Tag: immune system
Health Benefits Of Vitamin D3, Is There A Type 1 Connection?
While you’re catching some rays this up coming summer, think about vitamin D. Sometimes its called the “sunshine vitamin” because it’s produced in your skin in response to sunlight, but what about vitamin D3? Is it as simple as getting out into the sun and voila, vitamin D3! I mean, what is vitamin D3 anyway? How much vitamin D3 should I take?
Did you know that the human skin makes vitamin D3 when exposed to ultraviolet rays of the sun? According to the National Institute of Health, some of the best food source for vitamin D3 are fish products, such as: cod liver oil, salmon, tuna, and sardines. With that being said, lets take a closer look at how vitamin D3 can benefit you.
Vitamin D3 Benefits:
Vitamin D3 promotes calcium’s absorption and functions for teen’s and children’s healthy teeth and bones, prevents loss of bone mass, and treats bone disorders.
It protects against adult and elderly muscle weakness and immune system issues, and lowers the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis is improved with vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3 has been show to prevent/treat rickets, post menopausal osteoporosis. The vitamin also been show to help treat multiple sclerosis. Something that I found extremely interesting is that they are still conducting studies (more research is definitely needed) seeing if there is a connection between lack of Vitamin D3 and the development of Type 1 diabetes.
Benefits of D3 in the elderly and fractures are still under investigation. An analysis, reported in August 2007 by the University of Ottawa Evidence-based Practice Center, showed higher doses of vitamin D3 of between 700-800 IU’s per day combined with calcium help prevent hip fractures for institutionalized elderly. The study did not include elderly living independently in the community.
Vitamin D3 And Your Immune System:
Cells of the immune system, such as macrophages, which hunt the body for dangerous pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and cancer cells, have receptor sites for vitamin D3. Research suggest that D3 may play a role in stimulating these cells to be more active in their hunt for disease-causing microbes and act as an immunity booster especially during the winter months when sunlight is more scarce.
The Dangers Of Sucralose, Why Is It Considered Diabetic Friendly?
With all the negative media I’ve been reading lately in regards to sucralose, it started to make me think…can sucralose really be that bad for you?
As a type 1 diabetic, lets just say I had a lot of WOW moments when deciding to research what was going into my body. If you think sucralose is safe, you may want to think again. Why they consider and promote this as safe for the diabetic community disturbs me on a lot of levels, lets take a look why!
When it comes to sucralose and diabetes, it seems like a perfect match. Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is nearly 600 times sweeter than the ordinary (table) sugar. It contains zero calories and hence, is popular as a zero-calorie sweetener. It is widely used by diet and weight conscious people all over the world. Sucralose is sold under the brand name Splenda, which is commonly available in the market. Some claim sucralose is also better than other artificial sweeteners as it can be used in baking… me personally, I think there are healthier alternatives when it comes to cooking.
Thing is, most artificial sweeteners cannot be used in baking due to their instability. But, this is not the case with sucralose as it remains stable even when exposed to heat for a longer time (gotta love that chemical structure). This additional property makes it a favored choice among other artificial sweeteners including aspartame. Also, due to its extra sweet property, it is used for making a variety of sweets and desserts like jams, jellies, candies, sweet fillings, fruits juices, etc. However, you should be aware of the negative side effects that sucralose can pose.
Sucralose And Chlorine:
One possible side effect from Splenda unrelated to allergies is the possibility of chlorine poisoning. Sucralose is one of the few artificial sweeteners that claims to be made from sugar; chlorine atoms are added. The constant consumption of sucralose, compounded daily, year after year can reek some major havoc on your body as your body does not fully get rid of what you consume.
There is one study shows negative metabolic effects and weight gain in today’s younger population with the consumption of artificial sweeteners, you can check that out here.
Another study shows that Sucralose vastly depletes our intestine flora as it destroys the beneficial bacteria which is a main driver for a healthy immune system. Our stomach houses over 70 of the the cells that make up our immune system to help protect us from various disease and sickness.
