Bar Method Red Mond

Posts Tagged ‘Disease Prevention’

The research for a cure for Alzheimer’s disease is actually accelerating. This neurodegenerative disease that adversely affects millions of older Americans is receiving continued assistance from the Alzheimer Association. The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading national advocate for Alzheimer’s disease. The National Alzheimer’s Association provides ongoing support and funding for research and education for Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease affects the higher cortical functions of the brain. The functions that are compromised include memory, thinking and orientation. The Alzheimer’s Association in conjunction with the pharmaceutical industry provides ongoing testing and facilitation for research that will stop the progression of this disease.

Qi Dai, MD, PhD, stated in a recent article on Alzheimer’s research that frequent drinking of fruit and vegetable juices resulted in a substantially decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. This research is supported by other studies that confirm the health benefits of polyphenols as well as flavonoids as guardians of brain cells.

Flavanoids are antioxidants that scavenge free radicals. Flavanoids can prevent further damage to critical cellular processes. Fruits and vegetables contain high concentrations of antioxidants. Three cups of green tea and six apples contain about the same about of flavanoids.

These results suggest that the most aggressive products for brain health includes both the polyphenols and flavonoids contained in green tea and fruit juices. Green tea is a very popular beverage in Japan. It is interesting to note that because of the high consumption of green tea in Japan there is a lower incident of Alzheimer’s disease.

This result is only evident in Japanese citizens who reside in Japan. Unfortunately those Japanese citizens who live in American and adopt the American lifestyle show no significant difference in the rate of Alzheimer’s disease.

In another study conducted by the University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology, in collaboration with the Royal Perth Hospital Unit, it was confirmed that both tea intake and 4-O-methylgallic acids show consistent results that long-term regular ingestion of tea has a positive effect on the blood pressure of older women.

The substances in green tea known as catechins increase the antioxidant capacity of the human plasma. Cathechins have been shown to be very useful in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. It would not be a frivolous assumption to conclude that the same benefit could be accomplished with the brain. There is a correlation between high blood pressure and Alzheimer’s disease.

Apple juice as well as green tea was used in various studies and also have ingredients that were shown to improve the brain function in mice. These mice had been genetically engineered to get Alzheimer’s disease. The full study will be published in the August issue of the international Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Some of the studies revealed concrete evidence for the first time that a high concentration of catechins and flavanoids present in human plasma may halt or even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Any major finding that would have a major impact on the quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients and their families is welcome news to the Alzheimer’s community.

Preventing disease by promoting nutritional health has always been a strategy of practitioners of natural medicine. The reason for this strategy is the recognition that in order to effectively treat a disease, we must treat the cause of the disease. As we investigate the true cause of disease, any disease, we are led to see that there is one common thread running through all patterns of disease. This common thread, the cause of disease, is the nutritional health of the cell. By adopting a strategy to improve the nutritional health and function of the cell, disease can be arrested and health restored.

In other words, disease can be prevented at the cellular level. In fact it is arguably the most effective place to promote health. But what are the underlying causes of cellular dysfunction? Simply put cellular dysfunction most often is the result of nutritional deficiency, a heavy toxic load, or overwhelming stress on the cell. While all are important areas to address, nutritional deficiencies are the easiest to understand and the easiest to correct.

It is becoming clear that our food supply no longer contains the nutrition that it once did and we are no longer able to get the nutrition we need through a meal. Through excessive processing of our food, the food industry has given us food nearly devoid of nutrients. It is no surprise then that we have seen such a huge jump in supplement sales in the last decade. Up until recently nutritional researchers have been focusing on isolated nutrients and extracts to replace what is missing from typical diets. Isolation of nutrients fails however to address the many important cofactors and other essential components of whole and complete foods.

Today we are seeing leading edge research into the role of whole food concentrates and superfoods. In this discussion, superfoods are foods that contain extremely high and readily available amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids. That is to say, they are foods that are packed full of nutrition. They are not considered herbs in that they are not typically used as medicines to treat illnesses. Instead superfoods are regularly supplemented to the diet as a way to complete the nutrition picture of an individual. Do they need more antioxidants? What about amino acids or trace minerals? A superfood will provide whatever is needed and it will provide it on the cellular level.

Keep in mind however that not all superfoods are equal. In the unregulated supplement industry it is important to find a company and product that you can trust. Investigate the company, owners, research available, etc to find a quality product. Also consider using a qualified healthcare practitioner for support in making any decisions regarding your health. Medical supervision may be helpful while you adjust to proper cellular function and take on a nutritional strategy for your health.

The compound below is showing great promise not only for the prevention of Parkinson’s disease, but also alleviating of the symptoms.

