms. Nuts also contain vitamin E, which inhibits arterial plaque buildup... and L-arginine, an amino acid that makes arteries more flexible and less vulnerable to clots.

Fight inflammation. The soluble fiber in nuts appears to increase production of the anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-4. Antioxidant vitamin E also eases inflammation.

Reduce diabetes risk. A Harvard study found that women who ate five or more ounces of nuts weekly were almost 30% less likely to get type 2 diabetes than women who rarely or never ate nuts. Also: Spanish researchers found that nuts were even more effective than olive oil in combating metabolic syndrome, a condition that puts you at risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Combat cancer. Some nuts (including Brazil nuts and walnuts) are high in selenium, a mineral associated with a decreased risk for colorectal, skin and lung cancers. In animal studies, walnuts appeared to inhibit breast tumors -- perhaps due to their disease-fighting omega-3s and antioxidants.

Support brain function. Evidence suggests that nuts’ omega-3s may ease depression and boost thinking and memory by improving neurotransmitter function. Nuts also provide folate -- and low levels of this B-vitamin are linked to depression and poor cognition.

NUT TYPES TO TRY

Per ounce, nuts typically have 160 to 200 calories and 13 to 22 grams of fat. Eating 1.5 ounces of nuts per day (a small handful) is enough to provide health-promoting benefits. Nuts naturally contain only a trace of sodium, so they won’t wreak havoc with blood pressure, especially if you choose brands with no added salt.

"All types of nuts are good for you, so there’s no such thing as a ’best’ type of nut," Dr. Mattes emphasized. Still, each type does contain a different mix of nutrients -- so for the widest range of benefits, eat a variety. Below are some excellent options and the nutrients that each is especially rich in. Consider...

Almonds for bone-building calcium... and inflammation-fighting vitamin E.
Brazil nuts for cancer-fighting selenium.
Cashews for magnesium, which is linked to prevention of heart attacks and hypertension.
Hazelnuts for potassium, which helps normalize blood pressure.
Peanuts for folate, which lowers levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocysteine.
Pecans for beta-sitosterol, a plant compound that combats cholesterol.
Pistachios for gamma-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E that may reduce lung cancer risk.
Walnuts for the heart- and brain-enhancing omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.

Source(s):
Richard D. Mattes, PhD, MPH, RD, professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He has published numerous studies on nuts and appetite.

Bottom Line’s Daily Health News

Shocking Stats on How TV Shortens Your Life

29 December 2011


You know that vegging out in front of the boob tube isn’t good for you. But have you heard about a disturbing new study from Australia suggesting that TV’s negative effects on life span are even worse than you probably imagined?

For the study, researchers analyzed data from an observational survey of more than 11,000 people ages 25 and older that began in 1999, cross-referencing against mortality figures for 2008. Findings: People who spent a lifetime average of six hours per day watching television died 4.8 years sooner, on average, than people who watched no TV. Also, every single hour of TV viewed after age 25 reduced the average viewer’s life expectancy by 22 minutes!

Explanation: It is an indirect link, according to study leader J. Lennert Veerman, MD, PhD, MPH, of the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland in Australia. The more time a person spends watching television, the less time she (or he) has for healthy behaviors proven to promote longevity, such as exercising and socializing. Also, Dr. Veerman noted, while researchers in this study adjusted for the effects of diet quality and waist circumference, other studies show that TV viewing typically is associated with a worse diet.

Bottom line: TV’s harmful effects on longevity may be comparable to the effects of major chronic disease risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity—a fact worth remembering next time you are tempted to turn on the tube.
 
 Source:  J. Lennert Veerman, MD, PhD, MPH, is a senior research fellow at the Centre for Burden of Disease and Cost-Effectiveness in the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland in Australia, and leader of a study published in British Journal of Sports Medicine.

HealthyWoman from Bottom Line

Don’t Let a Potassium Deficiency Harm Your Heart

29 December 2011


In the interest of heart health, you may virtuously set aside the saltshaker to keep your sodium intake down, knowing that dietary sodium can raise blood pressure in many people. But you may not know that unless you also are careful to keep your potassium intake up, your cardio-protective efforts are likely falling short.

Proof of potassium’s importance: In a recent study published in Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers examined data on 12,267 US adults, analyzing how the ratio of dietary intake of potassium and sodium affected mortality rates. Compared with people who had the most favorable ratio of potassium to sodium consumption (consuming the most potassium and the least sodium), those who consumed the least potassium and the most sodium had a 46% greater risk of dying from any cause… a 46% greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease… and more than double the risk of dying from ischemic heart disease (narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart). In addition: A study published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who ate at least three pieces of potassium-rich fruit daily had a 21% lower risk for stroke than those who consumed less potassium.

