Articles on Coronavirus, Heart health, Diabetes, Stroke recovery, Olive oil

Stop kissing your pets... for their sake! Animal owners are warned they CAN transmit coronavirus to dogs and cats after bizarre case in Hong Kong - but British scientists say there's still not enough evidence

A pomeranian (believed to be pictured) in the Chinese territory became the first animal to test positive for the virus last month, sparking fierce debate about whether the diagnosis was legitimate.

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Everything you need to know about coronavirus: How to watch for symptoms, when they turn dangerous and who is most at risk as 165 Americans test positive for the disease 

With more than 96,000 sick with coronavirus and growing international concern, DailyMail.com breaks down the most essential things to know about the outbreak and the virus's symptoms.

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Coronavirus can survive on handrails and doorknobs for up to three days: Chief Medical Officer warns trains and buses can harbour the killer germs as he urges people to wash their hands and stop touching their mouths

Health officials have launched ominous-looking campaign posters which depict contaminated door handles, reportedly because their 'disgust factor' makes people more likely to remember them.

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Spanish coronavirus patient recovers after being treated with an HIV drug that stops the deadly virus replicating

Miguel Angel Benitez - Spain's first case - is said to have made a full recovery at the Virgen del Rocio Hospital in Seville after being treated with Kaletra. The hunt for a cure by 2021 is on track.

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Daily coronavirus cases outside of China are now 18 TIMES higher than inside the worst-hit nation where the outbreak began as Beijing offers help by sending tests and 250,000 face masks to Iran 

Beijing confirmed just 120 new cases yesterday in the lowest daily toll since the crisis began to take hold in the middle of January. Some 2,103 patients were struck down outside of China.

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The UK is the MOST relaxed about the killer coronavirus: Global poll reveals three quarters of Britons aren't fazed by the infection - and are the least likely to wash their hands or avoid crowds where the illness may spread 

A YouGov survey of 21,000 people in ten countries put Britain last both in public fear and likelihood of taking steps to limit the risk of getting the virus, such as washing hands.

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Swapping just 100 calories of meat for a vegetarian substitute per day almost HALVES the risk of an early death, study finds

Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health analysed the diets of 37,000 Americans with an average age of 50, finding protein for plant sources could help people live longer.

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As few as 2,100 steps a day could extend the lives of pensioners and slash the risk of heart disease and diabetes in middle-aged people

Researchers in the US looked at data from 1,923 people who were fitted with walking devices that monitored their activity and found consistent lesser risk of diabetes and heart disease.

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Listening to music and playing instruments helps stroke patients recover by 'stimulating their brain and lifting their mood'

In the first study of its kind, researchers evaluated how music therapy improved the lives of stroke patients at Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge.

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Consuming half a tablespoon of olive oil a day cuts heart attack risk by a FIFTH, research shows

Harvard researchers studied the health of nearly 100,000 people over 24 years and found that higher olive oil consumption was beneficial to heart health.

Reverse liver damage with this food

Olive oil has long been a staple in the kitchen of health-conscious eaters. It’s a well-known health potion that holds a secret to cardiovascular fitness and balanced cholesterol. 

Written by Bel Marra Health
Published on April 19, 2017

Experts and food enthusiasts all over the world sing praises to this Mediterranean diet superstar, especially the extra virgin variety, even without a thorough understanding of what exactly is going on in our body when we consume it regularly—all we know is that olive oil gets good results. To fill in the blanks, a team of researchers from the University of Chile set out on a quest to understand the mechanisms behind the wonderful benefits of olive oil, only to discover yet another reason to implement it into your diet if you haven’t done so already.

Research attributes the many cardiovascular benefits of olive oil to hydroxytyrosol, a natural compound that is a powerful antioxidant. The study has shown that hydroxytyrosol also offers protective effects to the liver, which is not at all surprising, considering that the heart and liver share a common enemy: a high-fat diet. (When your liver’s healthy, so are you.)

Olive oil is good for the liver too

To evaluate the effects of hydroxytyrosol, the researchers fed mice either a high-fat diet (60 percent fat) or a control diet (10 percent fat). Some mice were also given five mg of hydroxytyrosol per kilogram of body weight over the course of 12 weeks. Blood and tissue samples were used to assess the impact of the diet on the composition of fatty acids, on the activity of enzymes that participate in the synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids (known for warding off bad cholesterol and supporting heart health), and on oxidative stress.

