Take Care Of Your Heart, Have A Diet Of Cashew Nuts

Cashew is found almost everywhere in Nigeria, Africa and the world in general. Apart from the delicious fruit of the cashew, the nut is also a rich source of nutrients that the body needs to fight off diseases. The delicately flavored cashew nut is a favorite between meal snack that can be readily found in your local market year round. It also makes wonderful nut butter and a special addition to salads and stir-fry dishes.

Cashew nuts are actually the kidney-shaped seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to the coastal areas of northeastern Brazil. Cashews are always sold shelled because the interior of the shells contains a caustic resin, known as cashew balm, which must be carefully removed before the nuts are fit for consumption. This caustic resin is actually used in industry to make varnishes and insecticides.

Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 82% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 66% of this unsaturated fatty acid content are heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to those found in olive oil. Studies of diabetic patients show that monounsaturated fat, when added to a low-fat diet, can help to reduce high triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for heart disease, so ensuring you have some monounsaturated fats in your diet by enjoying cashews is a good idea, especially for persons with diabetes.

Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition (Blomhoff R, Carlsen MH), which identified several nuts among plant foods with the highest total antioxidant content, suggests nut's high antioxidant content may be key to their cardio-protective benefits.

Nuts' high antioxidant content helps explain results seen in the Iowa Women's Health Study in which risk of death from cardiovascular and coronary heart diseases showed strong and consistent reductions with increasing nut/peanut butter consumption. Total death rates decreased 11% and 19% for nut/peanut butter intake once per week and 1-4 times per week, respectively.

Even more impressive were the results of a review study of the evidence linking nuts and lower risk of coronary heart disease, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition. (Kelly JH, Sabate J.) In this study, researchers looked at four large prospective epidemiological studies—the Adventist Health Study, Iowa Women's Study, Nurses' Health Study and the Physician's Health Study. When evidence from all four studies was combined, subjects consuming nuts at least 4 times a week showed a 37% reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to those who never or seldom ate nuts. Each additional serving of nuts per week was associated with an average 8.3% reduced risk of coronary heart disease.

Practical Tip: To lower your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, enjoy a handful of cashews or other nuts, or a tablespoon of nut butter, at least 4 times a week.

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Heart Burn Drugs Could Cause Death - Experts

Almost everyone has had heartburn. Sometimes, it happens when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Heartburn is a painful burning feeling in the chest or throat. If anyone experiences heartburn more than two times weekly, the person may have developed a more serious form of heartburn called GERD (Gastro esophegeal reflux) which is when the muscles at the end of the esophagus do not close tightly enough.

This allows contents of the stomach to back up or reflux which can damage the esophagus. GERD is a common chronic relapsing condition that is associated with a significant morbidity and can cause death from complications if not treated.

Many patients self-diagnose and self-treat and do not seek medical attention. Some of the risk factors may include certain medications, tobacco use, pregnancy, very hot spicy food. Other risk factors include drinking alcohol and consumption of fatty or acidic food.

Some of the classic symptoms may be chronic cough, hoarse voice, belching, bloating, wheezing mouth odour, and some signs might be yellow discoloration of the teeth from too much acid and recurrent sore throat.

Others are acid regurgitation provoked by lying flat on the back or leaning forward, and regurgitation of digested food or clear burning fluid. Undigested food regurgitation is not acid reflux.

There is no clear cut way to diagnose GERD but checking the acid content in your mouth over a 24 hour with a probe will help. Red flags that complications are developing include difficulty swallowing, weight loss, early fullness when eating and vomiting.

Complications could include persistent chest pain especially after eating, cough that will not go away even with cough medication, developing asthma and laryngeal cancer.

Drink eight ounce of water (1250ml), non-caffeinated fluid every day, decrease or eliminate caffeine, spicy food and milk products towards the end of the day. Also, avoid chocolate as well as fatty foods. Stop smoking; stop eating two to three hours before bedtime. Sit upright 45 minutes to one hour after meals.

Some people have resorted to self medication in the treatment of heart burns with dire consequences. Experts believe that over the counter medication could cause serious havoc for those suffering from heart burns and could lead to death. 

 

For effective natural cure for heart burns, call Dr E.E Humphrey, CEO, Save Soul Natural Clinic on +2348069223334, +2349092770089.

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How Loneliness Affects Longevity

Being lonely can trigger cellular changes in your body that increase your chances of getting ill and not living as long as you could have, according to a new study. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identified loneliness as a major health problem that could reduce quality of life among affected persons.

This is not the first time research would link loneliness with poor health.

The risk applies to older people, past research has suggested. A leading charity for people over 60 in the United Kingdom (UK) said the findings in the new study underline the importance of treating loneliness as a major health problem.

In the new study, researchers from the University of Chicago and the University of California found that loneliness can trigger the body’s fightor- flight response, which can affect the production of white blood cells and eventually undermine the immune system.

They based their research on 141 older people enrolled in a United States (U.S) study on ageing and social relations, and on an examination of lonely rhesus macaque monkeys, a highly social species of primates. Loneliness is a feeling of being cut off, disconnected, and/or alienated from other people, so that it feels difficult or even impossible to have any form of meaningful human contact. Lonely people often feel empty or hollow inside.

Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connectedness or communality with other beings, both in the present and extending into the future.

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Walnut: Packed Full With Life Saving Nutrients

Oftentimes, the simplest foods are best for your health, and this is certainly the case for nuts, in which Mother Nature has crafted a nearly perfect package of protein, healthy fats, fiber, plant sterols, antioxidants, and many vitamins and minerals.

Among nuts, the case may be made that walnuts are king, as research shows they may boost your health in a number of ways at very easy-to-achieve "doses."

Eating just one ounce of walnuts a day (that's about seven shelled walnuts) may be all it takes to take advantage of their beneficial properties.

Walnuts belong to the tree nut family, along with Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and pistachios. Each has its own unique nutritional profile.

One-quarter cup of walnuts, for instance, provides more than 100 percent of the daily recommended value of plant-based omega-3 fats, along with high amounts of copper, manganese, molybdenum, and biotin. Some of the most exciting research about walnuts includes:

Cancer-Fighting Properties
Walnuts may help reduce not only the risk of prostate cancer, but breast cancer as well. In one study, mice that ate the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower-growing prostate tumors compared to the control group that consumed the same amount of fat but from other sources. 

Overall the whole walnut diet reduced prostate cancer growth by 30 to 40 percent. According to another study on mice, the human equivalent of just two handfuls of walnuts a day cut breast cancer risk in half, and slowed tumor growth by 50 percent as well.¹

Heart Health
Walnuts contain the amino acid l-arginine, which offers multiple vascular benefits to people with heart disease, or those who have increased risk for heart disease due to multiple cardiac risk factors. 

If you struggle with herpes, you may want to avoid or limit walnuts, as high levels of arginine can deplete the amino acid lysine, which can trigger herpes recurrences. 

Walnuts also contain the plant-based omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is anti-inflammatory and may prevent the formation of pathological blood clots. Research shows that people who eat a diet high in ALA are less likely to have a fatal heart attack and have a nearly 50 percent lower risk of sudden cardiac death.

Eating just four walnuts a day has been shown to significantly raise blood levels of heart-healthy ALA, and walnut consumption supports healthful cholesterol levels.  

Separate research showed that eating just one ounce of walnuts a day may decrease cardiovascular risk, and among those at high cardiovascular risk, increased frequency of nut consumption significantly lowers the risk of death.

Rare and Powerful Antioxidants
Antioxidants are crucial to your health, as they are believed to help control how fast you age by combating free radicals, which are at the heart of age-related deterioration. 

Walnuts contain several unique and powerful antioxidants that are available in only a few commonly eaten foods. This includes the quinone juglone, the tannin tellimagrandin, and the flavonol morin.⁶ 

Walnuts contain antioxidants that are so powerful at free-radical scavenging that researchers called them "remarkable,"⁷ and research has shown that walnut polyphenols may help prevent chemically-induced liver damage.⁸  

In another study, researchers found that nuts, especially walnuts, have potent antioxidant powers. Walnut polyphenols had the best efficacy among the nuts tested and also the highest lipoprotein-bound antioxidant activity. The researchers concluded:⁹ 

"Nuts are high in polyphenol antioxidants which by binding to lipoproteins would inhibit oxidative processes that lead to atherosclerosis in vivo. In human supplementation studies nuts have been shown to improve the lipid profile, increase endothelial function and reduce inflammation, all without causing weight gain."

Weight Control

Adding healthful amounts of nuts such as walnuts to your diet can help you to maintain your ideal weight over time. In one review of 31 trials, those whose diets included extra nuts or nuts substituted for other foods lost about 1.4 extra pounds and half an inch from their waists.¹⁰ Eating walnuts is also associated with increased satiety after just three days.¹¹

Improved Reproductive Health in Men
One of the lesser-known benefits of walnuts is their impact on male fertility. Among men who consume a Western-style diet, adding 75 grams (a bit over one-half cup) of walnuts daily significantly improved sperm quality, including vitality, motility, and morphology.¹²

Brain Health
Walnuts contain a number of neuroprotective compounds, including vitamin E, folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats, and antioxidants. Research shows walnut consumption may support brain health, including increasing inferential reasoning in young adults.

One study also found that consuming high-antioxidant foods like walnuts "can decrease the enhanced vulnerability to oxidative stress that occurs in aging," "increase health span," and also "enhance cognitive and motor function in aging."¹⁴

Diabetes
The beneficial dietary fat in walnuts has been shown to improve metabolic parameters in people with type 2 diabetes. Overweight adults with type 2 diabetes who ate one-quarter cup of walnuts daily had significant reductions in fasting insulin levels compared to those who did not, and the benefit was achieved in the first three months.

The outermost layer of a shelled walnut – the whitish, flaky (or sometimes waxy) part – has a bitter flavor, but resist the urge to remove it. It's thought that up to 90 percent of the antioxidants in walnuts are found in the skin, making it one of the healthiest parts to consume.¹⁶ To increase the positive impacts on your health, look for nuts that are organic and raw, not irradiated or pasteurized.

