Spice up your sex life with this simple curry spice

(NaturalNews) A new study conducted by researchers from both Applied Science and Nutrition, an Australia-based scientific and consulting company, and the University of Queensland’s medical school have found that the curry spice fenugreek livens up a lot more than just food. Based in their findings, men who consume fenugreek regularly can boost their sex drives by as much as 25 percent, which can eliminate the need to take dangerous pharmaceuticals. For its study, the team assigned 60 healthy men between the ages of 25 and 52 to take 600 milliliters (ml) of fenugreek twice daily for six weeks. Researchers monitored the participants’ libido levels during this time, and noted a 28 percent average rise by the end of the trial period. A placebo group, on the other hand, saw their libido levels drop over the course of six weeks. Researchers believe the active substances in fenugreek responsible for the positive benefits are saponins, a type of bioactive metabolite compound that helps regulate hormone levels and boost testosterone levels. “It probably works to increase testosterone or androgen levels, which decrease with age,” said Dr. Raj Persad, a consultant neurologist, in response to the findings. “If it’s proven to be safe, this is good news. Men with good sexual health live longer than those who [sic] without.” Besides boosting sex drive, fenugreek is also known to help treat diabetes, lower blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels, maintain healthy metabolism, prevent constipation, purify blood and detoxify the body, and increase breast milk production in lactating women (http://www.naturalnews.com/030628_medicine_cabinet_herbs.html). And a traditional Chinese medicinal tea composed of fennel, flax, and fenugreek, is known to help treat coughs and colds, mucus buildup, irritable bowel syndrome, and Chron’s disease (http://www.naturalnews.com/030842_fenugreek_large_intestine.html). Sources for this story include: http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/fenugreek-could-be-spice-of-sex-life/story-fn6ck8la-1226078690579

Sun exposure and vitamin D may prevent multiple sclerosis

Embargoed for release: 7-Feb-2011 16:00 ET (7-Feb-2011 21:00 GMT) (NaturalNews) For decades, scientists have noticed something odd about the condition known as multiple sclerosis (MS). This chronic disease of the brain and spinal cord is less likely to occur in people who live in warmer climates than those dwelling in colder places. Now a study published in the February 8, 2011, issue of Neurology , the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, provides a compelling reason why this is true. People who spend more time outside in the sun and those with higher vitamin D levels are far less likely to ever develop MS than those with inadequate sun exposure and low levels of vitamin D. MS, which frequently involves flare-ups of symptoms that are recurring, often starts with a first episode of the disease marked by neurological symptoms that last anywhere from a few days to many weeks. The new research, conducted by scientists at the Australian National University in Canberra, is the first study to look at people have experienced the very first symptoms of MS before they were officially diagnosed with the disease. “Other studies have looked at people who already have MS — then it’s hard to know whether having the disease led them to change their habits in the sun or in their diet,” study author Robyn Lucas, PhD, said in a statement to the media. The multi-site study included 216 research subjects between the ages of 18 and 59 who had a first episode of symptoms that indicated MS. This group of study participants was matched with 395 people with no symptoms of possible MS who were of similar ages, of the same sex and lived in the same locations in Australia. All the participants reported how much sun exposure they’d had at different times in their lives. The scientists also documented the amount of skin damage participants had from sun exposure and the amount of melanin in their skin. Blood tests were used to measure vitamin D levels (from sun exposure, diet and supplement use) in each research subject, too. The results showed that people with the most evidence of skin damage from sun exposure were 60 percent less likely to develop the first symptoms of MS than the people with the least damage. In addition, those with the highest levels of vitamin D also were less likely to have a diagnosed first MS event than people with the lowest levels. The Australian study also confirmed previous studies that have shown that MS is more common in latitudes further away from the equator. “Added together, the differences in sun exposure, vitamin D levels and skin type accounted for a 32 percent increase in a diagnosed first event from the low to the high latitude regions of Australia,” Dr. Lucas stated. He pointed out that the effects of sun exposure and vitamin D acted independently of each other when it came to the risk of initial MS symptoms. “Further research should evaluate both sun exposure and vitamin D for the prevention of MS,” Dr. Lucas concluded in the press statement. For more information: http://www.aan.com http://www.naturalnews.com/028536_sunlight_multiple_sclerosis.html http://www.naturalnews.com/025791_Vitamin_D_multiple_sclerosis_risk.html