As expected, a high-fat diet raised the levels of total cholesterol and bad cholesterol, but the effects of the latter were counteracted by hydroxytyrosol in the mice that were given it. Hydroxytyrosol also reduced markers of insulin resistance, which is regularly brought up by an unhealthy diet. (Your liver is the ‘missing link’ to feeling younger and stronger.)

 And the great news is, hydroxytyrosol has shown promising results for the liver. A high-fat diet leads to lower levels of the liver enzymes that are associated with an imbalance of fatty acids in the liver, brain, and heart. Mice that were fed fatty foods had signs of non-alcoholic liver disease, and their livers were marked by increased oxidative stress, which is linked to fatty liver disease as well. However, mice that took hydroxytyrosol demonstrated fatty acid composition and enzyme activity comparable to mice on a healthy diet, implying that the compound can reverse the damage of a high-fat diet.

You may be asking yourself how you can eat more olive oil. Gulping down shots of oil may not be for everyone. Once you move past using olive oil for cooking and baking (excellent starting points already), you can get really creative and use it in other meals. Trade that high-calorie salad dressing for a couple tablespoons of olive oil and some lemon juice. Make your own bread dip by mixing olive oil with balsamic vinegar and some roasted garlic. Make your own mayo or pesto—you will need olive oil there too. Play around with ingredients, and get the most out of this Mediterranean health secret—for your heart and your liver too.

Related: How Olive Oil Helps Aging Skin

https://www.belmarrahealth.com/reverse-liver-damage-food/

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Get an Extra Edge Against Cancer

Here’s how an integrative plan can help you…

Mark A. Stengler, NMD, a naturopathic physician and founder of The Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine in Encinitas, California (MarkStengler.com).

Published Date: June 1, 2018   Publication: Bottom Line Health

More than one-third of American adults reach for vitamins, herbs or other natural medicines when they have colds or other routine (and hopefully mild) health problems. Similar remedies can help when you have cancer.

To learn more about the best and safest ways to use natural therapies—also known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)—to fight cancer and its complications, Bottom Line Health spoke with Mark A. Stengler, NMD, a naturopathic physician who treats cancer patients.

HOW CAM CAN WORK

Research has shown that many so-called “alternative” treatments can enhance the effects of conventional cancer care such as surgery, radiation or chemotherapy…reduce treatment side effects…and possibly improve survival.

This type of integrative care doesn’t replace conventional cancer treatments. Rather, with the guidance of a doctor, complementary therapies are added to a patient’s treatment plan.

Important: To ensure that the therapies described below would be appropriate for you, consult the Society for Integrative Oncology (IntegrativeOnc.org) to find an integrative oncologist near you…or check with The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (Naturopathic.org) to locate a naturopathic doctor who also treats cancer patients. 

Also: Be sure to ask the doctor you choose to be in touch with your oncologist. Here’s how CAM can help with problems that plague most cancer patients…

• Get relief from “chemo brain.” It’s estimated that three-quarters of cancer patients will experience some degree of mental cloudiness. Known as “chemo brain,” it can include mood swings, memory loss and mental fatigue. It eventually improves, but some patients will feel like they’re in a mental fog years after their treatments have ended.

What helps: The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil supplements—a typical daily dose is 1,000 mg total of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) combined—help regulate acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that increases nerve growth factor and improves memory as well as energy levels.

The omega-3s also increase the effectiveness of 5-fluorouracil and other chemotherapy drugs, according to a study published in Clinical Nutrition Research. In research published in Cancer, lung cancer patients who took fish oil along with chemotherapy had a greater one-year survival rate than those who didn’t take the supplements.

Note: Fish oil may cause stomach upset in some patients, along with bleeding in those who are taking anticoagulant medications such as warfarin (Coumadin), apixaban (Eliquis) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto).

• Boost energy levels. Ginseng is one of the more effective supplements for cancer patients. A number of studies have shown that it reduces treatment-related side effects, including weakness and fatigue. A double-blind study in Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that patients who took ginseng had less fatigue than those given placebos.