How potassium helps: Laura Bellows, PhD, MPH, RD, an assistant professor in the department of food science and human nutrition at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, explained that potassium’s primary contribution to cardiovascular health is tied to its beneficial effects on blood pressure. Potassium helps control blood pressure by promoting the proper balance of fluids in the body… helps offset the adverse effects of dietary sodium… increases the amount of sodium excreted via the urine… and may help prevent the thickening of artery walls.

While adequate potassium intake is particularly vital for people who have blood pressure problems and/or who consume too much sodium, potassium has other positive effects that make it important for everyone. Additional benefits: Potassium facilitates proper nerve function and muscle control… inhibits formation of harmful free radicals… reduces kidney stone risk… may prevent or slow bone loss… and may ease rheumatoid arthritis.

Targets: The average adult needs 4,700 mg of potassium per day (or 5,100 mg per day for breast-feeding women), but many of us fall short. According to the Institute of Medicine, most American women ages 31 to 50 consume no more than half the recommended amount of potassium. In addition, the current generally recommended limit for sodium, according to the government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, is 2,300 mg per day—so the ratio of potassium to sodium should be about two-to-one. For people who are over age 50 and those of any age who are African-American or have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, the recommended sodium limit is 1,500 mg per day—so the ideal ratio of potassium to sodium is about three-to-one.

Why do so few of us hit these healthy ratios? “Our dietary problems tend to begin with our busy lifestyles and the resulting reliance on packaged and processed foods. We do not take time to prepare and eat the vegetables, fruits and other healthful foods that are major potassium sources,” Dr. Bellows said.

Boosting potassium: Potassium supplements can cause gastrointestinal upset and impair absorption of vitamin B-12—and megadoses can lead to a potentially fatal condition called hyperkalemia, so the best way to get potassium is from food, Dr. Bellows emphasized. Important: Check with your doctor before increasing your potassium intake—people with kidney disease or certain other conditions may need to limit potassium.

The Web site www.ars.usda.gov/services/docs.htm?docid=18877, from the USDA Agricultural Research Service, can help you identify foods rich in specific nutrients. Per the USDA site, some top sources of potassium include…

 White beans, 1 cup—1,189 mg
 Potato (baked with skin)—1,081 mg
 Swiss chard, 1 cup cooked—966 mg
 Lima beans, 1 cup—955 mg
 Spinach, 1 cup cooked—839 mg
 Tomato sauce, 1 cup—811 mg
 Papaya, 1 medium—781 mg
 Raisins, ½ cup—543 mg
 Orange juice, 1 cup—496 mg
 Halibut, 3 ounces—490 mg
 Tuna, 3 ounces—484 mg
 Carrots, 2 raw—460 mg
 Banana, 1 medium—422 mg
 Milk (nonfat), 1 cup—382 mg
 Milk (low-fat), 1 cup—366 mg
 
 Source:  Laura Bellows, PhD, MPH, RD, is an assistant professor and extension specialist in the department of food science and human nutrition at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She has received numerous honors, including a 2011 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the US government on science and engineering professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers.

HealthyWoman from Bottom Line

Manuka Honey

 Can This Sweetener Replace Chemical Mouthwash For Reducing Your Dental Plaque?

Posted By Dr. Mercola | December 28 2011 | 32,638 views

Story at-a-glance

• Manuka honey, which has potent antibacterial qualities, works just as well as chemical mouthwash -- and better than the cavity-fighting sugar alcohol xylitol -- in reducing plaque levels
• Clinical trials have found that Manuka honey can effectively eradicate more than 250 clinical strains of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant varieties
• The vast majority of honey sold and consumed in the United States is processed or refined, and will not offer the same types of healing properties found in raw, high-quality Manuka honey

By Dr. Mercola

Honey has been used as a natural wound healer and infection fighter since ancient times, and new research is showing that a specific type of honey from New Zealand -- Manuka honey -- may offer a wealth of additional healing benefits.

Manuka honey is made by bees that feed off the flowers of the Manuka bush, a medicinal plant native to New Zealand.

All honey contains varying degrees of hydrogen peroxide, which is formed when worker bees secrete an enzyme (glucose oxidase) into the nectar.

Manuka honey, however, has healing properties that extend beyond the healing effects attributed to its hydrogen peroxide content alone; properties such as improved dental health.

Can Manuka Honey Reduce Plaque Formation?

Researchers from India recently explored a number of strategies for reducing dental plaque:

• Manuka honey, which has potent antibacterial properties
• Chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash, a chemical mouthwash often used to treat gingivitis
• Chewing gum with xylitol, a sugar alcohol that has been found to help fight tooth decay

Sixty healthy subjects first received a professional prophylaxis with the purpose of making their teeth 100 percent plaque-free. They were then divided randomly into three groups, and given Manuka honey, chlorhexidine gluconate mouthwash, or xylitol chewing gum. After 72 hours, their plaque levels were examined and researchers found:

"Both Manuka honey and chlorhexidine mouthwash reduced plaque formation significantly, better than the xylitol chewing gum."

