An Important New Role for Vitamin C in the Eye and the Brain and for Glaucoma

We know how important vitamin C is for so many functions in our bodies: supporting the immune system, protection against cardiovascular and heart disease and a protective and preventive role in cancer. However, a surprising new discovery may mean vitamin C is required by the nerve cells in the eye in order to function properly.

The function of vitamin C in the brain is not well understood; in fact, when the human body is deprived of vitamin C, the vitamin stays in the brain longer than anywhere else in the body. This new study by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University in the USA, who recently published their findings in the Journal of Neuroscience, may also throw light on the link between scurvy and depression. Scurvy results from a severe lack of vitamin C and one of the common symptoms is depression, and that may come from the lack of vitamin C in the brain.

As for its effects on eye health, Henrique von Gersdorff, Ph.D., a senior scientist at OHSU’s Vollum Institute (a privately endowed research unit of Oregon Health & Science University) said: “We found that cells in the retina need to be ‘bathed’ in relatively high doses of vitamin C, inside and out, to function properly. Because the retina is part of the central nervous system, this suggests there’s likely an important role for vitamin C throughout our brains, to a degree we had not realized before.”

The brain has special receptors, called GABA-type receptors that help modulate the rapid communication between cells in the brain. These act as an inhibitory “brake” on excitatory neurons in the brain and the OHSU researchers found that these GABA-type receptors in the retinal cells stopped functioning properly when vitamin C was removed. Because retinal cells are a kind of very accessible brain cell, it’s likely that GABA receptors elsewhere in the brain also require vitamin C to function properlyand because vitamin C is a major natural antioxidant, it may be that it essentially ‘preserves’ the receptors and cells from premature breakdown.

The findings could have implications for other diseases, like glaucoma and epilepsy as both conditions are caused by the dysfunction of nerve cells in the retina and brain that become over excited in part because GABA receptors may not be functioning properly. This indicates that a vitamin C-rich diet could be neuroprotective for the retina, particularly for people who are especially prone to glaucoma.

This research is in its early stages and speculative in nature, but it would be a sensible precaution to ensure adequeate vitamin C in your diet. Personally, I take a buffered vitamin C powder daily of at least 1gram and if ill or stressed I increase that to my personal body tolerance which is around 3grams a day. Eating oranges is just not enough to give you the protection you need from this vital nutrient.

Why Holiday Preparation Should Include Your Health

We all look forward to our holidays and start thinking in advance about what to pack, what to wear, what we did with the sun tan lotion and so on. What we don’t often think about is that we also need to prepare or bodies to cope with the stress of travel, time zones and changes in climate, temperature and local food and drink.

Happily someone has thought of it and with the Advanced Nutrition Programme made it easy for you to have a happy, healthy holiday.

So what do you need to do to prepare for that all important break? Well there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the inside and with this in mind leading nutrition expert Patrick Holford has formulated an Advanced Nutrition Programme which includes a new Travel Pack that contains a two months supply of three supplements specifically formulated to help safeguard nutrient intake, support immunity and aid digestion.

If anyone says that they don’t get stressed over all the details and planning that go into organizing a trip, then they are exceptional, and it is certainly true that going on a trip, whether for business or pleasure, can place greater demand on our nutrient levels, and eating different foods – however pleasurable – can adversely affect our digestive system.

In addition, the dehydrating effects of flying, greater exposure to infection and the increase in incidences of norovirus can also take their toll on your body.

The handy Travel Pack covers all these areas and contains:

Probiotics – 75g of powder that contains three strains of beneficial bacteria which support healthy digestion and maintain a healthy gut flora balance, especially when under attack by holiday bugs. Take ¼ teaspoon in water, juice or sprinkled on cereals.

Skin Vitality – 60 capsules containing a broad spectrum multi-nutrient that contains a wide range of easily-absorbed vitamins, minerals and plant extracts to help maintain your energy levels. Take one a day with a meal.

Skin Vit C – 60 capsules to help support your immune system and ward off any colds while travelling. Vitamin C and bioflavinoids, hesperidin, rose hip and rutin help defend against skin ageing. Take one a day with a meal.

Personally, I start my programme a week before I travel so I have a reserve to build on, particularly with the probiotics as my stomach is my most vulnerable area. Simple tips to maximize your holiday health include drinking plenty of water as dehydration can lead to headaches, dizziness and dry skin and cutting back on alcoholic and caffeinated drinks when you fly so you arrive looking and feeling fresh.