High levels of vitamins C and E help prevent metabolic syndrome

(NaturalNews) The precursors to cardiovascular disease and diabetes include a range of markers collectively known as metabolic syndrome. And researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University have found that maintaining high levels of both vitamin C and vitamin E helps to prevent the onset of metabolic syndrome. Jean Mayer and her team evaluated 353 Ecuadorian men and women over age 65 from three different low-income communities outside of Quito, Ecuador. Forty percent of the population had metabolic syndrome, primarily due to a very poor diet rich in simple carbohydrates and processed sodium, and low in nutrient-rich whole foods. The authors observed, however, that those with the highest blood levels of vitamins C and E were less likely to have metabolic syndrome. “After adjusting for age and sex, we observed significant relationships between the metabolic syndrome and two of the micronutrients, vitamins C and E,” explained senior study author Simin Nikbin Meydani, Ph.D., director of the USDA HNRCA and the Nutritional Immunology Laboratory at the USDA HNRCA. “The association suggests that having higher blood levels of vitamin E may protect against the metabolic syndrome.” Many of the participants also had very low vitamin C levels which was likely due to a limited intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, said the authors. And most of the participants ate lots of starchy, sugary foods like white rice, potatoes and white bread, so their overall nutrient profiles were largely limited. Researchers also noted a connection between metabolic syndrome and C-reactive proteins (CRP), an inflammatory marker connected to cardiovascular disease. So by boosting healthy antioxidant levels with nutrients like vitamin C, populations can better fend off metabolic syndrome and its resultant diseases. Sources for this story include: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/tuhs-vc010411.php

Scans prove that acupuncture induces clear metabolic brain changes that eliminate pain

(NaturalNews) New research adds more evidence proving that acupuncture is effective at reducing and eliminating pain. Presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the new findings include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans that clearly show a positive change in the metabolic activity of patients’ brains receiving acupuncture treatment. “Functional MRI gives us the opportunity to directly observe areas of the brain that are activated during pain perception and see the variances that occur with acupuncture,” explained lead researcher Nina Theysohn, MD, from the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology at University Hospital in Essen, Germany. “Activation of brain areas involved in pain perception was significantly reduced or modulated under acupuncture.” Eighteen volunteers agreed to participate in the study, and all were observed using fMRI technology. Researchers applied electrical pain stimuli to the participants’ left ankles and observed their brain activity both with and without acupuncture treatment. The team found that the pain activation centers in the participants’ brains became less active and even deactivated in the presence of acupuncture treatment. The findings also challenge some notions that acupuncture works primarily as a placebo. While certain brain responses to acupuncture indicate facets of a placebo response, others clearly highlight specific mechanical activities in the brain that demonstrably reduce pain symptoms. “Acupuncture is supposed to act through at least two mechanisms — nonspecific expectancy-based effects and specific modulation of the incoming pain signal,” said Theysohn. “Our findings support that both these nonspecific and specific mechanisms exist, suggesting that acupuncture can help relieve pain.” Acupuncture has also been found to help improve fertility, increase heart function, and assist in helping people sleep. To learn more about acupuncture, visit: http://www.naturalnews.com/acupuncture.html Sources for this story include: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-11/rson-acb112410.php

Consume more omega-3s to protect your eyesight

(NaturalNews) A new study published in the journal Ophthalmology confirms that omega-3 fatty acids help to maintain eye health and protect against age-related eye diseases like macular degeneration. Researchers from the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine observed that people who eat lots of fish and other seafood rich in omega-3s tend to have a much lower risk of developing eye disease than people who do not. Over the course of a year, the research team evaluated the eating habits of 2,520 randomly-selected people between the ages of 65 and 84. They compared the participants’ eating habits to rates of age-related macular degeneration and found that those who ate the least amount of omega-3 foods were most likely to have advanced macular degeneration (AMD). A 2009 study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology also identified a link between eating oily fish rich in omega-3s and a decreased risk of eye disease. In that study, those with early AMD who ate a diet rich in omega-3s experienced a 25 percent reduced risk of having the disease progress any further (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20630597). “Both antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can help protect your eyes and preserve your vision in a variety of ways,” explains Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS, in his book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What Treatments Work and Why . “Oily fish — and the omega-3 fatty acids found in them — can help protect against macular degeneration.” Omega-3s serve a lot of other useful functions as well. They help prevent and treat heart disease, aging, diabetes, gum disease, obesity, depression, infertility, arthritis, and cancer, among many other things (http://www.naturalnews.com/omega-3.html). Sources for this story include: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20630597 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-heb-omega-3-20101202,0,1596643.story

