Maca for Menopause

Lucky women, usually vegetarians and the stress-free, find that they can sail through menopause but for many women there are unwanted and unwelcome side effects. Hot flashes for example are the bane of many women’s lives at this time and I wrote a whole report on how to alleviate them so a new product that can help is always welcome.

Maca comes from Peru and is an amazing superfood that was first used by the Inca more than 2000 years ago for energy and endurance. Cultivated for thousands of years at elevations over 14,000 feet, no other food plant on earth can survive the extreme weather conditions and intensive sunlight that this amazing super food grows in. The rich soil located at these high plateaus accounts for the high levels of trace minerals found in Maca and it is still in widespread use as a medicine and energy giving herb throughout Peru today.

Creative Nature’s Maca Root Powder, or Lepidum meyenii to give it its botanical name, is known as the Peruvian miracle herb and is actually a rare member of the radish family. Used by people as diverse as professional athletes and the elderly, among its health claims are that it helps people recover from depression, addictions, traumas, or disease as well as boosting energy.

Maca root increases energy, enhances stamina, mental clarity and athletic endurance and for women its potential balancing effect on the endocrine system alleviates menstrual symptoms and is also also high in calcium which is known to promote healthy bone formation. Maca contains substantial amounts of essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, Vitamin B1, B2, B12, C, E, Riboflavin, thiamine, ascorbic acid and essential fatty acids. It is also rich in sterols, alkaloids, tannins and saponins.

Whatever your menopausal, or non-menopausal, symptoms it would be worth giving Creative Nature’s Maca Root Powder a trial to see if it helps with hot flashes and palpitations as well as increasing energy levels. I would certainly be interested to hear what results you experience with it.

Try It For Less!
Creative Nature’s Maca root powder can be added to smoothies, soups, or taken in capsule form. If you have any trouble locating it then visit the website at www.creative-nature.co.uk/maca.html and they are offering Healthy News readers a 10% discount on any of the healthy products on their website – just type in the code HEALTHANDWELLNESS if you order.

B+ for Broccoli – Especially the Sprouts

A Healthy Sugar?

Why Energy Drinks Should Carry A Health Warning

Risk of Steroid Treatment for Asthma in Children

Children experiencing an asthma attack who are treated with a short burst of oral steroids may have a brief and transient depression of immune response, according to a new study led by Université de Montréal. These findings, published in this month’s issue of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology and Pulmonology, have implications for asthmatic children who have flare-ups and who may be exposed to new contagious diseases.

Francine M. Ducharme, a Université de Montréal professor and pediatrician and researcher at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center sums it up. “There is no question that the administration of corticosteroids reduces the risk and duration of hospital admission in children with acute asthma and remains the most effective treatment for moderate and severe asthma exacerbations. However, the safety profile of these medications continues to raise concerns among parents and physicians. Concerns over their possible impact on the immune system stem from few rare reports linking or severe chickenpox infections linked with corticosteroid administration.”

The study is based on the immune response of children aged 3 to 17 years, who had arrived at the emergency department (ED) with an asthma attack. All subjects were given immune triggers (known as antigens) and the immune response between those who received corticosteroids versus those who did not were compared. “Several corticosteroid-treated children had a lower immune response, as measured by the amount of antibody produced, than non-treated kids,” says Ducharme.

However it seems that these findings indicate there may be a very transient immune suppression only in some children exposed to a new antigen at the same time as a corticosteroid administration. In other words your child needs to have an attack, steroids and a new antigen such as chicken pox within a six week period. This is reassuring as it does not apply to the majority of children who suffer asthma attacks, but before your child is prescribed oral corticosteroids you need to inform your doctor about any recent exposure to chickenpox in children who did not have chickenpox or the vaccine.

The researchers recommend that all children with asthma who have not had chickenpox should be vaccinated for this condition. Yet vaccinations are not the ideal route for everyone, and there are a number of well tried homoeopathic remedies which may be suitable for your child. Seek the advice of a qualified homoepath and to find one near you consult the register at www.homeopathy-soh.org/

Help for Dry and Gritty Eyes

This is a very common problem that many millions of people suffer from, but a new and highly innovative eye drop formula has been launched to help tackle the problem. Rohto® Dry Eye Relief is a clinically proven eye-drop treatment that uses a natural bi-polymer called HydraMed to rapidly bring relief. Dry eyes mean that the normal tear film production and lubricating of the eye is not functioning adequately, sometimes leading to intense discomfort, as the eyes can no longer wet and lubricate themselves properly. This new product has been shown to improve this condition so that in less than a-month of regular use, the eyes feel more comfortable.