My advice: The American form of ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is more effective than the Asian form. Typical dose: 1,300 mg to 2,000 mg daily. It rarely causes side effects, although it may lower blood sugar in those with diabetes.

Also helpful: Glutathione, a “super antioxidant” that can be combined with chemotherapy to reduce toxin-related fatigue and other side effects. It’s usually given in an IV solution. Side effects are unlikely, but it may interfere with some chemotherapy drugs. Be sure to consult an integrative oncologist to see whether you will/won’t benefit from glutathione.

• Improve immune response. Turkey tail is one of the best–studied medicinal mushrooms. Available in capsule form, the supplement has chemical compounds (beta–glucans) that stimulate many aspects of the immune response, including antibody activity—important for inducing the death of cancer cells.

Impressive research: A study published in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy found that postsurgical remissions in colorectal cancer patients were twice as common in those who were given turkey tail. Typical dose: 3,000 mg daily. Side effects are unlikely.

A NUTRITIONAL BOOST

Conventional oncologists receive little training in nutrition, but it’s a critical issue for cancer patients. One study found that 91% of cancer patients had nutritional impairments, and 9% were seriously malnourished. Research shows that malnutrition contributes directly or indirectly to a significant number of cancer deaths due to poor appetite and the disease process of advanced cancer.

Loss of appetite is a major cause of malnutrition and muscle loss (cachexia). I advise patients who are losing weight to address these problems by getting more calories.

With every meal, include high-fat foods such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. A 10-year study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at more than 380,000 adults and found that a Mediterranean-style diet, which is high in olive oil and other healthy fats, reduced cancer deaths in men by 17% and 12% in women.

Also helpful: Protein shakes. They can provide the extra protein that’s critical for cancer patients. Up to 80% of those with advanced cancer experience muscle loss. Protein shakes can help reverse it. Best option: Ready-made whey protein or pea protein shakes—both are nutritious, have 5 g of sugar or less per serving and are readily available in health-food stores.

My advice: Get 1 g to 1.2 g of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight daily. This means that someone who weighs 150 pounds will need about 68 g to 82 g of protein daily. You can get that much from two or three servings of a typical whey protein beverage, which comes ready-mixed or in powdered form. Caution: If you have moderate or severe kidney disease, check with your doctor for advice on your protein intake.

https://bottomlineinc.com/health/cancer-treatment/when-fighting-cancer-integrative-care

Claims about the benefits of coconut oil - Is it true?

... those consuming the coconut oil would have the worst effect on their cholesterol levels, thus increasing their heart disease risk. But, “To everyone’s surprise, coconut oil came out best,” says Dr Mosley.


APRIL 18, 2018

BY TAN SHIOW CHIN

The following extract is taken from:

‘Self experimenter’ Dr Michael Mosley tests on himself in the name of science


Testing whether certain health fads, trends or concepts really work is the basis of Dr Mosley’s work. This shot represents an episode of the Trust Me, I’m A Doctor series where they check out whether coconut oil is harmful or beneficial. — BBC

Exploring Good Science

“What I love about the science programmes I do for the BBC is that we go out there and test things, and we do it in a vigorous and proper way, and sometimes, it can be really surprising,” he shares.

The ideas and inspirations for his shows come from a few sources. “In programmes like Trust Me, I’m A Doctor, there is a big research team behind the scenes with scientific PhDs, and we are in close contact with a lot of experts as well. Our viewers also send in ideas,” he explains.

In fact, one of the upcoming episodes in their latest season – in which Dr Mosley is one of five regular presenters – will feature coconut oil as suggested by a viewer. “They had read some claims about the benefits of coconut oil, but their doctor had said it was terrible, so they wanted to know what was the evidence behind it,” he says.

So the show contacted University of Cambridge professors Dr Kay-Tee Khaw and Dr Nita Forouhi to help conduct a study with 94 healthy adults aged 50-75, who were divided into three groups that ate 50g of extra virgin olive oil, 50g of extra virgin coconut oil and 50g of unsalted butter respectively every day for four weeks.

The prediction was that those consuming the coconut oil would have the worst effect on their cholesterol levels, thus increasing their heart disease risk. But, “To everyone’s surprise, coconut oil came out best,” says Dr Mosley.

