HEALTH ALERT!! Death risk is doubled with this type of surgery and ACE inhibitors

There are so many people on blood pressure medication that this warning needs passing on if you know they are about to have heart surgery. There is a very real danger associated particularly with coronary artery bypass graft surgery and ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors.

This information comes from a study done at the Bristol Heart Institute and your GP and surgeon should both be aware of it, but I believe in being proactive when it comes to healthcare so make sure you discuss it with them.

The recommendation is that you stop taking ACE inhibitors for 2-5 days before the surgery, then restart a few days afterwards the operation. You might also like to consider that ACE inhibitors can have severe side effects such as kidney failure, dangerous potassium overload, and angioedema that can lead to fatal airway blockage.

There are other ways of dealing with hypertension including diet, exercise and stress reduction and it is worth exploring these so that you could be able to reduce the dosage of the ACE inhibitors or dispense with them altogether.

Aloe vera for Healthy Teeth

I always carry aloe vera gel when travelling as it is invaluable for healing cuts and burns, and it is a useful plant to have around the house. A new use for it is in tooth gel where it cleanses and soothes teeth and gums, and it is as effective as toothpaste to fight cavities according to, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

Aloe vera tooth gel helps eliminate disease-causing bacteria in the mouth and some dentists have been sceptical about that in the past. However, this new research compared the germ-fighting ability of an aloe vera tooth gel to two commercially popular toothpastes and revealed that the aloe vera tooth gel was just as effective, and in some cases more effective, than the commercial brands at controlling those organisms that cause cavities.

It is also good for those with sensitive teeth as Aloe latex contains anthraquinones, which are anti-inflammatory chemical compounds used in healing and stopping pain. Because aloe vera tooth gel tends to be less harsh on teeth, as it does not contain the abrasive elements often found in commercial toothpaste, it is a great alternative for people with sensitive teeth or gums.

You should be able to find aloe tooth gel in health stores, but if not here are a couple of useful websites: www.ernestonealoevera.co.uk and www.aloeveraproductsonline.co.uk

A natural alternative to Tamiflu

Swine Flu is continuing to cause panic, and I know I have said it before, but it is all about how strong your immune system is that makes the difference between being vulnerable to infection and being less affected by it and swifter to recover from it.

I have suggested ways you can do this, generally with Echinacea and vitamin C as the stalwarts needed, but there is a new supplement that combines western science with Chinese traditional medicine which could be a useful addition to the mix.

BioFlu Vital is a natural herbal supplement that gives a powerful boost to the immune system with its effective combination of four of the most powerful, natural antioxidants: Black Elderberry, shown in human trials to reduce the severity of flu symptoms by 50%, Siberian Ginseng, Star Anise and Shikimic Acid, the plant from which the leading anti-viral drug Tamiflu is made.

Recent reports published in The Journal of International Medical Research has supported the use of Black Elderberry in particular as an effective and natural method of combating the effects of flu symptoms, reducing recovery time by half and if you want to read more of the research you will find it at

http://www.biotivia.com/uk/biofluimmunesupport/evidence.html

BioFlu Vital is produced by Biotivia and you should be able to find it in your local health store or ring Biotivia direct on 020 7900 3305 weekdays from 8am to 5pm.

New bone implants on the way

Throughout our lives our bones continue to break down, and be replaced with new material as part of our body’s natural cycle of growth. However, when whole bones need to be replaced after tumours, or accidents, then there has so far been no way to successfully grow replacement bones. It happened in fiction with J K Rowling’s description of Skele-Gro which magically re-grows bones in around 8 to 12 hours and is a very painful process. Many women with osteoporosis find that using a natural bone growth promoter like natural progesterone may take longer but certainly isn’t painful!

Not sure if the scientists at Imperial College London had this in mind, but it seems that there is a worldwide interest in producing bone-like materials derived from stem cells with stem cell technology. The research results were recently published in the journal Nature Materials and it is hoped will be able to be implanted into patients who have damaged or fractured bones, or who have had parts of diseased bones removed. The idea is that, ultimately, these bone-like materials could be inserted into cavities so that real bone could meld with it and repair the bone.

It is currently possible to grow small ‘nodules’ of what appear to be bone-like material in the laboratory from different types of bone cells and stem cells. It is these different types of material that the scientists from Imperial College London have been comparing and they have discovered significant differences between the quality of the bone-like material that these can form.

For example, they found that materials grown from bone cells from mouse skull and mouse bone marrow stem cells successfully mimicked many of the hallmarks of real bone, which include stiffness. However, they found that the material grown from mouse embryonic stem cells was much less stiff and less complex in its mineral composition when compared to the other materials.