A randomized controlled trial was performed by Abou-Donia et al46 in 2008, in which male rats were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 groups: control, or sucralose plus maltodextran in the following doses (mg/kg/day): 1.1, 3.3, 5.5, or 11. Fecal pH and bacterial analysis were conducted weekly, and after 12 weeks half of the rats from each group were sacrificed. Small intestinal tissue was used to evaluate the effects of sucralose and maltodextran on levels of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P-450 (CYP450). The remainder of the animals underwent a 12 week recovery period after which further assessment of pH/bacteria/P-gp, CYP450 was performed.
During the duration of the study, no diarrhea in any of the rats was observed. In terms of the effect on the microbiome, they found that the total number of anaerobes decreased significantly in all sucralose plus maltodextran groups. At the lowest dose, total anaerobes were reduced by approximately 50% compared with controls. Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, andBacteroides were significantly reduced at the lowest dose as well. Aerobic bacteria decreased significantly in all sucralose plus maltodextran groups except at the lowest dose (decreased by 51–68% of controls).
The enterobacteria count was not different from the control population in any group. In the recovery period, the total anaerobes remained significantly lower in all groups, as did bifidobacteria (other specific bacteria were not significantly different from the controls). The mean fecal pH significantly increased in all sucralose plus maltodextran groups at end of 12 weeks and stayed significantly elevated in all groups except the lowest sucralose plus maltodextran group after 12 weeks of recovery. Sucralose plus maltodextran enhanced the intestinal expression of P-gp up to 2.4-fold, and increased CYP3A4 and CYP2D1 intestinal expression (though these effects were not seen in the group that received the lowest dose of sucralose plus maltodextran).
In summary, sucralose plus maltodextran significantly decreased beneficial intestinal bacteria (ie, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Bacteriodes), but had no effect on enterobacteria. Sucralose plus maltodextran also resulted in elevated fecal pH and enhanced intestinal expression of P-gp and CYP450 enzymes. Several parameters continued to differ after 12 weeks of recovery, including a decrease in the total number of anaerobes and enhanced P-gp and CYP expression.
Sucralose and Gastrointestinal Problems:
According to Vanderbilt University, about 27 percent of the sucralose in Splenda is absorbed by the body, meaning the substance will stay in the bloodstream and organs for long periods of time. This can not only potentially damage the internal organs, but also has negative gastrointestinal effects, like bloating, painful gas or diarrhea.
Others reports are also starting to connect the rising rates of inflammatory bowel disesse with the consumption of artificial sweeteners, sucralose in paticular due to the impairment of digestive proteases (enzymens in our stomach that help us digest food, protein in paticular).
Canada was the first country to approve the use of sucralose, and it was allowed to be used as a tabletop sweetener in breakfast cereals, beverages, desserts, toppings, fillings, chewing gum, breath mints, fruit spreads, salad dressings, confectionary, bakery products, processed fruits and vegetables, alcoholic beverages, puddings and table syrups (8). Interestingly, the study by Wrobel et al (9) reported that the incidence of pediatric IBD in Southern Alberta was 2.3 (per 100,000 population) between 1983 and 1987, 2.5 between 1988 and 1992, 5.0 between 1993 and 1998, and 6.5 between 1999 and 2005 (9), indicating a dramatic increase in the early 1990s.
In additional, the gas some people experience when eating foods or drinking beverages with sucralose is due to the fact that the natural bacteria that occurs in the stomach metabolizes parts of Splenda once it’s ingested to produce nitrogen gas.
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Benefits Of Green Tea Extract For People With Diabetes:
Let me start off my saying that I absolutely love green tea! The benefits of drinking green tea everyday provides numerous health benefits from antioxidants to weight loss and better yet, of all the nutritional supplements you can take, green tea extract is probably one of the most well studied!
Much of the interest surrounds its high levels of antioxidants, ingredients believed to destroy cancer-causing free radicals. Green tea extract is available in capsule, tablet, or liquid form at your pharmacy or online, but why all the hype and what is the best green tea? Lets take a closer look!
