12 Tips to Minimize Allergies during Peak Allergy Season
May 9th, 2013 | 
Author: 12 Tips to Minimize Allergies during Peak Allergy Season
Over half of Americans (more than 50 million people) are allergic to one or more allergens, according to the American Academy Of Allergy, Asthma And Immunology (AAAI). And never more apparent is it during the springtime, when seasonal allergies are likely to flare up.
Aside from the lousy, cold-like symptoms that allergies provoke (sneezing, congestion, watery itchy eyes, runny nose, ect.) allergies can cost you days at work and money to seek out solutions. In fact, according to AAAI, allergies may cost Americans close to 8 billion dollars a year in costs related to direct care and lost work productivity.
If you live in the United States, chances are you have allergies. At least, that’s the finding from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey It found that 54.3 percent of Americans between the ages of 6 and 59 tested positive to one or more allergens. A positive test also means that the person has a greater risk of asthma, hay fever and eczema.
While it would seem that, with so many people suffering from allergies, we would be well prepared as a population to handle them and know their causes, this is not the case.
Americans Fail Allergy Awareness
When it comes to allergy awareness, triggers, symptoms, prevention and treatment, the American population received largely failing grades, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s (AAFA) first National Allergy Awareness Test. Mike Tringale, director of marketing and communications at AAFA stated, “When it comes to our health, we need to strive to do better than average. To raise the allergy grade, Americans need to learn how to manage symptoms so allergies do not impact their quality of life, by disrupting daily activities or preventing attendance at important events.
Some of the most important findings of the survey, which included over 1,000 Americans, were:
- As pollen and other
allergens peak this spring,
those with allergies should
stay indoors as much as
possible (or if you can’t
resist venturing outside, at
least shower and wash your
clothing afterward
- Only 28 percent of allergy sufferers reported they were “very knowledgeable” about their allergies.
- Most people are unaware of less talked about allergy triggers, like cockroaches.
- Although most people believe their allergy symptoms are controllable, eight out of ten reported that allergies disrupt their lives.
- Nearly half (49%) wait until symptoms occur to take action, rather than using preventative measures.
Most Common Allergens
According to NHANES III, the top four most common allergens include:
- Dust mites
- Rye
- Ragweed
- Cockroaches About 25 percent of Americans tested positive to each one. Least common was the peanut, with only 9 percent reacting positively.
As for food allergies, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network says that eight foods account for 90 percent of all food-related allergic reactions:
- Milk
- Egg
- Peanut
- Tree nut
Fall Season is Ripe for Allergies
While most people know that spring is the prime time for allergies to flourish, many do not realize that sniffling, sneezing, congestion and wheezing in the fall may be due to allergies, not a cold.
“Unfortunately, seasonal allergies are not just about springtime. In some cities, the pollination of different plants, changing weather and other environmental factors can cause a greater impact for allergy sufferers during the fall than in the spring,” said Derek Johnson, MD, an allergist at Temple University Medical Center and a medical advisor to AAFA. Some people face worse allergy flare-ups in the fall than the spring.
Tips to Combating Allergies
No matter what the season, one of the best ways to fight allergies is with prevention. And, ,the following tips can help keep allergy flare-ups from occurring at all. When pollen and mold counts are high, spend more time indoors.
- Keep windows closed to keep pollen out.
- Wash bedding once a week in hot water–it will help get rid of dust mites and other allergy triggers.
- Keep your home as dust-free as possible.
- If you spend time outside, change your clothes and wash your hair when you come inside to remove pollen and other allergens.
- Filter your home’s air–many allergic reactions are triggered by airborne particles.
- If pet dander is a problem for you, keep pets out of the bedroom pets ( or don’t get any pets to begin with).Use dehumidifiers in basements and other damp areas of your home where mold could grow, and be sure to clean them once a week.
- Incorporate Natural Support for Environmental Allergies.
Designs for Health is a comprehensive allergy support formula designed to support and counteract some of the main immune reactions associated with allergies. Using a special plant derived extract called Tinofend along with quercetin, nettle leaf, and vitamin C, HistaEzeTM helps children and adults to effectively manage seasonal allergies
Incorporate Natural Support for Environmental Allergies.
Designs for Health is a comprehensive allergy support formula designed to support band counteract some of the main immune reactions associated with allergies. Using a special plant derived extract called Tinofend along with quercetin, nettle leaf, and vitamin C, HistaEzeTM helps children and adults to effectively manage seasonal allergies.
Tips for Food Allergies
Fighting food allergies can be a bit trickier, as hidden ingredients, particularly wheat and peanuts, can be anywhere. Be sure to read food labels carefully and if you eat out, let the server know that you absolutely cannot have certain ingredients.
The good news is that there are a number of ways to ease your outdoor allergies that don’t cost much money and that don’t take much effort to do. If you are one of the many people battling with seasonal allergies this spring, try out as many of the tips below as you can … and you should experience a great deal of relief.
