Med Health News

Author: Med Health News

Could a Chemical in Broccoli Help Treat Diabetes Mellitus?

Scientists have isolated a chemical found in broccoli that shows promise in boosting blood glucose control in people suffering from diabetes mellitus.

What Is Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is the medical term for what you may know simply as diabetes. The two common types of diabetes mellitus are type 1 and type 2.

Diabetes mellitus type 1 is when the pancreas produces insufficient insulin, which your cells need in order to absorb sugar from your blood. If there’s not enough insulin circulating through your bloodstream when you’ve just eaten, your cells will have a hard time taking in the influx of digested carbohydrates. This causes your blood sugar levels to stay elevated, which is toxic to your whole body in the long term. If left untreated, common, but serious, complications that can develop include neuropathy, kidney failure, and necrosis of the lower extremities.

If the complications are serious enough, the only viable treatment may be complete amputation of the affected lower limbs.

The most common cause of type 1 diabetes is autoimmune – the immune system attacks the pancreas and destroys its insulin-producing cells. The onset of diabetes mellitus type 1 is most common around the early teens and is least common past the age of 40, which means if you’re 40 and up and haven’t developed type 1 diabetes, you’re most likely in the clear.

It’s important to note that diabetes mellitus type 1 is not the lifestyle disease commonly associated with diabetes. It’s treated with insulin interventions to help offset the body’s low insulin levels. Thankfully, it’s one of the less common types of diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 is when your cells become resistant to insulin, which means they don’t respond by absorbing more sugar when more insulin is pumped into your bloodstream by your pancreas. This causes your blood sugar levels to stay high after eating, which leads to the same dangerous condition as in type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the infamous disease that’s most caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Many aspects of your life can increase your risk for insulin resistance, like not sleeping enough, drinking too many sugary sodas, and being too stressed all the time. But being overweight or obese, not exercising enough, and regularly eating a diet high in carbs are among the top causes of diabetes mellitus type 2.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 can be prevented and treated naturally by keeping your cells sensitive to insulin and controlling your blood sugar levels. Exercising regularly has been found to lower insulin resistance. Adopting a diet low in carbs has also been found to lower insulin resistance.

But type 2 diabetes is also prevented and treated with prescription medications that can increase insulin sensitivity and insulin production. Some medications can also directly lower blood sugar levels.

The Newfound Diabetes Mellitus Breakthrough With Broccoli

Scientists wanted to find a better treatment option for diabetes mellitus type 2 sufferers because most diabetes medications can have undesirable side effects, like weight gain. They decided to explore diabetes mellitus on a genetic level and mapped out the genes affected when someone becomes diabetic. They focused on 50 key genes and their alterations in diabetics.

They tried to synthesize these genetic alterations artificially, then experimented with almost 4,000 substances to see if they would restore the genes to their pre-diabetic states.

They discovered that sulforaphane, which is found in broccoli sprouts, exceptionally helped reverse these genetic alterations caused by diabetes mellitus out of all the compounds they tested.

They were able to create a broccoli sprout extract containing a concentrated amount of sulforaphane and instructed participants diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2 to take it once a day for about three months. Although both the participants and the control group diabetics were both on metformin, which is a prescription medication that helps normalize blood sugar levels, those who took the broccoli sprout extract had lower glucose production, fasting blood glucose levels, and other markers linked with diabetes mellitus.

The broccoli sprout extract also seemed to bestow protective effects against the development of diabetes mellitus complications, like neuropathy and kidney failure.

If you’re diabetic, you can experience sulforaphane’s blood sugar-lowering effects for yourself by buying a natural broccoli sprout extract and taking one tablet per day. You should consult your doctor beforehand in case your particular situation may not agree with the supplement.

Other Natural Ways to Help Prevent and Treat Diabetes Mellitus

Here are other proven ways to help lower blood sugar and prevent developing diabetes mellitus type 2:

Take vitamin D or go under the sun. Researchers found that patients who regularly took a vitamin D supplement had lower fasting blood sugar levels. You can get your vitamin D by enjoying the summer sun (with sunscreen), eating sunbathed mushrooms, or taking a vitamin D supplement.

Drink coffee without sugar. Scientists also found that drinking coffee regularly can protect you from developing diabetes mellitus. The trick is not putting sugar in the coffee.

Eat plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers found that alpha-linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid common in plant sources of food, can lower your risk for developing diabetes mellitus type 2. You can eat walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, winter squash, and even beans to get your daily omega-3 fatty acids. These foods are also high in fiber, which helps you control your blood sugar by slowing the absorption of digested carbs in your gastrointestinal tract. The fiber acts like a narrow corridor that funnels a steady stream of sugar into your bloodstream rather than all the sugar entering your bloodstream all at once. This supplies you with energy for a longer period of time without spiking your blood sugar levels.

If you’re suffering from diabetes mellitus, taking broccoli sprout extract along with your regular diabetes medications can give you better control of your blood sugar levels and help protect you from diabetes mellitus complications. You should also boost your vitamin D intake and eat more plant-based omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods, which also both help you to treat your diabetes.

July 5, 2017
3 Natural Remedies You Can Use to Help Prevent Lyme Disease This Summer

Summer is in full swing and you should be taking advantage of all nature has to offer. But be mindful of ticks when going outdoors because they can give you Lyme Disease. Recently, their threat is greater due to their increased numbers in certain parts of the United States. Here are some natural ways to help keep ticks away from you.

The weather’s warm and the sun’s bright rays shine for longer periods throughout the day – not many can resist stepping outside for a nice summer’s walk, jog, or hike. Don’t resist those urges because they’re good for your health. You’ll replenish your vitamin D stores and walking around in nature near trees has been found to lower blood pressure. Walking and running have also been found to add years to your life! But ticks love the summer outdoors too and they become more active and prevalent during these warm and hot days.