Furthermore, be aware that walnuts are highly perishable and their healthful fats easily damaged. If you're purchasing shelled walnuts in bulk, avoid those that appear shriveled or smell rancid, or that you cannot verify are fresh. Walnuts should be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator or freezer, whether they are shelled or unshelled. Walnuts are great as a quick snack, but if you're not a fan of their flavor, you can still get their therapeutic benefits by blending them into smoothies. Or you can try one of the other healthful nuts available.

You can further improve the quality of walnuts by soaking them in water overnight, which will tend to lower some of the enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid. After soaking, you can dehydrate them at low temperature of around 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit until they are crispy again, as they are far more palatable when they are crunchy.

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Prevent Cancer, Heart Disease And Others With Cucumber

Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon (the Cucurbitaceae family). Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent) water, which means eating them on a hot day can help you stay hydrated.

However, there's reason to eat cucumbers all year long. With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies that are widespread among those eating a typical diet.

Plus, cucumbers contain unique polyphenols and other compounds that may help reduce your risk of chronic diseases and much, much more.

Protect Your Brain
Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline ^, fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory and learning impairments in mice with Alzheimer's disease.

Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans (pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.They also contain phytonutrients called cucurbitacins, which also have anti-cancer properties. According to the George Mateljan Foundation:

"Scientists have already determined that several different signaling pathways (for example, the JAK-STAT and MAPK pathways) required for cancer cell development and survival can be blocked by activity of cucurbitacins."

Fight Inflammation
Cucumbers may help to "cool" the inflammatory response in your body, and animal studies suggest that cucumber extract helps reduce unwanted inflammation, in part by inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (including cyclo-oxygenase 2, or COX-2).

Antioxidant Properties
Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants, including the well-known vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol, which provide additional benefits.

For instance, quercetin is an antioxidant that many believe prevents histamine release—making quercetin-rich foods "natural antihistamines." Kaempferol, meanwhile, may help fight cancer and lower your risk of chronic diseases including heart disease.

Freshen Your Breath
Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath.

Manage Stress
Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress.

Support Your Digestive Health
Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber. If you struggle with acid reflux, you should know that drinking water can help suppress acute symptoms of acid reflux by temporarily raising stomach pH; it's possible that water-rich cucumbers may have a similar effect.

Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.

Maintain a Healthy Weight
Cucumbers are very low in calories, yet they make a filling snack (one cup of sliced cucumber contains just 16 calories). The soluble fiber in cucumbers dissolves into a gel-like texture in your gut, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber-rich foods may help with weight control.

Support Heart Health
Cucumbers contain potassium, which is associated with lower blood pressure levels. A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly.

As an electrolyte, potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration (about 30 times higher inside than outside your cells) in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function.

          Dr Mercola, who authored this piece, is an expert nutritionist.

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Beware: Killer Chickens And Turkeys In Lagos Markets - NOA

Lagos State Government at the weekend raised the alarm over the danger of buying and consuming ex­humed contaminated poul­try produce like chicken and turkey meat presently in circulation in the state.

The state’s Commission­er for Agriculture, Mr. To­yin Suarau, who disclosed this while receiving offi­cials of the National Orien­tation Agency (NOA), who came on the directive of the Federal Government to ap­peal for support on how to sensitise Lagosians on the danger posed by this act noted that these exhumed poultry produce are poi­sonous and could lead to death if consumed.

Suarau added that the imported contaminated poultry produce were seized by men of the Ni­geria Customs Service in Badagry but were later exhumed - after being de­stroyed - by some unscrupu­lous individuals who now sell same to unsuspecting consumers.

“This visit by officials of National Orientation Agency was based on the circular received by the agency about the recently exhumed contaminated poultry produce being de­stroyed by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service somewhere in Badagry. The need for sensiti­sation on the dangers as­sociated with consuming these exhumed poisonous poultry produce cannot be overemphasised especially in view of the havoc it pos­es to the public,” he noted.

The commissioner pos­ited that the imported poultry produce were pre­served with chemicals like formalin which is poison­ous, adding that it could lead to slow death without the knowledge of the con­sumer.

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Once-A-Week Sex Is Healthy For Couples

If the World Health Organization's definition of health as "the totality of a person's well being, including the physical, the spiritual, the emotional etc" is anything to go by, then the issue of sex and its effects on the health of couples (especially married couples) cannot be down-played.

For decades, self-help books and therapists have advised couples that the key to a successful relationship is sex…and plenty of it.

But a new study suggests that behind closed doors, the happiest partners are actually making love just once a week.

According to the University of Toronto-Mississauga more frequent attempts at copulation will not boost satisfaction or well-being.

 

"People often think that more money and more sex equal more happiness, but this is only true up to a point"

Dr Amy Muise, University of Toronto-Mississauga

The study was based on questionnaires filled in by 30,000 Americans over more than 30 years.

“I think the take-home message is that in general it is important to maintain a sexual connection with a romantic partner, but it is also important to have realistic expectations for one's sex life, given that many couples are busy with work and family responsibilities,” said psychologist Dr Amy Muise, who led the research.

“Our research suggests that having more frequent sex in relationships is associated with greater happiness, but this is only true up to once a week, having sex more frequently is no longer associated with greater well-being.

