Vitamin D is essential for activating immune system function

(NaturalNews) Researchers have discovered that vitamin D plays a crucial role in activating the immune system’s ability to recognize and fight pathogens. While scientists have long known that vitamin D plays a critical role in bone health, recent research has begun to suggest that it also serves to regulate the immune system, helping prevent infection, cancer and autoimmune disorders. Until now, the mechanism by which the vitamin acts on the immune system has been unknown. In a study published in the journal Nature Immunology , researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that when a variety of white blood cells known as a T-cell comes across a pathogen in the bloodstream, it extends a receptor in search of vitamin D. If it encounters the vitamin, the T cell becomes “activated.” If there is not enough vitamin D in the blood, the cell remains passive and no immune response occurs. The body produces vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight. It can also be found in eggs, fatty fish, fortified milk and in supplement form. Once activated, a T-cell transforms into one of two kinds of cells. One type seeks out and destroys all traces of the infectious agent, while the other records information about the pathogen and transmits it to other parts of the immune system. These latter (“helper”) cells help the immune system respond quickly should infection with a similar pathogen occur at a later date. In addition to providing new information about the importance of vitamin D, the study provides hope for better understanding — and perhaps prevention — of the unhelpful immune responses that result in autoimmune disorders like allergies or Type 1 diabetes, as well as those that cause the body to reject transplanted organs. The researchers were able to determine what chemical steps occur to transform a T-cell from active to inactive, suggesting the possibility that doctors may eventually be able to initiate or block this process, depending on the patient’s need. Sources for this story include: http://news.ku.dk/all_news/2010/2010.3/d_vitamin/; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1256149/Sunshine-play-vital-role-in.html.

Fructose results in more belly fat and less insulin-sensitive fat

(NaturalNews) High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is hard to avoid if you eat processed foods — it’s used to sweeten soft drinks, candy bars, bread, salad dressings, fruit drinks and thousands of other items. But it’s worth the effort to read labels and avoid the stuff. The reason? Research has mounted over the past couple of years that HFCS may be just plain dangerous to health. For example, researchers from Loyola University Health System have found women who drink at least two cans of HFCS-sweetened soda pop daily are twice as likely to show signs of kidney disease as those who don’t drink that many sodas (http://www.naturalnews.com/025582_soda_health_pop.html). And although HFCS has been linked previously to the widespread rise in obesity, a new study has produced evidence showing exactly why fructose could be making people fatter than ever, starting in childhood. It turns out that when the sugary stuff is present as children’s fat cells mature, fructose turns more of these cells into belly fat. Defined by a large waistline often dubbed a “spare tire”, abdominal obesity ups the risk of both heart disease and type 2 diabetes. What’s more, cells in both belly fat (visceral fat) and subcutaneous fat located below the skin were found to be less able to respond to insulin if they had been exposed to fructose. That means fructose could up the risk for metabolic syndrome, a precursor of type 2 diabetes, while spurring weight gain. This research was just presented by lead author Georgina Coade, a PhD student at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, at the Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting held in San Diego. “Our results suggest that high levels of fructose, which may result from eating a diet high in fructose, throughout childhood may lead to an increase in visceral (abdominal) obesity, which is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk,” Coade said in a statement to the media. Coade and her research team studied biopsy specimens of both subcutaneous and visceral fat from 32 healthy-weight children who had not gone through puberty yet. Then they took preadipocytes (precursors to fat cells that have the potential to differentiate, or mature, into fat-containing cells called adipocytes) from the specimens and allowed these precursor cells to mature for 14 days in culture media containing normal glucose (the main sugar found in the bloodstream), high glucose or high fructose. Next the investigators measured the activity of an enzyme dubbed GPDH and the abundance of the adipocyte fatty acid binding protein — both of which are found only in mature fat cells. The results showed that fructose caused fat cells to form more mature, visceral fat cells. In addition, the cells that matured in the fructose solution all showed a decrease in insulin sensitivity (the ability to successfully take up glucose from the bloodstream into fat and muscles) — and decreased insulin sensitivity is a characteristic of type 2 diabetes. “Fructose alters the behavior of human fat cells if it is present as the fat cells mature,” Coade concluded. “We can maybe compare this (timing) to periods in children when they are making their fat.” As if you need another reason to avoid fructose, consider this: NaturalNews revealed last year that research published in the journal Environmental Health showed HFCS is contaminated with the toxic heavy metal mercury. (http://www.naturalnews.com/025442_HFCS_Corn_Refiners_Association.html). For more information: http://www.naturalnews.com/fructose.html

