Health

Long commutes could damage your health

Place: Washington, DC | Agency: IANS

Overall health of people who spend long hours behind the steering wheel commuting to and from office is likely to be affected, says a study.

A report by the Washington University in St. Louis has found that greater commuting distances were linked with increased cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF), increased weight, and other indicators of metabolic risk.

“This study yields new information about biological outcomes and commuting distance — an under-studied contributor to sedentary behaviour prevalent among employed adults,” said lead investigator Christine M Hoehner, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reported.

“The study provides important evidence about potential mediators in the relationship between time spent driving and cardiovascular mortality,” Hoehner said.

Based on a survey of 4,297 people, researchers found that those who drove longer distances to work reported less frequent participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity and decreased CRF, and had greater BMI (height to weight ratio), waist circumference, and blood pressure, according to the university’s statement.

Those who commuted more than 24 km to work were less likely to meet recommendations for moderate to vigorous physical activity, and had a higher likelihood of obesity. Commuting distances greater than 10 miles were associated with high blood pressure.

Explained: Why kids prefer high-calorie snacks over fruits

Place: Washington, DC | Agency: ANI

Attitudes, relationships, intentions and personal behavior control all contribute to a child’s decision in either reaching for an apple or grabbing a bag of chips, a new study including an Indian-origin researcher has revealed.

The research by Paul Branscum, assistant professor of health and exercise science at the University of Oklahoma, and Manoj Sharma, a University of Cincinnati professor of health promotion and education, focused on 167 fourth-and-fifth-grade elementary schoolchildren in the Midwest over a 24-hour reporting period.

The authors found that snacking represented a large part of the children’s daily calorie intake.

Overall, the group reported consuming an average of approximately 300 calories from high-calorie, low-nutrition foods such as chips, candy and cookies ” nearly 17 percent of their daily caloric needs.

They reported eating only 45 calories from fruits and vegetables combined.

Students were asked to report all snack foods and drinks that they had eaten in a 24-hour period.

The information was then entered into the USDA National Nutrient Database to calculate the consumption of high-calorie snacks as well as calories from fruits and vegetables.

The survey examined a number of behaviours in relation to snacking, such as whether the children thought that choosing lower-calorie snacks was a good idea, whether they were confident in knowing how to choose lower calorie snacks, and if they felt any social pressure from parents, teachers or friends in choosing lower calorie snack foods.

The study found that intentions (stemming from attitude, social connections and behavioral control) predicted the children’s direction toward healthy or unhealthy snacking.

The study found some significant differences in snack choices among gender and ethnicity.

Girls reported eating more high-calorie snacks (348.3 calories) than boys (238.8 calories).

African-American children reported consuming the least high-calorie snacks (221.6 calories), compared with Hispanic children (297.6 calories), white children (282.3 calories) and Asian children (280.8 calories).

The Hispanic and Asian children also reported consuming more of the healthier fruit and vegetable snacks than the white and African-American children.

Out of the 167-person study group, 59 percent were female, 41 percent were male, 48 percent were Caucasian, 16 percent were African-American, 19 percent were Hispanic, three percent identified as Asian and 13 percent identified as other.

The report suggests that part of the increases in childhood snacking could be stemming from the growing numbers of children who skip breakfast.

Children are also more likely to have greater control over choosing their snacks (and making bad choices), versus what is served at dinner.

Higher calorie snacks such as chips and cookies are less filling “making it easier to over consume them” compared with higher-fiber fruits and vegetables.

The study suggested that in the battle against childhood obesity, snack foods should be of particular concern because they’re relatively cheap and easy for children to purchase.

The researchers say the results of the survey further support the need for more health education programs for elementary school children in fighting childhood obesity, in an effort to help children make more positive health choices such as selecting healthier snacks.

“Children may not comprehend long-term benefits or consequences of obesity, such as developing chronic conditions in adulthood, but it’s likely that they would understand immediate benefits of a healthier lifestyle, such as being better able to play team or individual sports,” Branscum says.

The authors add that targeting obesity in children is especially important to head off future health threats such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as future skyrocketing costs in healthcare as a result of the growing rate of obesity.

The research is published in the International Quarterly of Community Health Education.

Yoghurt can make you ‘slimmer and sexier’

Place: Washington, DC | Agency: ANI

Scientists, who set out to better understand the effects of yoghurt on obesity, have revealed that not only does the treat make mice slimmer; it also makes them sexier.

Studies in humans suggest eating yoghurt may help ward off age-related weight gain.

But Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers Eric Alm and Susan Erdman wanted to know why.