“Therefore, is not necessary, on average, for couples to aim to engage in sex as frequently as possible.”

The study established that people in a relationship tend to have sex about once a week on average. For couples, happiness tended to increase with more frequent sex, but this plateaued at weekly sex.

Despite common stereotypes that men want more sex and older people have less sex, there actually was no difference in the findings based on gender, age or length of relationship.

"Our findings were consistent for men and women, younger and older people, and couples who had been married for a few years or decades," added Dr Muise.

Relationship expert Tracey Cox said the research would leave most couples breathing a sigh of relief
"Sex is important in relationships for bonding and feeling that your partner still fancies you, but having sex once a week is a realistic and achievable goal for busy people," she said.

Are you having sexual problems in your relationship? Do you need an expert, natural cure for your sexual problems, including infertility, weak erection, STD's etc? call Dr E.E. Humphrey, the CEO of Save Soul Natural Clinic on: +2348069223334, +2349092770089.

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Green Tea Helps With Healthy Ageing - Study

Green tea has long been considered for possible health benefits, including its potential to decrease the risk of certain cancers, its antioxidant properties and its blood-pressure lowering effects.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that green tea could help to make ageing a healthy process, too. Green tea is a product made from the Camellia sinensis plant.

It can be prepared as a beverage, which can have some health effects. Or an “extract” can be made from the leaves to use as medicine. Green tea is used to improve mental alertness and thinking.

Researchers from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, looked at the green tea-drinking habits of 14,000 older adults, ages 65 and older, for a three-year period.

The researchers found that the ones who drank the most green tea over these tidy period were also the ones who functioned best in old age — meaning they did not have trouble with basic activities like bathing or dressing.

Seven per cent of people who drank at least five cups of green tea a day had basic functioning problems, compared with 13 per cent of people who drank a cup or less of green tea a day.

“Green tea consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident functional disability, even after adjustment for possible confounding factors,” researchers concluded in the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Anti-aging and antiinflammatory effects of green tea may delay signs of skin ageing, such as sun damage, expression lines and wrinkles, according to a study published in the journal of Collegium Anthropologicum.

Also, catechins, in green tea may also help prevent skin cancer due to sun exposure, notes Pearl E. Grimes, author of the book “Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery for Darker Skin Types.”

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How Alcohol Affects Parkinson's Disease Risk

Drinking alcoholic beverages is not associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) risk, according to a new study published in the June issue of PLOS ONE. However, in additional analyses the study did find that among those who drink only beer, greater consumption was associated with lower risk for PD and among those who consumed only liquor, greater consumption was associated with higher risk for PD. No association was found between wine and PD risk.

While previous studies have found that cigarette smoking and coffee consumption are associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, research on alcohol consumption and PD risk has shown conflicting data. The researchers, led by Rui Lui, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, were interested in learning more about alcohol’s effects on Parkinson’s disease risk and how specific types of alcoholic beverages might influence that risk.

The study looked at 306,895 people (ages 50 to 71 at the time) who participated in the 1995-1996 NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, which collected detailed lifestyle and dietary information from participants. Researchers followed up with study participants and compared the alcohol consumption of the 1,094 people who were diagnosed with PD between 2000 and 2006 and those who did not develop the disease.

• Overall, total alcohol consumption was not associated with Parkinson’s disease risk.
• People who drank beer only and consumed one or more beers per day had a 59 percent lower risk of PD than non-alcohol drinkers.
• People who drank liquor only and consumed one or more drinks per day had a more than two-fold higher risk of PD than non-alcohol drinkers.

The major finding of this study is that there is no association between total consumption of alcoholic beverages and future risk of Parkinson’s disease.

This is in contrast to caffeine consumption and smoking which are associated with lower risk for PD.

Researchers have tried to explain the association between caffeine and smoking to PD in one of two ways - either that there is something protective in caffeine or in smoking which reduces the risk for PD, or, that people with PD are less predisposed to addiction, possibly because of reduced dopamine even before disease onset. The fact that alcohol consumption is not associated with reduced PD risk argues against the second hypothesis.

In additional analyses, the researchers found that among those who consume only beer, higher consumption was associated with a lower PD risk and among those who consume only liquor, higher consumption was associated with a higher PD risk. It is very difficult to interpret these findings because of the opposite effects of beer and liquor consumptions. Plus this study reports on an association between a substance (alcohol) and an outcome, but is not designed to prove definitive cause and effect.

The study did not investigate the reasons why beer and liquor affect Parkinson’s disease risk. One proposed mechanism would be that beer consumption elevates plasma urate which is associated with lower PD risk.

The higher risk of Parkinson’s disease among liquor drinkers may be due to the detrimental effects of liquor’s high ethanol content and its lack of vitamins and antioxidants.

Research on alcohol consumption and Parkinson’s disease still shows conflicting data. People who do not drink alcohol should not start drinking beer to try to prevent PD.

This material was sent in from Parkinson's Disease Foundation.

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Red Wine Could Help People With Type 2 Diabetes - Research

There is evidence that type 2 diabetes is less prevalent among moderate drinkers, yet the risk-benefit balance is controversial for such patients, due to a lack of long-term randomized studies.
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev-Soroka Medical Center and Nuclear Research Center Negev, Israel, wondered if both red and white wine might improve glucose control, depending on alcohol metabolism and genetic profiling.

