Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

Have you seen news headlines that new research shows the mineral selenium does NOT reduce prostate cancer risk as was previously believed? The press can be so unreliable. What the study in question found was that there was no statistically significant association between selenium levels alone and prostate cancer risk, BUT selenium levels DID correlate “with a lower likelihood of prostate cancer in men who reported a high vitamin E intake (more than the average of 28 IU per day) and those taking multivitamins.”!! (Reuters Health)

That isn’t surprising. Vitamin E and selenium work synergistically together to provide anti-oxidant protection. And the baseline of nutrients in a multivitamin provides additional immune support. Nutrients do not work in isolation, but work together for the overall health of the body.

So, this study, reported in the Jan. 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition bodes better news than you may have read elsewhere.

Have you read recently about metabolic syndrome, a relatively new medical term? According to Health Day, “Metabolic syndrome includes factors such as lower-abdomen obesity, high blood pressure, blood fat disorders such as high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and insulin resistance or elevated blood sugar levels. Generally, someone with three or more of these factors is said to have metabolic syndrome.”

According to Dr. Steve Chaney, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at Univ. of North Carolina medical school, individuals may have no actual symptoms of this syndrome, yet it can be deadly! In the Jan. 30 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers reported on an exhaustive review of studies on this issue to conclude that metabolic syndrome is a strong indicator of increased risk of heart disease.

I actually just heard Dr. Chaney last weekend speak about diabetes prevention and metabolic syndrome. He stated that in addressing metabolic syndrome, drugs are not as effective as what he calls a design for healthy living, which includes weight control and exercise, a diet low in fat and high in fiber, and a supplement program. Feel free to contact me if you’d like more details about the supplements recommended for metabolic syndrome.

Add a B to the alphabet line-up of nutrients that can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. (see earlier post about C and E) Recently reported in the Archives of Neurology is a study identifying folate, one of the B nutrients, as being linked to a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers looked at folate (also called folic acid) both eaten in food (whole grains, leafy green vegetables) and taken in supplement form.

There is something particular to note about folate (or folic acid). As one of the B nutrients, it occurs with the other B’s that make up the complex but is a hard one to absorb because it tends to get bound up with the others in the matrix. Look for a supplement with a guaranteed delivery system.

Dr. Stephanie Studenski, a member of the American Geriatrics Society who helped organize a recent conference on “cognitive vitality”, opines that building your brain early in life may also protect against age-related cognitive decline. That building process comes through exercise of mind and body and a healthy lifestyle. Specifically, Dr. Studenski mentions exercise, getting enough sleep, eliminating stress, socializing, thinking challenges for your brain, and nutrition, including B Vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and a multi-vitamin. Also, a diet low in saturated fat and rich in fruits and veggies. You can read more detail about her “tips for keeping the aging mind sharp” in this Reuters Health report.

Fox News just reported on a Harvard study concluding that high blood sugar is among the world’s top five killers, even before it registers as diabetes! Goodarz Danaei, MD, of Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues, state: “Our results show that one in five deaths from heart disease and one in eight from stroke worldwide are attributable to higher-than-optimum blood [sugar].”

The risk apparently increases the higher-above-normal the blood sugar levels climb. So many people are killed long before they get diabetes, the disease commonly associated with high blood sugar. The researchers estimated 3.16 million annual deaths worldwide caused by high blood sugar.

Wow! That is a startling number AND this is very important information to know. I did not realize how critical it was to being hyvin (well) to monitor and control blood sugar levels. Now I know.

Pancreatic cancer is deadly. According to the American Cancer Society, only 5 percent of patients will survive more than 5 years after diagnosis. Easy, inexpensive preventative measures are a welcome piece of good news amidst this picture.

And new research suggests one such measure: People who took supplements containing the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D (400 IU a day) had a 43-percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer! Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers explained why they took a look at the role of Vit. D: “Vitamin D has shown strong potential for preventing and treating prostate cancer, and areas with greater sunlight exposure have lower incidence and mortality for prostate, breast, and colon cancers, leading us to investigate a role for Vitamin D in pancreatic cancer risk.” Being sure to take a multi-vitamin/mineral with the RDA of Vit. D seems to be a VERY wise component of your program to be hyvin (well).

If you’re thinking the body produces Vit. D itself, that is true, but as the Reuters Health report of this research explains, “Vitamin D is produced by the body when sunlight hits the skin, but most Americans do not get enough sunlight to produce the needed amount. “

If you’re exercising to combat borderline high blood pressure (and you should be!) new research suggests that smaller spurts of activity throughout the day, such as walking, are even more beneficial than one longer episode of exercise. Published in the September 2006 Journal of Hypertension, the study compared the effectiveness of four ten-minute exercise sessions on a treadmill throughout the day to a single 40 minute workout in 20 people.