Recently, tick activity in the northeastern regions of the U.S. has increased because white-footed mice have suddenly surged in population. The ticks there have multiplied generously because these hosts have become more plentiful and available. The danger is that these mice often carry the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. When ticks ingest mice’s blood carrying the bacteria, they can pass it along to the next host they feed on – like humans.

What Is Lyme Disease and Why Is It Dangerous?

Lyme disease can cause fever, rashes, and even worse symptoms if left untreated. Spotting Lyme disease early hinges on identifying the hallmark rash (erythema migrans) localized around the tick bite. But the rash doesn’t present in up to 50 percent of people infected with Lyme disease, which can let the disease go undiagnosed.

If the bacteria are allowed to spread from the site of infection, Lyme disease can wreak havoc across the body, causing erythema migrans in many areas. If the bacteria reach the heart and nerves, Lyme disease can entail irregular heartbeat and facial paralysis. Other advanced symptoms include arthritis, memory loss, shooting pains, shortness of breath, and even inflammation of the spinal cord and brain.

Although these symptoms sound scary, the good news is dying form Lyme disease is rare because even in its later stages, the bacteria succumb to antibiotics like penicillin and amoxicillin. But a small percentage of patients can have symptoms that last for months or years even after a successful course of treatment. This is known as Post-treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome or chronic Lyme disease.

However, patients with preexisting conditions, like heart problems, are more at risk from dying from untreated Lyme disease due to the strain it puts on the organs.

3 Natural Tick-repelling Remedies and Their Health Benefits

You can’t get Lyme disease from food or being bitten by animals, but recent research says that it may be possible for the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria to be passed sexually. But Lyme disease’s main mode of transmission to people remains notoriously with ticks. Fortunately, there are natural, harmless ways to prevent ticks from latching onto you when you’re out enjoying the summer season (some of these are even healthy for you!):

1. Apply a Vinegar Solution to Your Skin

The American College of Healthcare Sciences states that vinegar has bug-repelling properties. Mix a teaspoon of vinegar with a cup of water and apply the solution to exposed areas that are most vulnerable to contact with ticks – like your arms and legs. This natural solution’s tick-repelling properties aren’t as strong or long-lasting as toxin-containing commercial bug repellents, so you’ll have to reapply the solution each hour you’re outside.

Applying the vinegar solution to your skin also helps cleanse and heal it, and your whole body. The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine says that vinegar coaxes toxins through your skin’s pores and helps clear blemishes, warts, and sunburns. It also helps relieve acne and psoriasis.

If you’re worried ticks might end up in your hair and apply the solution there, the vinegar also clears your hair and its follicles and roots of any chemical buildup from cosmetic products. It also strengthens your hair follicles.

The only drawback is that you may smell a little sour, but you can easily cover that up with the scent of soothing essential oils, which also have tick-repelling properties.

2. Apply Natural Essential Oils to Your Skin

The American College of Healthcare Sciences also states that lavender, basil, thyme, and peppermint essential oils have bug-repelling properties. They also smell wonderful. In fact, their scents smell so wonderful they can heal! Doctors discovered that cancer patients and other study participants who breathed in essential oils felt calmer or energized.

Their immune systems were also boosted. It’s because when you inhale essential oils, their healing compounds enter your bloodstream through your lungs and act on your central nervous system and other parts of your body.

But what do essential oils do when you apply them to your skin for tick protection? Studies found that they can sterilize your skin of bacteria and fungi. They may also help treat any herpes sores because they’ve been found to have antiviral activity against the herpes simplex virus.

Mixing essential oils with your vinegar solution makes for a more powerful tick repellent with even more health benefits for your body. It will also mask vinegar’s sour smell and give your body a soothing fragrance.

3. Apply Tea Tree Oil to Your Skin

Tea tree oil is another natural and healthy remedy you can apply to your skin to keep ticks away. It has bug repellent properties, but also helps alleviate acne and can kill MRSA bacteria when applied to your skin. If applied to your hair, tea tree oil has been found to alleviate dandruff. Its healing topical properties make it a popular choice among cosmetic manufacturers as an active or complementary ingredient in shampoos, soaps, lotions, and other personal care products.

You can buy tea tree oil in its pure form or a pre-made tea tree oil solution specific for skin care use.

Enjoy the summer weather and all the health benefits being outdoors has to offer. But be aware that ticks are more prevalent in the northeastern states because of the surge in white-footed mice. They’re also more common in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Since ticks can carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, apply these natural remedies to keep them away and to keep yourself safe. As a bonus, these remedies also heal your skin and your body!

June 25, 2017
Pulling All-nighters Might Lead to Brain Damage

Scientists announce that not getting enough sleep causes your brain to physically destroy itself.

Sleep deprivation commonly affects a significant percentage of the global population. In the U.S., the CDC found that 35.3 percent of adults get less than seven hours of sleep each night. When you include teens, that percentage could be far greater for the overall population since adolescents are known to stay up into the late hours of the night only to be forced awake before seven in the morning the following day.

Sleep is something most people put off because they’ve procrastinated doing other responsibilities, like studying, finishing work papers, or because they just want to relax into the night with the television. But doing so on a regular basis can increase your risk for neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s.

Researchers found that your brain’s astrocytes, which are like specialized immune cells of the brain that protect your brain from pathogens, also rid your brain of extra synapses to boost your mental efficiency. Microglial cells work in the same fashion by combing your brain and getting rid of debris and dead or damaged brain cells.