Previous research has suggested that ethanol (alcohol) is the key, meaning that alcoholic drinks other than red wine could be equally beneficial; others claim that red wine has particularly advantageous properties.

People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, as well as lower levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. High levels of HDL cholesterol can reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke, as it absorbs cholesterol and carries it back to the liver, where it is flushed from the body.

Should patients with type 2 diabetes be recommended to take up moderate alcohol consumption? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) leave the decision to the individual; the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend discussing alcohol with a physician.

The researchers wanted to find out what the cardiometabolic effects would be when patients with type 2 diabetes took up drinking moderate amounts of alcohol; they also wanted to assess whether the type of wine would matter.

They hypothesized that initiating moderate wine consumption would lower cardiometabolic risk, mainly because of the ethanol component. They predicted similar effects of red and white wine. Because of genetic variability in alcohol metabolism, they predicted that the effects of wine would vary according to ADH1B genotype.

The 224 participants were 40-75-year-old alcohol-abstaining men and women with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.

Among those excluded were: people already taking more than one alcoholic drink per week, anyone with a history of addiction and patients using two or more insulin injections a day.

Measurements taken at baseline included genetic markers, blood pressure, liver biomarkers, medication use and symptoms, and quality of life.

From June 2010 to May 2012, participants were randomly assigned to 150 mL of mineral water, white wine or red wine with dinner. Wines and mineral water were provided. All groups followed a Mediterranean diet without caloric restriction. At intervals, blood samples were taken, questionnaires completed and group sessions attended.

Lipid and glycemic control profiles were primarily measured. Secondary outcomes included triglyceride levels, blood pressure, waist circumference, genetic interaction, medication use, liver function tests and quality-of-life indicators.

After 2 years, no material differences were identified across the groups in blood pressure, adiposity, liver function, drug therapy, symptoms or quality of life, except that sleep quality improved in both wine groups compared with the water group.
 
However, patients who drank wine showed decreased cardiometabolic risks compared with those drinking mineral water. The red wine drinkers experienced the most significant changes in lipid variables.

The researchers unexpectedly found that while the alcohol itself appears to aid glycemic control, red wine has a stronger effect on lipid levels and overall variables of the metabolic syndrome, suggesting that its non-alcoholic constituents also play a role.

The red wine had seven times higher levels of total phenols than the white wine. Whether the phenolic compounds increase the cardioprotectiveness is still debated. The team calls for differences between red and white wine to be further studied, with focus on the varied biodeliverability of the compounds.

The team found that genetic differences affected glycemic control and therefore suggest that genetic information could assist in identifying which patients with type 2 diabetes would benefit from moderate wine consumption.

Limitations include the participants not being blinded to treatment allocation, but the long-term nature of the study is a strength.

The authors caution that the benefits of drinking wine should be weighed against potential risks when translated into clinical practice.

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3.9 Million Nigerians Are Suffering From Diabetes - IDF

 

Dr Isiavwe

As the world marked the World Diabetes Day last Saturday, a major issue that was thrown up was the shocking revelation that Nigeria topped the chart in Africa with about 3.9million people suffering from the disease.  The Interna­tional Diabetes Federation (IDF) states that no fewer than 387 million people are currently living with diabetes world­wide, Nigeria has been listed as the coun­try with the highest number of people living with the disease in Africa.

The current IDF atlas which provides details of the disease around the world has revealed that as at 2014, there are 3.9 millions Nigerians living with the dis­ease. Not only that, the Federation also estimates that over 11 million Nigerians are currently undiagnosed.

Diabetes is a serious complex condi­tion which can affect the entire body. It occurs when the amount of glucose in an individual’s blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly.

This happens when the pancreas doesn’t produce any or not enough insu­lin, to help glucose enter the body’s cells. It could also be that the insulin that is produced does not work properly, often referred to as insulin resistance.

Medical experts describe insulin as the hormone produced by the pancreas which allows glucose to enter the body’s cells, where it is used as fuel for energy so that the individual can work, play and be active. It is vital for life. Glucose on the other hand, comes from digesting carbo­hydrate and is also produced by the liver.

Diabetes develops when glucose can’t enter the body’s cells to be used as fuel. This happens when either there is no insulin to unlock the cells (described as Type 1 diabetes ) or there is not enough insulin or the insulin is there but not working properly (described as Type 2 diabetes). Thus the glucose stays in the blood and cannot be used as fuel for energy.

The individual thus begins to feel very thirsty, passing more urine than usual and feeling tired all the time.

There’s also unexplained weight loss, itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush cuts or wounds that heal slow­ly and blurred vision (caused by the lens of the eye becoming dry).

Unfortunately, many people with dia­betes may not even be aware that they have the disease until complications set in. According to IDF, one in two people with diabetes do not know they have the condition. And the number of people with type 2 diabetes is increasing in ev­ery country. Indeed, the Federation esti­mates that the number of people living with the disease will rise to 592 million by 2035.

