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July 06, 2009

It’s So Easy Being Green (Tea)

Green Tea Could Delay Prostate Cancer: U.S. study

Green tea, a great alternative to the cup of java to get our morning started but here is some helpful information to its other benefits as well. In the great reference book “Prescription for Nutritional Healing” by Phyllis A. Balch, green tea is said to have *antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral health-enhancing properties.
According to a recent research article, it’s reported the active antioxidant compounds in green tea have shown to slow down the progression of prostate cancer. The testing is in its early stages but it looks promising. The article goes on to state that Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. The American Cancer Society projects prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 192,280 men and will kill 27,360 in 2009. These are some scary statistics, but it’s important to remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Whether you enjoy drinking your green tea or through supplements, it can be a healthful addition as part of an overall nutrition plan that includes multiple-antioxidants that can work synergistically to support the body.

Source:
(Reporting by I-Ching Ng; Editing by Maggie Fox and Eric Walsh)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090619/hl_nm/us_cancer_tea_1

* Though green tea has shown to have antioxidant properties, the FDA currently does not recognize it as an “antioxidant” for marketing and label claims.
by Derek Burreson

 

Posted by Derek Burreson at 10:42 AM |

July 03, 2009

Do You Mean Drinking Red Wine Can Actually be Good for Me?

Red Wine Compound Resveratrol Demonstrates Significant Health Benefits

If this is music to your ears, hold on; there’s a little more you should know before throwing caution to the wind.
Drinking in moderation has been shown to yield some health benefits, while drinking too much can cause a multitude of health problems. How does red wine have health benefits? It contains polyphenols including one called resveratrol that researchers have identified as having potent antioxidant benefits that act as free radical scavengers in the body. This is the basis of the “French Paradox” which is the observation that the French suffer a relatively low incidence of coronary heart disease, despite having a diet rich in saturated fats, due to their higher consumption of red wine. There are many studies being conducted on the benefits of consuming moderate amounts of red wine, but confusion still remains with researchers on whether the health benefits extend to beer, white wine or distilled spirits. Resveratrol has shown to have antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties but only vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene are recognized “antioxidants” by the FDA.  In addition to red wine, resveratrol can be found in non-alcoholic beverages and in supplement form as well.

by Derek Burreson

Posted by Derek Burreson at 11:53 AM |

May 28, 2009

Anyone For a Spot of (Green) Tea?

by Derek Burreson

Is coffee or tea a part of your morning ritual to get you going? According to researchers in Japan green tea has been found to be beneficial for your gum health. The antioxidants in the tea help reduce the inflammatory response to periodontal bacteria in the mouth.
Though I like to have a cup of java in the morning perhaps I will try a little spot of tea every now and then. So have some green tea and enjoy; your dentist may thank you.

Source:

Green Tea May protect Gums against Disease

http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Publications/Food-Beverage-Nutrition/NutraIngredients.com/Research/Green-tea-may-protect-gums-against-disease/?c=ysnBbfNQPrK93n%2FCvzoPCw%3D%3D&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily

Posted by Derek Burreson at 09:45 AM |

May 13, 2009

Free Radical Cell Death Switch Identified: Molecular pathway may contribute to age related diseases

by Derek Burreson

Oxidative stress on our cells have been shown to be a major factor of many non-germ caused diseases or as they have been called - age related diseases. An article I came across in Science Daily website reports on a  Harvard Medical School study about this oxidative stress in our cells that can cause a build-up of damaging excess free radicals. There have been many studies about the effects of this cellular damage, but what I found quite interesting in the article was the fact that their conclusion seemed to be that these findings may “pave the way for new drugs and diagnostic strategies”.  Our bodies produce free radicals through our cells conversion of oxygen to energy and we combat these with antioxidants, (think of vitamins C, E and beta carotene to be the most recognized) but excess free radicals can damage our cells over time and this is where many problems can be found.
Are drugs needed to mimic the processes of natural antioxidants? That’s an individual choice to be made, but it takes many years of research and millions of dollars to bring a new drug to market. For now I will stick to an antioxidant rich diet and supplementation to give my body the tools to help combat cellular free radical damage.