I always travel with herbal teabags: valerian and chamomile to aid sleep, and antioxidant-rich green tea as it reduces the inflammation and damage associated with sunburn as well as boosting the immune system.

The Travel Pack costs £42.25 for two months supply and you can order at www.advancednutritionprogramme.com by clicking on products, then wellbeing and then packs.

Warfarin and Supplement Interactions – and What About Food?

Way back in 1988 I was Editor of a book called The Medicine Chest which was a straightforward examination of the interactions between drugs, supplements and foods. It had a lot of good advice that hasn’t changed much over the years so I was surprised to receive a ‘news’ item that warned that Warfarin when taken with vitamin E and large doses of vitamin C can decrease effect of the drug.

I was not surprised at the effect because I was writing about it over 20 years ago, but that it was news came as a surprise. However, it never hurts to repeat a good piece of information and scientists never turn up a chance for a grant to research something we already know.

This time it is researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah who want to point out the dangers. Warfarin is a commonly prescribed drug used to prevent blood clots from forming and given to people with certain types of irregular heartbeat, those with prosthetic heart valves, and those who have suffered a heart attack.

The study consisted of interviews with 100 atrial fibrillation patients to determine their understanding of potential interactions between supplements and medications such as Warfarin. This is not really a study about interactions but of people’s understanding of them and generally people do not know enough about how supplements, and everyday foodstuffs react with their medication.

In this study more than half were unaware of potential interactions and they also found that of the 100 most-used supplements (vitamins, glucosamine/chondroitin, fish oil and coenzyme Q10) 69 percent interfere with the Warfarin’s effectiveness.

Warfarin and herbal and dietary supplements “compete” in the liver and this competition changes the way the blood thinner works — either intensifying its active ingredients, thereby increasing the risk of bleeding, or by reducing its effectiveness, increasing the risk of stroke.

All true, and the lead researcher is urging that doctors do a better job of teaching patients about the dangers of mixing Warfarin with these products. Now I entirely agree with him, but what he doesn’t mention is that this particular drug is also seriously affected by certain foodstuffs and other drugs.

Given what the average doctor knows about nutrition I hold out little hope they will also pass on this advice so that instead of increasing or decreasing their drug prescription they could suggest changes to their patients diet. In addition, the effectiveness of Warfarin is impacted by other drugs – particularly antifungals, barbiturates and beta blockers which all decrease the drugs effectiveness.
Conversely, antibiotics, some diabetes drugs, gout medicines, tricyclic antidepressants and asprin and paracetamol – among others – all can increase the drug’s effectiveness, making it more potent.

On Warfarin? Avoid These:
Warfarin is affected by large doses of vitamin E, vitamin C, bioflavanoids and calcium and a large intake of fats or oils. If the diet is also high in vitamin K rich foods this can cause an imbalance in the body which could decrease the anticoagulant effect.

Vitamin K is needed to allow your blood to clot normally, to protect your bones from fracture and postmenopausal bone loss, to prevent calcification of the arteries and provide possible protection against liver and prostate cancer.

Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin and only a small amount is able to be stored in the body. It is destroyed by light and acids and alkalis such as vinegar or baking soda. A deficiency of it can lead to increased blood clotting time, easy bruising and excessive bleeding.

Significant food sources include: green leafy vegetables including spinach, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, green beans, asparagus, broccoli, kale and also cauliflower, cow’s milk, eggs, fish liver oils, green vegetables, kelp, liver, molasses, polyunsaturated oils, tomatoes

Everyone responds differently to drugs, foods and supplements so if you have any concerns, or if your diet is high in vitamin K rich foods, then you should discuss with your doctor how this is affecting your medication.

Vitamin C Supplementation Helps Slow Growth of Cancer Cells

If there are two people who got a wholly unjustified bad press from the medical profession then for my money Linus Pauling runs Dr John Lee a close second. Over fifty years ago Linus Pauling began his pioneering research into how vitamin C impacts health and his findings have been debated and challenged ever since. Pauling, who died in 1994, was an American chemist, peace activist, author, and educator and winner of two Nobel prizes. He was also one of the most influential figures in putting nutrition and supplementation to the forefront of the health debate.

He was revered in his lifetime by those who saw the benefits of his work on vitamin C, although he was always controversial. His best known quote on cancer research for example certainly made him plenty of enemies when he said “Everyone should know that most cancer research is largely a fraud, and that the major cancer research organizations are derelict in their duties to the people who support them.” Now, almost 25 years after his death, a new study not only confirms his contention that vitamin C has remarkable healing and protective benefits but has discovered how vitamin C may slow down the growth of cancer cells. Margreet Vissers is associate professor at the University of Otago’s Free Radical Research Group in New Zealand and the results of the study she headed has just been published in the journal Cancer Research. The problem with vitamin C, as with so many other ‘alternative’ treatments is that despite the many anecdotal accounts claiming vitamin C can help in both the prevention and treatment of cancer it has not been clinically proved to the medical establishments satisfaction.