Minimize Your Allergies With These 12 Tips
1. Keep your windows closed to keep pollen out 10 a.m. when plants release most of their pollen).
2. Use your air conditioner instead of opening windows, and ideally use an air conditioner that has an allergy-reducing HEPA filter in it.
3. Check the daily pollen and mold counts pollen counts for locations across the country Keeping your windows closed (and the air conditioning on instead) will help to keep pesky allergens outside where they belong.
4. Clean your home frequently to reduce pollen, mold, dust and other allergens.
5. Wash your bedding once a week in hot water to help get rid of dust mites and other allergy triggers.
6. Shower before you go to bed. This will help wash away any pollen, mold and other allergens that have accumulated in your hair and on your body.
7. Always wash your clothes after spending time outdoors to remove pollen and other allergens.
8. Minimize allergies by enhancing the immune system with probiotics. By taking probiotics daily, you power your immune system to be able to better handle the onslaught of irritants from various indoor and outdoor sources.
9. Have someone else mow your lawn. Cutting the grass will expose you to a host of pollens and molds
10. Wipe off surfaces you touch often. Surfaces such as computer keyboards, countertops, furniture, door handles and appliances can be loaded with allergens. When you touch these areas, the allergens are transferred to your hands and then likely to your eyes, nose and mouth, potentially worsening your symptoms. For your hands, use Silvercillin gel. In addition to the fact that it can be used topically without irritating mucous membranes, Silvercillin is beneficial for fighting inflammation caused by molds, bacteria and viruses and for immune system support.
Give surfaces a quick spray with Silvercillin spray. It is a highly effective antimicrobial that is non-toxic and can be used on surfaces teaming with germs and bacteria or orally where bacteria or viruses have been transferred to the mouth via the hand to mouth touch.
11. Resist the temptation to hang your clothes out in the sun to dry. When you bring them inside, they’ll be covered in pollen and mold.
12. Get away for a while. If you can spare a few weeks, great, but even a week-long vacation to a low-pollen area
Sources
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
How to Combat Spring Allergies
The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
Allergy Action Plan
© 2013 Health Realizations, Inc.
Why Adding More Raw Foods to Your Diet is a Smart Move
Why Adding More Raw Foods to Your Diet is a Smart Move By admin
Asking most people whether they eat a lot of cooked food may sound like a silly question. We’re conditioned to cook all of our meat thoroughly to avoid bacteria and parasites, and even our dairy products and juices are pasteurized. For many, raw food in their diet consists of an occasional salad or piece of fruit, as even most veggies on Americans’ dinner plates are of the cooked variety.
So what’s the problem, you may now be wondering. Raw plant and animal foods(such as raw milk) are loaded with beneficial enzymes for your body ( enzymes are special proteins that act as catalysts for the chemical reactions that occur to keep your body functioning.) However enzymes begin to be destroyed at temperatures above 110-115 degrees So, if your food is cooked, pasteurized or processed it will contain no enzymes at all.
“When you cook something, you destroy the enzymes,” said Karyn Calabrese, a well known raw foodist in the Chicago-area in an NBC5 article. “You need enzymes for every metabolic purpose in your body. When you lose enzymes, that’s when you die.”
Even though your body produces some enzymes on its own, eating only cooked foods for a long time will cause your body to divert extra energy to producing more and more enzymes to break down this food.
This puts a strain on your digestive organs, including your pancreas, and some say it cancause premature damage to these organs that may negatively impact your overall health. On the other hand, if you eat raw foods that contain their own living enzymes, you’re giving your body a break, and allowing it to digest efficiently with very little effort. This is actually one of the key benefits that raw foodists often give to advocate a raw food diet.
Why Getting Enzymes From Your Food is Important
Your body contains 2,500 or more different enzymes. Enzymes in your saliva, for instance, help break apart starches, while those in your stomach help break down protein. Enzymes in your intestines, meanwhile, are responsible for breaking apart all of your food, whether fat, protein or carb. These digestive enzymes are what allow your food to be broken down, and the nutrients absorbed into your bloodstream.
There are other types of enzymes as well, namely metabolic enzymes and food enzymes, which are responsible for initiating, speeding up, slowing down, or otherwise altering about 4,000 different biochemical reactions. Millions of these reactions take place in your body each day, helping you to not only digest food but also to:
- Assimilate and digest nutrients
- Breathe
- Detox certain organs
- Purify your blood
- Move your muscles
- Produce and regulate hormones
- Renew and repair your cells
While your body does produce enzymes on its own, an important source of enzymes are the ones you get from raw food. If you eat primarily cooked food, however, there’s a chance your body may be deficient in these important catalysts to your digestion.
Other Problems With Cooked Foods
Aside from depleting the enzyme content, certain cooking methods, namely those that use high temperatures, actually create harmful compounds in your food.