Source:

Harvard Medical School (2006, June 2). Free Radical Cell Death Switch Identified: Molecular Pathway May Contribute To Age Related Diseases.
ScienceDaily  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060601220956.htm

Posted by Derek Burreson at 01:55 PM |

May 06, 2009

CoQ10: Some helpful nutritional information beyond heart health

by Derek Burreson

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is fat-soluble vitamin-like substance produced by the human body and present in every cell that serves several  key enzymatic steps in the production of energy necessary for the basic functioning within the cell. CoQ10 levels are reported to decrease with age and to be low in patients with some chronic diseases. Some prescription drugs may also lower CoQ10 levels.
It is naturally present in small amounts in a wide variety of foods but is particularly high in organ meats such as heart, liver and kidney, as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel, and peanuts. Levels of CoQ10 in the body can also be increased by taking CoQ10 supplements. It is known to be highly concentrated in heart muscle cells due to the high energy requirements of this cell type.
Heart health certainly is a main focal point of supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), but the antioxidant and protective effects of this nutrient may benefit other areas of your health. As always, I encourage you to eat a wide variety of foods in your daily diet that will help you to get the nutrients necessary for your body to perform properly, though this is easier said than done.

Sources:
National Institute of health:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-coenzymeq10.html

Natural Products Marketplace:
http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/articles/551/coq10--beyond-heart-health.html

Posted by Derek Burreson at 01:58 PM |

February 20, 2009

Vitamin C Good for Arteries

by Derek Burreson

We know that vitamin C plays an important role in our body, but what kind of role? Well it's involved in at least three hundred metabolic functions including tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland functions, healthy gums as well as being an effective antioxidant against excess free radical damage. Vitamin C is essential in the formation of collagen and this helps to strengthen the cell walls of our veins, arteries and capillaries. As we age it's increasingly important to get the nutrients necessary for our bodies to function properly. Even if you are eating a healthy balanced diet our bodies may not have the ability to absorb the nutrients from the foods, so supplentation may become an important addition to your daily diet. Vitamin C also works synergistically with both vitamin E and beta-carotene, thus having an effect greater than they can individually. Our body cannot manufacture vitamin C so it must be obtained through our diet or supplementation and there are also different forms of vitamin C like ascorbic acid or an esterfied form which we will cover in a later post. Please be aware that smoking, alcohol, oral contraceptives and many medications can deplete your levels of vitamin C so be sure you are getting the proper amounts your body needs on a daily basis. The RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) of vitamin C is 60-95mg. This amount may help to ward off scurvy, but many studies have shown that we need a far greater amount even up to 3000mg or more in some cases. Do a little research to determine what is right for you.

Sources:
 http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/hotnews/vitamin-c-good-for-arteries.html
 Prescription for Nutritional Healing: Fourth Edition   Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/vitcrda.htm

Posted by Derek Burreson at 12:09 PM |

February 08, 2009

Vitamin E and Free Radicals- What you should know.

by Derek Burreson

I came across another study in the Natural Products Insider that was done on vitamin E and its beneficial effects against free radicals in the body. You can read the report by clicking the link below, but what is vitamin E and how does it work? Much like vitamin C, vitamin E is a power antioxidant that protects human cells and LDL cholesterol from damage caused by free radicals. According to research, vitamin E is actually a family of eight antioxidant compounds. I will save the specifics for a later post, buy it also protects other fat-soluble vitamins from oxidative damage and aids in the utilization of vitamin A.  The recommended daily intake U.S.R.D.A. for vitamin E is about 22 IU (International Units) up to the maximum upper intake level of 1,500 IU. It is also recommended that you take the natural form of vitamin E which is listed as d-alpha-tocopherol, rrr-alpha-tocopherol, d-alpha-tocopherol-acetate or d-alpha-tocopherol succinate. The natural form of vitamin E is better absorbed by the body than the synthetic form (dl-alpha-tocopherol, all-alpha-tocopherol). Synthetic is only 67 percent as active as the natural form. So if you are currently taking a supplement that contains vitamin E, check the label to see what form it is and you are getting what you pay for.

Sources: Prescription for Nutritional Healing: Fourth Edition:    Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
               National Institute of Health
               Natural Products Insider
 
http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/hotnews/vitamin-e-fights-free-radicals.html

Posted by Derek Burreson at 01:32 PM |