In earlier studies conducted by Dr. Vissers, she demonstrated the vitamin’s importance in keeping cells healthy and results indicated that vitamin C might be able to limit diseases such as cancer as that involve cells that have unregulated growth.

Her research team decided to investigate whether vitamin C levels were lower in patients with endometrial tumors and also looked to see whether these low vitamin C levels correlated with the aggressiveness of a malignancy and the resistance of a tumor to medical therapy.

The results were impressive. Tumors were less able to accumulate vitamin C when compared with normal healthy tissue and a lack of vitamin C allowed tumors to survive and grow more easily. Tumors with low vitamin C levels were found to contain more of a protein dubbed HIF-1 which helps cancer thrive and spread, even under conditions of stress. The findings are important because they provide evidence for the first time of a relationship between HIF-1 and levels of vitamin C levels in cancerous tumours.

What is even more important, in my view, is this completely vindicates Linus Pauling as the research shows that treating cancer patients with adequate amounts of vitamin C might well reduce HIF-1, help limit the rate of tumor growth and increase the responsiveness to tumors to therapy. Dr. Vissers went even further in stating her belief that Vitamin C might even prevent the formation of solid tumors in the first place, and that is the best argument I know for ensuring adequate amounts in your diet and personally I supplement daily for its protective role in heart disease, as well as possible cancer prevention.

Natural Help For Arthritis from Rosehips

I am showing my age here, but as a child at school we used to collect rose hips every autumn and were paid a vast sum – a penny a pound I think – to hand them in. Child labour laws no doubt prevent that now, but with their very high level of antioxidants and vitamin C they have a range of uses – and a new one is in treating arthritis.

With 1 in 4 adults being diagnosed with either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, and it accounting for 1 in 5 GP consultations, it is obviously a serious problem with up to 9 million people being affected in some way. Trials have confirmed the effectiveness of rosehips to help with the side effects of arthritis such as inflammation, reduced movement, and associated pain. Research supports the benefit of taking a rosehip supplement whether you suffer from the general wear-and-tear, or the potentially more crippling rheumatoid arthritis, which occurs when the immune system attacks the joints.

Three short-term clinical trials confirmed the benefits of rosehips as an effective pain reliever in those suffering from osteoarthritis and additional research in Denmark and Germany established that those with rheumatoid arthritis showed a marked reduction in the number of joints experiencing pain or discomfort.

We don’t know exactly why rosehips benefit those with arthritis but rosehips in general are known to help maintain a healthy heart, and to lower cholesterol levels. We do know that because rosehips are an ultra-rich source of anti-inflammatory glycosides, which along with the antioxidant properties they have seem to beneficial to those experiencing joint problems, such as arthritis.

If you want to give it a try, and I am certainly doing so, then there is a new Rosehip Extract supplement from Lifeplan that provides 100mg of rosehip extract, equivalent to 2000mg of dried rosehip fruit. These high strength capsules are approved by the Vegan Society and should be in your local health store, if not visit the website at www.lifeplan.co.uk and don’t forget the other two key arthritis elements: a good diet and regular exercise. An excellent book for arthritis sufferers is ‘Say No To Arthritis’ by Patrick Holford which will give you plenty of tips and ideas on coping – and alleviating – the condition.

Low Vegetable Intake During Pregnancy Can Increase Baby’s Diabetes Risk by 70%

Diabetes UK estimate that seven million people in the UK are at risk of developing diabetes, which can lead to other significant health problems by affecting the nerves, kidneys, eyes, and heart. It can lead to greater susceptibility to strokes and cause blood clots in the vessels in the legs which may result in amputation. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the working population as it can affect the blood vessels at the back of the eye [retinopathy] and this can lead to visual impairment or blindness.

With this in mind, it makes sense to start early prevention and new research published in the journal Pediatric Diabetes undertaken by the University of Gothenburg and Linkoping University in Sweden offers some hope for that. It seems that women who eat more vegetables while pregnant significantly reduce their children’s risk of developing Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that develops when the immune system produces antibodies that attack the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Researchers tested the blood of 6,000 five-year-old children for these antibodies, and compared the results to their mothers’ self-reported vegetable intakes (excluding root vegetables such as potatoes, beets and carrots) during their pregnancy. They found children whose mothers had eaten vegetables only three to five times a week while pregnant were 70 percent more likely to have elevated antibody levels than children whose mothers ate vegetables every day. In this study the most frequently consumed vegetables were tomatoes, cabbage, onions, lettuce and cucumbers.