Green Tea Extract And EGCG:
EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate), one of the most powerful naturally occurring antioxidants, which has been scientifically linked to the traditional benefits and, continues to be the subject of some of the most exciting anti-aging research relating to the heart, brain and other vital organs. This should rank very high as an anti aging supplement. In addition to it being a very potent antioxidant, it also supports and enhances the activity of our body’s own internal antioxidants, which are vital to our health. EGCG also supports a healthy immune system.
EGCG has been found to decrease the risk of developing atherosclerosis. It has strong anti-inflammatory properties and thereby decreases arterial inflammation which decreases the chances of sticky build up on the artery walls. This could also lower blood pressure as it eases the heart’s task of pumping blood through less inflamed arteries.
We can slow the process of aging through the use of EGCG because of its ability to reduce, eliminate and neutralize free radicals and the damage they cause. EGCG may help you improve overall health because of its antioxidant abilities to strengthen, repair and optimize cellular health. This is what makes EGCG, the main beneficial component and why its a great alternative to anyone’s arsenal of anti aging supplements.
Health Benefits Of Dragon Fruit For People With Diabetes:
Even if you do not know what dragon fruit, you may have seen them at your local supermarket at some point. Dragon fruit is actually an extremely nutritious fruit despite its odd looking shape. They are usually pink or reddish with spikes of green and yellow light coming from them, although there are actually three kinds.
Although they are increasingly popular in North America, they are not widely consumed. They are also very popular all across Asia, as well as in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Dragon fruit is actually grown in several types of cactus, this cactus blooms only at night when they revealed their flowers big, beautiful and fragrant. The purpose of this article is to consider the fantastic health benefits of dragon fruit.
Dragon Fruit And Macronutrients:
The benefits of eating dragon fruit are plentiful. A small 7-ounce dragon fruit contains 59 calories, 2 grams of protein, 0.4 gram of fat and 14 grams of carbohydrate, including 1 gram of fiber. The carbohydrate in dragon fruit consists mainly of the sugars fructose and glucose. The fiber is made up of mainly oligosaccharides, which aren’t digest One of the largest issues with loosing pounds is being able to keep your stomach full for hours after you have eaten. With the help of this exotic product of nature, you will be able to feel satisfied for longer periods of time.ed in the stomach or small intestine. These oligosaccharides act as prebiotics, helping to stimulate the growth of the healthy bacteria lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which are probiotics, notes an article published in June 2010 in “Food Chemistry.” Probiotics help limit the growth of unhealthy bacteria and help with digestion. They may also help treat diarrhea and other intestinal infections, according to MayoClinic.com.
For Weight Loss:
One of the largest issues with loosing weight is being able to keep your stomach full for hours after you have eaten. With the help of this exotic product of nature, you will be able to feel satisfied for longer periods of time. What is more, it is comprised mostly of fiber and is incredibly low in calories, therefore it will help you to feel full after eating in comparison to other fruits. It also improves the human metabolism rate, assisting you with weight management.
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pH Balanced Diet For Diabetics, Health Benefits
I have to admit, as a type 1 diabetic, even though fitness is a passion of mine, I never really understood how important it was to maintain proper pH levels in your body. Proper pH levels is vital if your looking to maintain optimal health! Why? Well, lets take a look!
A alkaline diet is meant to help keep a good balance of acid and alkaline in your body. A good, or “neutral” balance is 7.35. A pH of 1 is the most acidic and a pH of 14 is the most alkaline. When your body is in a constant state of acidosis, meaning your pH is too low, it is difficult to stay healthy and energetic, advises Brendan Brazier, author of “Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide. ” Some foods such as bell peppers, melons and leafy green veggies are alkaline-forming in the body, whereas others like pasta, white rice and cheese are highly acid-forming. Some pH diets advocate an 80- to 20-percent balance of alkaline- to acid-forming foods.
Benefits Of A pH Diet:
The body functions optimally when its pH level is somewhat alkaline, and scientists have discovered that as the body becomes more acidic, a person’s health gets worse. When people eat foods that create a more acidic internal environment, bacteria and viruses can take charge and wreak havoc. Disease, bacteria and yeast infections tend to prosper in acidic environments, so if you are not utilizing a pH balance diet, you may unwittingly be increasing your vulnerability to illness.