They took two groups of mice and let one group go five days without sleeping, while the other group slept as long as they wanted everyday. The well-rested group’s microglial cells and astrocytes were only active in 8 percent of their brains’ synapses, but the sleep-deprived group’s microglial cells and astrocytes were active in 13.5 percent of their brains’ synapses.

They say this increased brain-eating activity may lead to harmful neurodegeneration if it goes on long-term, like if you keep staying up late on weekdays and party until late on weekends. Although these results concern mice, these researchers are fairly sure they significantly represent what goes on in sleep-deprived people.

Sleep Deprivation Can Also Lead to Obesity, Cancer, and Other Diseases

When you don’t get enough sleep, it’s not only bad for your brain but for your whole body. Researchers discovered that your cells express fewer important genes when you don’t get enough sleep. The genes affected include those that regulate inflammation and metabolism.

If your body is more prone to inflammation when you’re sleep-deprived, it can increase your risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and acne. All these diseases are linked with increased levels of overall inflammation.

Since genes affecting your metabolism aren’t working 100 percent, your body will burn less carbs and store more fat and you’ll have higher blood sugar levels. Not only can this also play a role in your obesity risk, but it can increase your risk for diabetes too.

Researchers found that acne is especially susceptible to sleep deprivation. They studied high school students with acne and found that 65 percent of them were sleep-deprived. Since there’s a higher proportion of sleep deprivation in acne sufferers, they concluded that not getting enough sleep can exacerbate or cause acne.

Try Meditation to Get Your Full Night’s Sleep

Sometimes it’s hard to fit in more than 7 hours of sleep per night – especially during exam time and when work gets hectic. It’s a good thing there’s a slight cheat that lets you get more sleep without spending more time sleeping!

Researchers found that meditating in the afternoon for 40 minutes improves your attention and cognitive performance better than sleeping. That means if you’re sleep-deprived and need a brain power boost, use some of your lunch hour to meditate and you’ll supercharge your mental facilities.

They also found that people who regularly meditate need less sleep. Those who meditated regularly needed only 5.2 hours of sleep per night, while normal people usually sleep 7.2 hours.

If you’re not getting enough sleep, meditation can’t totally make up for it. But it can help counter the mental disabilities caused by sleep deprivation. If you meditate everyday, you may also start needing less sleep – and this can help lessen your sleep deprivation as well. But the best thing you can do is get seven or more hours of sleep every night to keep your brain and body healthy.

June 15, 2017
Can Living a Healthier Lifestyle Help Cure Colon Cancer?
Researchers found that colon cancer patients who lived healthier lifestyles had a higher rate of staying in remission.

Colon cancer is one of the deadliest cancers. Patient survival rates are between 92 to 11 percent within the first five years after diagnosis, depending on the stage of the cancer. But for patients who do survive and go into remission, researchers have found that living a healthier life can drastically increase the length of their remission.

The American Cancer Society released lifestyle guidelines for cancer patients that advised maintaining a healthy body weight, exercising regularly, not drinking too much alcohol or drinking little alcohol, and eating an ounce of tree nuts twice or more weekly. After studying 1000 colon cancer patients in remission, they found that those who followed these recommended lifestyle guidelines had between a 47 to 51 percent lower risk of their cancer recurring for the next 7 to 10 years. Patients who drank more alcohol ended up near the higher end of the risk spectrum.

This means that simply living a healthier life can cut your odds of cancer recurrence by half for about a decade if you’re in colon cancer remission. The American Cancer Society’s lifestyle recommendations are:
- Maintain a healthy body mass index.
- Exercise for 150 minutes total weekly. Do strength training twice weekly.
- Eat a diet high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Eat 1-ounce of tree nuts at least twice a week. Peanuts and peanut butter are not considered tree nuts.
- Limit alcohol consumption. Drink little to no alcohol.
Other Factors That May Affect Colon Cancer Remission

If you’d like to enjoy less risk of any form of colon cancer coming back, limit or remove red meat from your diet. Harvard Medical School says their review of research concludes that eating processed or fresh red meat increases your risk for developing colon cancer by about 33 percent.

Why does eating red meat contribute to causing colon cancer? Researchers found that your body converts some compounds present in red meat into N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), which are carcinogens. They found that people who ate a diet rich in red meat had higher levels of NOCs in their stool, whereas people on a vegetarian diet had low levels of NOCs in their stools. The researchers then took samples of colon cells from people with high-NOC stools and discovered that the cells’ DNA was damaged. They concluded that eating red meat directly damages colon cells’ DNA. Chronic ongoing damage to DNA is a significant risk factor for developing cancer.

The good news is that eating fresh chicken didn’t seem to increase colon cancer risk. They also found that eating fish lowers your risk for developing colon cancer by 33 percent. Also, people who ate red meat accompanied by a high amount of fiber had less levels of NOCs in their stools, but still more NOCs than the stools of people on a vegetarian diet.

Avoid developing colon cancer and colon cancer recurrence by living healthier. Exercise regularly, stay away from red meat, enjoy a vegetarian-like diet with fish, eat more tree nuts, and stay away from alcohol. But you can also have chicken once in a while, which doesn’t seem to affect colon cancer risk unless you eat it burned or charred. If you’re going to eat red meat, then include a high amount of fiber with your meal to help lower the NOC levels in your GI tract.
June 8, 2017
Can Too Much Caffeine Kill You? Here’s What You Should Know
Recent news reports of a teen who overdosed on caffeine and, unfortunately, died. Here’s what you should know.

Recent events show that it seems even your coffee can be fatal. A high school 16-year old was pronounced dead on April 27, 2017 a few hours after he blacked out in class. The official cause of death was stated as probably a fatal arrhythmia or other cardiac event.