“Maybe it has to do with the healthy bacteria that live in our guts,” ABC News quoted Alm, an evolutionary biologist, explaining how there are 10 times more bacteria in the body than human cells, as saying.

“Maybe probiotics in the yoghurt have something to do with the effects on weight.”

To test the theory, Alm and Erdman fed one group of mice a normal mouse diet and the other group the same diet with a mouse-sized serving of vanilla yoghurt.

“One of the first things we noticed was their fur coat,” said Erdman, assistant director of comparative medicine at MIT.

“It was so thick and shiny; shockingly shiny.”

But shiny fur was not the only aspect that set the yoghurt-eating mice apart from their siblings: They were also slimmer, and the males had “swagger.”

“We knew there was something different in the males, but we weren’t sure what it was at first,” Erdman said.

“You know when someone’s at the top of their game, how they carry themselves differently? Well, imagine that in a mouse.”

A lab technician would soon find out what was giving these males their sexy strut.

“She noticed their testicles were protruding out really far,” Erdman said.

It turns out their testicles were 5% bigger than those of their non-yoghurt eating counterparts, and 15% bigger than those of mice on a diet designed to mimic “junk food” in humans. And in this case, bigger was better.

“Almost everything about the fertility of those males is enhanced,” Erdman said, explaining how yoghurt-eating males mated faster and produced more offspring.

“There were legitimate physiological differences in males fed probiotics, not just the extra sexiness.”

On the other hand, female mice that ate yoghurt were even shinier than the males, and tended to be better moms to their larger litters.

“We think it’s the probiotics in the yogurt,” Alm said.

“We think those organisms are somehow directly interacting with the mice to produce these effects.”

Although the study is still in progress, the findings could have implications for human fertility, weight control and hair health.

“When I saw those fur coats, I thought about adding more yogurt to my diet,” Erdman added.

***********************************************************************************************

Holistic Health

This Food Contains 100 TIMES More Probiotics than a Supplement

Abnormalities in your immune system—such as allergies and autoimmune diseases—are a common outcome of Gut and Physiology Syndrome (GAPS), as about 85 percent of your immune system is located in your gut wall
The answer to resolving food allergies, as well as virtually all autoimmune disorders, is to heal and seal your intestines, which the GAPS nutritional program is designed to do
Fermented foods are both potent chelators (detoxifiers) and contain far larger amounts of probiotics, compared to probiotic supplements, making them ideal for maintaining optimal gut flora
If you’ve never eaten fermented foods before, too large a portion may provoke a healing crisis, which happens when the probiotics kill off pathogens in your gut. When the pathogens die, they release potent toxins. If you’ve never had fermented foods in your life, you need to start very carefully and very gradually, beginning with as little as one teaspoon of sauerkraut with one meal. Observe your reactions for a couple of days before proceeding with another tiny portion

Read Full Article Here

Heart-healthy foods that lower blood pressure, reduce symptoms of plaque and improve cardio fitness

By JB Bardot,
(NaturalNews) The foods you eat bring pleasure to your palate and provide your body with powerful healing substances. Most people probably never consider that their morning grapefruit protects their blood vessels or that eating a handful of raw almonds daily can protect them from cancer. Certain heart-healthy foods have a reputation as natural cures to lower blood pressure, reduce symptoms of plaque and improve cardio fitness. Animal proteinsAnimal proteins like fresh fish and seafood are high…

Read Full Article Here

Beat Fibromyalgia naturally

By Dr. David Jockers,
(NaturalNews) Fibromyalgia is a chronic inflammatory condition consisting of muscular and joint pain and fatigue. Three to five percent of the population suffers with this condition with over 80% being women. This is one of the fastest growing disabling conditions in the US. Beat fibromyalgia now with natural lifestyle strategies. Fibromyalgia is classically diagnosed with positive reaction to 11 of 18 specific tender point sites on the body. Other classic findings include chronic fatigue, sleep…

Read Full Article Here

****Also See - This Food Contains 100 TIMES More Probiotics than a Supplement

***********************************************************************************************

Pet Health

How to Heal Your Pet’s Food Allergy

By Dr. Becker

Today I want to discuss novel protein diets, because a lot of dogs and cats these days have food allergies.

In addition to chronic or intermittent GI disturbances like vomiting, diarrhea and loose stools, often food allergies show up as skin problems.

So itchy rashes, hot spots, bald spots, inflamed skin, and even recurrent ear infections can all be symptoms of food allergies.

There are many additives in commercial pet food that can cause allergic reactions, but most often your dog or cat will develop sensitivity to one of the main ingredients in the food you’re feeding – usually a protein or carbohydrate.