These include:
- Heterocyclic Amines -Heterocyclic amines form when food is cooked at a high temperature, either by grilling, broiling, frying or searing. The longer you cook your meat, andthe higher the temperature, the more HCAs that are formed. The worst part of the meat, from an HCA perspective, is any blackened section.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons- Barbecue grill smoke contains cancer causing chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. When the smoke surrounds your food particularly when fat drips onto the heat source and causes excess smoke it transfers PAHs to your food. Accorrding to researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, build up in your body over time leading to oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.
- Avanced Glycation End Products AGEs, are also produced when meats are cooked at high temperatures, such as while grilling, frying or broiling (They are also produced when foods are pasteurized or sterilized).
AGEs, according to researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, build up in your body over time leading to oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease.
When you do cook your food it is always preferable to cook foods at lower temperatures than higher temperatures, not only because the nutrients are better preserved and chances of creating harmful compounds are minimized, but also because the oils in which you cook your food — particularly vegetable oils like soybean, corn and canola — are easily damaged
Tips for Adding Raw Foods and Enzymes to Your Diet
The ideal way to add enzymes to your diet is simply by eating more raw foods. Be generous with consuming raw fruits and vegetables, and consider adding other sources of raw food to your diet, such as raw milk and raw-milk cheese. By adding more raw foods to your diet you may be able to digest more efficiently with less effort.
By adding more raw foods to your diet you may be able to digest more efficiently with less effort.
Another option if your diet consists primarily of cooked foods is to take an enzyme supplement. There are numerous enzyme supplements available on the market to help increase your levels, but look for a proven enzyme formulation to relieve common digestive problems like gas and bloating, heartburn, constipation and belching, so you tend to feel better after eating. Additionally, taking precaution to avoid enzyme deficiency is wise because it can improve absorption of the precious nutrients from the foods you eat and prevent accelerated aging.
Further, ask for specialized enzymes if you are lactose intolerant.
So while eating more fresh, raw foods will help keep your enzyme stores at a healthy level, if you don’t eat many raw foods, or are looking for a bit of extra insurance, taking a high-quality enzyme supplement is a smart move.
Sources
ABC7Chicago.com
The World’s Healthiest Foods, Enzymes
NaturalNews.com
© 2012 Health Realizations, Inc
Posted in Nutrition | 
Tags: cooked food destroys enzymes, digestive enzymes, nutrition, raw food | 
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Maintaining And Enhancing Brain Function With FolaNAC
As you age, maintaining and enhancing brain function becomes increasingly important. Some degree of memory problems and a modest decline in executive function, the brain’s process that regulates an individual’s ability to organize thoughts and activities, prioritize tasks, manage time efficiently, and make decisions are fairly common features of aging. Who among us hasn’t experienced fleeting moments of forgetfulness that give us pause? The good news is that your cognitive destiny is not fated – you do have control. There’s no sure way to prevent dementia but there are steps that might help your brain stay healthy over the long term: be physically and socially active, learn new information and stimulate your mind, maintain a healthy diet, keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under control, and, if you smoke, stop.
At Health Remedies, we are pleased and proud to tell you about an exciting new product designed specifically with your brain and pursuit of mental happiness in mind. The product is FolaNAC and comprises three agents (contained in two separate bottles): the smaller bottle has a combination of L-methylfolate and methylcobalamine (Vitamin B-12) while the larger bottle contains N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Designed to be taken together, the combo packs a wallop and was specially formulated as an alternative to prescription Cerefolin NAC which is approved by the FDA for memory loss. This multi-pronged product offers distinct advantages for building and maintaining brain health.
L-methylfolate (L-MTHF) is the biologically active form of folate (vitamin B-9) and the only form of folate that crosses the blood-brain-barrier. It regulates the formulation of a critical co-factor called tetrahydrobiopterin (BH-4) which is intricately involved in the synthesis of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Up to 1/3 of the U.S. population may have genetic defect that prevents the conversion of folic acid (folic acid is the synthetic form of the body’s natural folate) into the biologically active form of L-MTHF. Research has suggested a relationship between low folate levels and clinical depression and poorer response to anti-depressant medications. Adding L-MTHF has been shown to enhance the effects of these agents. Methylcobalamine (vitamin B-12) is a biologically active form of Vitamin B-12 and the form that is transported into peripheral tissues where it aids in red blood cell formation and the metabolism of homocysteine. In addition, it provides general nervous system support.
NAC is a precursor to glutathione, one of the body’s most potent natural anti-oxidants which facilitates the ability of nerve tissue to utilize Vitamin B-12 and subsequently reduce or 
eliminate oxidative stress in those tissues while increasing the body’s total anti-oxidant capacity and significantly lowering homocysteine levels.
Accumulating data demonstrates a relationship between elevated levels of homocysteine and neurodegenerative diseases including cognitive disorders and dementia. These conditions are associated with chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Folate depletion or deficiency may occur as a consequence of oxidative stress and associated chronic inflammation. Homocysteine levels are largely determined by Vitamin B-12 and folate status.