So what we have here is a good starting point as Professor Molly Stevens, from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London, says: “Many patients who have had bone removed because of tumours or accidents live in real pain. By repairing bone defect sites in the body with bone-like material that best mimics the properties of their real bone we could improve their lives immeasurably. It brings us one step closer to developing materials that will have the highest chance of success when implanted into patients.”

Update on Alkalife

I mentioned a couple of issues ago that I was trying out a new supplement called Alkalife that changes the ph of water and is claimed to have a number of health benefits. Basically I have been helping to balance out the body’s acidity in order to get my blood circulating more easily and getting more oxygen to my organs.

I have been adding the required number of drops to my daily drinking water and I have to say I have noticed an improvement in my general wellbeing, health and alertness which others have also commented on. So, purely anecdotal but it seems to have worked for me and if you are curious to know more then visit their website at www.alkalife.co.uk

Why you need lemon in your Gin & Tonic

I have always been a great advocate of aromatherapy – when in the hands of a trained aromatherapist it can have profound health and psychological benefits. It stimulates the immune system, strengthens resistance to disease and helps to combat infections. Aromatherapy can lower blood pressure, reduces stress, combat insomnia and other helps to deal with emotions such as anxiety, mild depression, and grief.

And what has this to do with my G&T I can hear you ask? Well some splendid Japanese researchers at Tokyo University have given aromatherapy a much-needed seal of approval by proving that your favourite drink can calm your nerves after a stressful day – but only if you include a decent slice of lemon in it.

When we get nervous, stressed and anxious our genes go into overdrive and can cause high blood pressure, sleeplessness and depression. These genes are affected by Linalool, a chemical compound found in lemons, lavender and mangos. That also explains why lavender oil is so popular to help people relax and go to sleep more easily.

It is the citrus aroma in that G&T that our bodies that respond to and the researchers have proved that Linalool can reverse the effects of stress simply by us inhaling that aroma. So you don’t even need to drink it, just give it a good sniff!

Leukaemia and lymphoma link to Nutrasweet

My regular readers will know I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners, mostly because of the side effects linked to them and the fact that because the body does not recognise them as sugar, it is more inclined to seek it out in other forms – in other words it won’t help you lose weight and keep it off.

Since 2005 we have known that there is a link between lymphoma, leukaemia and aspartame and it has had FDA approval since 1981. You will find it in literally thousands of products from food and soft drinks through less likely items like vitamins. You will find it on the supermarket shelves under several different brand names including NutraSweet, Equal Measure, and Spoonful. Since it was first approved there have been a string of complaints from consumers over symptoms such as migraines, dizziness, insomnia, joint pain, memory loss, hives, rash, abdominal cramping, hallucinations, and seizures. There were also some deaths reported related to aspartame

Earlier this year the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reported that aspartame showed no carcinogenic potential at the allowable daily intake (ADI) of 40/mg/kg but personally I think the wisest course is to avoid it altogether. To date there are over 900 studies done, with the most recent in May 2009 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which investigated the link between formaldehyde and lymph cancer. You may only associate its use in embalming bodies, but a 2007 study showed that it linked to aspartame intake.

Aspartame turns into formaldehyde in the body, but it was previously thought that this was then quickly eliminated until a 1998 study showed that dietary aspartame binds to tissues in protein. It was found in liver, kidney, and blood and the report suggested that the build up of aspartame was cumulative and it is this that causes more damage over time.

Since 1987 formaldehyde has been listed by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen and is also linked to birth defects, and environmental allergies. In fact if you are thinking of starting a family you might want to pay attention to James Bowen, MD who wrote a provocative article entitled ‘Aspartame Murders Infants’ and who has said that it is destructive of the fertility process as it both inhibits female sexual response and induces male sexual dysfunction.

Natural alternatives for sweetness such as Perfect Sweet mentioned above, honey and Stevia, which is sold as a supplement, are worth seeking out.

Dry mouth, dentists and sugar that helps

If you are taking a number of different medicines then that can be a cause of what the UK’s leading dental health charity has identified as a cause for the growing problem of dry mouth syndrome.

Dry mouth increases exposure to the main causes of tooth loss, decay, erosion and gum disease because it affects our saliva levels and saliva is a natural protection against decay. Dry mouth is also associated with medical conditions such as diabetes and lupus, or natural factors such as aging and menopausal changes. It is particularly a problem for the elderly as they tend to be the group most likely to be taking multiple medications.

What can you do to prevent it? The old basics of brushing teeth after every meal and if you have a tendency to dry mouth use a gel, spray or sugar free sweets or chewing gum during the day that will promote saliva levels. The foods that cause decay need to be cut down too such as sugary foods and citrus acids that cause decay and erosion. If you are already a sufferer, then alcohol, caffeine and salty foods are on the banned list as well, and make sure you drink plenty of water.