It’s cheap, naturally part of the food chain, and showing great promise with the treatment of a number of conditions in addition to Parkinson’s disease, from Depression to Alzheimer’s, as well as many others.

The compound is familiar to everyone and is:

Nicotine

Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions that occur less among cigarette smokers than in non-smokers.

Smoking is of course harmful, no one should take it up to prevent or alleviate the disease; however the specific compound in cigarette smoking that is believed to prevent and also provide relief for suffers is – Nicotine.

Nicotine in Pure Form is safe & non toxic

Nicotine removed from cigarettes in its natural state is a safe, non toxic and is found in many common foods and vegetables.

Nicotine is now showing great promise in medical research in terms of both prevention of Parkinson’s disease, and also for the alleviation of the symptoms.

Nicotine & Parkinson’s Disease Research

Research has suggested that some of the movement difficulties experienced by Parkinson suffers are less severe after smoking cigarettes, taking nicotine gum or using nicotine patches.

Researchers have been aware for over 30 years that fewer smokers get Parkinson’s diseases than non-smokers.

The observation was first made in the 1970′s and similar results have been shown in all subsequent tests.

The protective effect is large, active smokers have a 60% reduction in risk compared with those who have never been smokers.

Nicotine is not only showing great promise in its preventive affect but also in alleviating the symptoms of suffers who have the disease already.

How Nicotine can help

Prevention

Researchers believe that the main reason underlying the protective action of nicotine maybe its ability to increase the expression of neurotrophic factors that are known to help the survival of dopaminergic neurons, as nicotine increases the number of “nicotinic” receptors in the brain.

These receptors influence the production and release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Parkinson’s disease occurs when brain cells that produce dopamine, an important chemical messenger die.
People don’t get Parkinson’s disease until approximatley 80% to 90% of the dopamine-producing cells are dead.

Nicotine is believed to protect these cells against damage and as a consequence prevent the disease.
Alleviating the symptoms

Nicotine may help to lessen memory difficulties which occur in some people with Parkinson’s disease.

The number of nicotinic receptors are decreased in the brains of people who have Parkinson’s disease.

The nicotine in cigarette smoke, in the nicotine patch or in gum may lead to an extra stimulation of these remaining nicotinic receptors and thus alleviate the symptoms.

Products

Nicotine is available in patches and gum and several companies have looked at nicotine water as a safe delivery method for organic nicotine with no added chemicals.

Nicotine water is already being marketed and further products are being researched, all with the aim of delivering pure organic nicotine without harmful chemicals.

Nicotine natures wonder drug?

While nicotine has had an image problem due to its association with smoking.

There is however a lot of excitement about its potential to prevent and help with a number of medical conditions that include not only Parkinson’s disease, but also:

Alzheimer’s disease, Schizophrenia, obesity, depression and even some cancers.

Research is at an early stage with many conditions, but Nicotine could just be about to get public recognition for its significant health benefits.

Blood sugar regulation is important for many American adults as around 8 percent of the population has some type of diabetes. This figure may be growing each year as the epidemic of obesity increases. Many more Americans are facing a condition of pre-diabetes, making blood glucose control essential to prevent disorders such as kidney disease, blindness and amputation. In addition, fluctuating blood sugar levels are known to increase the risk of the development of atherosclerosis which contributes to heart attack and stroke. In fact, a person with high uncontrolled blood sugar levels may be up to 4 times more likely to develop heart attack or stroke than those who do not have diabetes. Keeping control of the blood glucose levels may be possible with the use of natural supplements such as Glucose Regulation Complex.

Chromium

Chromium has been shown to play a key role in glucose intolerance. When Chromium is added to the diet, improvement may be seen in blood sugar levels, insulin utilization, HbA1C levels and cholesterol. Reducing the blood glucose levels may decrease the risk for the development of cardiovascular disease.

Vanadium

Vanadium is a trace element which may actually mimic insulin to reduce blood glucose levels. Vanadium may reduce the need for additional insulin and may help to lower cholesterol levels. Lowering both the blood sugar and cholesterol levels may be important in reducing the development of atherosclerosis, particularly in diabetics or others having trouble maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

Banaba Leaf Extract

The Banaba plant has been used in parts of Asia to treat diabetes. It is high in a phytochemical known as colosolic acid or corosolic acid which is thought to help stabilize blood sugar and may promote weight loss. Banaba Leaf extract may also help to promote healthy kidney function and improve kidney health which is extremely important in those who have problems maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a natural anti-oxidant that can help turn glucose into energy. It works as a free radical scavenger throughout all of the tissues of the body because it is both fat and water soluble. It may help to lower blood sugar levels and its ability to prevent and reverse oxidation may help with conditions such as diabetic neuropathy and skin eruptions that are common in some persons with uncontrolled blood sugar.