His classmates informed the medical coroner that the teen drank a McDonald’s cafe latte, a large Mountain Dew, and a 16-ounce energy drink all within two hours. All three drinks are teeming with caffeine. The medical coroner theorized that the sudden burst of caffeine to his system disrupted his heart so much that it ultimately lead to the teen’s death.

The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that teens and children shouldn’t ingest caffeine at all. The FDA recommends that adults limit their caffeine intake to 400 milligrams daily.

If You Don’t Overdo It, Caffeine Is Actually Healthy for You

But drinking caffeinated drinks can actually be very healthy as long as you don’t overdo it. For example, research shows that drinking coffee during key times can enhance your subsequent activities:
- Drinking coffee before exercising boosts your metabolism and blood flow to your muscles, which helps you work out for longer without feeling exhausted. It also lowers muscle pain afterward.
- Regularly drinking coffee can help protect your liver from cirrhosis caused by drinking alcohol. It also helps prevent you from developing diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
- Drinking coffee 24 hours before taking a written test helps you perform better because it boosts your memory.
These researchers recommend drinking only up to five cups of coffee daily. Drinking more than that can undo these health benefits. Ready-made coffee you buy at restaurants usually come loaded with unhealthy cremes, artificial chemicals, sugar, and other unfavorable ingredients. It’s best to brew your own coffee using pure coffee beans without adding milk or sugar.

Healthier Naturally Caffeinated Beverages

If you want to maximize caffeine’s holistic benefits without risking a fatal overdose, you can choose these better beverage options that come with a slew of other health benefits:

Green or white tea. Green and white teas have higher cancer-fighting polyphenol and catechin content than other teas. They’ve also been found to boost your immunity and cardiovascular health. Their high antioxidant content also helps slow aging and lengthens your life. Of course, they’re both caffeine-rich, which means you also get all the benefits of caffeine when drinking either tea.

Hot cocoa. Hot cocoa made from dark chocolate or pure cocoa has a high caffeine content. They’re also low-calorie and filled with antioxidants. Its flavanols have been found to boost your cognitive abilities for up to three hours. Eating or drinking cocoa regularly also protects your heart and helps you lose weight. Enjoying hot cocoa regularly means you get all these benefits and more, plus all the benefits that come with caffeine too!

Caffeine can heal and protect your body, but don’t chug down too many caffeinated drinks within the span of a couple of hours because that can lead to cardiac complications. If you have children, it’s probably impossible to keep them away from caffeinated beverages because most popular sodas are teeming with caffeine. But do keep in mind that experts recommend that children and teens don’t drink caffeine, and that adults have a daily limit of 400 milligrams.
June 2, 2017
Why Eating Sushi Can Be Dangerous and What You Can Do About It

Eating sushi is one favorite pastime shared across the globe. It’s a unique cuisine originating from Japan and widely adopted by establishments in almost every country. But there are some dangers you may be putting yourself through when you dine on raw fish.

Sushi is a significant part of most modern cultures. In fact, some surveys show that only 32 percent of people living in the U.S. have never eaten sushi. But most sushi contains raw fish, which can share the same health concerns as raw meat.

Like raw meat, raw fish can be contaminated with parasites. In fact, one study found that the parasite anisakis simplex infests 39.4 percent of mackerel being sold in markets. Louisiana State University says that spaghetti worms infect 40 percent of speckled trout in Mississippi and Louisiana. And recently, experts found Japanese broad tapeworms infesting wild pink salmon in Alaska. These species of tapeworms are usually only found in the Asia Pacific. These are only three out of the countless kinds of parasites that infect fish used in sushi. Bottom line: odds are it’s not safe to consume raw fish unless it’s prepared correctly.

Some parasitic infections from sushi completely clear themselves without medical intervention. The anisakis parasite can’t live in humans for a long period of time and dies within a month after inhabiting your gut. But while it makes its home in your gastrointestinal tract, it may cause vomiting, nausea, and pain. But some people can have severe or allergic reactions that can lead to anaphylaxis and intestinal bleeding.

After dying, the anisakis parasite’s body, which is still attached to your GI tract, becomes an inflamed mass that can cause further unpleasant symptoms.

But some parasites you can get from eating sushi will only get worse without medical intervention. Tapeworm infestations can go undetected for months or years, but pose dangerous threats because their eggs and body segments can break off and enter your bloodstream, where they can migrate to other parts of your body. These include your brain, lungs, muscles, and other organs, where they’ll flourish by eating you from the inside! Even if the tapeworms remain in your gut, they’ll cause nutrient deficiencies in the long term.

Here’s How You Can Lower Your Risks When Eating Sushi

Parasite infections from sushi are under 20,000 cases per year worldwide. But millions (if not billions) of people eat sushi everyday – that means it’s possible to eat sushi safely. Here are some things you can do to lower your risks of getting a parasite infection from eating sushi:

Do your research on the sushi restaurant. The FDA says freezing raw fish below -31 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 hours or -4 degrees Fahrenheit for seven days kills any parasites that may be present. But they also caution that flukes can be resistant to freezing. Ask the restaurant if they freeze the raw fish they use for their sushi – if they do sufficiently, then their sushi is most likely safer to eat.

Don’t eat sushi prepared using freshly caught fish. If you happen to live near a beach and you see a proprietor offering sushi prepared using freshly caught raw fish, then they haven’t killed any possible parasites by freezing. You should stay away from such establishments.

Use vinegar. Try to dip your sushi in some vinegar seasoning (like sushi vinegar). Vinegar has antibiotic properties because of its acetic acid content. Although freezing kills parasites in raw fish, it doesn’t kill some bacterial pathogens, like salmonella. Dipping your sushi in a vinegar mixture can help kill any remaining bacteria in the raw fish.