Read Full Article Here

Puppy is suspicious of broccoli

Uploaded by cinnamommieon Feb 14, 2012

My mother-in-law’s 7 week old Pomeranian puppy gave us an unexpected reaction to broccoli when a piece fell onto the floor while preparing dinner tonight.
UPDATE: Yes this is my video. I took it with my iphone on Valentine’s day at my mother in law’s house.
Pomeranians are notorious barkers, but this video is the first time the puppy ever barked in his life. My mother in law says she has since tried other vegetables and items but he only gets angry at broccoli. He still does this.

When Some Pet Food Companies Say They Use Only “Human Grade” Ingredients, They Mean It!

By Dr. Becker

Last year the owners of a small pet food company decided to prove the integrity of their ingredients by eating their own dog food for a month, bringing a whole new meaning to “human grade” pet food!
AAFCO doesn’t define “human grade” or “human quality” ingredients and in fact, forbids pet food manufacturers from using the term on package labels. However, there ARE pet food companies out there who do indeed use human grade ingredients in their formulas.
The best way to learn which pet food manufacturers use human grade ingredients is to look for small companies with relatively expensive product lines (edible is more costly than inedible). Visit their website for information on the quality of pet food ingredients they use. You can also chat with some companies online, send an email, or call for more information.

Read Full Article Here
***********************************************************************************************

Positivity Mind and Body

Staying in the Now: Mental Health Through Mindfulness

Uploaded by UCtelevision on Jan 21, 2010

Dr. Stuart Eisendrath, director of the UCSF Depression Center, explores mindfulness as a technique for maintaining mental health. Series: UCSF Mini Medical School for the Public [2/2010] [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 17626]

***********************************************************************************************

Articles of Interest

Another victim of conventional cancer treatments: Beastie Boys co-founder Adam Yauch dead at 47

By Jonathan Benson,
(NaturalNews) After undergoing nearly three years of conventional treatments for a rare form of cancer, Adam Yauch, co-founder of the hardcore punk-turned-hip hop music group Beastie Boys has died. The 47-year-old is the latest high-profile individual to have suffered the fate of conventional cancer treatments, which more likely than not were the ultimate cause of his demise. In July 2009, Yauch reportedly announced in a video to his fans that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the parotid gland…

Read Full Article Here

EPA Grossly Misrepresents The Toxicity Of Corexit Used In Gulf Of Mexico

Susan Aarde
Activist Post

Quite incredibly, the EPA issued a positive report on May 1, 2012 regarding the safety and toxicity of various dispersants used in the BP Gulf Oil Spill. Included in this assessment was the use of Corexit.

This report “indicated that all eight dispersants had roughly the same toxicity,” and all fell into the “practically non-toxic” or “slightly toxic” category. Scientists found that none of the eight dispersants displayed endocrine-disrupting activity of “biological significance.”

The same report went on to say that “dispersant-oil mixtures were generally no more toxic to the aquatic test species than oil alone.”

The first question that jumps out for those who have researched this subject with any degree of thoroughness is how this recent report fails to reconcile with previous studies performed by the EPA.

Here is some test data retrieved from the EPA website that was posted previous to the BP Gulf Oil Spill.

The dispersant (Corexit 9500) and dispersed oil have demonstrated the following levels of toxicity per the EPA website link that follows:

(1) 10.72 parts per million (ppm) of oil alone will kill 50% of the fish test species in a normal aquatic environment within 96 hours.

(2) 25.20 parts per million of dispersant (Corexit 9500) alone will kill 50% of the fish test species in a normal aquatic environment within 96 hours.

(3) 2.61 parts per million of dispersed oil (Corexit-laden) alone will kill 50% of the fish test species in a normal aquatic environment within 96 hours.

This data diverges from the recent report to such a significant degree that the results which were just posted at the EPA.gov website under the title of “The BP Oil Spill: Responsive Science Supports Emergency Response” must be seriously scrutinized.

What is the buying public to make of such conflicting data? Those who have medical conditions which require complete avoidance of toxic seafood need to know with certainty what they are eating.

Likewise, the fishermen in the Gulf need to know the true condition of their catch. Swimmers and beachgoers need to know the state of the water, as well as the beaches. Boaters ought to be informed of the relevant risk factors when out in the areas of recently sprayed waters, whether surface or deep sea.

The most serious questions to emerge from this report revolve around the issue of credibility. Can the EPA ever be trusted again to conduct the necessary research regarding anything having to do with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill caused by BP?

