Archive for September, 2011

Depression Inflammation Link

September 30, 2011 Written by JP

There are a great many diseases and disorders that come mind when pondering the topic of inflammation. Typically, depression isn’t included in that rather lengthy list. A new review compiled by researchers from the Emory University School of Medicine postulates that there’s reasonable cause to do so. The authors of the paper note that “individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) demonstrate increased levels of a variety of peripheral inflammatory biomarkers”. If this emerging theory is justified, how can patients and physicians use this information to help alleviate poor mood states? One of the most promising, natural candidates is fish oil.
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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Mental Health, Nutritional Supplements | 24 Comments & Updates

Bitter Melon and Cancer

September 28, 2011 Written by JP

According to an alarming report in the September issue of the journal Lancet Oncology, the number of new cases of cancer worldwide is expected to reach 27,000,000/year by the year 2030. The authors of the paper call for a comprehensive effort to better manage cost and human suffering by emphasizing “real value from new technologies”. One of the “new” technologies that’s being examined is the use of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) in prevalent malignancies such as prostate cancer.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Men's Health, Nutritional Supplements | 10 Comments & Updates

Yogurt News You Can Use

September 26, 2011 Written by JP

Yogurt is a historically revered food that I recommend to virtually all of my clients, family and friends. The primary reason is that the scientific literature consistently reveals varied health benefits associated with the use of this cultured, probiotic-rich product. In the past several months alone, peer-reviewed studies report that the regular use of yogurt reduces:  a) the levels of harmful bacteria that promote dental decay and periodontal disease in the mouths of children; b) the risk of premature birth in women with bacterial vaginosis and preeclampsia (high blood pressure) in first time mothers; c) the likelihood of diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints relating to antibiotic use; d) the incidence of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome according to intervention trials and large population studies.
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Posted in Diabetes, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 13 Comments & Updates

Red Beet Juice Power

September 23, 2011 Written by JP

In the field of athletics, the term “performance enhancers” has taken on a negative connotation of late. The very mention of it frequently conjures up images of professional athletes “juicing up” on anabolic steroids or synthetic stimulants. Fortunately, in recent years, scientists have uncovered an all natural and much safer alternative that may just improve physical capacity and support cardiovascular health.

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Posted in Exercise, Food and Drink, Nutritional Supplements | 19 Comments & Updates

Sjogren’s Syndrome Solutions

September 20, 2011 Written by JP

This year’s U.S. Open was marked by an unexpected medical headline. Venus Williams, a top ranked singles and doubles tennis player, announced that she was dropping out of the prestigious tournament because of debilitating symptoms relating to Sjogren’s syndrome. This autoimmune condition can manifest itself in a number of ways including musculoskeletal pain, persistent fatigue and severe dryness in the eyes and mouth. Thankfully, preliminary research points to several natural options that may help manage it.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Nutrition, Nutritional Supplements | 10 Comments & Updates

Pilates Research

September 14, 2011 Written by JP

Pilates is a gentle, yet demanding, form of body conditioning that promotes flexibility, stamina and strength. Proponents claim that regular practice also supports a more positive mindset. Although it was originally conceived to assist recovery from injury, it has recently become the exercise of choice of many athletes, celebrities and fitness gurus. More importantly, its current popularity has spawned an important collection of scientific data suitable for medical review and scrutiny.

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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Exercise, Heart Health | 27 Comments & Updates

Medical Marijuana

September 12, 2011 Written by JP

The July-August edition of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine addresses one of the more contentious medical, political and societal issues of our time: medical marijuana. The review provides a balanced perspective about the pros and cons of cannabis use in modern medicine. It not only describes scientific evidence pertaining to legal and illegal cannabis, but also points out issues that require more clarification and future study including: the addictive potential of the “drug”, optimal delivery methods and quality control issues involving natural and synthetic contaminants. My own investigation into the medicinal use of marijuana uncovered some promising and troubling findings. Read more »


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Posted in Alternative Therapies, Memory, Mental Health | 18 Comments & Updates

Healthy Potatoes?

September 9, 2011 Written by JP

A presentation given at last week’s national meeting of the American Chemical Society made headlines that you may have heard or read about. The claim made was that eating two daily servings of potatoes can lower blood pressure so that the “undeserved bad reputation” of potatoes ought to be reassessed. To that I say, not so fast. There are several key details that are important to note when considering this research and topic: 1) The variety of potatoes used in the current trial (purple potatoes) contain antioxidant pigments, similar to those found in blueberries and red wine, which may reduce blood pressure in and of themselves.  2) Some research suggests that purple potatoes contain higher potassium content than more popular varieties such as white Idaho potatoes. 3) Diets rich in foods containing potassium are capable of lowering hypertension whether they contain potatoes or not. 4) There are many other ways of managing high blood pressure naturally, such as switching from common table salt to any number of salt alternatives which feature essential minerals including magnesium and potassium.

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Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Nutrition | 15 Comments & Updates

Brown Rice Matters

September 7, 2011 Written by JP

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard doctors or other health authorities recommend that patients switch from white rice to brown rice. The idea is that brown rice has more nutrients and a lower impact on blood sugar than its paler counterpart. According to recent publications in the scientific literature, making such a blanket recommendation may be incomplete. It’s true that some studies do find unprocessed brown rice superior to polished white rice in terms of respective glycemic index (GI) and load (GL). But, not all brown rice is created equal. In fact, some studies have reported unexpectedly high GI and GL scores in some brown rice samples. This may explain why a recent trial published in The Journal of Nutrition did not find substantial metabolic differences in a group of 202 diabetic patients who were asked to eat either brown or white rice over a 16 week period. And, this isn’t the only surprise with regard to brown rice research.

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Posted in Diabetes, Food and Drink, Nutrition | 4 Comments & Updates

Sweet Potato Greens

September 2, 2011 Written by JP

I’m always on the lookout for “new” foods that I can add to my diet to keep things interesting. If these culinary additions happen to be delicious and nutrient dense, all the better. Sweet potato leaves are an excellent candidate that I’m planning to experiment with for two reasons. First and foremost, they bring robust nutrition to the table. A publication appearing in the October 2010 issue of the journal Nutrition Reviews proclaims that eating sweet potato leaves may “play a role in health promotion by improving immune function, reducing oxidative stress and free radical damage, reducing cardiovascular disease risk, and suppressing cancer cell growth”. All of these assertions and more are backed up by scientific studies in prestigious medical journals.

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Posted in Food and Drink, Heart Health, Nutrition | 5 Comments & Updates