Given the close inter-dependent relationship between homocysteine and oxidative stress, it makes sense to simultaneously include anti-oxidants when addressing folate and Vitamin B-12 deficiencies. FolaNAC provides a unique option for addressing the complex and inter-related mechanisms associated with oxidative stress, folate and Vitamin B-12.
Does Early Exposure to Food Allergens Increase Tolerance To Them?
Food allergies affect 1 percent to 2 percent of American adults, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), along with about 6 percent of children under the age of 5. While their incidence in the United States has been on the rise for at least a decade, no one knows exactly why food allergies are becoming more and more common. Meanwhile, for those in this group just one crumb of an allergenic food can be deadly.
What is a Food Allergy, and Why do They Occur?
 For people with food allergies, just one bite of the wrong food can lead to hives, vomiting, loss of consciousness and even death. |
A food allergy occurs because your immune system mistakenly recognizes a certain food as dangerous, and then produces a response against it. Symptoms can range from the more mild skin rash, vomiting and diarrhea to the very serious anaphylaxis, which constricts the airways and requires immediate medical attention.
Though most food allergies begin in childhood, before the age of 2, they can occur at any age and involve just about any food. That said, there are eight foods that cause 90 percent of food allergies, and these are:
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Milk
- Shellfish
- Wheat
- Tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc.)
- Soy
- Fish
While no one knows exactly why food allergies appear in some people and not others, one common factor is heredity. If both of your parents have allergies, you have about a 75 percent chance of being allergic as well, according to ACAAI. Meanwhile, if one parent or one side of your family’s relatives has allergies, your risk drops to about 30 percent to 40 percent, while those with no family history of allergies have about a 10 percent to 15 percent risk.
Does Early Exposure to Allergens Help or Hurt Food Allergies?
 Parents are often warned not to give young children allergenic foods like milk, wheat, peanuts and eggs until they reach a certain age in order to reduce their risk of allergies, but a new study is challenging this theory. |
There is a controversy brewing over the common advice to NOT feed young children highly allergenic foods (like milk, wheat and eggs) until they are anywhere from 6 months to 2 years old. The theory holds that because young children’s digestive systems have not yet matured, giving these foods to infants increases the risk that their body will absorb food proteins that may trigger allergies.
However, a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found quite the opposite of this theory. According to the study, which examined premature and low birth weight babies (which have immature gastrointestinal tracts), exposing such infants to food allergens early in life may actually boost tolerance later in life.
Specifically, the researchers found no association at all between age, birth weight and the development of food allergies.
“The theory is that at a young age (less than 3 years), an immature and permeable gastrointestinal tract will result in increased antigen uptake. Thus, highly allergenic foods may be absorbed more easily, increasing the risk for sensitization,” said the study’s lead author Joel Liem from the University of Manitoba. He continued:
“However, our large, population-based epidemiologic study does not support [this]. A possible mechanism preventing sensitization might be the development of immunologic tolerance to orally ingested allergens in premature infants.
“Such tolerance might result from interaction of high antigen concentration with the immature immune system of the preterm infant … These data prompt us to ask whether it may be possible that introducing highly allergenic proteins (such as peanut) early in life would tolerize (as opposed to sensitize) a child to that particular antigen.”
The researchers are calling for more studies to confirm what is the best way to introduce foods to infants.
Interestingly, their findings are similar to those of the “hygiene hypothesis,” which says that children who are not exposed to some dirt and germs at an early age (due to living in an overly sterile, “hygienic” environment) are at an increased risk of allergies. Why? Because their developing immune systems didn’t get exposed to many germs, they didn’t get a chance to develop a tolerance to them.
What to do if You Already Have a Food Allergy
While researchers uncover more about food allergy triggers, there are a number of resources for those who already have them. These include:
- Strictly avoiding the food you are allergic to, including any related products.
- Diligently reading food labels (hidden ingredients, particularly with wheat and peanuts, can be anywhere, but the Food and Drug Administration requires that at least the top eight allergens must be clearly stated on food labels).
- Letting the server in a restaurant know you absolutely cannot have certain ingredients.
- Carry enzymes with you at all times, especially when you dine out. An enzyme is a digestive aid for those with gluten and other food protein intolerances.
- For those with severe food allergies, always carrying a self-injectable epinephrine (often called an Epipen) in case of emergency.
© 2013 Health Realizations, Inc.
Sources
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Volume 119, Issue 5, Pages 1203-1209
The Seven Top Tips to Feel Full Faster
Have you ever had a day when your stomach felt like a bottomless pit and that no matter how much you ate, you just didn’t feel full or satisfied? What if there were ways to fill your stomach so that you would feel full faster, yet end up consuming fewer calories overall? Would you try them?
Grapefruits are 90 percent water with very few calories. These and other water-rich fruits and vegetables make you feel full faster. |
Well, there’s good news. There are a number of healthy “tricks” you can use to feel full faster, meaning you’re less likely to overeat, take in too many calories and ultimately gain weight.
1. Eat More Fiber
Fiber is not only good for your health (it helps to lower your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and more) but eating more of it is a simple way to satisfy your hunger.