Issuing such blanket statements about the relatively low toxicity associated with this spill, irrespective of location on the beach, in the waters, in the wetlands or estuaries, seems to be quite disingenuous.

Furthermore, the federal government’s declaration that the “clean up phase” of the Deepwater Horizon spill is over begs for review, especially in light of the large quantities of submerged oil unaccounted for residing in the water column, DOJ’s discovery of false flow rate numbers reported by BP and new sightings of oil slicks all over the Gulf.

In light of all that, the clean up phase is not over and further use of Corexit dispersant isn’t an effective solution.

Moreover, the fact that the EPA has approved for use a very safe bioremediation agent known as Oil Spill Eater II, but has yet to allow its use in the Gulf raises many additional questions.

From our investigation, it has become clear that Corexit has been given preferential treatment over other much safer alternatives. The Gulf Oil Spill Remediation Conference (GOSRC) was quoted as follows in this regard:

When we heard about Oil Spill Eater II, and the fact that it is EPA-approved (NCP listed) and has demonstrated its effectiveness at least 14 times for the BP Gulf Oil Spill, we wondered why it wasn’t being used 24/7.

The GOSRC went on to issue a press release entitled: Coalition Of Enviro, Citizens And Political Groups Demand COREXIT Use Be Stopped which pointed out the deliberate false image which has been created around the use of this toxic dispersant – Corexit 9500.

The Gulf Rescue Alliance (GRA) also made the recent observations in their press release entitled: BP Gulf Oil Spill Revisited.

Many of these studies point out the obvious; that when you mix a tremendous volume of released oil with methane gas and further mix it with a toxic dispersant like Corexit, as they have done throughout this oil spill, a chemical cocktail is created that will have as far-reaching ecological ramifications as it will profound environmental consequences.

The Earth Orgainization (TEO) has also weighed in on this issue through their release of an excellent documentary entitled: Hidden Crisis in the GULF. Barbara Wiseman, TEO President, has been an ardent advocate for safer oil remediation measures since the very beginning of this oil spill. She has said that:

At the beginning of the disaster, TEO investigated to find effective, non-toxic technologies currently available in adequate supply to clean up an oil spill of this size. Once we isolated the best solutions, we then investigated to find what the barriers to getting them implemented were. The barriers have all come down to specific people in the EPA. They are, in effect, holding the Gulf hostage and, for some unexplained reason, won’t let it be cleaned up.

Lastly, perhaps the words of Steven Pedigo reflect the voice of reason more than any other in this ongoing oil spill when he was quoted in A 2nd Anniversary Report on the BP Gulf Oil Spillas follows:

The toxic dispersants add absolutely nothing to EFFECTIVE RESPONSE. There is no scientific basis for it, and their use violates The Clean Water Act, EPA’s charter and common sense.

Corexit’s label clearly states it can cause kidney failure and death and the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) specifically warns, ‘Do not contaminate surface water with it. Additionally, toxicity testing in regards to marine species shows little tolerance by all forms of sea life; thus, applying it on spills as a preferred response method increases the toxicity of the spilled oil on which it is used.

GSK gets approval for acne treatment in USA

World News

Kevin Grogan

GlaxoSmithKline’s acne treatment Fabior has been given the green light by regulators in the USA.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved GSK unit Stiefel’s Fabior (tazarotene) foam, 0.1%. The company noted that it is the only retinoid in a topical foam formulation for the treatment of acne vulgaris in patients aged 12 and older.

Read Full Article Here

Europe gives conditional OK to Cell Therapeutics’ Pixuvri

World News

Kevin Grogan

Cell Therapeutics has won conditional approval in Europe for its lymphoma drug Pixuvri.

The European Commission has given the green light to Pixuvri (pixantrone) as monotherapy for the treatment of adults with multiply relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas, making it the first approved treatment in this patient setting in the continent. The decision covers the 27 member states of the European Union, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Read Full Article Here

US FDA urged over biosimilars

World News

Lynne Taylor

Patient safety must be “a non-negotiable priority” for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and drug-makers as they seek to bring biosimilar medicines to market, and that focus “does not end with drug approval,” regulators have been told.

“Put patients first and sound policy will follow,” Joseph Miletich, senior vice president of R&D at Amgen, advised the FDA, speaking at an agency hearing.

FDA advisors OK Gilead’s Truvada to cut HIV risk

World News

Selina McKee

FDA advisors OK Gilead's Truvada to cut HIV risk

Gilead Sciences had some great news at the end of last week after US regulators backed two drugs from its HIV portfolio – Truvada for reducing the risk of contracting the disease and its four-in-one Quad pill to treat it.