“It raised the LDL levels, the bad cholesterol, a bit; also, it raised the HDL levels, the good cholesterol, more. In terms of heart disease risk, it appeared to lower it. And it was also the only one of the oils that lead to a reduction in what they call inflammatory factors, which plays an important part in heart disease.”

The study was significant enough to be published in the journal BMJ Open on Mac 6. Dr Mosley himself also throws in ideas that he finds interesting.

Source: https://www.star2.com/health/2018/04/18/he-self-experiments-in-the-name-of-science/

Cooking with vegetable oils releases toxic cancer-causing chemicals, say experts

Scientists warn against the dangers of frying food in sunflower oil and corn oil over claims they release toxic chemicals linked to cancer

By Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter

8:13PM GMT 07 Nov 2015

Cooking with vegetable oils releases toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases, according to leading scientists, who are now recommending food be fried in olive oil, coconut oil, butter or even lard.

The results of a series of experiments threaten to turn on its head official advice that oils rich in polyunsaturated fats – such as corn oil and sunflower oil – are better for the health than the saturated fats in animal products.

Scientists found that heating up vegetable oils led to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease and dementia.

Martin Grootveld, a professor of bioanalytical chemistry and chemical pathology, said that his research showed “a typical meal of fish and chips”, fried in vegetable oil, contained as much as 100 to 200 times more toxic aldehydes than the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organisation.

“The human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be"

Professor John Stein, Oxford University’s emeritus professor of neuroscience

In contrast, heating up butter, olive oil and lard in tests produced much lower levels of aldehydes. Coconut oil produced the lowest levels of the harmful chemicals.

Concerns over toxic chemicals in heated oils are backed up by separate research from a University of Oxford professor, who claims that the fatty acids in vegetable oils are contributing to other health problems.

Professor John Stein, Oxford’s emeritus professor of neuroscience, said that partly as a result of corn and sunflower oils, “the human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be”.

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Because vegetable oils are rich in omega 6 acids, they are contributing to a reduction in critical omega 3 fatty acids in the brain by replacing them, he believes.

“If you eat too much corn oil or sunflower oil, the brain is absorbing too much omega 6, and that effectively forces out omega 3,” said Prof Stein. “I believe the lack of omega 3 is a powerful contributory factor to such problems as increasing mental health issues and other problems such as dyslexia.”

He said sunflower oil and corn oil were now banished from his own kitchen, replaced by olive oil and butter.

NHS advice is to replace “foods high in saturated fat with lower-fat versions” and warns against frying food in butter or lard, recommending instead corn oil, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil. Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.

But Prof Grootveld, of De Montfort University in Leicester, who carried out a series of experiments, said: “For decades, the authorities have been warning us how bad butter and lard was. But we have found butter is very, very good for frying purposes and so is lard.

“People have been telling us how healthy polyunsaturates are in corn oil and sunflower oil. But when you start messing around with them, subjecting them to high amounts of energy in the frying pan or the oven, they undergo a complex series of chemical reactions which results in the accumulation of large amounts of toxic compounds.”

The findings are contained in research papers. Prof Grootveld’s team measured levels of “aldehydic lipid oxidation products” (LOPs), produced when oils were heated to varying temperatures. The tests suggested coconut oil produces the lowest levels of aldehydes, and three times more aldehydes were produced when heating corn oil and sunflower oil than butter.

The team concluded in one paper last year: “The most obvious solution to the generation of LOPs in culinary oils during frying is to avoid consuming foods fried in PUFA [polyunsaturated fatty acid]-rich oils as much as possible.”

Prof Grootveld said: “This major problem has received scant or limited attention from the food industry and health researchers.” Evidence of high levels of toxicity from heating oils has been available for many years, he said.

Health concerns linked to the toxic by-products include heart disease; cancer; “malformations” during pregnancy; inflammation; risk of ulcers and a rise in blood pressure.

He said the oils when “completely pure [and] authentic … offer no threats to human health” but that “LOPs arising from the frequent and common use of polyunsaturated fats” for frying “certainly do so”.

Public Health England says saturated fats, including butter and coconut oil “can be eaten occasionally in small amounts as part of a healthy balanced diet”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11981884/Cooking-with-vegetable-oils-releases-toxic-cancer-causing-chemicals-say-experts.html