There are many reasons why we can suffer from dry and gritty-feeling eyes: modern lifestyles, an aging population, the contraceptive pill, some underlying illnesses and health conditions, as well as some medication can also trigger the condition. To treat it, you need something that will simulate as closely as possible the composition and effectiveness of the real tear film. This means that eye drops not only stay for as long as possible on the eye, but also have the right dynamic properties to allow proper mimicking of the natural tears during blinking to avoid blurring vision.

In healthy eyes, tears help create a lubricating and cleaning film over the eye, and dry eyes happen when there is not enough fluid to adequately create this film. What is needed is to rehydrate the surface of the eye, to recreate the tear film and relieve symptoms and the key component in Rohto® Dry Eye Relief contains HydraMed. This is an advanced patented formulation of two active ingredients – Hyaluronic Acid (HA), which helps restore and retain hydration, and Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide (TSP), which helps repair the surface of the eye.

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a naturally occurring polymer found within the human eye which has incredible water attracting properties and can draw 3,000 times its own weight in water. This greatly reduces evaporation, and therefore fluid loss, from the eye. HA mimics the natural tear film in the eye, which is crucial for good eye health.The other key ingredient – Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide (TSP) – is a naturally occurring polymer that produces a visco-elastic solution and has a chemical structure similar to important proteins called mucins on the eye’s surface.

These two key ingredients work together synergistically and the Rohto formulation mimics the behaviour of natural human tears, becoming less viscous and sticky during a blink and more viscous between blinks which allows for easier blinking. Combined with its excellent fluid-retaining properties, this mean that water loss from the tear film is minimised, so the formula stays on the eye for longer.

It’s effectiveness has been proven in a series of clinical trials where it was found to improve eye condition by 56.5% and be up to five times more effective in treating damage than using hyaluronic acid alone. Patients who used it for 60 days had a 35% reduction of stinging and foreign-body sensations, and when compared to other common treatments using Hyaluronic Acid (HA), it was found to be 27% better in the reduction of stinging symptoms.

A user survey carried out at the British Contact Lens Association annual conference found that 82% of practitioners that tried the product agreed that Rohto® Dry Eye Relief provided an immediate soothing and cooling effect and a majority felt it gave longer relief than they expected would offer it to their patients.

Rohto® Dry Eye Relief brings fast and effective relief and its special formulation has been shown in studies to last for a long time on the eye. This greatly reduces the number of applications needed throughout the day to maintain comfort. It is available in a re-sealable and easily carried 0.5ml daily dose vial, which uses a special cap that allows you to quickly and safely re-use the vial two or three times a day – enough to greatly ease regular dry eye discomfort.

Why Following Your Blood Group Diet Can Seriously Improve Your Health

I have long been a fan (as indeed is Cheryl Cole) of the Blood Group Diet developed by naturopath Peter D’Adamo and have followed it myself for a number of years. The basic premise, based on years of his and his father’s research, was to correlate results of blood types to illness and diet. Millennia of evolution have split human blood into four types: A, B, AB and O — around 44 per cent of Britons are type O, 42 per cent are type A, 10 per cent type B and 4 per cent are AB.

Our blood group is determined by genes inherited from our parents and for a long time the study of blood groups and disease was discredited. This was a result of the ‘racial science’ propagated by the Nazis – an absurd name for a made up creed to suit a political end – but there is serious science behind the idea that blood groups can hold the secret to fighting deadly diseases. Even better is the fact that you can do something positive, and simple, to make the most of your blood type.

The diet basically divides food into three categories: good, neutral and bad – and they are different for each blood type. You can eat as much as you want of the good, limit the neutral and avoid the bad and if fighting illness or going for weight loss you are advised to stick only to the ‘good’ categories.
Basically it is a very healthy diet based on natural foods in the main and has considerable flexibility – but I would think that as I am an AB and we have the greatest range of food choices!

In the Fifties, research at four London hospitals found the risk of developing gastric cancer was much higher for people with blood group A than for those with blood group O. But people with group O had a greater risk of peptic ulcers. This month, those findings have been confirmed by investigators at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, which studied more than a million people over a period of 35 years.

The lead researcher, Dr Gustaf Edgren, says people with group A may be more susceptible to gastric cancer risks such as smoking, alcohol and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Type O people may be more vulnerable to a bacterium that can cause peptic ulcers, Helicobacter pylori.

Last October, U.S. scientists showed that a woman’s blood group can affect her chances of becoming pregnant. The study of more than 560 women undertaking fertility treatment found that those with blood type O were up to twice as likely to have a lower egg count and poorer egg quality, which could affect the chances of conceiving. Women with blood group A seemed to be better protected against their egg counts falling over time.