According to the Reuters report of the research, “The shorter workouts compared to the single longer workout may have done better job of restoring the balance of the nerves that control how blood pressure responds to daily demands, the researchers suggest.” And thus, both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure of the participants stayed lower longer after the series of shorter sessions.

Ten minutes four times a day? You can do this!

The July 2006 edition of Health magazine touted the health benefits of a zippy little fruit…the blueberry. What’s in blueberries that make them a health food? Antioxidants – those phytonutrients known to fight off free radical cell damage that is at the root of many health challenges (including cancer, arthritis, macular degeneration and many more). According to the Health article, “Wild blueberries rank Number One in antioxidants for fruit, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with a score of more than 13,000 for total antioxidant capacity per. Cultivated blueberries are the second highest, with about 9,000 (for comparison, Gala apples score around 3,900).”

I like blueberries, but as with many food sources of nutrients, I wonder if it’s possible to consume enough to really have a health impact on my body. Would you like to have a convenient, easy way to regularly get the equivalent of 31 servings of blueberries (along with hundreds of other fruits and veggies)? It’s a whole new level of antioxidant protection!

Allergy sufferers know the common triggers: ragweed, grass, and pollens, right? Well, add fruits and veggies to the list!

Yep, you read that right. Believe it or not, proteins found in parts of some fruits and veggies like bananas, cucumbers, melon and zucchini are similar to pollen proteins that are targeted by allergy antibodies. This can cause symptoms such as itchy mouth and throat with mild swelling when these foods are eaten fresh, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) (that’s quite a mouthful, pun intended ).

The HealthDay report of this statement by the AAAAI states that the kinds of fruits and veggies on the trigger list vary in relation to the type of pollen allergy.

What a drag that must be. My vote is to strengthen the immune system as much as possible to avoid the allergic response in the first place! It really is possible.

Everyday fatigue is a common complaint in our fast-paced society, ranking among the top five health problems reported by adults in 1998. Four out of 10 adults across all age groups experience fatigue, and it affects women far more than men.

Interestingly, less than half of people who feel stressed and exhausted consider this to be a health problem! Of those who admit they may need help, only half have tried any treatment.

Yet an astonishing four out of five Americans consume caffeine every day, causing the Center for Science in the Public Interest to label caffeine “the world’s most popular stimulant,” and the “drug” most frequently and casually consumed.

And our national caffeine consumption may be higher than reported. Sales of “energy pills” are on the rise, yet a look at the ingredient list of many popular products often reveals guarana, mate, bissy nut, or cola nut, which are all simply herbal sources of caffeine. Ma huang and Chinese ephedra are herbal sources of ephedrine, another central nervous system stimulant.

The effects of caffeine in the body are linked to our “hardwired” biological stress-response mechanisms. Because life has always presented hazards, the human body is designed to react quickly and decisively to dangerous situations. When triggered by “watch out!” signals such as loud noises, rapid movement, strong odors, and more, the body automatically produces both physical and chemical responses. Surges of adrenaline heighten your mental awareness and sensitivity and prime your muscles for demanding movement such as jumping or running. Your pupils dilate, your breathing quickens, and eventually your natural cooling system kicks in and you start to sweat.

A single 250-milligram serving of caffeine (the equivalent of about 2.5 six-ounce cups of coffee) has been shown to increase levels of adrenaline by more than 200 percent! Caffeine also stimulates the production of norepinephrine, another stress chemical that acts directly on the brain and nervous system. With daily use, caffeine can elevate levels of another stress chemical known as cortisol. Together, these biochemicals can increase heart rate and blood pressure and produce that “emergency” feeling.

In a real-life emergency, all these survival mechanisms would help you get out of the way of a charging elephant or the 5:05 commuter train. But what happens to the body when you are triggering a full-blown “fight or flight” response at regular intervals throughout the day, every day?

The fact is that caffeine doesn’t produce energy. It stimulates your nervous system and adrenals, which is actually a form of stress on the body. Caffeine intake has been linked to increased blood pressure. Research shows that people who consume more than 250 milligrams of caffeine per day (remember, that’s what you’d get in 15 ounces of coffee) tend to have poor sleep quality. One study showed that 250 milligrams of caffeine decreased whole-brain cerebral blood flow by 30 percent. Other studies have found that caffeine reduces the oxygen level of brain tissue.

Research also shows that caffeine may be more damaging to women, producing adverse effects at lower intake levels. Women eliminate caffeine from their bodies more slowly than men, and this rate also changes significantly with the menstrual cycle.

So, are there any options if we want the pick-me-up we experience with caffeine, but DON’T want the negative health consequences of this “drug”? YES! Cordyceps, Panax Ginseng and Green Tea are all traditional Asian ingredients used for centuries for sustained enduring energy. Based on this experience, clinical use in Europe and recent scientific studies, an optimum combination of these three ingredients for energy and sustained vitality has been developed into tablet form by Shaklee. For more detailed information about this product and how it works, click here.