Eating raw fish, which is a fundamental of sushi, will always come with some risks. The best way to clear fish of any infectious pathogens is to cook it thoroughly. But if you follow these safety tips, you’ll be less likely to get sick after enjoying sushi.

May 27, 2017
Scientists Discover That Which City You Live in Can Increase Your Risk for Developing Cancer

A review of cancer statistics from extensive sources reveals that places with poorer environmental quality can put you at greater risk for developing cancer.

The urban life attracts many with prospects of higher incomes, busier lives, cutting-edge technology and fashion, and a more diverse, fun environment. But experts are finding that you may be trading your health for a better lifestyle by moving into busy cities. They found that poor quality environments can increase your risk for cancer.

Researchers went through numerous statistics from many governmental health agencies, including the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the EPA, and tried to find a correlation between cancer incidence and air quality, transportation and housing safety, water quality, pesticide exposure and contamination, and exposure to crime. They found that places which are lower overall in these environmental qualities have higher incidences of cancer.

They found that prostate and breast cancer rates were the most sensitive to environmental quality. That means that living in an area that exposes you to a lower quality environment puts you at greater risk for these two cancers.

Sadly, they also found that the more urbanized a place is, the lower the environmental quality tends to be. Highly urbanized places, like major cities, were found to have the lowest environmental quality. But even almost unpopulated rural areas can have a lower quality environment compared with a more populated suburban area if these rural areas have more pesticide exposure from farming or some other outstanding lower environmental factor.

How to Protect Yourself From Environmental Cancer Risks

But often it’s not possible to choose the environment you live in. Financial situations may force you to move to more polluted cities. Also, you shouldn’t give up your life goals for better environmental quality because the increased cancer risks aren’t as significant as something on the level of smoking cigarettes or using a tanning bed. While it isn’t possible to avoid all increased risks of developing cancer coming from your environment, there are many proactive things you can do to lower these risks significantly:

1. Test Your Water

Water quality is one of the environmental factors used in the review. Many cities across the U.S. have outdated irrigation systems that leak lead and other pollutants into their tap water. If you remember the Flint, Michigan lead contamination crisis, then you should know that Providence, Rhode Island children recently were found to have levels of lead in their bodies that are 300 percent over dangerous levels. Recent tests also found that some homes’ tap water in Portland contain lead levels that exceed EPA’s health hazard limits.

Besides increasing your risk for cancer, continuing to introduce contaminated water into your system has been found to lower your cognition and overall brain power. The impact is so significant that children who were exposed to lead in their drinking water ended up with such lower IQ and cognitive abilities that their socioeconomic status was lower than their parents even at age 38!

Given these findings on lead-contaminated cities and this new review linking environmental quality and cancer risk, it’s not a coincidence that Portland, Flint, and Providence are both highly urbanized places and have notorious lead water levels. If you live in a highly or somewhat urbanized location, there’s a chance your tap water may be contaminated too.

But no matter where you live, it’s best if you run your own tests on your tap water to see if it’s safe for consumption. Local government agencies only test a few homes’ tap water and assume nearby homes have similar results. That means you shouldn’t assume your home’s tap water has been tested and officially approved as safe for drinking.

2. Avoid Outdoor Air Pollution and Control Indoor Air Pollution

It’s difficult to control the air pollution you’re exposed to if you’re living in a major city. But there’s still a few things you can do to lessen your exposure.

Try to leave before rush hours. Commuting when there’s less traffic means you’ll likely be exposed to less smog. Try to pick routes with less traffic and fewer smoke-spewing buildings (like restaurants or industrial areas). Doing these two things will greatly reduce your exposure to outdoor air pollution.

When at home, you can minimize indoor air pollution by vacuuming more often to reduce the dust you breathe in. Don’t use scented candles or artificial air fresheners because there’s evidence they vaporize chemicals that can disrupt your endocrine system and cause cancer. Instead, use a doctor-recommended air purifier that cleans the air of odor-causing particles and dust. Remember to change your HVAC filters and air purifier filters regularly to maximize their air filtration.

You should also cultivate houseplants, which boost your indoor oxygen supply and naturally remove harmful vaporized pollutants (like benzene and formaldehyde) emitted from electronics. These are vital for your home office, which may have higher levels of these cancer-causing pollutants coming from your printer and computers. But formaldehyde and some other dangerous pollutants are also released by a few paints, varnishes, paper products, foam insulation, and other fixtures that came with your urban rental. Thankfully, household plants have been shown to lower formaldehyde levels in the air by about 600 percent. These researchers found that ferns are the best houseplants for removing formaldehyde from indoor air.

3. Wash or Boil Your Produce

Pesticide exposure is another environmental factor the review took into consideration. You can lessen pesticide exposure from the air by wearing long-sleeved tops and pants. Wearing clothes that cover more of your body means less pesticides can make contact with your skin and get absorbed into your body.

But you must also wash your fruits and vegetables to remove more pesticide residues. The National Pesticide Information Center advises to wash and rub your produce by hand under a strainer to get more pesticide residues out. If you’re eating the produce raw, then you should also wash with a diluted solution of vinegar to kill harmful microbes.

Research shows that boiling your produce ultimately removes the most pesticide residues. They found that boiling fruits and vegetables removes between 50 to 100 percent of pesticide residues, whereas simply washing and rubbing produce only removes between 20 to 89 percent.

Removing as much pesticides from your food as possible helps lessen your overall pesticide exposure.