What distinguishes each type are their antigens (the immune defence systems) on the surface of the red blood cells. Each blood group type evolved to provide defences against lethal diseases. But each has its own weaknesses, too. For instance, those with type O blood (the most common) are at less risk of dying from malaria than people with other blood groups. But they are more vulnerable to cholera and stomach ulcers caused by viruses and bacteria.

Now ‘science’ has finally caught up and a number of studies is revealing how our blood groups may make us more prone to lethal illnesses — or even protect us from them – and it is the biggest group – O – that has shown some immediate benefit.
Researchers at Pennsylvania University have shown that having group O blood can lower your risk of heart attacks when they found that most people who have a gene called Adamts7 face a significantly raised risk of suffering a heart attack. But in people with blood group O who have the Adamts7, there is no raised risk.

More news on type O is they might be less at risk of pancreatic cancer, but research shows they are also more vulnerable than others to norovirus, the potentially lethal vomiting and diarrhoea bug. Men with type O might be more prone to piling on the pounds, say Danish researchers at Copenhagen’s Bispebjerg University Hospital, if they are exposed routinely to pollution at work as they have a significantly raised risk of obesity compared with men of other blood types. The researchers speculate that the pollution sets off chronic inflammatory responses in the men’s bodies that can result in them becoming overweight.

Other research has found that people with type AB and B blood have a much higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer and these two groups have also been linked to reproductive problems. A study at Harvard University found that women with AB or B group blood have a raised risk of developing ovarian cancer. There are also fears that AB blood may double or even treble the risk of pregnant mothers suffering from the potentially lethal blood pressure condition pre-eclampsia.

So research goes on worldwide, but not in England. Professor Mike Murphy, of the NHS Blood and Transplant authority, says: ‘Our colleagues in the U.S. have become increasingly involved in this type of research, particularly in trying to harness the power of blood types to fight infectious diseases. But the interest in Britain is sparse.’ So no movement there since the 1950’s, but Scotland is flying the flag as Alex Rowe, an infection specialist at Edinburgh University’s School of Biological Sciences, is investigating the blood group link with malaria.

Dr Muredach Reilly, the lead researcher on the heart attack and group O, says this knowledge may help to develop new therapies for people at risk of heart attacks and that such drugs may mimic the beneficial effect of the O blood group gene. I say go back to the source and try the diet for yourself. D’Adamo has written a number of books on the subject and a good place to start is with ‘Live Right for Your Type: The Individualised Prescription for Maximizing Health, Metabolism, and Vitality in Every Stage of Your Life’ by Peter J. D’Adamo as that also covers topics like exercise, as well as the basic foods. Or you could go back to the free report I wrote that you were sent when you subscribed to Healthy News – it was called The Eat Right Diet.

Berries May Lower Parkinson’s Risk

New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. Chocolate also lowers the risk so get out the strawberries and have a feast! Men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. The study was released last week and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu.

Flavonoids are to be included in your daily diet wherever possible as they have a host of health benefits. They are found in berries of all kinds, chocolate, red wine, apples and citrus fruits such as grapefruit.

This is a 20 year large scale study of over 130,000 men and women who were given questionnaires which was then used to calculate their intake of flavonoids and this was then analyzed for any association with the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease

The men who consumed the most flavonoids were about 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than those who consumed the least. This was not the case in women where no connection could be seen. However, when sub-classes of flavonoids were examined, regular consumption of anthocyanins, which are mainly obtained from berries, were found to be associated with a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease in both men and women.

Study author Xiang Gao, MD, PhD, with the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said “Our findings suggest that flavonoids, specifically a group called anthocyanins, may have neuroprotective effects. If confirmed, flavonoids may be a natural and healthy way to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.”

So eat lots of fruit, stock up on berries of all kinds in particular, have the odd glass of red wine and bar of chocolate, and you can feel confident you are doing your best to reduce your risk.

For Smelly Feet – Smelly Slippers – and More!

I know that doesn’t sound like much of an improvement, but believe me it is. For anyone suffering from foot odour I have come across an amazing natural range of slippers for men and women that are infused with cinnamon so you even smell fragrant as you walk. And if problem skin on your heels is making you pile on the woolly socks then read on because Footkiss could be just what you are looking for.

This is certainly a new product to me as it was recently launched in the UK by Natur Boutique and my test-driving guineapig (actually my next door neighbour) was sceptical to say the least but bless him he was willing to give it a go. After a couple of days I enquired and he was full of praise and totally unwilling to give them back, which is certainly a vote of approval – and his wife is very happy with the results as well!