Vitamin D improves overall immune function

(NaturalNews) A recent study out of the University of Tampere in Finland has found that vitamin D helps to prevent respiratory infections. In the study, supplementing with vitamin D resulted in more than half the participants who took it staying healthy throughout the trial, compared to just over 30 percent in the control group. Dr. Ilkka Laaksi and her team evaluated a group of 164 males going into the military to see if vitamin D supplementation affected their overall health. They gave part of the group 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day for six months, and the other part of the group a placebo pill for the same period of time. Those who took vitamin D experienced greater overall health and less respiratory infections than those who did not. Laaksi was quick to say that the study reveals “some evidence” that vitamin D helps prevent respiratory infections, but that such a benefit is not entirely clear. Though 400 IU of vitamin D a day meets recommended government intake recommendations, many in the medical profession are now realizing that this level is far too low to offer much therapeutic effect. Some suspect that if a higher dose had been used in the study, the effects would have been even more significant. This hypothesis was illustrated in a recent Japanese study that administered 1,200 IU doses of vitamin D to schoolchildren. Those who took this dose every day had a much lower chance of developing influenza than others. It is, however, unclear which form of vitamin D the team used in the Finland study. Vitamin D2 is not as effective as vitamin D3, but researchers often use D2 in study trials, which can make vitamin D appear less effective. Sources for this story include: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67444320100805

Moms can reduce risk of eczema in their babies by taking probiotics

(NaturalNews) About 20 percent of babies and toddlers have the condition known as eczema which causes red, swollen and intensely itchy skin. It usually develops on the forehead, cheeks, and scalp, but it can spread to the arms, legs, chest and other parts of the body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 65 percent of eczema cases develop in the first year of life and 90 percent develop symptoms before the age of five. While many babies with eczema get better before they are two, others have cases of eczema that persist into adulthood. Evidence has accumulated over the past decade that this common skin problem is connected to something going on in the gut — and that probiotics, beneficial microorganisms similar to the “friendly” bacteria found naturally in the body’s digestive system, can help. For example, a review of 21 studies, published last year in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology , concluded probiotics were most useful in preventing atopic dermatitis, the most common type of eczema, from developing in the first place. And a groundbreaking new study, just published in the British Journal of Dermatology , found that when moms drank a probiotic supplement during their pregnancy and after their babies were born, the rate of eczema in their offspring was slashed by about half. This research, conducted by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), is especially convincing because it was a randomized, double-blind study comparing mothers who drank one glass of probiotic milk daily to women who drank milk containing a placebo. The research subjects drank the probiotic or placebo-laced milk beginning at week 36 in their pregnancy and continued consuming the drinks for three months after giving birth. The results were dramatic: the women who received the probiotic drink reduced the incidence of eczema by 40 percent in their offspring. “The taste of both products was similar, and the milk was delivered in unmarked milk cartons. This means that neither the participants in the study nor the researchers knew who had received probiotic milk or placebo milk,” NTNU scientist Torbjorn Oien said in a statement to the press. “We can therefore say with great certainty that it was the probiotic bacteria alone that caused the difference in the incidence of eczema between the two groups.” In fact, although earlier studies have provided evidence that ingestion of some probiotics by children may prevent eczema, this is the first study to show that probiotics given to mothers during pregnancy and breast-feeding prevents eczema. As NaturalNews has previously reported, probiotics in dietary supplements or in food such as yogurt, have also been found to be useful and safe in treating antibiotic-associated diarrhea children (http://www.naturalnews.com/026037_Chi_alternative_therapies_health.html). For more information: http://www.ntnu.edu/probiotic-use-in-pregnancy http://www.naturalnews.com/probiotics.html http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/762045-overview