Sadly, diabetes is more rampant among people in the productive age. In Africa, IDF says 76% of deaths due to diabetes are in people under the age of 60. This is why the Federation has chosen the theme: Halt the diabetes epidemic for the 2015 World diabetes Day.

This is also being echoed in Nigeria by a leading private endocrinology hospital in Lagos, Rainbow Specialist Hosiptal, Lekki which kicked off its World Diabe­tes Day campaign last week. A statement by Dr. Afoke Isiavwe, the hospital’s Med­ical Director said the hospital is offer­free screening to the general public throughout the month of November. The hospital disclosed that the goal of the screening is to help Nigerians who may have the disease but are not aware they have it to detect it early to prevent com­plications and death.

“The IDF atlas reveals that one person dies from diabetes every 6 seconds around the world. Also, in view of the revelation by the Federation that 11 million Nigeri­ans are currently undiagnosed, we think something must be done urgently to ad­dress the ugly situation. This is why we have decided to provide the opportunity for every Nigerian to come forward for the free screening to help reduce unnec­essary death from diabetes, in the coun­try,” the hospital further said.

The statement also announced that the hospital will, on November 14, the World Diabetes Day, hold a free diabetes boot camp, focusing on foot care and nu­trition in diabetes, at Peninsula Hotel Lekki Epe Express Way between 10am and 12 noon.

Experts have also called for the need for specific measures by individuals to prevent diabetes. For instance, making a few lifestyle changes, according to them, could dramatically lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Excess weight in particular. has been identified as the single most important cause of type 2 diabetes as research has shown that be­ing overweight increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes seven fold. Be­ing obese also makes an individual 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone with a healthy weight.

There is also convincing evidence that diet modification could also help. For instance, studies have shown that whole grains protect against diabetes, whereas diets rich in refined carbohydrates lead to increased risk.

Experts say diets made up of white bread, white rice, mashed po­tatoes, donuts, bagels, and many break­fast cereals should be avoided because they contain a high “glycemic index and glycemic load.” That means they cause sustained increase in blood sugar and insulin levels, which in turn may lead to increased diabetes risk.

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Kidney Cancer: The Fried, Barbecued Red Meat Connection

Lovers of barbecued meat (otherwise known as suya in most African countries) are in for a tough time as pan-fried, grilled or barbecued meat, cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame, may increase the risk of kidney cancer, a new study has claimed.

The study indicates that a meat-rich diet may increase the risk of developing kidney cancer through mechanisms related to particular cooking compounds. These associations may be modified by genetic susceptibility to kidney cancer. The study illustrates how diet and genetics may interact to impact cancer risk. The incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form of kidney cancer in adults, has been increasing in the US and other developed nations, researchers said. Researchers suspected that factors related to a western lifestyle – such as a diet high in meats, processed foods, and starches – may play an important role in this trend.

To investigate, a team led by Xifeng Wu, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston, studied the dietary intake and genetic risk factors of 659 patients newly diagnosed with RCC and 699 healthy controls. Researchers found that kidney cancer patients consumed more red and white meat compared with cancer-free individuals. Also, cancer patients consumed more cancer-causing chemicals that are produced when meat is cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame (particularly pan-frying or barbecuing). Finally, the investigators discovered that individuals with certain genetic variants were more susceptible to the harmful effects of these cancer-causing chemicals.

While the study was small and limited to non-Hispanic whites, the findings suggest that reducing consumption of meat, especially when cooked at high temperatures or over an open flame, might serve as a public health intervention to reduce the risk of developing RCC. In addition, genetic testing might help to identify individuals at especially high risk.

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Belly Fat Can Lead To Premature Death

Those who have big bellies (which in most African societies, is seen as an evidence of good living) we have to do a rethink of their eating habits after reading this story.  A new research has confirmed that excess weight around the belly increases the risk of premature death even for people that are considered normal weight.

The research was published two days ago in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, which builds up in the spaces between and around the viscera — internal organs like your stomach and intestines is considered to be the most harmful form of fat in the body, medical experts said.

“Belly fat is bad fat,” said Dr. Paul Poirier, from the Institute of Cardiology at Laval University in Quebec, Canada, and the author of an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal.

Similarly, Eric Jacobs, PhD, a researcher at the American Cancer Society, said in recent years, scientists have uncovered links between belly fat and cancers of the colon, esophagus, and pancreas. Furthermore, an endocrinology specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, Michael D. Jensen, M.D, said regardless of your overall weight, having a large amount of belly fat increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2
diabetes, colorectal cancer, and sleep apnea.

The resent edition of Harvard Women’s Health Watch examines the connection between abdominal fat and heart health and found extra body fat increases the risk for conditions that contribute to heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. “The fat around the belly is particularly metabolically active, meaning that it produces a number of factors that increase the risks for heart disease,” explained Dr. Paula Johnson, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

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Eating Homemade Meals May Lower Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

Eating homemade meals around twice a day may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes, researchers have found. Study coauthor Dr. Geng Zong, a research fellow at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA, and colleagues suggest eating more meals prepared at home may reduce weight gain over time, which they say could explain their findings; excess weight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

The negative health implications of regularly dining out in restaurants – particularly fast food restaurants – have been well documented.