Glucose Regulation Complex contains all of these important natural ingredients and is manufactured using whole food processes. The ingredients are guaranteed to be of the highest purity and most natural products available. Shaklee is a well established company that is always proud to promise that you will be happy with the purchase and offers a 100% money back guarantee if you are not. Glucose Regulation Complex is the finest product available for the support of healthy blood sugar.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease

The aging process is for the greater part no mystery anymore. It consists for a great part of daily damages done on the macroscopic, tissue, cellular and genetic levels. These add up as the years are passing. These damages have specific causes like oxidating agents, sun beams, mechanical wear and tear, psychological stress, lack of some nutritional components and too much of others, like fat.

Another component of aging is the reduction of the telomere chains at the chromosome ends, as each cell division occurs. However, the body has means to repair these ends again, with an enzyme called telomerase. The rapidity of the aging process depends on lack of efficiency in this repair process. The above mention aging causes also slow down this repair process.

The factors causing aging, also causes other diseases like cancer and coronary heart disease. Both aging and these diseases can in great extend be prevented with the knowledge possessed today, and the damages can in great extend be reversed. The components to achieve this are:

-Adequate dayly food containing whole cereals, peas, beans, vegetables, fruit, fish, mushroms, fouls and seafood, and with just a moderate amount of red meat.

-Just a moderate amount of fat and most of the fat supply comming from sources like olive, fish, nuts, sun-flower, etc. Then you will get a good balance between mono-unsaturated fat (olive), poly-unsaturated fat of the omaga-3-type (fish) and poly-unsaturated fat of the omega-6-type.

-Just a very moderate amount of butter, soya oil, corn oil and palm oil. A high consumption of these fat sources gives you too much saturated fat and poly-unsaturated omega-6-fat.

-Just a very moderate amount of sugar, refined flour or refined cereals.

-Supplements of specific nutritional components like vitamins, minerals, lecitin and some essential fatty acids.

-Adequate training, that both gives both a muscular load, work up your condition and stretches out your body. To stretch out, yoga-exercizes are ideal.

-Adequate rest and stress-reduction. Daily meditation is a method of achieving this. Natural relaxing agents or spesific tools for meditation or relaxation may also be useful.

-Supplements of specific anti-aging agents like anti-oxidants or human growth hormone.

-Use of spesific anti-aging agents to apply upon the skin surface.

-To protect the skin against excessive sun exposure.

The amount one needs of nutritional supplements, like vitamins and minerals, differs very much according to a person`s health condition, work load and exposure to environmental stress. A person having a poor digestion, doing high performance sport or being exposed to a high amount of environmental stressors, may need more than an person in an average situation.

It is a general truth that people who are obese are those most likely to contract diabetes type 2. If the negative habits of some of these people continue after a diagnosis of diabetes, they can lead to further health complications.

These complications are true for both type 1 and type 2 sufferers, and include renal failure and blindness, but this article will focus on foot disease. This is because with correct care, looking after one’s feet cuts the probability of amputation by 85%, and cuts the probability of suffering the other complications by the same margin.

The first thing to do is check your feet for cuts, abrasions and calluses regularly, even if you have good sensation in them. Your doctor should check them each time you see them as well, but as this is likely to be every six months or so, you need to get into the habit o doing it yourself.

Regular appointments with a local chiropodist are also a good idea, and if you cannot get out of your house, find one who does home visits.

Diabetic foot disease can be prevented by taking action to lessen the effects of potential risk factors.

The first of these is something that should be at the top of any diabetic’s list of measures, and that is blood glucose control.

High levels of sugar in the blood have a serious effect on your feet. By attacking the joints, pressure is placed on the feet that is not normal, and this can lead ultimately to ulcers. Sometimes the only way these ulcers can be treated is by amputating the foot.

Smoking increases the risk of peripheral arterial disease, which is a clogging of the arteries. This usually appears after 10 years in diabetics, much more quickly than non diabetics, and results in a loss of pulse and feeling in the feet, before moving to other parts of the body.

Raised levels of “bad” cholesterol also cause peripheral arterial disease, as can a lack of exercise.

However, exercising, which can simply be a gentle walk, helps to lose weight, decrease blood sugar levels and encourage the growth of new blood vessels to replace those damaged by peripheral arterial disease.

Diabetic foot disease is just one consequence of letting your diabetes go untreated, or not paying sufficient attention to your diabetic condition. All these health problems can be prevented if you simply monitor your blood sugars correctly.