Beet juice lowers blood pressure

(NaturalNews) The vegetable known as the beetroot in Great Britain (and usually called the table beet, garden beet, red beet or just plain beet in the U.S.) has been studied in recent years for its health-building properties. For example, scientists have found it is rich in the nutrient betaine, which reduces the blood concentration of homocycsteine, a substance linked to heart disease and stroke. Now a study just published in the American Heart Association’s Hypertension journal concludes drinking beet juice lowers high blood pressure quickly and effectively — and could be a natural approach to helping prevent cardiovascular problems. British scientists at the Queen Mary University of London found that drinking beet juice lowered blood pressure to healthy levels within 24 hours. In fact, it was just as effective as prescription nitrate tables in treating hypertension. In a previous study two years ago, the same research team had first observed that drinking beetroot juice lowered blood pressure — now they’ve figured out exactly why. It turns out that the organic form of nitrate found in beet juice is the key to its blood pressure lowering benefits. Study author Amrita Ahluwalia, Professor of Vascular Biology at Queen Mary’s William Harvey Research Institute, said the investigators were able to prove the nitrate was the cause of beet juice’s beneficial effects on cardiovascular health because they showed beet nitrate increased levels of the gas nitric oxide in the circulation. Nitric oxide is a type of biological messenger in the body. It signals smooth muscle tissue to relax, induces vasodilation and increases blood flow, leading to a lower blood pressure. “We gave inorganic nitrate capsules or beetroot juice to healthy volunteers and compared their blood pressure responses and the biochemical changes occurring in the circulation,” Professor Ahluwalia said in a statement to the press. “We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed — just 250ml — to have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate.” “The research will be welcome news to people with high blood pressure who might now be able to use a new ‘natural’ approach to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease (including stroke and heart attacks) — the world’s biggest killer,” the researchers added in the media statement. For more information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20585108 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19887114

Vitamin D promotes memory and cognitive function in seniors

(NaturalNews) A lack of vitamin D has already been linked in several studies to depression. Now it appears a deficiency of this crucial nutrient could also play a role in robbing the brain of the ability to process information correctly and clearly. Defined as a person’s ability to process thoughts, cognitive function includes memory and the ability to learn new information, as well as speaking and reading comprehension. Aging is known to affect cognitive function in many people, resulting in memory loss and difficulty thinking of the right words while speaking or writing. But what if a lack of vitamin D could be the culprit that is causing or contributing to cognitive impairment in many elders — and not simply aging by itself? If that’s the case, it offers hope that adequate vitamin D could help keep minds agile and memory sharp. Research headed by epidemiologist Katherine Tucker with the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and published in Journals of Gerontology raises that possibility. Metabolic pathways for vitamin D have been found in the hippocampus and cerebellum — areas of the brain involved in planning, processing, and forming new memories. So it appears a lack of vitamin D could disrupt these cognitive processes. Dr. Tucker and her colleagues studied more than 1,000 elders receiving home care. The research team investigated associations between measured levels of vitamin D in the blood of these people, who were all between the ages of 65 and 99, and compared them to results of neuropsychological tests. The participants were then grouped by their vitamin D status, which was categorized as deficient, insufficient, or sufficient. The researchers noted in a statement to the media that older people needing home care have an elevated risk of not getting enough vitamin D because of their exposure to sunlight is often limited. And, in fact, only 35 percent of the research subjects had sufficient vitamin D levels in their blood for health. Those elders who did have adequate vitamin D scored far better on cognitive tests than those in the deficient and insufficient vitamin D categories, particularly on measures of executive performance, which included cognitive flexibility, perceptual complexity, and reasoning. The associations persisted after taking into consideration other variables that could also have influenced performance on the cognitive ability tests. Another new study just presented at the Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting held in San Diego provides more disturbing evidence that older adults commonly have low vitamin D levels. Researchers from the VU University Medical Center in Amsterdam investigated approximately 1,300 Dutch men and women age 65 and older and found almost 50 percent were deficit in vitamin D. For more information: http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/64A/8/888.abstract?sid=0007591c-0f9e-4df7-bd44-dee95244c8bb http://www.naturalnews.com/vitamin_d.html

High blood levels of vitamin E reduces risk of Alzheimer’s, Swedish study finds

High levels of several vitamin E components in the blood are associated with a decreased risk for Alzheimer’s disease in advanced age, suggesting that vitamin E may help prevent cognitive deterioration in elderly people, according to a new Swedish study.

