Fitness & Nutrition

Vitamin D and your Immune System

We all know that we need Vitamin D and that we can get it from the sun, as well as from fatty dish, fish liver oils and eggs, as well as in Vitamin D supplement form. Even so, nearly half the world’s population has low levels of vitamin D. What you might now know is why we need vitamin D. What, exactly, does vitamin D do?

Danish researchers have discovered that we need vitamin D to activate our immune system’s killer cells. These killer cells, known as T cells, become inactive if they don’t have enough vitamin D. If they are inactive, they can’t fight incoming germs and bacteria. Scientists have told us that vitamin D is important for calcium absorption. They have also made a connection between the levels of vitamin D and diseases like MS and cancer. But this is the first time a connection between…

Fatty Acid Levels Contribute to Disease!

Albert Einstein College of Medicine performed an experiment with young,  healthy, weight-appropriate volunteers in hopes of identifying whether fatty acids in the bloodstream contribute to disease.  It’s long been thought that inflammation in cells contributes to heart disease. In fact, a specific blood test, called a CRP, can measure the level of inflammation and is a direct correlation to the likelihood of developing heart disease.

In this particular experiment, young health adults were injected with fatty acids until their levels were approximately that of those with obesity and diabetes. What were the results? The volunteers developed signs of diabetes and inflammation.

The study shows that the real danger comes from excess fatty acids, that the fat in the blood stream activates inflammatory cells. Dr. Timothy Johnson, one of the researchers, states that it’s possible to reduce the fat in one’s body with a diet low in saturated fat, as…

Everyday Toxins, Deadly Effects

Like most people, you probably don’t spend too much time worrying about your bromine intake from your car upholstery or the Mountain Dew you’re drinking. Bromine toxicity is a very dangerous, and often overlooked, threat to your health that can be found in some surprising sources. In an article by Dr. Thomas Marcola, he explains the dangers of everyday toxins, where they are found, and how to protect yourself against them.

Bromines Everywhere
Bromines are very common endocrine disruptors that fall into the same group of elements as fluorine, chlorine and iodine. A high exposure to bromine can cause an iodine deficiency, which can wreak havoc on your thyroid and every tissue in your body.

You are already exposed to a high amount of bromine and chlorine through common products:
•Pesticides (specifically methyl bromide, used mainly on strawberries, predominantly found in California)
•Plastics that are…

Diabetes Medication May Decrease BMI in Obese Teens

The obesity rate among children has tripled since 1960, with 32% of US children considered overweight or obese, and many of them suffering the same weight-related problems as adults: diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.  In the February issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a report by Darrell M. Wilson, M.D., of Stanford University and the Lucile S. Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, Calif., along with colleagues in the Glaser Pediatric Research Network Obesity Study Group showed that teens given Metformin, a common pill given to type 2 diabetics, helped lower their BMI score. BMI is an indicator of body fat percentage—the lower your BMI the less risk you have for cardiovascular disease and other weight-related disorders.

The research group split 77 obese teenagers, ages 13 to 18, into two groups. Both groups were put on a “lifestyle intervention program” which included dietary…

The Benefits of Human Growth Hormone When Used Correctly

Human Growth Hormone, HGH, has alternatively received both beatings and boosts by the scientific and medical communities and the media. What is HGH? Who should take it?

HGH supplementation was originally approved, and still used today, to help extremely small children attain a more normal adult height. Were it not for HGH, these children would be abnormally short-statured adults.

Although using hormone growth therapy for adults has been both a social and ethical controversy for over 50 years, individuals who inject HGH on a regular basis give glowing testimony of Youth Regained: stronger muscles, faster response time, increased mental acuity and memory, a level of energy they haven’t seen in years, and a reduction of body fat. Mayo Clinic studies have shown that injections of HGH increase bone density and muscle mass, decrease body fat, bolster the heart’s ability to contract, improve mood, and increase exercise capacity. Notwithstanding…

A Test to Identify Nutritional Imbalances

Like others reading our blog, you understand that the food you eat affects your health.  Eating high quality, fresh, vitamin-laden foods give you the best chances to feel energized and avoid illness, disease, obesity and future problems such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and other age-related conditions. But how do you know your best efforts at a healthy diet are hitting the mark?

NutrEval is a comprehensive nutritional evaluation designed to identify nutritional imbalances that help to overcome chronic disease and promote optimal health and wellness, including: organic acids, amino acids, essential fatty acids, toxic and nutrient element levels, and oxidative stress. It’s a unique profile that provides critical information for understanding individual disease risk, it evaluates your overall nutritional status, and assesses your functional need for vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids, & co-factors.

The resulting profile also provides help in understanding gastrointestinal…

More Chocolate – Less Stress!

If you know me well,  you know that I’m pretty laid back and that I love good chocolate. Hmm…is there a relationship there?  Here is some great news about the anti-stress benefits of chocolate. And by the way, be sure to see our website information on how to manage stress! Doing so might be a lifesaver!

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant also present in grains and nuts. Studies suggest that they may benefit the heart, blood vessels, liver, immune system, connective tissue, adrenal glands, kidneys, muscles and nervous system. Quite a number of studies suggest their ability to prevent coronary heart disease. Researchers at Nestle Research Center in Switzerland have discovered that a small portion of dark chocolate can actually lower one’s stress hormone levels. This is great news for all of you Type-A personalities!

The research team, led by Sunil Kochhar, studied…

Cocommune – A Rave Review!

Happy 2010 folks!

I hope everybody had a great holiday and New Year celebration!

It’s the first work week of the year and I’ve got something exciting to tell you all!

This morning I checked into the office, just like any other day. Mail came in, FedEx dropped off some boxes, the usual.

Well, one of the boxes contained a special surprise, one that was so tasty the second I bit into it I just had to write about it!

It’s called Cocommune Bar, for Gastrointestinal, Digestive, and Immune Support.

Here’s what their makers have to say:

“Cocommune Bar™ is our latest, delicious creation in functional food bars. We have blended a rich dark chocolate with a generous amount of moist, chewy coconut filling to provide a taste that will rival even a Mounds® bar! This all natural, kosher food bar also contains a very useful…

The Girl Loves to Grill!

Being the food nut that I am, when I read Dr. Berger’s blog about grilling red meat, my heart just dropped.

This is definitely controversial (for me, at least) because we’ve heard for so many years that grilling especially is a healthier method of cooking rather than frying, for example. The problem with grilling and BBQ-ing is that most people figure “well done” means burning your steak down to a crisp. By charring and burning the meat, you’re essentially going to end up eating charcoal!

Well, I know how much we all the outdoors and grilling assorted meats (granted its freezing out now), so I dug a little deeper to give you pointers on the proper way to grill red meat.

1. Make sure the grill is hot!

a. Generally, anything (whether it’s an oven or grill) over 300°F is safe to cook meat on.
…

MEN, RED MEAT & PROSTATE CANCER

…SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

Aren’t “real” men supposed to love red meat?  The media hypes it big time with rugged cowboys supposedly thriving on it, right? WRONG!  I hate to burst your bubble but red meat, processed meats and prostate cancer go hand in hand.  I’ve been following the studies and can confidently report to you today that the results are pretty conclusive.  One large study involving over 17,000 men ages 50 to 71 (over 9 years) found that those men who ate the most red and processed meats had significantly elevated risk of developing prostate cancer at any stage and, particularly, advanced cancer.

 RED MEAT & GRILLING/BARBEQUEING

I know you don’t want to hear it but …. The researchers found a direct link to grilling and BBQ’d red meats and prostate cancer.  They believe the link involves high-heat cooking and the chemicals it produces, namely polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and…