Holistic Remedies
Posted on June 24, 2011 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Parenting, Women's Health
Prenatal vitamins taken three months before conception and in the first month of pregnancy may help ward off autism, according to a new report in the July issue of Epidemiology.
Taking vitamins during this period may reduce the risk of a child developing autism or autism spectral disorders by up to 40 percent. The researchers enrolled 288 children with autism and 144 with autism spectrum disorders and compared them to 278 children who were developing normally. Mothers of the children were surveyed about their consumption of vitamins before and during pregnancy, and blood was drawn for genomic analysis. The mothers of the children with autism were less likely than those of the typically developing children to report having taken prenatal vitamins during the three months before conception and the first month of pregnancy.
In mothers and children with gene variants that affect folate metabolism, not taking prenatal vitamins before conception was associated with an up to sevenfold increase in the risk of autism, the researchers found. Prenatal vitamins are rich in folate.
Posted on June 15, 2011 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Parenting, Recent Studies
A new study suggests that eating baked goods containing milk may help kids get over milk allergies. Allergic children given cooked milk saw a decrease in allergy symptoms than children who simply avoided milk products, researchers reported.
Milk allergies differ from lactose intolerance, which is an inability to digest milk products. Kids with allergies can react to the proteins in milk and cheese with symptoms ranging from mild itching to potentially deadly anaphylactic shock.
In the study, researchers gave 88 milk-allergic children between 2 and 17 years old baked goods that included milk, and compared them to a group of 60 allergic children who strictly avoided milk products. About half of the children were able to consume items containing milk products by the end of the study.
The study also may help distinguish between severe allergies and mild ones. Kids who were able to tolerate the muffins were more likely to grow out of their allergies.
Would you allow your child with milk allergies to take part in this study?
Posted on May 29, 2011 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies, Women's Health
According to a recent study, women taking 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E – much higher doses than in most prenatal multivitamins – were no less likely to develop the potentially deadly pregnancy complication known as preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is characterized by high blood pressure, protein and the urine, and swelling. The complications of this condition can be severe and even fatal for both mother and child.
The study found that women taking higher doses of these vitamins had a higher risk of developing other pregnancy complications. Past studies have suggested that women taking those taking very high doses of vitamins C and E were 10 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure during pregnancy than volunteers taking placebo pills.
Researchers reviewed nine studies including nearly 20,000 women to suggest that women concerned about their risk of preeclampsia not take vitamin E and vitamin C. Some past studies have found a connection between vitamin C deficiency and an elevated risk of preterm birth, including those caused by what’s known as premature rupture of membranes — where a woman’s “water breaks” before the pregnancy has reached full-term and labor has begun. The current study found that found that 9.6 percent of women overall developed preeclampsia, regardless of whether they received extra doses of C and E or a placebo drug.
Posted on January 29, 2011 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies, Technology
Using an air filter in your home could prevent cardiovascular disease, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and funded by the British Columbia Lung Association. After only a week with the filter, participants in the study experienced reduced inflammation and improved function of endothelial cells.
Canadian researchers placed high efficiency particle air (HEPA) filters in 25 homes in a community where woodburning stoves cause the most pollution. Air sampling devices were installed, and participants were asked to record their activities and proximity to pollution every hour. Those who said tobacco was smoked in their home were not allowed to participate in the study.
After living with the filtered air for seven days, the 45 participants gave blood and urine samples to the scientists to analyze. Systemic inflammation and impaired endothelial function, both contributors to cardiovascular disease, were reduced over the course of the short-term study. Researchers determined that air filters are a relatively cheap and easy way to significantly reduce the amount of tiny particles inhaled on a daily basis and result in improved blood vessel health.
Posted on January 26, 2011 in Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies
How long does it take to revamp food at the nation’s largest grocery chain to make it healthier and more affordable? A collaboration between Walmart and First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign will take five years to be implemented, the major corporation announced this week.
The extensive plan has identified “key product categories,” or thousands of foods sold by the nation’s manufacturers and Walmart’s house brand that could be healthier. Sodium content in the foods will be slashed dramatically, with salad dressings and deli meats containing 25 percent less by 2015. Sugars in various sauces, dairy items and fruit drinks will be reduced by 10 percent, while trans-fats will be completely removed from all packaged food items. “Our customers tell us they want a variety of food choices and need help feeding their families healthier foods. At Walmart, we are committed to doing both,” said Andrea Thomas, senior vice president of sustainability at Walmart.
Leslie Dach, associate vice president of corporate affairs at Walmart, cited the First Lady’s commitment to “Let’s Move!” as having an impact on the nation’s health habits. “Few individuals have done more to raise awareness of healthier habits—especially among children—than she has,” Dach said.
The price of healthy food will go down, not up, according to the Walmart officials. Thomas said she believed that Americans would save $1 billion per year on fresh fruit and vegetables under the new plan.
Posted on January 22, 2011 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies, Technology, The Environment
Studies have previously reported on the connection between too-bright lights in the bedroom at night and poor health. Now, Harvard researchers are reporting that exposure to indoor light could have a negative effect at all times of the day, by diminishing the hormone melatonin.
Light we’re exposed to in the evening hours before bedtime is still the most suspect, impacting sleep quality and the body’s ability to regulate body temperature, blood pressure and glucose levels. For the study, researchers enlisted 116 healthy volunteers aged 18-30 years, exposing them to room light or dim light in the eight hours before bedtime, five days in a row. They measured melatonin levels every 30 to 60 minutes and found that light on in a room reduced melatonin on an average of 90 minutes.