Earlier this year, for example, Medical News Today reported on a study that found eating out leads to significantly higher calorie and salt intake, which may lead to weight gain and high blood pressure – risk factors for diabetes and heart disease.

For their study, Zong and colleagues set out to investigate whether increasing consumption of homemade meals may protect against type 2 diabetes.

The team assessed the homemade meal intake and the type 2 diabetes development of almost 58,000 women who were part of the Nurses, Health Study and more than 41,000 men who were part of the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

All participants were free of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease at baseline and were followed for up to 36 years between 1986-2012.

Diabetes entails a number of serious complications, including heart disease. Individuals with obesity are more likely to develop insulin resistance and subsequently, diabetes.

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Why Consuming Soft Drinks Can Lead To Heart Failure - New Research

Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages can seriously damage heart health, a new research has found. The added sugar in sodas, fruit drinks, sweet teas and energy drinks affects the body in ways that increase risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke, said research author Vasanti Malik, a nutrition research scientist at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston in the United States (U.S).

Consuming one or two servings a day of sugarsweetened beverages has been linked to a 35 per cent greater risk of heart attack or fatal heart disease, a 16 per cent increased risk of stroke and as much as a 26 per cent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the report concluded.

In recent time, Nigerians, especially the youths who are largely known to crave for soft drinks and consume them excessively are concerned about the risk they pose to health. Among these groups are some Nigerians who consume two to three bottles of average 35 CL or 50 CL soft drinks daily. For now, the researchers urge consumers to reduce the amount of added sugar in their diet. Limiting or eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages is a solid first step, Malik said, noting many foods also contain added sugar.

Although, the dangers of excess sugar to health especially heart health has been well publicised, while some doubt, others who believe lack the will power to either reduce the consumption or stop consuming them altogether. With this new review however, experts are echoing information that was in the public domain even before the release of the review.

Commenting further on the new development, Malik said, “Reducing the consumption of these drinks, it’s not going to solve the heart disease epidemic, but it’s one step that can have a measurable impact; “It’s not the only thing that needs to be done, but it’s a very important thing.” The report, published September 28 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is part of a new focus on excess sugar as a risk for heart disease, said Marina Chaparro, a clinical dietitian at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Fla.

“Previously, everything focused on low fat, and reducing fat and cholesterol,” said Chaparro, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “The dietary guidelines that are about to come out really focus on added sugars, and not as much on cholesterol and total fat. Those are important, but the impact of sugar has become much more profound.” One can of regular soda contains about 35 grams of sugar, which is equal to nearly nine teaspoons. Manufacturers most often use either table sugar or high-fructose corn syrup to sweeten beverages, researchers said.

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Cooking With Vegetable Oils Can Cause Cancer - Experts

Cooking with vegetable oils releases toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other diseases, according to leading scientists, who are now recommending food be fried in olive oil, coconut oil, butter or even lard.

The results of a series of experiments threaten to turn on its head official advice that oils rich in polyunsaturated fats – such as corn oil and sunflower oil – are better for the health than the saturated fats in animal products.

Scientists found that heating up vegetable oils led to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease and dementia.

Martin Grootveld, a professor of bioanalytical chemistry and chemical pathology, said that his research showed “a typical meal of fish and chips”, fried in vegetable oil, contained as much as 100 to 200 times more toxic aldehydes than the safe daily limit set by the World Health Organisation.

 

“The human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be"

Professor John Stein, Oxford University’s emeritus professor of neurosciencesaid.

In contrast, heating up butter, olive oil and lard in tests produced much lower levels of aldehydes. Coconut oil produced the lowest levels of the harmful chemicals.

Concerns over toxic chemicals in heated oils are backed up by separate research from a University of Oxford professor, who claims that the fatty acids in vegetable oils are contributing to other health problems.

Professor John Stein, Oxford’s emeritus professor of neuroscience, said that partly as a result of corn and sunflower oils, “the human brain is changing in a way that is as serious as climate change threatens to be”.


Because vegetable oils are rich in omega 6 acids, they are contributing to a reduction in critical omega 3 fatty acids in the brain by replacing them, he believes.

“If you eat too much corn oil or sunflower oil, the brain is absorbing too much omega 6, and that effectively forces out omega 3,” said Prof Stein. “I believe the lack of omega 3 is a powerful contributory factor to such problems as increasing mental health issues and other problems such as dyslexia.”


He said sunflower oil and corn oil were now banished from his own kitchen, replaced by olive oil and butter.
NHS advice is to replace “foods high in saturated fat with lower-fat versions” and warns against frying food in butter or lard, recommending instead corn oil, sunflower oil and rapeseed oil. Saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.

But Prof Grootveld, of De Mont fort University in Leicester, who carried out a series of experiments, said: “For decades, the authorities have been warning us how bad butter and lard was. But we have found butter is very, very good for frying purposes and so is lard. People have been telling us how healthy polyunsaturates are in corn oil and sunflower oil. But when you start messing around with them, subjecting them to high amounts of energy in the frying pan or the oven, they undergo a complex series of chemical reactions which results in the accumulation of large amounts of toxic compounds.”