A couple of useful resources on the tooth front for you are the British Dental Health Foundation website is available at www.dentalhealth.org.uk and you can also contact the Dental Helpline for free and impartial expert advice on 0845 063 1188 Monday to Friday.

Sugar to keep you out of the dentist’s chair?

You don’t normally hear a dentist extolling sugar, but new research published this month shows that adding just a small amount of a natural sugar alternative to your diet could prevent the majority of dental problems. Whilst it has been known for some time that xylitol, a natural sugar alternative found in plants and fruits, can help prevent tooth decay and plaque; the recent study, reported in July’s issue of Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, shows that xylitol could help prevent a massive 70% of tooth decay, just by consuming 8 grams of the sugar alternative a day.

What was especially interesting in this study was that it used xylitol in a syrup form, where most other studies to date have tended to use chewing gum containing xylitol. This means that just a small amount of xylitol can be added to cereals, hot drinks and baking is likely to be very effective at reducing tooth decay.

Another benefit is that is has nearly half as few calories as sugar, 75% less available carbohydrates, and a GI value of just 7 (about ten times lower than sugar), making it ideal for those looking for a healthy diet. Don’t go looking for the name xlylitol on the supermarket shelves though, it is marketed under the brand name Perfect Sweet and is in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, and health stores.

60 percent increased prostate cancer risk from overcooked meat

In this weather it’s tempting to bring out the barbecue, though personally I have never had a decent steak off one yet, and there is always the problem of overcooking. Blackened steak might taste ok whether on the barbecue or the grill, but it does pose a health hazard – particularly for men.

Overcooking causes problems for vegetables too as they lose their nutritional value, but there are possible carcinogenic effects in meat, and eggs, that are definitely hazardous to health. When they are cooked at very high temperatures they produce a chemical compound called PhIP, which many believe can cause DNA changes, or can metabolize harmless bodily enzymes into carcinogens.

There is already a well documented link with PhlP and breast cancer and now the University of Minnesota has undertaken research that they say shows that that regularly eating well-done, or burned, meat could boost the risk of pancreatic cancer by a staggering 60 percent. It’s because overcooking creates heterocyclic amines (H.A.s), which contribute to increased risk of pancreatic cancer and it’s in the burned portions of the meat that the greatest concentration of H.A.’s are found.

So turn down the heat and turn up your chances of avoiding cancer.

I’m ok but what happened to my body?

No, I am not having a crisis about my weight but that’s the title of a remarkable book by a remarkable man. He is a scientist called Sang Whang and I first came across him through his best-selling book ‘Reverse Ageing’ where he discussed the fact that from the age of 42 age we begin to lose bicarbonate from the blood which is one of the factors that makes us begin the aeing process. Sang Whang refers to it as the ‘battery charger’ of the body and he has found a way to stop those phsiological changes. Taking a spoonful of bicarb of soda is not the answer, but Sang Whang’s field of expertise is water, and you know I bang on at you about drinking lots of the stuff, but his research has been into the life giving effects of getting the acid-alkaline balance right in our bodies and this means changing the water we drink into a more alkaline form.

Like many others, it was his own journey of improving his own health without benefit of medicine or exercise, or changing his diet that led him to develop his ideas in this book, and from that a product called AlkaLife®, which is a patented alkaline concentrate. We get energy from the food we eat and this occurs through a process called oxidization which if not used up then becomes acidic waste. As our body cannot get rid of all the waste it produces, it accumulates it somewhere and that’s what causes ageing. You may not think much about this, but you know the effects of solidified acidic waste as cholesterol, fatty acid, and kidney stones. There is also the fact that cancer does not thrive in an alkaline environment so this is another health reason to keep the body’s acid-alkaline ratio in balance.

This excess acid also can produce long term damage as the blood thickens and blood circulation becomes sluggish. This means your vital organs don’t get enough oxygen and nutrients for optimum performance and this can lead to diseases, some of which are fatal. To keep your body balanced it often needs some extra help to balance out this acidity and boost the alkalinity of your body and one of the best ways to neutralize and get these wastes out of our body is to drink alkaline water. See you knew I would come back to nagging you to drink more water!

Sang Whang has patented AlkaLife®, whose ingredients of ionized water, potassium and sodium and increases the pH value of ordinary drinking water. It will restore that alkaline balance when you add 20 drops a day to your daily litre or so of water. I am trying it out myself and will keep you posted on the results. If you would like to know more visit the website at www.alkalife.co.uk

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