The researchers found that this positive effect remained after researchers adjusted for other Type 1 diabetes risk factors, such as mother’s education level. The reason lies yet again with those vital flavonoids in fruit and vegetables as these powerful antioxidants have previously been suggested to be potentially therapeutic agents for Type 1 diabetes. Vegetables also containing vitamin C and vitamin E have also been shown to reduce the risk of Type 1 diabetes.

If you are pregnant, or planning to start a family, or know someone who is then it would be a good deed to encourage them to up their fruit and vegetable intake not only for their own wellbeing but for the long term health of their baby.

For more information on diabetes, please visit www.diabetes.org.uk

Health benefits of Dandelions

As summer appears to have suddenly burst upon us, you may soon be wrestling with that common misplaced flower – the dandelion. It may be a weed to you, but it can have some useful health benefits so save a corner of the garden for it and you might be surprised at how useful it can be.

It contains a host of good ingredients such as vitamins A, B complex, C, and D, and the minerals iron, potassium, and zinc and has been used across the world. Native Americans used dandelion to treat kidney disease, swelling, skin problems, heartburn, and stomach upset. Chinese practitioners traditionally used dandelion to treat digestive disorders, appendicitis, and breast problems such as inflammation or lack of milk flow. In Europe, herbalists incorporated it into remedies for fever, boils, eye problems, diabetes, and diarrhea.

Today, dandelion roots are mainly used as an appetite stimulant, to improve upset stomach, flatulence, and constipation. Dandelion is a natural diuretic that increases urine production by promoting the excretion of salts and water from the kidney and so is used for poor digestion, liver disorders, and high blood pressure. Research also suggests that dandelion root may improve the health and function of natural bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.

How to use it:

** Dandelion tea has been used for many years to treat colds, diabetes, tuberculosis, rheumatism, and arthritis. You can get it ready made at a herbalist or health shop, but if you are making your own only pick tender, young leaves. Leave them any longer and they will taste very bitter.

** To use it as a diuretic, simmer two ounces of the sliced root in two pints of water. Boil it down to one pint. Drink half of a glass two or three times a day.

** To make a dandelion coffee to help you sleep, and solve your digestive problems, you need to roast the roots until they’re brown and hard. Grind into a power and treat like an instant coffee (but without the caffeine).

** An ‘old wives’ remedy for warts was to squeeze the stems of dandelions until the white milky substance inside comes out. Put this liquid onto the wart, let it dry and don’t wash off. Reapply when you can no longer see it on the skin and in three days it should have dried the wart so that turns black, and drops off. No need to wear a pointy hat and have a black cat, unless of course you want to.

Precautions
Plants contain powerful substances and are not to be taken lightly. Dandelion is generally considered safe but it’s possible to have an allergic reaction to even the most natural substance. If you have an allergy to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigold, chamomile, yarrow, daisies, or iodine, you should avoid dandelion. In some people, dandelion can cause increased stomach acid and heartburn and it may also irritate the skin if applied directly to it. If you have gallbladder problems and gallstones then best to avoid this should consult a health care provider before eating dandelion.
Because of it’s diuretic effect, dandelion may increase the excretion of drugs from the body and if you taking any of the following drugs check with your doctor first: Lithium, Antibiotics, Antacids and other medicines that lower stomach acid, such as Zantac.

Gout in men helped by vitamin C

Crusty old colonels with their feet propped on a cushion and waving a glass of port is the popular stereotype of gout, but sadly the truth is far more common. Traditionally, gout has most commonly developed in middle aged and older people – mostly men – but the condition is now being seen in younger people and also more frequently in women. A recent report suggested that, in the UK, it had increased by about 17 percent between 2007 and 2008. The reasons for this increase are unclear but it may be linked with dietary change and obesity definitely seems to increase the risk of gout.

It’s caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood which forms crystal deposits in and around the joints, a form of arthritis, which is what causes the pain and inflammation typical of the condition. However a new study in British Columbia, Vancouver, has some good news – at least for men. The researchers suggest that vitamin C might affect the reabsorption of uric acid by the kidneys, increase the speed at which the kidneys work, or protect against inflammation; all of which can reduce the risk of gout.