The solution health experts suggest is to keep lights dim in your house before and at bedtime. Doing so could reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases, as well as diabetes and insomnia. Melatonin has been studies for its role in treating cancer, poor sleep and hypertension.
Posted on January 10, 2011 in Business/Law, Consumer Goods, FDA, Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Men's Health, Parenting, Recalls, Recent Studies, Women's Health
-Columbus Meat Market Inc. of Chicago has recalled over 200 pounds of ground beef patties. The Illinois Dept. of Agriculture says that the meat may be contaminated with E.
coli.
-Avalung ski backpacks imported by Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. of Salt Lake City were recalled because the air tubing can crack in extreme temperatures. The unit could cause a suffocation hazard.
-Crave Foods of Los Angeles is recalling 6-pound cases of frozen chicken mushroom pies. The pies reportedly contain the undeclared ingredient monosodium glutamate (MSG), which can cause an allergic reaction in certain people.
-Homestead Pasta Company is recalling frozen meat and poultry tamale products from shelves because they contain the undeclared allergen whey. The products are listed under
names that include Garibaldi Turkey Tamale, Golden West Traditional Turkey Tamale with Sauce in Husk, and Casper Homestead Pasta Company Chicken Tamale.
-About 21,000 sump pumps and effluent pumps from ITT Water Technology Inc. have been recalled. Those installed without ground fault circuit interrupter protection can pose
an electric shock or electrocution hazard.
-About 150 outdoor hanging lanterns manufactured in China and distributed by Quoizel Inc. have been recalled because the glass lantern can separate from the top support ring
and fall. No injuries have been reported.
-Teva Pharmaceuticals is recalling Metronidazole Tablets UPS, lot 312566, due to the presence of underweight tablets. Underweight tablets may not contain the full amount
of the active ingredient, meaning that a consumer might not receive the full or intended dose.
-Triad Group has recalled all lots of alcohol prep pads, alcohol swabs, and alcohol swabsticks. The products may be contaminated with Bacillus cereus, a harmful organism.
-Sprouters Northwest of Kent, Washington is recalling all clover and clover mix products due to possible contamination with Salmonella.
-Sears Canada is recalling its Sesame Street velour hoodie and Small Paul hooded sleeper. The sleepers do not meet flammability requirements for tight-fitting sleepwear, and could become a fire hazard.
Posted on December 31, 2010 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies
When a sinus infection begins to flare up, your last reaction may be to hum a happy tune. But
humming may have surprising benefits for those with upper respiratory problems and other
triggers for chronic sinus infections.
The New York Times reports on two separate studies conducted by American and European
respiratory journals that suggest humming can keep air flowing between sinus and nasal cavities.
Sinus infections often occur when the sinuses become inflamed, trapping air and pus and leading
to an increased amount of congestion. Both studies found an increase in exhaled levels of nitric
oxide, a gas produced in the sinuses, after patients hummed.
The second study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, went so far as to suggest
that daily periods of humming might help chronic sufferers of sinus infections improve their
condition. Although further study is needed, researchers have repeatedly pointed to the benefits
of humming for sinus infection prevention and treatment.
Posted on December 30, 2010 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies
Increased food intake and couch time are symptoms of the holiday season, often leading to
weight gain and the inevitable New Year’s resolutions. A new study published in The Journal of
Physiology suggests a simpler solution: run or bicycle before breakfast to keep holiday weight
off for good.
Researchers in Belgium discovered that the key is to exercise before your first meal, staving off
the temptation to eat throughout the day. The researchers examined 28 healthy, active young men
and began feeding them a diet composed of more than 50% fat and 30% more calories than they
had been consuming previously. Some of the men held off on exercising during the experiment,
while the rest were assigned to two exercise groups. One group ate a healthy, carbohydrate-rich
breakfast before exercising, while the other worked out without eating first.
After the six-week experiment was completed, the non-exercising group packed on over six
pounds, on average, and developed insulin resistance—no longer pulling insulin out of the
bloodstream efficiently. The men who ate before exercising gained about half as much weight
as the control group. Only the group that exercised without eating beforehand in the morning
gained almost no weight and showed no signs of insulin resistance. Although just how the
men managed to avoid gaining weight is not understood entirely, researchers suggested that
exercising in a fasted state may help the body burn more fat. Setting your alarm after holiday
festivities, they say, might be the key to staying slim through winter.
Posted on December 11, 2010 in Health & Medicine, Holistic Remedies, Recent Studies
Whether or not you’re getting enough vitamin D is a debatable topic these days, and the
Institute of Medicine weighed on recently with a new set of guidelines. While current
guidelines are for 400 IUs of D daily, the Institute now recommends 600 IUs as the most
beneficial to health. A substantially higher level of 800 IUs is suggested for adults over
the age of 70 and teenage girls. While some are in favor of the new recommendations,
other experts say that drastically higher doses are necessary to prevent disease.
The guidelines might curb the nation’s vitamin D craze, which the Institute may view
as a good thing. Super-high levels of the sunshine vitamin might be risky, according to
studies that report no cancer protection and possible risk of pancreatic cancer to people
with the highest levels of D. A two-year study conducted by the Institute of Medicine’s
panel of experts concluded that research into vitamin D was inconclusive and sometimes
conflicting.
On the other hand, proponents of D believe that the risk of colon cancer in particular
could be decreased with a heftier dose of the vitamin. A government-funded study soon
to be conducted on 20,000 older Americans may determine whether 2,000 IUs of D
can prevent heart disease, stroke and certain cancers. In the meantime, keep up with the
recommended 600 IUs with a cup of D-fortified orange juice or milk, a salmon dinner or
a supplement.