High-fiber foods give you volume (making you feel full), plus they take longer to digest, so you feel satisfied for a longer time period. Tasty high-fiber foods include vegetables, berries, pears, avocados, whole grains, seeds and nuts, brown rice, beans, apples, grapes and oranges.
2. Eat Foods That Contain Lots of Water
Certain foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, contain a lot of water. Similar to high-fiber foods, water-rich foods provide volume, making you feel full, but without a lot of calories. For instance, grapefruits are about 90 percent water, but contain only 39 calories per serving (half a grapefruit). This is why loading up on veggies and some fresh fruit (or eating a big veggie salad or bowl of broth-based veggie soup before dinner) is an excellent way to satisfy your stomach but not take in a lot of calories.
3. Take Your Time When You Eat
It’s a proven fact that if you wolf your food down your body won’t have a chance to feel that it’s full (and in the meantime you may have reached for an unnecessary second portion).
“We don’t have immediate feedback from our bodies telling us we’ve eaten enough,” says Janet Polivy, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Toronto, Canada. “It takes about 20 minutes for food to be digested enough that glucose gets into the bloodstream and the hormones start working.”
In other words, eat slowly (this includes taking the time to thoroughly chew each bite before swallowing it) and if you think you’re still hungry, wait about 20 minutes before deciding if you really want more.
4. Eat Protein with Every Meal
Always take the time to savor your food when you eat. Chew thoroughly, put your fork down between bites and only go for a second helping after you’ve waited about 20 minutes. |
“Protein is the most satiating nutrient,” says former Harvard University researcher Thomas Halton, Ph.D. You should strive to eat some protein with every meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner and even with your snacks).
Remember that there are a wide variety of ways to get protein. Some excellent choices include a hard-boiled egg, nuts, a small piece of cheese, meats (preferably grass-fed and organic), beans, chickpeas, or a high quality protein whey shake.
5. Take Smaller Portions
Studies have found that the larger a portion a person is served, the more they will eat. However, their feelings of satiety are no higher than people who ate smaller portions.
So take a small portion and eat it slowly. Chances are high that you’ll feel just as full as you would have with a larger portion.
6. Limit Your Choices
People tend to eat more at buffets or in situations where there are a lot of different foods offered. You naturally feel compelled to try a little of everything, and end up eating significantly more overall (i.e. Thanksgiving dinner). When you make meals at home, limit the number of foods you’re serving and you’ll have an easier time feeling satisfied on less food.
7. Think About Your Food
We often eat while we’re completely distracted (while driving, watching TV, standing at the kitchen counter, etc.), which allows us to easily consume more than we need, often without ever realizing it. As you eat, think about the food, give thanks for it, and really taste each bite. When you savor your food in this way, you will feel full and satisfied on much less food.
Sources
© 2013 Health Realizations, Inc.
Glucose, Fructose and Sucrose: What’s the Difference Between These Sugars … and Which is the Worst for Your Health?
Glucose, Fructose and Sucrose: What’s the Difference Between These Sugars … and Which is the Worst for Your Health?
© 2012 Health Realizations, Inc
The sugar in your soda and other favorite sugary treats may all go down sweetly, but a groundbreaking new study found they act very differently once in your body.
 It may all taste equally sweet, but the type of sugar you eat matters big-time for your health. |
The three main types of sugar in question are:
- Glucose: made when your body breaks down starches
- Fructose: the sugar found naturally in fruits and widely used in the form of high-fructose corn syrup
- Sucrose: table sugar
Researchers from the University of California, Davis compared glucose and fructose consumption among 32 overweight or obese people and found they resulted in very different health changes.
After drinking either a fructose- or glucose-sweetened beverage that made up 25 percent of their daily calories for 12 weeks, both groups gained a similar amount of weight. However, those drinking the fructose-sweetened beverage experienced an array of other unhealthy effects, including:
- An increase in visceral fat, the kind that embeds itself between tissues in organs
- Less sensitivity to insulin, one of the first signs of diabetes
- Increased fat production in the liver
- Elevated LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Increased levels of triglycerides
People who drank the glucose-sweetened beverage, meanwhile, experienced no such changes.
“This suggests that in the same way that not all fats are the same, not all dietary carbohydrates are the same either,” Peter Havel, professor of nutrition at the University of California Davis and lead author of the study told TIME magazine.
When glucose is consumed, a set of reactions occur in the body allowing it to be used as energy, and production of leptin, a hormone that helps control appetite and fat storage, is increased. Meanwhile, ghrelin, a stomach hormone, is reduced, which is thought to help hunger go away.
When fructose is consumed, however, it “appears to behave more like fat with respect to the hormones involved in body weight regulation,” explains Peter Havel, associate professor of nutrition at the University of California, Davis. “Fructose doesn’t stimulate insulin secretion. It doesn’t increase leptin production or suppress production of ghrelin. That suggests that consuming a lot of fructose, like consuming too much fat, could contribute to weight gain.”