Lowering homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 does not appear to reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, study finds

Patients who had experienced a heart attack and lowered their blood homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation did not have an associated lower risk of heart attack, coronary death or stroke, according to a new study. However, the researchers did find that folic acid supplementation did not increase the risk of cancer, which has been speculated.

Higher levels of vitamin B6, common amino acid associated with lower risk of lung cancer

An analysis that included nearly 400,000 participants finds that those with higher blood levels of vitamin B6 and the essential amino acid methionine (found in most protein) had an associated lower risk of lung cancer, including participants who were current or former smokers, according to a new study.

Higher levels of vitamin B6, common amino acid associated with lower risk of lung cancer

An analysis that included nearly 400,000 participants finds that those with higher blood levels of vitamin B6 and the essential amino acid methionine (found in most protein) had an associated lower risk of lung cancer, including participants who were current or former smokers, according to a new study.

Pistachios offer multiple benefits, study suggests

Pistachio nuts, eaten as part of a healthy diet, can increase the levels of antioxidants in the blood of adults with high cholesterol, according to nutritional scientists.

Supplement your stem cells

A nutritional supplement could stimulate the production of stem cells integral for repairing the body. New research suggests that a commercially-available supplement can increase the blood circulation of hematopoietic stem cells, which can give rise to all blood cells, and endothelial progenitor cells, which repair damage to blood vessels.

Vaccination Quackery Appears in Plain Sight

(NaturalNews) There was a mumps outbreak in the New York area late 2009 through early 2010 that surprised many because virtually all those infected had been vaccinated for mumps. Approximately 80% of the almost 2000 afflicted had received the required two shots of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) three in one vaccines. So what are regional health authorities recommending as a solution? A third dangerous MMR shot! Even a CDC reviewed site admits that mumps in children is a mild disease, and once you’ve had the mumps, you won’t get it again. You’ve been immunized by having it! Mumps and measles used to occur mostly with children well before puberty. What’s weird about this outbreak is that the average age for the afflicted is 15! In some communities years ago, parents would intentionally expose their kids to children with measles, mumps, or chickenpox to confer future immunity, successfully. So what’s with all these vaccinations? Questioning Medical Authority The CDC reported that it takes two shots to immunize against mumps. The fact that almost all of those who came down with the mumps did receive both shots was ignored with that comment . Administering a third MMR shot is raising the stakes for vaccine injury or long term bad health from this vaccination to purportedly prevent mild childhood diseases. Vaccines are loaded with toxins such as thimerosal (mercury), aluminum, and formaldehyde, and they’re bypassing much of the immune system by injecting live attenuated viruses directly into the blood. And there are those who think that a three phase vaccination provides the greatest risk of a cytokine storm, when an overly stimulated immune system feeds on the host with terrible, even lethal consequences. Double Speak and Double Think In his novel 1984 , George Orwell explained double speak as the ability to make contradictory statements in one statement and double think as the ability for others to hold those contradictions simultaneously. For example: Newborns are required to receive hepatitis B vaccinations; hepatitis B is transmitted sexually or by sharing needles. Huh? Reporting on the outbreak, mainstream media (MSM) said the CDC told them that the MMR vaccine was not 100% effective against mumps, but 75% to 85% effective. The percentage range of the mumps victims who did receive both MMR vaccinations was 75% to 85%! These two statements were printed very near each other in the same body of an MSM report. If you agree to double speak, you’re conditioned with double think. Since an attenuated live virus is being pumped into the blood, the very disease vaccinated against can be given. So if a third shot is administered, maybe closer to 100% of the “immunized” will come down with mumps? Vaccine Industry Scientist Blows the Whistle Investigative journalist Jon Rappaport interviewed a former vaccine scientist in 2009 who used the pseudonym Dr. Mark Randall to avoid harassment and pension loss since he was once of “the inner circle”. Here’s a small sampling from this revealing interview. “The decline of disease is due to improved living conditions,” [After investigating] I realized I was working in a sector based on a collection of lies.” Most dangerous? “The DPT shot.. The MMR. As far as I’m concerned, all vaccines are dangerous.” … “They can actually cause the disease they are supposed to prevent. They can cause other diseases …” (Source below) Sources for more information: A Must Read – Rappaport Interviews “Randall” http://www.alternative-doctor.com/vaccination/rappaport.htm Two Vaccines Don’t Work; Public Officials Push for a Third Jab, by Heidi Stevenson http://gaia-health.com/articles151/000188-two-mumps-vaccines-don%27t-work-so-public-officials-push-a-third-jab.shtml CNN Mumps Outbreak Report (which was later updated to almost 2000 cases instead of over 1000) http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/08/mumps.outbreak.northeast/?hpt=Sbin CDC Vaccine Information FAQ Site Reviewed by CDC http://www.vaccineinformation.org/mumps/qandadis.asp Three Phase Vaccinations More Likely to Create Cytokine Storms. http://blogs.healthfreedomalliance.org/blog/2009/07/30/three-stage-vaccinations-may-create-perfect-cytokine-storm/ About the author Paul Fassa has managed to survive the Standard American Diet (SAD) and his youthful folly by deprogramming gradually from mainstream health ideology and studying holistic health matters informally with his wife while incorporating them into his lifestyle as a vegetarian. He also practices Chi-Lel Chi Gong, and he is trained as a polarity therapy practitioner. He is dedicated to warning others of the corruption of food and medicine in our time, and guiding others toward a better direction for health. You can visit his blog at http://healthmaven.blogspot.com