Higher pH Levels Greater Energy:
When your body isn’t working so hard to keep the balance of its acidity, you will have more energy to spare for your life. Think about it, when you run your car for some time in the idle position, it isn’t going anywhere, but it’s still using gas. If you were to actually stop idling, you would get more from the gas in the tank.
The same can be said for the introduction of a pH balanced diet. When the body doesn’t have to spend so much time getting rid of waste and of fungus, then this energy can be used for other tasks – like exercising and enjoying your life. Many people who have tried this particular diet have noticed a marked difference in their energy levels due to the fact they can sleep better when they are eating this healthy diet. Instead of spending your time in bed digesting foods, your body can focus on repairing itself and restoring good health.
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Is Sugar Toxic?
I was in the supermarket the other day with my 4 children and as we were strolling down the cereal isle, one of my oldest grabbed a box of a very well known cereal and ran over asking if I would buy it. Looking over the nutrition facts, I was absolutely shocked to see how much sugar was in this stuff! There was even a nicely place picture of an Apple on the front of the box, so it had to be healthy, right? Get this, 42.9% was pure sugar (percent based on sugar by weight)! A recent episode of 60 Minutes titled “Is Sugar Toxic” had folks buzzing over Twitter and whispering at the water cooler, but is sugar really the enemy or is this yet another nutrient that’s being needlessly discriminated against? Lets take a closer look!
Sugar Stats:
Data reveals that Americans are consuming over 150 pounds of sugar per person each year—that’s one-third of a pound each day! Did you know that studies are also showing that sugar is more addictive than cocaine, and yes you are reading that correctly. Also, studies show that top sources of sugar include sugary drinks like soda, sports drinks as well as those popular energy drinks.
The American Heart Association’s current guidelines for added sugar are up to 100 calories (6 teaspoons) per day for women and 150 calories (9 teaspoons) for men. Based on the statistical data, we obviously consume way more sugar than we need.
Sugar Basics:
Most of us have seen white granulated sugar all of our lives, but what makes it bad for us? Made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, sugar (or sucrose) is a carbohydrate. Sucrose is made up of two simpler sugars, fructose and glucose.
Sucrose is also naturally in plants, including fruit. Most fruits are not on the Body Ecology program, since they are too sweet and feed the systemic fungal infection, candida. Very sour fruits like lemons, limes, black currant juice and sour grapefruit are usually fine for most people.
There IS a difference between naturally occurring sucrose in plants and the sucrose found in granulated sugar or the high fructose corn syrup often used to sweeten processed foods.
Both granulated sugar and high fructose corn syrup go through a refining process…they are called “empty calories” because they offer no nutritional value. In addition, they are addictive and rob your body of energy and health.
Health Benefits Of Spirulina Powder
I’ll admit, I had no clue what spirulina was when I first heard about it, I couldn’t even pronounce it correctly, never mind know about all the associated health benefits. Spirulina is a blue-green algae often added to green juices, smoothies and health shakes to bump up protein and antioxidant content. Wild spirulina grows well in large bodies of water in tropical or subtropical climates, but most of the spirulina consumed in the United States is grown in a laboratory due to the risk of contaminants in the wild. So what are all these amazing benefits, lets take a closer look!
Good For Eye Health:
Ok, you’ve certainly heard me mention before how important it is for us diabetics to take care of our eyes. It’s an excellent supplement for those looking to improve their eye health. This blue-green algae is very rich in vitamin A, and this vitamin is exceptionally important for healthy eyes. For this same reason, eating more carrots has long been recommended to those looking to improve their eye health, but spirulina actually has ten times the vitamin A concentration gram per gram of carrots.
What Does Spirulina Do?
Spirulina aids the reparation damage tissues, increases organ function and energy levels, while also helping to aid digestion by increasing intestinal flora such as lactobacillus and bifidus. In addition, Spirulina is alkalizing and because many foods ingested in today’s diet are highly-acidic, choosing alkalizing Spirulina will counteract acidic levels, thereby supporting a more robust and effective immune system.