And as this most recent study pointed out, it may cause other dangerous side effects as well.
Most Sweets Contain Fructose or Sucrose
This news may compel you to begin searching for glucose-sweetened versions of your favorite desserts and sodas, but most sugary products are made with either sucrose or fructose, often in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.
Sucrose is made of 50% fructose and 50% glucose, whereas high-fructose corn syrup can be either 55% fructose, 45% glucose, or 42% fructose, 58% glucose.
What this means is that you’ll be hard pressed to find products sweetened with glucose, and may risk the side effects discovered in this study no matter which type you choose.
“This study provides the best argument yet that we should either decide to consume less sugar-sweetened beverages in general, or that we should conduct more research into the possibility of using other sweeteners that may be more glucose-based,” Matthias Tschoep, an obesity researcher at the Obesity Research Center in the University of Cincinnati, said in TIME.
The Fructose-Diabetes Connection
According to Dr. Walter Willett, chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, long-term consumption of sugared drinks, which are typically sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, may double your risk of obesity. Part of the risk is simply from the extra calories, but part is also due to the high fructose content in the drinks.
And a review of multiple studies by Havel and colleagues, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that, in animals, consuming large amounts of HFCS led to several early warning signs of diabetes, including:
|
Glucose Balance Busts Your Sugar Cravings Gymnema sylvestre, dubbed the “sugar destroyer,” is known to help weight loss by significantly decreasing sugar cravings, through improving the cells’ natural intake and utilization of blood sugar. Gymnema sylvestre (GS) leaves also contain antibacterial, anti-allergic and antiviral properties that have been reported to support:
Other reports also indicate Gymnema sylvestre has a role in supporting healthy cholesterol levels, including LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. |
- Induced insulin resistance
- Impaired glucose tolerance
- Produced high levels of insulin
Ideally to help protect your health you should minimize your intake of sugars, especially HFCS, fructose and sucrose, by limiting your consumption of soda and other sugary foods and drinks.
Need Help Kicking Your Sugar Cravings?
Gymnema sylvestre, a plant native to the lush tropical regions of India, has bitter leaves, dubbed “sugar destroyers,” that can actually eliminate the ability to taste sugar in your mouth, thereby reducing your cravings for sugar.
Meanwhile, Gymnema Sylvestre has shown promising results in safely controlling blood sugar levels in diabetics, while helping with weight loss, hypoglycemia, high cholesterol, anemia and digestion problems.
This herbal remedy is thought to work via gymnemic acid, its active ingredient. Gymnemic acid molecules have a unique shape that are similar to glucose, meaning they are able to fill cell receptors in the lining of your intestines, preventing uptake of sugar molecules and resulting in lower blood sugar levels
Ask your health car practitioner if natural supplements containing Gymnena sylvestre would be appropriate for you as there are herbal remedies specifically designed to help maintain steady blood sugar levels.
Sources
Health Remedies In The News: Green Coffee Bean Extract – Lose Weight Without Dieting
More good news about one of our most popular weight loss products: Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract Extreme Liquid (http://www.healthremedies.com/green-coffee-bean-extract-liquid.html).
Sometimes it is difficult to cut through all the marketing hype and determine whether or not a supplement is truly effective.
And although it is gratifying and reassuring when one of our products is featured on The Dr. Oz Show or other media outlets, there is no substitute for scientific data.
Hence, results of a recent study showing that unroasted – or green – coffee bean extract (GCBE), when taken as a supplement, actually can help you lose weight, are welcome news indeed.
This study, conducted in India by Applied Food Sciences, provides hope for the millions currently afflicted by the ravages of being overweight or obese. It found that with no changes to diet (other than adding GCBE before meals) and no change in level of exercise, participants lost an average of 17+ pounds over the course of the 22-week study which was more than 10% of their body weight. Significant reductions in BMI and percentage of body fat were seen as well.
To put that in perspective, a weight loss comprising 5 – 10% of starting body weight significantly reduces cardiovascular and metabolic health risks associated with obesity.
What’s more, four months after finishing the study, nearly all (14 of 16) participants had maintained their weight loss. There were no side effects of using GCBE in this study nor have there been in previous studies according to an earlier article (published in 2011) that looked at several studies using GCBE in humans.
Perhaps more importantly, green coffee bean extract taken before eating decreases how quickly and how high your blood glucose spikes following ingestion of your meal, even if that meal is high in sugar.
Indeed, the early evidence suggests that the reductions in after-meal blood glucose spikes seen with green coffee bean extract are similar to those seen if you practice aggressive calorie restriction. Good news for sure.
Another nice thing about use of green coffee bean extract is that it can help you manage your weight even if you are not yet ready to drastically change your diet or level of exercise.
The prevailing current belief is that it is the chlorogenic acid in green coffee extract that:
- Decreases after-meal glucose peaks;
- Lowers insulin levels (and thereby system wide inflammation); and
- Reduces the accumulation of fat.
