Yoga effective in treating patients with stress-related psychological and medical conditions

An article by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), New York Medical College (NYMC), and the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons (CCPS) reviews evidence that yoga may be effective in treating patients with stress-related psychological and medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and cardiac disease. Their theory, which currently appears online in Medical Hypotheses, could be used to develop specific mind-body practices for the prevention and treatment of these conditions in conjunction with standard treatments.



It is hypothesized that stress causes an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (parasympathetic under-activity and sympathetic over-activity) as well as under-activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA). Low GABA activity occurs in anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, epilepsy, and chronic pain. According to the researchers, the hypothesis advanced in this paper could explain why vagal verve stimulation (VNS) works to decrease both seizure frequency and the symptoms of depression.

"Western and Eastern medicine complement one another. Yoga is known to improve stress-related nervous system imbalances," said Chris Streeter, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at BUSM and Boston Medical Center, who is the study's lead author. Streeter believes that "This paper provides a theory, based on neurophysiology and neuroanatomy, to understand how yoga helps patients feel better by relieving symptoms in many common disorders."

An earlier study by BUSM researchers comparing a walking group and a yoga group over a 12-week period found no increase in GABA levels in the walking group, whereas the yoga group showed increased GABA levels and decreased anxiety. In another BUSM 12-week study, patients with chronic low back pain responded to a yoga intervention with increased GABA levels and significant reduction in pain compared to a group receiving standard care alone.

Source : Boston University Medical Center

Why We Need Vegetables

Article courtesy of Donna Hargrove, D.O., Nutrition EditorEven though everyone knows that vegetables are good for you, 7 out 10 Americans still do not meet the daily recommendations for vegetables.  And, Americans are eating less today than 10 years ago.  Consumers say their main reasons for not getting enough vegetables are not liking the taste, inconvenience, high cost, and low availability.  However, there are plenty of easy, delicious and convenient ways for people to get more vegetables.

WHY DO I NEED VEGETABLES?
Vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet.  Eating the recommended amount of vegetables can help to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.  Vegetables are also naturally lower in calories than other foods and therefore important in weight management.



Vegetables provide essential nutrients and most are low in fat.  They are an important source of potassium, magnesium, dietary fiber, folate, and vitamins A and C.

• Potassium:  Helps maintain healthy blood pressure 
• Magnesium:  Necessary for healthy bones, muscles and for healthy blood pressure 
• Fiber:  As part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce cholesterol levels and maintain digestive health 
• Folate:  Helps the body form healthy red blood cells 
• Vitamin A:  Keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps protect against infections 
• Vitamin C:  Helps heal cuts and wounds, keeps teeth and gums healthy and aids in iron absorption

WHY ARE EATING DIFFERENT COLORED VEGETABLES IMPORTANT?
Think variety and think color.  Eating a variety of vegetables allows you to get a range of nutrients.  Different colored vegetables provide varying amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that provide unique health benefits.  The phytonutrients are responsible for the colors of vegetables.  Vegetables can be classified into color groups, such as Red (tomato), Orange (carrots), Green (spinach), White (onions, mushrooms), and Purple (cabbage).  Phytonutrients work best when eaten together in a whole food.  So, eating a wide variety of different colored vegetables provides greater health benefits than eating only a single type of vegetable.

HOW CAN VEGETABLES HELP MANAGE MY WEIGHT?
Eating foods like vegetables can help with weight management by adding bulk without a lot of calories.  Eating bulker foods like vegetables helps people feel full and eat less over the day.

HOW MUCH DO I NEED?
The amount you need depends on your age, gender and how active you are.  Most women should eat about 2 � cups of vegetables daily, men 3 cups, and children aged 4-8 years 1 � cups.  In general, 1 cup is equal to 1 cup chopped or cooked vegetables, 1 cup vegetable juice, or 2 cups raw leafy greens.

EASY WAYS TO GET MORE VEGETABLES

• Add vegetables or vegetable juice to soups, pasta dishes or casseroles 
• Stock up on frozen vegetables for quick and easy cooking 
• Drink vegetable juice as a snack or as a beverage with your meal 
• Buy pre-cut vegetables for quick salads and snacks

Source : nutritionhealthnet.com

5 Benefits of Aloe Vera for Health

Aloe vera, it contains many nutrients needed by the body. Components to form a gel which is mostly water reached 99.5% of the total, and total dissolved solids with only 0.49%, 0.067% fat, carbohydrates 0.043%, 0.038% protein, vitamins, 0.49%, 3.476 mg vitamin C (Furnawanthi , 2002). While the high nutrient content in it is vitamin C.