The findings are contained in research papers. Prof Grootveld’s team measured levels of “aldehydic lipid oxidation products” (LOPs), produced when oils were heated to varying temperatures. The tests suggested coconut oil produces the lowest levels of aldehydes, and three times more aldehydes were produced when heating corn oil and sunflower oil than butter.

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"Why Government Policies On Natural Medicine May Find It Difficult To Succeed In Nigeria" - Dr Egbaredon Ehis Humphrey, CEO, Save Soul Natural Clinic

(Being the concluding part of an interview started yesterday between Nigeria Natural Health Online's editor, Dumbiri Frank Eboh, and Dr Egbaredon Ehis Humphrey, the CEO Of Save Soul Natural Clinic, a Lagos based natural health facility).

Accessing Save Soul Natural Clinic services

Accessing our services is very simple. We are leaving in the computer age, in the internet age. It is possible for you to be anywhere in the world and access any product or service anywhere in the world. I have various media platforms through which I could be reached. Besides this, getting the product that I use in the clinic also has its own side to the whole thing. First, if a patient calls me to complain of an ailment, I would ask him/her to go for a laboratory test or to a doctor who will carry out a medical investigation about the ailment. When the result is out, the person sends me the document and I prepare the medicine, package it and send to him/her where he/she is in the world. The person takes it and get well, people have come to put their trust on my medicine because I’m the only one that gives money-back guarantee. I do it because I know the efficacy of my medicine.

Terminal diseases can succumb to natural medicine

Let me take this issue from another dimension, based on my background. I grew up seeing all these ailments being cured with natural medicine. There is no disease that cannot be cured with natural medicine, I have never heard of any such sickness. However, we believe that there are some diseases that can terminate life. But there can be perfectly managed and the ailer can live for a very long time before he dies of that disease. I speak of what I have seen, and what I have been involved with and what I have been practicing for a very long time.

The role of government in promoting natural medicine in Nigeria

Well I think government is playing a role in the sector but it is not a well defined role. Government has not done enough for the natural health industry in Nigeria. We have an office, we have a board, we have a chairman and we have various board members. They are all there. But the sad thing is that, the board is being managed by medical doctors, and not natural health doctors. So how do you expect government role to be visible in the sector? Of course the medical doctor will always think along the line of orthordox medicine and not in the line of natural medicine.

The challenges of providing health care in Nigeria

Of course there are challenges. If you had come on the day that my herbs are delivered, you would have seen one of the challenges and even experience it yourself. You would be here all day but would not be able to interview me. Why? Some of my medicines come from Benin Kingdom, some come from Abeokuta, and some come from Benue, Kogi and other parts of Nigeria. It depends on the particular ailment I want to cure. If it is such that demand that I should go across the sea to get the cure, I go across the sea to get that medicine to cure the patient. That’s why you can never find my medicine in any shop. They are prepared specifically for specific patients, on individual examination. I examine you and find out what is wrong with you and prepared your medicine according Benin tradition. So, there are many challenges but because I’m from Benin Kingdom, they don’t affect me as much as they affect other practitioners in the industry.

Herbal medicine as a course of study in Nigeria universities

Yes, I heard the news when it broke out last year that the government was contemplating putting herbal medicine in the curriculum of Nigerian Universities. It was actually a health editor in one of the national dailies that brought the news to me and I received it with mixed feelings. I was happy because, it was a step in a right direction. But I have my doubt as to it success. Do you know why? Because it is going to be managed by medical doctors and not natural health providers so it will be difficult for that policy to succeed. If they want to develop traditional medicine in Nigeria, they should pick managers from among natural health practitioners so my advice to government is that if they create that department, lecturers should be drawn from natural health practitioners and not from medical doctors.

Integration of orthodox and herbal medicines

It is good. Orthodox and herbal medicines can go a long way if they walk hand in hand. If for instance a patient is brought here with a certain heath condition that can be cured only when the headache is reduced, I can administer an analgesic to bring down the headache while I threat the ailment with herbs. That’s a good integration. I advice my patients, if there’s a need to use orthodox medicine while they are using my medicine, they should please do so as long as the medicines are not such that can interact with each other. So the orthodox needs us as much as we need them.

Those who can access Save Soul Clinic products and services

Everybody and anybody can access our product and services; however, you can see that this clinic is not a small one. It takes a lot to manage it but that does not mean that coming here would drill a hole in your pocket. It actually depends on the patient's ability to pay. I’m a very considerate person when it comes to charging my patients. If you talk to me in a way that I can understand, I can give you premium service at a highly reduced fee. So both the rich and poor can have access to me. I have treated Governors, company directors and other big shots in the society. I have also treated petty traders, hawkers and people of low income bracket. People also come from overseas, including United States, Germany, Canada, South Africa and other countries in world.

What differentiate Save Soul Clinic from others

I have told you what it is. It is beyond medicine, it is not just about taken tablets or liquid. It is the ability for you to trace the course of an ailment to it root and cure it from the source. Sometimes when patients come here, I look at the source of the problems, whether spiritual, physical or emotional. If it demands that I go to the spiritual to handle it, I do that. Whether the ailments are physical or spiritual, we cure it from the source. That’s what set us apart from others. In Save Soul Natural Clinic, it is beyond medicine. It is spiritual

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