Expectant mothers who take probiotics have healthier babies

(NaturalNews) Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) recently conducted a study on the effects of probiotic supplementation during pregnancy. The team found that mothers who drank probiotic-supplemented milk during their pregnancies cut their children’s risk of developing eczema by 40 percent. The study is part of a larger Norwegian research project being conducted by the university called “Prevention of Allergy Among Children in Trondheim”, or PACT. In this particular study, women were given either milk with probiotics or milk with a placebo, beginning at week 36 of their pregnancies. Neither group knew which formula they were drinking. Researchers evaluated the women and their children from pregnancy until the children were two years old before presenting their findings. “The taste of both products was similar, and the milk was delivered in unmarked milk cartons. This means that neither the participants in the study or the researchers knew who had received probiotic milk or placebo milk,” explained Torbjorn Oien, one of the study researchers. “We can therefore say with great certainty that it was the probiotic bacteria alone that caused the difference in the incidence of eczema between the two groups.” Probiotics have been studied quite heavily in recent years, and science continues to discover the many health-promoting benefits of this beneficial bacteria. “Probiotic bacteria favorably alter the intestinal microflora balance, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria (like Candida albicans, or “yeast”), promote good digestion, boost immune function, and increase resistance to infection. Probiotics also contain enzymes that help break down and digest dairy products like lactose in milk,” explains Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., in his book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What Treatments Work and Why . The Norwegian study is the first to identify a definitive link between probiotics and eczema prevention, particularly as the effects are passed down from mother to child. The team plans to conduct a follow-up study to evaluate the preventative effect of probiotics on allergies like asthma as well. Sources for this story include: http://www.ntnu.edu/probiotic-use-in-pregnancy http://www.naturalpedia.com/probiotic.html

Placebo Effect Breakthrough: It’s Not Just in the Mind. It Actually Alters Physiological Response of the Spine

(NaturalNews) The placebo effect can be traced in part to physical changes that take place in the spine when a fake drug is taken, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany, and published in the journal Science . The placebo effect refers to a phenomenon in which a person’s symptoms diminish after taking a biologically inactive treatment that they believe to be a real drug. It is a well-documented effect that is particularly strong for conditions originating in the central nervous system, such as pain and depression. “These results provide direct evidence for spinal inhibition as one mechanism of placebo analgesia and highlight that psychological factors can act on the earliest stages of pain processing in the central nervous system,” the researchers wrote. Researchers told 15 healthy men that their arms were being treated with two separate creams – one of them an anesthetic, the other a placebo. They then applied painful heat to the treated sections of the participants arms while taking a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan of their spinal cords. Both creams were, in fact, medically inactive placebos. Yet the men not only reported experiencing significantly less pain when treated with a cream they believed to be active, but the fMRI scans showed that the activity of the nerves in their spine was also significantly reduced. This shows that when given a placebo, the mind is not just filtering pain away – the body actually feels less. “It is deeply rooted in very, very early areas of the central nervous system. That definitely speaks for a strong effect,” lead researcher Falk Eippert said. The researchers still could not explain how the perception of treatment created an effect in the spine, however. They suggested that the body might respond to treatment with a perceived drug by releasing its own natural painkillers. Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com; www.medicalnewstoday.com.

Green Tea Extracts Halt Growth of Prostate Cancer Tumors

(NaturalNews) An extract made from one of the main antioxidants found in green tea may be able to slow the progression of prostate cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers from Louisiana state University and published in Cancer Prevention Research , a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Researchers gave 26 prostate cancer patients between the ages of 41 and 68′s four capsules of day of Polyphenon E, an extract of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) made by Polyphenon Pharma. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant to which many of the health benefits of green tea have been attributed. The dosage given to the participants in the study was equivalent to that acquired from drinking 12 cups of green tea per day. After 12 weeks, the researchers found that levels of the prostate cancer markers Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) had fallen by an average of 18.9 percent, 9.9 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively, indicating a slowed progression of the disease. PSA is a marker of inflammation, and indicates disease severity in prostate cancer patients. HGF and VEGF are both produced by prostate tumors as they spread to other parts of the body. In some patients, HGF and VEGF levels fell as much as 30 percent upon treatment with the EGCG extract. The researchers were cautiously optimistic about the study findings. “It’s still in an early stage,” researcher Jim Cardelli said. “Green tea can keep cancer from growing very fast, but it may not be able to shrink tumors. But it can be a good addition to traditional therapies, like chemo (chemotherapy) or radiation.” Researchers do not know whether the same effects could be seen in other cancers, but the antioxidants in green tea have previously been linked to a reduced risk of a variety of cancers, skin and autoimmune conditions, cardiovascular disease and inflammation. Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com.

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