Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

Women losing weight are encouraged to take calcium and Vitamin D supplements so that they will see the maximum reduction of bad cholesterol and maximum increase of good cholesterol associated with that weight loss, per research in the January 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researchers noted that calcium intake is typically low among overweight women, there are a number of benefits to women losing weight from calcium intake, and women who are trying to lose weight should be sure to get adequate amounts of every other vitamin and mineral, as well as calcium and vitamin D, because of the various benefits of general supplementation on weight loss. (Reuters Health)

This is a nice acknowledgement of the critical role of nutrition and supplementation for good health.

OK, did you try the microwave sponge de-germing? I hope the sponge was wet!!! Apparently the researchers at the study site (Univ. of Florida) have received negative feedback from folks who have burned their sponges, smoked up their houses, and created, in short, a mess.

According to Reuters Health,

The university issued the following advisory: “To guard against the risk of fire, people who wish to sterilize their sponges at home must ensure the sponge is completely wet. Two minutes of microwaving is sufficient for most sterilization. Sponges should also have no metallic content. Last, people should be careful when removing the sponge from the microwave as it will be hot.”

Do you throw your kitchen sponge in the dishwasher to “clean” it? That’s what I’ve always done. I know sanitation is a good idea….the sponge never REALLY gets dry, and it’s gotta’ have all the germs that come into the house and land on the counters, in the sink, on hands, etc.

But I’ve never thought about whether I was really sterilizing thoroughly. Well, new research to the rescue. According to Reuters Health, the Journal of Environmental Health just published a study finding that two minutes on full power in the common household microwave is the way to eliminate 99 percent of the germy stuff on the ordinary kitchen sponge. That works for me!

Chlorine has long been accepted as a common, necessary addition to our drinking water in the U.S., as well as our other household-use water sources and our swimming pools. I don’t like the taste, I don’t like the smell, and my eyes and nose burn when I’m around most indoor swimming pools. Now I’ve got another reason to avoid chlorine.

Newly published research (in the Jan. 2007 edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology) suggests a link between drinking, bathing or swimming in chlorinated water, and the risk of bladder cancer. The Reuters Health report of the research relays the researchers’ observations that absorbing chlorine through the skin or lungs (by swimming or bathing) “may have a more powerful carcinogenic effect because it does not undergo detoxification via the liver.”

I am very glad to have the best selling NSF-certified reverse osmosis water purifier to remove chlorine from my drinking water.

My local newspaper reported that FDA-required warnings on pain pills will now include the sometimes deadly risks. Recommended doses of aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs carry a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and kidney injury, which are also linked to cases of death. Wow! Another eye-opener.

The FDA does continue to say these over-the-counter pain pills are safe and effective when used as directed, with the serious risks being rare. But it makes much more sense to me to use natural pain relief options if possible!

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention just issued a report cataloging the deaths and illnesses of children under the age of 2 from taking over-the-counter cough and cold medications. According to the HealthDay News report of the study, researchers made two main points: (1) These are drugs and have risks, including the possibility of death in infants under two years of age; and (2) there is NO evidence that these meds, especially ones containing pseudoephedrine [a nasal decongestant] have any positive benefits for children under two.

Two good reasons, it seems to me, NOT to use over-the-counter cough and cold meds in little ones. I resort to drug intervention only as a last resort, but I have to admit, these formulas are so commonly used by the public, and seem innocuous. This report is an eye-opener for me.

So, what to do with an infant who is stuffed up, coughing and miserable? Time (the great healer) and a humidifier by the crib will help. You may also want to try some pure alfalfa tablets dissolved in warm water. Try dispensing the solution with a dropper. Alfalfa is a natural decongestant with side benefits not side effects.

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.

Well, the 12 days of Christmas are officially over (way over ). It’s time to return from break! There’s a lot of important health and wellness news to share with you in this new year.

First of all, let’s take a look at an interesting study telling us to beware of studies! Researchers have reported that if a study of a beverage is funded by the beverage industry, the results may be questionable. According to Reuters Health, “Studies funded entirely by industry were four times to eight times more likely to be favorable to the financial interests of the sponsors than those paid for by other groups, the researchers found.” These findings were consistent with past similar findings on drug studies funded by drug companies.

Why is this so? is the question that comes immediately to my mind. The lead researcher of this study was quick to defend the researchers, but suggested it may be because unfavorable studies are simply not published or because researchers are restricted by the sponsor in the ways studies can be formulated.

These findings are part of the body of research making up the scientific record, which is thereby distorted. And, of course, people can be misled by these published findings. So, if you read about a study saying milk can help people lose weight, tomato juice might prevent cancer or there are benefits to fizzy sodas, beware!

Hyvin will be on break for the holidays. Best wishes for a blessed Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!!

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.