4. Be Vigilant About Your Housing and Transportation

Not everyone follows the law, and surely you’ve gone over the speed limit at least once when driving. The same applies to landlords and transportation companies. Housing and transportation safety is another environmental factor that can increase your risk for developing cancer. Make sure where you’re staying and what you’re riding are currently following all codes and regulations.

Also make sure your home isn’t built with asbestos, lead-based paint, and other health hazards. If during your checks you find that your housing or transportation might be exposing you to unnecessary harmful pollutants, then you should choose different providers to avoid these potential increased cancer risks.

You can’t avoid all the health risks your environment poses. But now that you’re aware of certain aspects of your environmental that can contribute to causing cancer, you can proactively lessen their impact on your body. Although living in an ideal, safe place would be best, you shouldn’t give up on your ambitions by actively avoiding highly urbanized places. Strive for your goals and protect your health along the way!

May 21, 2017
5 Healthier Presents for Mother’s Day

It’s time to show how much you appreciate your mom this Sunday! If you’re still choosing a Mother’s Day present, here are some healthier options.

Showing your love for your mom on Mother’s Day means different things for different people. Some treat their moms out to dinner while others simply send flowers through the mail. Other people show their appreciation to the fullest by treating the day just like a birthday – they throw a party and buy their mom a real present.

Whether it’s a casual or a special present, here are healthy choices you can give your mom this Mother’s Day:

1. Provence Roses

The Provence rose (Rose de Mai) is a beautiful red-pink rose. Its sweet fragrance is made up of healing compounds that have been found to lower pain and inflammation. Because of these healing properties, these flowers are used in most essential oils. Of course, these benefits are stronger if you inhale the flower’s concentrated essential oil, but the natural flowers themselves will fill the surrounding air with a lovely, healing scent.

2. Lavender

Lavender is pretty common in most flower bouquets. These calming magenta flowers provide a nice, soft contrast to the vibrant reds and whites of other flowers. These beautifully cone-shaped flowers also release healing scents that have been found to relieve anxiety and boost memory. They also have been found to treat Alzheimer’s and lower inflammation in your nervous system. But these neuroprotective effects are strongest when inhaling the concentrated essential oil form.

3. Assorted Raw Nuts

Nuts are a clean source of protein. They’re considered superfoods because they’re antioxidant-rich and rich in many minerals and vitamins. And if that’s not good enough for you – they’re also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids! Here are a few of the best ones you can buy your mom:

Brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, which your body needs to make vital antioxidant enzymes. Selenium also cancels out any mercury in your system from eating fish or environmental exposure. But you can only eat up to four or five a day or you might risk selenium poisoning.

Walnuts. Walnuts are renowned for their omega-3 fatty acids content. Vegans often substitute fish for walnuts as their source for these fish oils. They’re also rich in manganese and copper, which are two other rare minerals your body needs.

Almonds. Almonds are protein-rich and most prefer their melt-in-your-mouth flavor to walnuts. Although almonds offer more nutritional value than meats and other foods, they’re subpar when compared to other nuts’ nutritional content. One serving also only offers about 5 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids. But almonds do shine through when it comes to vitamin E – one serving meets 125 percent of your daily required intake.

If you snack on these nuts with some veggies, researchers found you’ll absorb more of the vegetables’ carotenoids because consuming fats with these disease-preventing antioxidants improves their absorption in your gut.

4. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate has high cocoa content, which has a wealth of benefits. Researchers found that regularly enjoying dark chocolate lowers your risk for cardiovascular disease by 5.4 percent. It’s also been found to help you lose weight if you eat it five times every week. Best of all, eating dark chocolate boosts your brain power for up to three hours and gives you an exhilarating high.

5. Earthing Shoes

If you’re the kind that treats Mother’s Day the same as your mom’s birthday, then you can gift her earthing shoes instead of expensive high heels that are bad for her foot and back health.

As the name implies, earthing is when you stand on the earth. The earth has to be connected to the ground with nothing blocking it off in-between. For example, standing on soil in the middle of your living room isn’t earthing, but standing on your lawn’s grass works as long as your whole lawn isn’t encased by an artificial barrier in the ground below.

Researchers found that when you earth, the Earth’s natural electrons flow into your body and neutralize any disease-causing free radicals. They also found that earthing regularly lowers overall inflammation and boosts wound healing significantly by neutralizing free radicals that harm your tissues and slow healing. Studies also show that earthing regularly improves your sleep quality, helps relieve anxiety by normalizing your nervous system, and also lowers any overall pain. Participants also experienced lower overall blood pressure when instructed to earth regularly.

To confirm the phenomenon, they attached electrodes to runners who ran barefoot and those who ran with sneakers on. The barefoot runners had a lower overall charge than those who wore rubber sneakers. Since most footwear have rubber soles, it insulates your body from the Earth’s healing electrons.

Doctors don’t advise walking barefoot outdoors because there are parasites that can enter through your soles’ pores. Sharp rocks and other protruding debris can also cut your feet’s skin. But wearing shoes that don’t block the flow of electrons allows you to earth safely while running or enjoying a walk outdoors. You can buy special earthing shoes, which can be pricey. You can also choose footwear that are made of material that don’t insulate electricity (like wood and cloth).

This Mother’s Day choose one of these presents to show your mom your appreciation while boosting her health at the same time. These will help keep her heart, brain, and the rest of her body healthy!

May 14, 2017
Experts Say Wearing Sunscreen Lowers Your Vitamin D Production: Here’s What You Should Do

Wearing sunscreen is becoming more important as the ozone layer continues to be depleted and the atmosphere protects you less from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. But now researchers are finding that protecting yourself from the sun’s UV rays with sunscreen also blocks the sunlight’s natural ability to cause vitamin D production in your body. Don’t worry – here’s how you can continue helping to prevent developing skin cancer while getting your daily vitamin D.