“Can’t I just drink more coffee?” Probably not. Remember, the main natural compound in green coffee is the chlorogenic acid. This critical weight loss powerhouse is found in much, much lower quantities in the roasted coffee beans used to make your morning coffee.
As impacting as endorsements and date are, feedback from patients and clients is still more meaningful. And what we hear is nothing short of astonishing.
Is now the time for you to add Pure Green Coffee Bean Extract Extreme Liquid to your health routin
e?
Let us know.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
Posted in Health Conditions, Insomnia, Supplements, Weight Loss |
Tags: green coffee bean extract, Weight Loss, weight loss supplements |
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Stress, Anxiety, and Your Health
According to a recent study by the American Psychological Association (APA), stress causes negative health effects in a full 43% of adults in the U.S.
This is nothing new. For example, more than 30 years ago the nation’s oldest health maintenance organizations (HMO) – Kaiser Permanente – discovered that nearly 66% of patient visits to their primary care clinicians were do to “somaticized stress,” or in other words, medical symptoms and illness caused by stress. Four questions naturally emerge:
- What are these ill effects of stress;
- How exactly does stress cause said ill effects;
- Where is all this stress coming from; and
- What can you do about it?
Ill Effects of Stress
Stress impacts your body, mind, and behavior and can cause, trigger, aggravate, or perpetuate just about any disease you can think of.
For example, stress and anxiety disrupt your immune system. On one hand, depending upon your individual make-up, stress can increase your vulnerability to infections such as the flu. On the other hand, stress can impair your body’s ability to turn off inflammatory signals, putting you at an increased risk of allergies, autoimmune diseases and heart disease.
It is this last phenomenon – the tendency for stress to increase body-wide inflammation – that leads to so many of today’s Diseases of Civilization such as diabetes, cancer, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
This tendency to increase inflammation can actually accelerate the rate at which you age. According to a 2006 study presented at the 114th Annual Convention of the APA, people with chronic stress are more likely to suffer from age-related diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, major depression, osteoporosis and metabolic syndrome.
Stress even influences how much you weigh. For instance, according to the “Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation,” if you are a woman, the greater the stress in your life, the greater your weight. This was true even after other factors -such as exercise, diet, and smoking – were controlled for.
How Stress Causes Obesity and Other Conditions
Stress causes obesity and other Diseases of Civilization via multiple mechanisms. Take a look at Slide #1 (from one of Dr. Dave’s upcoming lectures: http://www.bio-genesis.com/fmf/index.html) to get an idea of some of the biochemical mediators of stress. In general terms, the health ramifications of stress are mediated through brain chemicals (neurotransmitters), hormones (adrenal, thyroid, and sex), immune cells, and growth factors – many of which can be measured. It is for this reason that we so often recommend you get tested for these markers in order to understand more precisely what you need to do to address your own individual type of stress.
These stress mediators, acting in concert with your unique health-related attributes starting all the way back with your genes, determine how stress shows up in you and what diseases you are at risk for. The next slide (#2) provides an overview of the interplay between your predisposing factors (antecedents – genes, uterine environment, life experiences, choices, and habits), triggers (the constellation of acute stressors facing you at any given time), and the chemical and hormonal mediators throughout which your stress is manifesting.
Slide #2
The #1 Cause of Stress
According to The American Institute of Stress (AIS), drum roll, “Job stress is far and away the major source of stress for American adults … and it has escalated progressively over the past few decades.” This type of stress, of course, is widely known as burnout. For more information on burnout and other stress syndromes visit Dr. Dave’s new blog series on burnout: http://integrativepsychiatry.net/blog/burnout-stress-gone-wild/.
What to Do
The most important thing you can do is to continue fine-tuning your health-related behaviors in such a way that decreases triggers and bolsters your body’s coping mechanisms. 
Because, however, you no doubt carry a lot of freight and have significant demands on your time and energies, you may not be able to eliminate many of life’s stressors. In that case, you will be better served focusing on health tips like the ones in the image to the right designed to boost your ability to cope with your stressful life. It is less important that you follow Dr. Dave’s top ten tips than it is for you to develop and refine over time the habits you need to inculcate into your daily life to reduce the ravages of stress.
To begin your personalized laboratory testing or to learn more about our holistic health remedies to treat stress, please contact us or browse through the information and resources on our website.
Posted in Health Conditions, Stress |
Tags: diseases of civilization, drdave, obesity, Stress |
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Raspberry Ketone Drops: Your Recipe for Fast Healthy Weight Loss (Without the Fasting)
Dr. Oz ignited a
firestorm of discussion and activity recently with his very public endorsement of raspberry ketone for weight loss, characterizing it as a “fat-burner in a bottle.” Raspberry ketone (RK), also known as rheosmin, is one of the major aromatic compounds that give raspberries their distinctive and delectable aroma. It has been used as a flavoring agent since the early 1900’s, as a fragrance in cosmetics, and even as an insect attractant.