The sandals come in a variety of styles and wonderful natural fabrics from rattan to linen and even a softened (very softened) version of a loofah. The base on which your bare foot rests utilises the unique and powerful benefits of Vietnamese cinnamon which contains the highest amount of essential oils of any of the various species.
Cinnamon’s health benefits are well documented and include improving energy levels, and having antibacterial and antiseptic effects so they not only help keep your feet hygienic, relaxed and energized but also keep your feet healthy and looking, feeling and smelling great even on the hottest of days.

If you don’t believe that your footwear could be that beneficial to your health – and this all a bit too woo-woo and new age for you – then these cinnamon insoles were clinically trialled in a hospital in Vietnam. The trial confirmed that they helped with conditions such as fatigue, perspiration, foot odour, cold feet and toes, and dry and cracked skin.

To find out more call 020 89 7837 40 or vist www.naturboutique.co.uk

And More For Feet!
Thick hard skin builds up on the heels during the winter and our feet are not a pretty sight – more like an old drystone wall in fact as they become cracked, dry and rough. If you are not ready to show off your feet in sandals or indeed the backless cinnamon slippers there is a solution.

Footkiss Callus Removal Kit works in only ten minutes and uses professional, salon-based ingredients – Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) to gently soften and dissolve dry, dead skin build-up without the use of pedicure knives and skin graters. So safer then, though I admit the process is a bit messy and squishy as you simply apply the special gel onto the supplied patches and stick on where required, leave for ten minutes and then remove the unwanted skin with the tool contained in the pack.

My tip is to spread a towel on the floor of the bathroom, sit on the loo seat and sit reading an improving book while it works. Then slough off the skin and rinse feet clean before applying the moisturizing balm they give you. You will find it at www.peak-nutrition.co.uk so get ready, the sun will shine soon!

Improved Outcome for Stroke Patients

I have two new pieces of information that came in this week that could be critical in improving the health and outcome for stroke patients. First, a Swedish discovery by brain researchers at Lund University could lead to a new effective therapy with a substance that opens up the possibility of treatment up to two days after a stroke. The opportunities to treat a stroke have long been limited to the hours after an attack and the loss of brain function caused by the stroke has previously been regarded as permanent.

The only acute treatment for a stroke currently available is thrombolysis which uses drugs that dissolve the blood clot responsible for the stroke. However, this only reaches around 10 per cent of stroke patients in time to prevent lasting damage. For other patients, there are no other effective drugs that reduce the loss of brain function following a stroke.

Swedish and American researchers have discovered a substance that reinforces the brain’s self-healing functions after a stroke. It has long been known that people affected by a stroke can regain some lost function during the first six months. Professor Tadeusz Wieloch and his colleagues have found a way to activate a protein in the brain, the sigma-1 receptor, which plays an important role in the brain’s recovery during the critical period after the injury.

The idea is to recreate and reinforce the brain’s natural response to an enriched environment. By injecting the activating substance, brain repair is stimulated. This result of Swedish basic research, which started over 15 years ago, has led to a clinical trial on stroke patients by a Japanese pharmaceutical company. It is not available yet, but it shows great promise for helping many thousands more stroke victims than at present can be treated with the usually prescribed drugs.

Physical Therapy Improves Recovery by over 50%:
Secondly, just a year after having a stroke, 52% of people who participated in physical therapy as part of their recovery programme experienced improved functional walking ability according to the results of a trial being presented this month at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2011 in Los Angeles.

The 408 participants (average age 62 with recent stroke) were recruited from 6 US stroke rehabilitation centers between April 2006 and June 2009. All were assigned to 36 sessions of 75 to 90 minutes for 12 to 16 weeks in either a structured and progressive task-specific walking program that included body weight supported treadmill training provided early (2 months post-stroke) or late (6 months post-stroke), or a structured and progressive home-based exercise program of strength and balance provided 2 months post-stroke.

The researchers had thought that the body-weight supported treadmill and walking program would be superior to a home exercise program but they were wrong. After one year, the early walking group, late walking group, and exercise program targeting strength and balance achieved similar important gains in walking speed, motor recovery, balance, functional status, and quality of life.

All participants made the greatest improvements in outcomes after the first 12 sessions, but 13% of the subjects continued to make functional gains in walking recovery by 24 sessions and another 7% improved by 30 to 36 sessions.

What this suggests is that undertaking physical therapy will considerably improve quality of life and that patients recover faster and sustain recovery when the intervention is given early. If your doctor has not suggested physical therapy then take it up with them and also talk to your local group for support. You will find help via The Stroke Association at www.stroke.org.uk

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