Why Is Vitamin D Important for Your Health?

Vitamin D is a critical nutrient your body needs for good bone health, mental health, and disease prevention. Your bone cells need vitamin D to build, strengthen, and maintain your bones. Without vitamin D, your bones can become brittle, and you may develop rickets or osteoporosis. Why? Because vitamin D contributes significantly to your gut’s ability to absorb calcium, and it also controls how much phosphate and calcium are circulating in your blood. Without vitamin D, insufficient calcium and phosphate would be accessible to your bone cells.

Vitamin D has also been linked with lowering inflammation and boosting your immunity. Not getting enough vitamin D has been linked with an increased chance of catching colds and flus. Doctors also found that supplementing with vitamin D can shorten the severity and length of a flu or cold significantly.

Vitamin D has also been linked with cancer. Researchers found that people with higher concentrations of vitamin D are 50 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer. There is similar evidence for vitamin D intake and prostate and breast cancers.

Vitamin D also plays a significant role in your cardiovascular health. Researchers found that low concentrations of vitamin D increase your risk for heart disease by 60 percent compared to someone with high vitamin D levels. In fact, you’re 300 percent more likely to develop hypertension if you have chronically low levels of vitamin D compared to if you’ve kept your vitamin D levels high.

If you’re trying to lose weight or want to stay fit, researchers found that healthy vitamin D levels play a critical role. They found that most obese and overweight people have lower concentrations of vitamin D. What’s even more interesting is that they found that women who lost weight also experienced an increase in their vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D may also be linked with diabetes. When nondiabetic patients were given 700 IU of vitamin D with calcium for three years, they experienced lower fasting plasma glucose levels.

Vitamin D has also been found to help treat depression. Clinically depressed patients who supplemented with vitamin D for one year experienced better scores on depression tests. Low levels of vitamin D have also been linked with cognitive impairment.

There are many more diseases that have been linked with low levels of vitamin D, including Parkinson’s disease and autoimmune disorders. In fact, high levels of vitamin D decrease your risk of developing multiple sclerosis by 62 percent compared with if you had chronically low levels. It becomes obvious from the extensive evidence and findings that vitamin D is integral to your holistic health, and having chronic low vitamin D levels can put you in danger.

How Do You Get Your Daily Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is mainly made by your body when your skin is exposed to sunlight. The sun’s UV radiation catalyzes a reaction that lets your skin convert compounds into inactive forms of vitamin D that then get converted to active forms by your tissues, liver, and kidneys.

You can also get a little vitamin D from eating fish, liver, eggs, and yogurt. Because vitamin D is found in little amounts in Western diets, most commercial products, like cereals, milks, and baby formulas, are fortified with vitamin D.

But most of these commercially processed foods and dairy products (except yogurt) are high in cholesterol, and not at the healthy end of the spectrum. If you’re a health buff, you’d most likely stay away from foods fortified with vitamin D – which leaves you relying on sun exposure as your main vitamin D source.

Are You at Risk for low Vitamin D Levels?

Given vitamin D’s difficult sources, it explains why the overall population’s vitamin D levels have been declining in recent years. With advancing technology, people are staying indoors more. And as people become more health-conscious and start avoiding dairy products, they consume less dietary sources of vitamin D.

But some groups of people are more at risk for low vitamin D levels. Experts found that vegetarians, vegans, and people with milk allergies or who are lactose intolerant have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency because they’re avoiding diary sources of vitamin D. Breastfed infants have a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency because their mothers aren’t supplementing with enough vitamin D for both her child and herself.

Researchers found that people with darker skin pigmentation are at risk for chronic low levels of vitamin D. Ninety-five percent of African Americans have been found to be vitamin D deficient.

Doctors also warn those with chronic gastrointestinal disorders that affect absorption of nutrients to increase their vitamin D intake. Irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and other conditions can lower your vitamin D absorption from food. Over time, this can lead to lower levels of vitamin D.

If you spend most of your time indoors throughout the week (working at the cubicle or at your home computer and only exercising at the gym or your home gym), you also run the risk of chronic low vitamin D levels if you aren’t supplementing with more vitamin D from food.

As you get older, your body makes less vitamin D. If you’re getting up there in years and aren’t eating more dietary sources of vitamin D or staying in the sun longer, then you risk having chronic lower levels of vitamin D.

But Now Scientists Discovered That Being in the Sun Isn’t Causing Enough Vitamin D Production

As if getting vitamin D wasn’t hard enough – new findings suggest that staying out in the sun might give the false sense that you’re giving your skin what it needs to make vitamin D. Dr. Kim Pfotenhauer states in a clinical review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association that wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater blocks so much of the sun’s UV radiation that it lowers your skin’s sun-catalyzed vitamin D production by 99 percent!

That means that if you’re being responsible and health-conscious by protecting yourself from skin cancer by wearing sunscreen everytime you plan on exposing yourself to the sun’s harmful UV rays, you’re also practically cutting off a source of vitamin D without even knowing it.

But does that mean that you should stop wearing sunscreen or wear lower SPF protection? No!

Here’s What You Must Do to Get Your Daily Vitamin D Without Sacrificing Skin Protection

Wearing sunscreen is mandatory if you’re going to spend time in the sun, especially between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. The sun’s harmful UV radiation can cause skin cancer and speed up signs of aging (like wrinkles, lines, and roughness of your skin).

But what should you do about your sunscreen blocking 99 percent of your skin’s vitamin D production? You can up your dietary intake of vitamin D by incorporating your own vitamin D-infused mushrooms into your daily diet.