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Organic Royal Jelly And Diabetes
Superfoods seem to be the rage lately but while there are a number of different “superfoods” that have proven to be highly effective at helping with fertility, Royal Jelly is more than likely the reigning King…or Queen of the bunch. This nutrient dense substance is a secretion that comes from glands in young worker bees, and is used to not only create a queen bee for procreation, but is also fed to honey bee larvae to provide them with optimal health and growth. Royal Jelly is rich in amino acids, lipids, sugars, vitamins, and most importantly, proteins. It contains high levels of vitamins D and E, and also has ample levels of iron and calcium. As all of these are essential to proper health and organ function, it is very easy to see how Royal Jelly can help with in assisting with fertility.
Royal Jelly And Metabolism:
Royal jelly also seems to do good things for your body’s energy levels, metabolism and your ability to burn fat. At least one reason royal jelly has this effect is that it inhibits lipid peroxidation within the body. Without getting too technical, lipid peroxidation is the process by which fatty acids in the body have electrons become available for “theft” by free radicals, which leaves the fatty acids malformed, and the body is unable to metabolize them. If this happens often enough, the malformed fatty acids start to add up. This is one of the reasons belly fat is such a common problem in the western world….the body is loaded up with broken fat molecules that it doesn’t know what to do with. To be honest, it’s not entirely clear why royal jelly is able to do this, but it’s suspected a big reason is the presence of a compound called 10-HDA, which has been shown to inhibit lipid peroxidation in clinical trials. A decrease in lipid peroxidation allows the body to metabolize more fat, which has a cascade of health benefits, including lower serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and the prevention of a variety of related lifestyle diseases.
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Health Benefits Of Mangosteen
Mangosteen is a dark purple fruit with white on the inside of the fruit from Southeast-Asia, Thailand being one of its largest producers in the world. Even though mangosteen sounds like a mango type, it is really very different mango. Now it is always available at Asian markets across North America. Mangosteen is delectably sweet and juicy fruit that offers numerous health benefits of both the fruit itself and its skin which are incredibly potent disease fighters. Delicious as it is useful, the mangosteen fruit is always rich in xanthones, which may promote healthy physical function
Mangosteen And Inflammation:
Systemic inflammation in people who are obese may lead to further health problems including diabetes and heart disease. Researchers studied mangosteen juice to see if it could lower signs of inflammation in obese volunteers. An article in “Nutrition Journal” reported that volunteers who drank mangosteen juice twice daily showed a significant reduction in inflammatory markers in their bloodstream, while markers for inflammation in a control group that received a different juice concoction didn’t change. The authors cautioned that more studies are necessary to confirm the benefits of mangosteen juice and determine if there are any negative side effects.
Importance Of Vitamin C:
Mangosteen is good in vitamin C and provides about 12% of RDA per 100 g. Vitamin-C is a powerful water soluble antioxidant. Consumption of fruits rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against flu-like infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
Ginger Facts And Health Benefits:
If you’ve ever taken ginger ale for an upset tummy, you understand the health benefits of ginger. Going back more than 2,000 years in China, the herb has been used to treat nausea, upset stomach and help with digestion and diarrhea.
Used in stir fries and Asian cooking, the spicy, pungent underground rhizome of the ginger plant is firm with a striated texture. It may be yellow, white or red, depending on the variety, and is covered with a thin or thick brownish skin, depending on whether the plant was harvested mature or young.
Why Ginger?
As it turns out, plenty. A 2009 study found ginger supplements when taken alongside anti-vomiting medicine reduced chemotherapy-induced nausea in patients by 40 percent. “Therapeutically, it’s also used for poor circulation and lower back pain. On an emotional level, it can act as a catalyst if you are procrastinating and lack the drive to take action,” says Laurie Steelsmith, a licensed naturopathic doctor and author of “Natural Choices for Women’s Health.” So in what areas can ginger helps us? There are numerous ways lets take a look at a few!
Cold and Flu Season:
Cold and Flu Prevention. Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a natural treatment for colds and flu around Asia. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that to treat cold and flu symptoms in adults, steep 2 tbsp. of freshly shredded or chopped ginger root in hot water, two to three times a day
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