A diet loaded with antioxidant rich foods improves insulin resistance

(NaturalNews) According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD), insulin resistance is a condition in which the pancreas eventually can’t keep up with the body’s demand for insulin (a hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy). Eventually, an excess of glucose builds up in the bloodstream — and that sets the stage for type 2 diabetes. New research just presented at the Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting, held in San Diego, shows that natural antioxidants in the diet can be a powerful way to improve insulin resistance — even in people who are obese and suffering from metabolic syndrome. A precursor of diabetes associated with insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions (including high blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels) that raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as diabetes. “The beneficial effects of antioxidants are known, but we have revealed for the first time one of their biological bases of action — improving hormonal action in obese subjects with the metabolic syndrome,” lead researcher Antonio Mancini, MD, an endocrinology researcher at Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy, said in a statement to the media. Dr. Mancini and his fellow researchers investigated the effects of dietary antioxidants on insulin resistance in 16 men and 13 women between 18 and 66 years of age. All the research subjects were obese and insulin-resistant but had not yet developed full-blown diabetes. The study participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Then all groups were place on low-calorie, Mediterranean-type diets averaging 1,500 calories daily and containing only 25 percent of these calories from protein foods with the rest made up of low-glycemic-index carbohydrates (carbs such as whole grains that don’t cause a quick rise in blood sugar). However, while one group ate only this diet, the second group consumed the same foods but also took the an oral medication that lowers blood glucose called metformin (sold under the brand names Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Fortamet, and Riomet). Groups three and four ate a Mediterranean style diet, too, but theirs was enriched with extra helpings of fruits and vegetables that are known to be loaded with antioxidants; group four was also given metformin. Even though all the research subjects in each group lost about the same amount of weight, only the two groups consuming the high antioxidant diet (groups 3 and 4) had a significant decrease in insulin resistance. The latter group had the best improvement based on an oral glucose tolerance test, according to the scientists’ report. Although the researchers did not discuss the possibility, the ability of the high antioxidant diet to greatly improve insulin resistance without any medication is a hopeful indication that diets rich in natural antioxidants alone may help many people faced with this pre-diabetic problem who can not take — or don’t want to take — the drug metformin. The medication’s most common side effects (which occur in one out of every three patients) are nausea, vomiting, gas, bloating, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Dr. Mancini pointed out that there’s evidence oxidative stress, which can result in damage to blood particles and cells, plays a role in the metabolic syndrome. And previous research has shown that antioxidants can prevent oxidative damage to cells and sometimes even repair damage. Antioxidants, which are found naturally in many foods including fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts, include vitamins E and C, selenium and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene. For more information: http://www.endo-society.org/endo2010/abstracts/ http://www.naturalnews.com/antioxidant.html http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/insulinresistance/