Here are some of the content of aloe vera and its benefits:

1. Reducing sugar in the blood.
One of the substances contained in the aloe vera is the aloe emodin, an organic compound from the group antrokuinon signals that activate the insulin levels of insulin-like perceiving and beta-substrat1, phosphatidyl inositol-3 kinase and increased the rate of glycogen synthesis by inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, so very useful for reducing blood sugar ratio. In addition, according to Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine, the benefits of aloe vera have been hypoglycemic. Which can reduce blood glucose (blood sugar) in people with diabetes.

2. Antiseptic drugs & medicine burns
Aloe vera plant leaves and roots contain saponins and flavonoids, in addition to the leaves contain tannins and polyphenols (Hutapea, 2000). These saponins have the ability as an effective cleanser that menyembuhakan open wounds, while the tannins can be used as a precaution against infection of the wound because of its antiseptic and burn treatment. Flavonoids and polyphenols have activity as an antiseptic (Harborne, 1987).

3. Laxative
Because aloe latex (yellow juice extracted from the outer layer of leaves) contain molecules with a strong laxative effect (called "anthranoids"), the plants can be effective in cases of constipation. These benefits are also recognized by the WHO and shown in several studies.

4. Regeneration of the skin
Rich in antioxidants (flavonoids, vitamin C, beta-carotene), aloe vera has anti-aging will. A study conducted in Turkey, 2009, showed that aloe vera can help to regenerate skin tissue. Moreover, it can diminish scars and lines white lines / red due to pregnancy or strecth marks, treating minor cuts and scratches from the knife cut and fade the black spots on the skin.

5. Helps digestion
Studies have shown aloe vera gel to repel and destroy toxins and other foreign material that is usually attached to the intestine. Toxins and foreign substances that attach to the gut is very dangerous because it results in the accumulation of waste that can block the intestinal tract and reduces the body's ability to absorb nutrients. Benefits of aloe vera is to eliminate waste and help in the setting of acid. This can prevent you from suffering from indigestion and can also cleanse the blood and improve circulation to normal.

Source : Yahoo News

5 Reasons to Keep Drinking Coffee

Reasons to Keep Drinking Coffee
For some people, drinking a cup of coffee can be a powerful way to get rid of the sleepiness or even just to satisfy a hobby. But unfortunately, coffee also never be separated from the negative issues. Some research says that coffee can cause anxiety and insomnia in some people.

But beneath it all, the coffee actually has health benefits as a support. Beth Reardon, director of nutrition at Duke Integrative Medicine says that coffee contains important antioxidant compounds more potent than other sources, such as fruits and vegetables. Here are the five best reasons why you should drink coffee:



1. Cut the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Various research shows, the more often a person drinks coffee, the more likely they are affected by type 2 diabetes. For example, postmenopausal women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were more likely to avoid type 2 diabetes, according to a study by researchers at UCLA School of Public Health and Medicine involving more than 700 women in 2011.

In fact, experts in Australia who published his research in the Archives of Internal Medicine noted, each additional one cup of coffee may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 7 percent.

2. Protecting the ravages of cancer cells
In previous research, the coffee never "accused" as a cause of cancer. However, the findings were not truth, because the researchers did not take into account research other precipitating factors such as alcohol and smoking. But now, there is evidence that coffee may protect against certain cancers, by enhancing DNA repair.

Several studies have found an inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of liver cancer. Even in 2011, for example, researchers from Harvard found that women who drink several cups of coffee a day (caffeinated or decaf) have a lower risk of endometrial cancer. Another study also reported that in men who consumed six cups of coffee a day, have a lower risk of prostate cancer, which amounted to 60 a message.

Other studies have linked coffee drinking with reduced risk of colon cancer, rectal cancer, oral cancer and esophageal cancer.

3. Reduce the risk of dementia
The scientists have so far not fully understand what causes brain changes associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. But they learn more about risk factors for dementia - and coffee drinking habits seem to have an influence in reducing the risk of dementia.

Researchers from Sweden and Denmark have been tracking the impact of coffee consumption in 1400 middle-aged people for an average of 21 years. They found a clear relationship that participants who drank 3-5 cups of coffee a day had a lower risk of developing dementia (65 percent).

4. Protect against Parkinson's disease
For men, it seems clear that coffee helps reduce the possibility of Parkinson's disease. Those who drank about 2-3 cups of coffee a day had 25 percent lower risk of Parkinson's than those who did not suffer at all. The findings are the result of the conclusion of the 26 studies that looked at the relationship between coffee consumption and Parkinson's. However, these researchers have not seen a strong influence for women to drink coffee.

5. Preventing depression
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health to track 50,000 nurse in the Nurses Health Study for more than a quarter century. In 2011, researchers reported that those who drank four cups of coffee or more per day had a 20 percent lower risk for depression, compared with those who rarely or never drink coffee. Meanwhile, those who drank two to three cups a day had 15 percent lower risk of experiencing depression.


Source : http://www.caring.com/

Orange juice can Disrupt Performance Drugs, really?