So Manuka honey worked just as well as chemical mouthwash -- and better than xylitol -- in reducing plaque levels, most likely because of its potent antibacterial qualities.

Another key difference is that chlorhexidine, according to the National Library of Medicine's toxicological database Toxnet, is "highly acutely toxic when applied to the eye" (which could happen accidentally), while Manuka honey is not.

Manuka Honey is Effective Against Hundreds of Bacterial Strains, Fungi and More

Clinical trials have found that Manuka honey can effectively eradicate more than 250 clinical strains of bacteria, including resistant varieties such as:

• MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• MSSA (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus)
• VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci)
• Helicobacter Pylori (which can cause stomach ulcers)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even approved Manuka-honey-based wound dressings in 2007. The verdict is still out on exactly how Manuka honey kills bacteria, but biochemist Professor Peter Molan at the University of Waikato, has named the effect "unique manuka factor," or UMF. As he told BBC News:

"We know it [Maunka honey] has a very broad spectrum of action … It works on bacteria, fungi, protozoa. We haven't found anything it doesn't work on among infectious organisms."

While it's known that honey's high sugar content suppresses microorganism growth, separate research has suggested that another mode of action is present, and the honey may actually work by destroying key bacterial proteins.

At GreenMedInfo.com you can see a list of numerous clinical studies showing Manuka honey's effectiveness against a wide variety of diseases and conditions, including:

Leg Ulcer	Dental Caries	Dental Plaque
MRSA	Periodontal Infection and Gingivitis	Ulcerative colitis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Helicobacter Pylori Infection	Wound Healing	Bacterial Infections

 

Should You Eat Honey to Prevent Cavities?

There a couple of caveats you need to know about honey, the first being that the vast majority of honey sold and consumed in the United States is processed or refined. And, like most refined foods, processed honey can promote disease and damage your health (including your teeth) -- and it will not offer you the same health benefits as raw, high-quality Manuka honey.

Another important point to remember is that typically about 70-80% of honey is fructose, which, in excessive amounts can exacerbate pre-existing insulin resistance and wreak havoc on your body.

Each teaspoon of honey has nearly four grams of fructose so carefully add the total grams of fructose (including fruits) that you consume each day, and stay below 25 grams of total fructose per day. This is particularly important if you suffer from signs of elevated insulin, such as:

• Overweight
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Midsection Fat

As long as it's used in moderation, eating raw Manuka honey, or alternatively using it topically on your teeth or wounds, is likely to promote health.

Even Better than Manuka Honey for Oral Health

In my view Manuka honey has some very compelling evidence to be considered as a potent healing agent. It was clearly superior to the chemical mouthwash used in this study. However, I believe there are even more effective alternatives based on my own personal health journey.

You might be surprised to learn that despite my outstanding diet, which has me grain and sugar free most of the time, and aggressive exercise program, I have struggled with dental plaque for some time. The plaque has been so bad that it requires monthly visits to the dental hygienist. This has frustrated me for many decades, as despite regular brushing, flossing and using a dental irrigator there has been no improvement in the plaque.

Well earlier this month I received my first feedback that I finally found something that worked. After speaking at the Weston Price Wise Traditions event in Dallas in November I was introduced to fermented vegetables and have been consuming them regularly since then. This is the only change I made in my health habits and my plaque was reduced by over 50% and was much softer.

There is little doubt in my mind that the beneficial bacteria in the vegetables have altered the flora in my mouth and help reduce the plaque. I am very excited about this improvement and will be doing many articles on it next year. I have also started oil pulling with coconut oil and butter and will see if that provides further improvement.

My goal is to be able to go for years without having to see the hygienist as many of my friends are able to. I would still go for regular checkups but I really don't want to do the cleaning if I don't have to.

More Tips for Your Pearly Whites

Good oral health and strong, healthy teeth are NOT the result of drinking fluoridated water and brushing your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. Rather it's all about your diet.

Dr. Weston A. Price, who was one of the major nutritional pioneers of the 20^th century, completed some of the most incredible research on this topic back in the 1900s, and it is still very much relevant today. What he found, and documented in his classic book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, is that native tribes who were eating their traditional diet had nearly perfect teeth, and were almost 100 percent free of tooth decay -- and they did not have toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, or root canals and fillings.

But when these tribal populations were introduced to refined sugar and white flour, guess what happened … their health, and their perfect teeth, rapidly deteriorated. By avoiding refined sugars and processed foods, you prevent the proliferation of the bacteria that cause decay in the first place.

Source: Contemporary Clinical Dentistry October 2010; 1(4): 214-217

Source: Green Med Info

Related Links:

Sugar-Free Drinks and Chewing Gum Linked to Tooth Damage  

Honey Works Better than Drugs for Herpes!

The Vitamin that is Better than Fluoride in Reducing Cavities

http://articles.mercola.com/
.