Nature’s Baby Organics, an industry leader in organic personal care products

(NaturalNews) Finding safe, natural personal care products is something for which every parent should be conscious. But in a world full of products claiming to be safe and natural, how does one figure out which brands deliver on their claims and which ones are merely peddling marketing hype? One company, Nature’s Baby Organics, produces organic care products of the highest quality and purity. Founded by Adena Surabian, president and mother of two, Nature’s Baby Organics got its start when Adena realized that her daughter was allergic to the synthetic chemicals commonly used in personal care products. After performing some investigative research into the hard-to-pronounce ingredients on product labels, this concerned mother began to lament about the lack of natural, safe and pure products. “I wanted a natural product that had clean, healthy ingredients that would also perform well, so I could use it too,” she states on her company’s website. Because she was unable to find suitable products already on the market, Adena decided to start formulating her own in order to meet her high standards. Today, her company produces five certified organic personal care products, including diaper ointment, skin soother, chest rub, baby oil and dusting powder. All of her products contain between 70 and 95 percent organic ingredients, depending on the specific formula. The reason why not all of Nature’s Baby Organics products are certified organic, meaning they have at least 95 percent organic ingredients, is because Adena believes the National Organic Program (NOP) preservative guidelines are not entirely acceptable. “A baby product cannot be 100 percent USDA certified organic, in our opinion. We do see companies that are making lotions, shampoos and conditioners, and we just don’t agree with that process. The NOP stipulates that the only approved preservative is alcohol. Alcohol to us is too astringent and can be processed through the skin; it is the one ingredient that passes into the bloodstream. Some alcohols can’t even be processed by the liver. So for us, we think it is an irresponsible process for people to be coming out with USDA certified organic under the current standards for children and infants.” she explained in an interview. A valid position, Adena has chosen instead to use naturally-sourced alternatives like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate to preserve her products. This brings up another interesting fact about many organic products that Adena finds disturbing. “We’re seeing companies that aren’t even properly preserving, and might even have an anhydrous product without an antioxidant, so those products are going to become rancid. The other thing is that products that have organic content have a higher microbial count, so the need for preservation or an antioxidant is greater. And lots of companies are not even micro-challenging their products to see if they’re going to grow mold or bacteria or even be safe for children.” In other words, companies that produce all-organic personal care products are either using alcohol as a preservative, which can be harmful, or they are not properly preserving their products. This is what sets Nature’s Baby Organics apart from other organic personal care products on the market. Nature’s Baby Organics is a truth-in-labeling company that lists all of its ingredients right on its product labels. None of its products contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), phthalates, propylene glycol, or 1,4-dioxane. The bottles are also BPA-free. For more information about Nature’s Baby Organics, please visit www.naturesbabyproducts.com.

Natural health news gets nuttier: research shows eating nuts lowers cholesterol

(NaturalNews) NaturalNews has covered how eating pistachios lowers the risk of lung cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/027732_pistachios_cancer.html) and how a diet rich in nuts may help prevent age-related blindness (http://www.naturalnews.com/026369_risk_olive_oil_nuts.html). Walnuts appear to have breast cancer-fighting properties, too (http://www.naturalnews.com/026115_walnuts_health_cancer.html). And now there’s even more reason to be nuts about nuts — scientists have found new evidence that nuts are heart healthy because they dramatically improve blood cholesterol levels, without drugs. “Dietary interventions to lower blood cholesterol concentrations and to modify blood lipoprotein levels are the cornerstone of prevention and treatment plans for coronary heart disease,” Joan Sabate, M.D., of Loma Linda University and colleagues stated in their report, which was just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine . “Recently, consumption of nuts has been the focus of intense research because of their potential to reduce coronary heart disease risk and to lower blood lipid (fat and cholesterol) levels based on their unique nutritional attributes.” The Loma Linda University researchers investigated data from 25 international nut consumption trials involving 583 women and men with high cholesterol or normal cholesterol levels. Each study compared a control group of research subjects to a group assigned to specifically eat nuts regularly. None of the study participants took cholesterol lowering drugs such as Big Pharma’s widely prescribed statins. On average, the people in the trials who ate about 67 grams (approximately 2.4 ounces) of nuts each day had an overall reduction in total cholesterol levels of 5.1 percent. Even more important, there was a 7.4 percent drop in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is known as the “bad” cholesterol, and a significant 8.3 percent change in the ratio of LDL cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” cholesterol that protects from heart disease. The news got even better when the scientists looked at the effect of nut consumption on high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream. These blood fats, when excessive, are known to contribute to the development of heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease; triglycerides may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, too. The Archives of Internal Medicine report showed that eating nuts didn’t change healthy levels of triglycerides in the body. However, in people with high levels, a diet rich in nuts caused triglyceride levels to take a 10.2 percent nosedive. Bottom line: the researchers concluded the results of their study support the inclusion of nuts as a natural dietary therapy aimed at improving blood cholesterol levels. “Nuts are a whole food that have been consumed by humans throughout history. Increasing the consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favorably affect blood lipid levels (at least in the short term) and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk,” the researchers stated. For more information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20458092 http://www.naturalnews.com/nuts.html

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