Vitamin D Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Helps Prevent Diabetes

(NaturalNews) High-dose vitamin D supplements may help increase the body’s sensitivity to the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin, thus reducing the risk of diabetes, researchers have found. Insulin resistance (or insensitivity) occurs when the body’s tissues stop responding as strongly to the presence of insulin. As a consequence, the cells uptake less sugar from the bloodstream, producing the elevated glucose levels characteristic of diabetes. In the current study, conducted by researchers from Massey University and published in the British Journal of Nutrition , researchers randomly assigned 81 South Asian women between the ages of 23 and 68 to take either a placebo or 4,000 IU of vitamin D once per day. All participants suffered from insulin sensitivity at the start of the study, but none were taking diabetes drugs or vitamin D supplements larger than 1,000 IU per day. At the start of the study, the average participant had vitamin D blood levels of approximately 50 nanomoles per liter, slightly lower than the average levels in a U.S. adult (60-75 nmol/L). After six months, women in the vitamin D group exhibited significantly more insulin sensitivity and less insulin resistance than women who had received a placebo. The largest effect was seen in women whose vitamin D blood levels had reached 80 to 119 nmol/L. According to the Vitamin D Council, blood levels should be at least 125 nmol/L for optimal health. Vitamin D has long been known to play an important role in bone and tooth health, and recommended daily intakes were originally calculated for these functions. Yet a growing body of research suggests that much higher intakes may be required to gain protection against cancer, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Health professionals currently debate what daily intakes are ideal, with the U.S. government recommending 200 IU for adults between the ages of 19 and 50, 400 IU for those aged 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those over the age of 70. The British government recommends that those at high risk of deficiency take a daily supplement of 1,000 IU. Yet studies such as the Massey University one keep pointing up the benefits of higher doses. The study is not the first to connect vitamin D and diabetes. A 2009 meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that higher blood levels of vitamin D lowered diabetes risk. Likewise, in a study published in the journal Diabetic Medicine , researchers from the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research in New Delhi found that a large dose of vitamin D significantly improved insulin sensitivity after meals in 71 men who were healthy except for central obesity. Central obesity — along with high blood pressure and high levels of fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol — is a symptom of the condition known as metabolic syndrome, a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Diabetes is widespread in the United States, with 24 million people diagnosed and 5.6 million undiagnosed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Institute of Health estimates that a further 70 to 80 million people suffer from metabolic syndrome or other “pre-diabetic” conditions. Some researchers have suggested that the nation’s high rate of vitamin D deficiency might be partially to blame for this phenomenon. Exposure to sunlight is still considered the healthiest way to get vitamin D, as the body can synthesize all it needs in only a fraction of the time it takes to acquire a tan. Health professionals recommend 15 minutes of sun every day on at least the face and hands for light-skinned people, and up to three times as much for people with dark skin. More time in the sun or some form of dietary supplementation may be necessary during the winter for people living far from the equator, especially those with dark skin. Sources for this story include: www.emaxhealth.com.

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