The American College of Healthcare Sciences says that if you place your grocery-bought mushrooms on a sunny windowsill for a couple of hours, they’ll start making vitamin D via similar chemical processes that happen when your skin is exposed to sunlight.

Any mushroom will do, but different mushrooms produce varying levels of vitamin D. For example, every 100 grams of portabella mushrooms make 835 IU of vitamin D. You should choose mushrooms based on their nutrition and not their vitamin D-producing capacity. Among the top picks are shiitake and chaga mushrooms, which have some of the highest antioxidant activities and are being investigated as potential supplemental cancer therapies.

Eating your naturally vitamin D-enriched mushrooms as a dietary source of vitamin D is the solution that lets you up your vitamin D levels without resorting to eating more mercury-contaminated fish or unhealthy dairy products, or exposing yourself to more harmful UV radiation.

Mushrooms are vegan-friendly and a clean source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which do wonders for your brain and heart. They’re also filled with antioxidants and nice sources of some vitamins and minerals.

Unlike dairy products, these holistically healthy properties are why health buffs encourage you to incorporate mushrooms into your daily diet as a replacement for proteins sourced from meat, which have been found to increase your risk for cancer by 13 percent. (Whereas mushrooms’ antioxidants fight cancer.)

You can also take a daily vitamin D supplement, but here you run the risk of a vitamin D overdose if you don’t watch your dosage. Vitamin D supplements are also less economically savvy than mushrooms because all you’re getting is pure vitamin D without the additional natural nutrients of mushrooms, which are cheaper than the supplements.

Now that you’re more aware of vitamin D’s role in your holistic health, you should up your dietary intake by mixing your sunbathed-mushrooms into your daily salads and meals. Continue wearing sunscreen because it protects your skin from cancer and accelerated aging from contact with the sun. If you’re breastfeeding an infant, it’s important to double your vitamin D intake because you’re the main source of your baby’s vitamin D.

May 9, 2017
3 Foods That Can Help Heal Your Broken Heart

Have you just had your heart broken? Try these healing food that have been proven to help you feel better.

Everyone gets their heart broken at some point – be it unrequited love, a romantic relationship gone sour, or the betrayal of a platonic friend. Although the passing of time is the only real way a heart can mend, there are foods you can eat that can boost your mood and more. Here are a few you can try for a healthy pick-me-up:

1. Chocolate

You might think that chocolate is a sinful snack, but the health benefits of eating chocolate regularly are widely documented. They include doing wonders for your brain.

The cocoa in chocolate has been found to increase blood flow in three areas of your brain which contribute to alertness, cognition, and creativity, but only for two to three hours. The chemicals responsible are cocoa’s flavanols, which are powerful antioxidants that have already been found to promote better cardiovascular health.

But most commercial chocolate bars contain less than 20 percent cocoa. It’s better to buy 100 percent cocoa from the grocery and make a chocolate shake with stevia or sugar to get cocoa’s brain-boosting effects. You’ll probably feel a adrenaline-like high and feel your mental faculties increase significantly. If you have a written test and you’re feeling down because of your broken heart, drinking this will give you a brain boost during your exam. You can also buy a dark chocolate bar, which can contain between 60 to 85 percent cocoa!

But cocoa’s brain-boosting flavanols are only the beginning when it comes to chocolate’s ability to heal your broken heart! Neuropsychologist Dr. David Lewis conducted a study with two groups of couples. One group ate chocolate, and the other group shared a very passionate kiss. The couples had electrodes attached to their scalps measuring their brain activity, and also had their hearts monitored.

Surprisingly, the couples who ate chocolate had more stimulated heart rates and brain activity than the couples who kissed passionately! When the chocolate started melting in the couples’ mouths, all their brain regions were excited far more than the couples who kissed. These brain- and heart- exciting effects for the couples who ate chocolate lasted four times longer than the lesser effects of the couples kissing.

Psychologist Sue Wright offers an explanation for the phenomenon. She says that chocolate’s phenylethylamine can boost your endorphin levels, which are the notorious compounds responsible for the highs that drug abusers chase after.

A dark chocolate bar should definitely be your go-to snack if you’re getting over a broken heart. It will immediately boost your brain power and excite your brain and heart far more than a passionate kiss!

2. Dark Leafy Greens Salad

Magnesium is an important mineral for your mood. Your body uses it to make serotonin, which combats depression and helps calm you down and lower anxiety. Studies show that supplementing with magnesium boosts your mood and combats depression in clinically depressed patients. Upping your magnesium intake will definitely lift your spirits while you’re in the process of mending your broken heart. If you’re feeling too emotional, the magnesium will boost your serotonin, which will help calm you down.

A salad filled with dark leafy greens is brimming with magnesium. A cup of broccoli gives you 100 milligrams of magnesium. Add spinach, kale, and other dark green veggies to that and you’ll easily be pumping between 200 to 300 milligrams of this perk-me-up nutrient into your body!

3. Fish or Nuts

One of the most popular things people do when they feel down is binging TV and snacking on something. Most TV snacks are bad for your health and will only make you feel worse because of the carb overload. But if you snack on nuts or fish, they’ll boost your mood.

Fish and nuts, like walnuts and almonds, are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers who supplemented bipolar depressive patients and children with depression with omega-3 fatty acids saw greater than 50 percent improvement in their depression scores.

If you’ve turned to your favorite streaming show to help forget about your broken heart, grab a couple of packages of nuts from the grocery! After snacking and watching, you might feel your mood pick up as the omega-3 fatty acids take into effect.

Remember that only time can truly mend a broken heart. But try these three healthy foods with special mood-lifting properties and you might feel better sooner!

May 3, 2017