Orange juice can Disrupt Performance Drugs, really?...
If you're a big fan of citrus fruit or juice, but on the other hand are undergoing long-term treatment and should be taking some kind of medication, you should be careful. Why? Because the fruit is rich in vitamin C can affect and disrupt the work of medicine.


Katherne Zeratsky, a nutritionist from the Mayo Clinic say, orange juice or other citrus products may interfere with some types of medication. Zeratsky said, although the interaction caused quite mild, but in some cases this could have serious consequences and lead to health problems.



He also urged everyone to consult a doctor or pharmacist before eating grapefruit (citrus) fruit juice or other products if you are taking various drugs. Where possible, it would be better if you do not eat oranges at all. While you take the medicine and grapefruit products in different time interaction will still be there.


Zeratsky revealed that there are certain chemicals contained in citrus fruits that can interfere with the metabolism of various drugs in your digestive system. These conditions can jeopardize your treatment and cause serious side effects.


In addition there are many more citrus foods that can trigger drug interactions. Here are some examples of prescription medications that can trigger serious interactions if taken bersamaa with citrus products. For more details, you can consult your doctor or pharmacist to see whether the drugs you consume also has interactions with what you eat often:

• Anti-anxiety: Buspirone
• Anti-arrhythmia drugs: Amiodarone (Cordarone)
• Antidepressants: sertraline (Zoloft)
• Antihistamines Fexofenadine (Allegra)
• Anti-retrovirals: Saquinavir (Invirase), indinavir (Crixivan)
• Anti-seizure drugs: Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol)
• Calcium channel blockers (used to treat hypertension): Nifedipine (Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), Nisoldipine (Sular)
• Immunosuppressant Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), Tacrolimus (Prograf), Sirolimus (Rapamune)
• Statins (cholesterol lowering drugs): Simvastatin (Zocor), Lovastatin (Mevacor), atorvastatin (Lipitor)

Source : http://www.mayoclinic.com

Tweet

I've decided, on the sage advice of a WHS reader, to join the world of Twitter.  I'll be using it to announce new posts, as well as communicating papers that I find interesting, but either don't have time to blog about or think are too technical for a general audience.  My tag is "whsource".  Head on over to Twitter if you want to follow my tweets.

Taurine in Poultry Meat can nourish the heart

Good news coming for you lovers of poultry meat. Researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center found the essential nutrients in meat, dark poultry provides protection against coronary heart disease (CHD), particularly in women with high cholesterol.

The study was published online in the European Journal of Nutrition. The scientists evaluated the effects of taurine. This is one of the natural nutrients and are usually found in dark meats such as turkey and chicken, as well as in other foods such as some types of fish and shellfish.



The findings indicate that a high intake of taurine are associated with lower risk of suffering from CHD, especially in women with high total cholesterol levels. But the same relationship is not seen in women with low cholesterol levels.

"There is little information available about taurine," said lead researcher Yu Chen, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology at the NYU School of Medicine.

Yu Chen said, although there are several animal studies showing the benefits of taurine for heart disease, but he claims this finding as the first prospective study published to see the effect of serum taurine against CHD in humans.

"These findings are very interesting. Taurine is a naturally occurring seems to have a significant protective effect in women with high cholesterol," he said.

Coronary heart disease is a major killer in men and women, nearly one in five deaths caused by CHD. The disease is caused by the buildup of plaque in heart arteries. Many epidemiological studies provide evidence that dietary intake as a major factor in the prevention of CHD.

In his research, Dr. Chen and his team used data and samples from the NYU Women Health Study. Research involving more than 14,000 women (34-65 years), between the years 1985-1991 in a breast cancer screening center in New York City. Study participants who registered and recorded by the researcher to do related medical and lifestyle information.

Research funded by the American Heart Association (AHA). The researchers measured levels of taurine in serum samples collected in 1985 - before the onset of heart disease - for the 223 participants who developed or died of CHD during the study follow-up period between the years 1986-2006. The researchers then compared the levels of taurine in the blood of participants who developed CHD with serum samples of taurine on the 223 participants with no history of heart disease.

The analysis revealed that serum taurine does not provide protection to the overall development of CHD. However, among women with high cholesterol, those with high levels of serum taurine 60 percent lower risk of heart disease or died of CHD, than women with lower levels of taurine.

"It's quite interesting. If these findings can be accepted, one day we may be able to suggest someone with high cholesterol to eat more meat, poultry, particularly the dark meat," the researchers said.

Dr Chen explained that women volunteers are involved in the research of nearly 80 percent of the Caucasian race. Therefore, the findings may not provide the same benefits to men or other races. But Chen said that the future research needs to be done to analyze the effect of poultry against men or other races.

Chen also added, not yet known whether taurine content contained in food products and beverages have the same effect. "We just learned that taurine comes from natural sources. Product added to foods or beverages that taurine may have a higher content, as well as other ingredients like caffeine and ginseng, which can lead to coronary heart disease risk," he concluded.