They examined the relationship between vitamin C intake and gout between 1986 and 2006 in 46,994 men and during 20 years of follow-up, 1,317 men developed gout. Compared with men who had a vitamin C intake of less than 250 milligrams per day, the relative risk of gout was 17 percent lower for those with a daily intake of 500 to 999 milligrams, 34 percent lower for those with an intake of 1,000 to 1,499 milligrams per day and 45 percent lower for those with an intake of 1,500 milligrams per day or higher. For every 500-milligram increase in their vitamin C intake, the men’s risk for gout appeared to decrease by 17 percent. Compared with men who did not take vitamin C supplements, those who took 1,000 to 1,499 supplemental milligrams per day had a 34 percent lower risk of gout and those who took 1,500 supplemental milligrams per day had a 45 percent lower risk. and vitamin C appears to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood.

What all those boring statistics actually mean is that vitamin C definitely seems to lower a man’s risk of gout so it’s worth supplementing to a level of around 1000mg a day, best in two doses of 500mg if you have any history of gout in your family

How vitamins can help stroke patients

Taking vitamin supplements is an area fraught with controversy. In the red corner are the true believers who think it can cure everything and in the blue corner the sceptics who won’t accept they do any good at all. As ever, I like the balanced view and personally have found supplements very helpful for some things and not much use for others though in general I am more in favour than not.

The following report though gives me hope that the sceptics might see a chink of light as it was carried out in a bona fide hospital by properly qualifed doctors. In fact it was tested at the Burke Rehabilitation Hospital for stroke victims at Cornell University in the USA. One of the features of hospital stroke patients is that they are often undernourished and have lost weight and the researchers took 100 people who ‘qualified’ and gave half the standard hospital regime for stroke patients but included a multivitamin and mineral supplement and a drink that which would give them calories, protein and 36 mg of vitamin C which they were given every eight hours. The other half of the group got the same, but with double the quantities, and an increased amount of vitamin C – 90mg.

When the patients were studied, the group that had the higher levels of vitamins and minerals were found to have a much better rate of improvement, so that more of them were able to go home after their hospital stay, rather than being moved to a nursing home for more care. The use of supplements for stroke patients is not new, in fact previous researchers have focused on the role of the B vitamins for reducing the risk of strokes by up to 20 percent in those with a genetic predisposition, or who are deemed to be vulnerable.

If this is you, or someone you know then I would first consult a qualified nutritionist who will be able to advise on the dosages required, though the levels of vitamin C in the trial seem woefully to me. Dr Linus Pauling, the Nobel prize winner who pioneered the use of vitamin C for many conditions advocated a minimum of 500 mg a day for healthy people and much higher doses when dealing with chronic illness. Vitamin C is not stored in the body, and is immediately excreted if not used. Increasing the levels needs to be done slowly and with full body awareness as we all have a different tolerance level. Signs that your body has had enough, or that you need to go more slowly are either a tingling sensation on the tongue, or a loosening of the bowels. In either case, cut back your dose and only gradually increase again when things have settled down.

Free way to boost immune system

Now I am a great believer in having the strongest possible immune system to combat illness, and in particular to prevent colds and flu in winter. To this end I have seasonal acupuncture and take Echinacea and vitamin C as well as juicing daily to get my ‘live’ vitamins and antioxidants.

Now I find I could cut my expenditure radically by just making sure I get a decent night’s sleep. I know this now, because Sheldon Cohen, who studies the effects of stress on health at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University has researched the effects of lack of sleep on health.

We already know from previous research that sleep boosts the immune system at the cellular level, but this new research shows that even the smallest reduction in your sleep can make you more susceptible to illness by reducing the effectiveness of your immune system to combat it.

If you are someone who tosses and turns at night between dozing and sleeping then you are more 5 times more likely to get sick than someone who sleeps undisturbed. If this is you, and you get more than the average number of colds in winter, then you need to spend some time working out what causes your sleeplessness and tackle it.

At this time of year you really cannot avoid being exposed to the cold virus unless you do a Michael Jackson and travel in your own portable isolation tent and oxygen mask. On the bus, train or office there is always someone who is sneezing, or incubating the cold virus to pass on to you so the most sensible plan is to do all you can to improve your ‘cold armour’ by keeping your immune system in peak condition.

I have had a sleep pattern of a couple of hours under and then awake and then back for another couple of hours for a number of years and although I manage to stay fairly healthy, I think I will try a lavender bath to relax me before bed and five drops from the handy bottle of Bach Rescue Night which I have found effective in the past.

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