One of the oldest fruits known to humans, raspberries have been used across centuries for nutritional and medicinal purposes. Over 200 molecules have been identified in raspberry flavor with variations from one cultivar to another.
How exactly does RK fight obesity? The scientific research suggests several possible mechanisms. 
For example, in experimental studies in rodents, Rk prevented high-fat-diet-induced elevations in body weight and accumulation of fatty deposits in the liver and other internal organs (visceral adiposity). It blocks fat storage by encouraging your body to utilize fat as a source of fuel and energy. In so doing (allowing your body to use rather than store fat) RK also suppresses your appetite and reduces caloric intake.
Perhaps even more impressively, in these same studies RK actually decreased body weight and fat in the liver after they had already been increased by a high-fat diet. In other words, Dr. Oz is correct; Raspberry Ketone actually burns fats.
So not only might RK prevent weight gain and fatty liver it might also reverse these processes.
Well what’s the big deal about fatty liver and visceral adiposity? Glad you asked. The prevailing medical wisdom has it that this type of fat accumulation, the rate of which accelerates beginning at middle age, leads to, among other things, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. Moreover, it turns out that this visceral fat that builds up as we age contributes to increased inflammation throughout our bodies and brains. And this increase in system-wide inflammation gives rise to a host of Diseases of Civilization – diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression, Parkinson’s, GERD, irritable bowel disease, and others.
Perhaps it’s time for you to consider adding raspberry ketones to your health building and weight management portfolio. Naturally we are proud of our Raspberry Ketone Drops and encourage you to check them out:
Liquid Raspberry Ketones
http://www.healthremedies.com/raspberry-ketones-liquid.html.
In summary, there are many benefits of Raspberry Ketone:
- Can hеlp yоu lose 2-5 pounds а wееk
- Increases your metabolism
- Strengthens your immune system
- Purifies your body frоm toxins аnd improves your bowel regularity
- Provides energy
- Improves blood circulation
- Gives yоu а full body detox
If you have already tried Raspberry Ketones, let us hear about your experience. If you haven’t yet taken the plunge, perhaps now is the time.
Let us hear from you.
You Might As Well Admit It, You’re Addicted To Food
Eating healthier and losing weight are oft-cited goals at this time of year but changing your ingrained behavior is hard. This is particularly true if your food cravings and overeating are actually due to a food addiction.
An old familiar bugaboo, food cravings, if you are like most of us mere mortals, have probably thwarted or sabotaged your resolute efforts to change on more than one occasion. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to rein those appetites in before they become a genuine food addiction. One of the simplest and most painless of these steps is to your treat your nose (and thereby certain brain centers associated with urges, hungers, and rewards) to the pleasing scent of vanilla. Just as some aromas may make you feel as hungry as the proverbial bear, others, like vanilla, can actually curb your appetite and reduce your intake of calories. Science has shown that some scents can affect the brain and suppress appetite by changing levels of brain chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, especially dopamine.
For example, vanilla tricks your brain into thinking you’ve already satisfied your cravings for sugar. The refreshing scent of peppermint may be one of the most effective appetite suppressants helping decrease cravings for sweets and promoting a feeling of fullness. One research study found that people who regularly smelled peppermint consumed 3000 fewer calories over the course of a week. Other scents commonly used in weight control aromatherapy include those of oranges, lemons, grapefruits (preferably pink), bananas, green apples, and fennel.
The easiest way to try one of these is by putting a few drops on a tissue or using an oil diffuser.
Curb Your Appetite: Treat Your Nose
Other tips to fight your food cravings:
- Drink more water, especially before meals to feel fuller quicker and eat less;
- Eat more fiber – raw vegetables, fruits (apples are best), flax seed, nuts (almonds are great);
- Spices like cinnamon, ginger, and clove which help regulate blood sugar, and capsaicin, which lowers the hunger inducing hormone, ghrelin, and increases the appetite suppressing hormone, GLP-1;
- Avoid artificial sweeteners which actually increase cravings for sugar;
- Optimize your protein and fat intake – both help you feel full and keep you satisfied longer;
- When enjoying a full meal, eat your protein and fat first, before your carbs;
- Eat a small meal every 2-3 hours to help regulate blood sugar and decrease cravings;
- Don’t skip breakfast; or
- Skip breakfast and try intermittent fasting, limiting your total daily food intake to an eight-hour window of time, for example, eating only between the hours of 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM;
- Use a large fork – you’ll feel satisfied sooner; and
- Eat from a blue plate – red, yellow, and orange colors have been shown to increase appetite.
In addition, our Health Remedies website carries a wide variety of products that can help curb cravings for food and other substances. One in particular, Crave Control, contains an array of amino acids for your brain to use in building neurotransmitters that are involved in the brain-reward pathway as well as appetite regulation and helping restore balanced brain chemistry. To find out more about Crave Control click on this link: http://www.healthremedies.com/crave_control.html.
Posted in Weight Loss |
Tags: appetite control, appetite suppressants, aroma therapy, food addiction, food cravings, overeating, vanilla |
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