Ganoderma Health Theory - I

Ganoderma mushrooms provide a number of benefits to health which can be easily understood with basic concepts of ganotherapy. These three basic concepts of ganoderma health theory also called ganotherapy are enough to understand the working and application of ganoderma. Ganoderma isn't a drug or medication based on modern health theory but its a herb, a natural traditional herb which works on natural theory of health. So, in order to understand how and where, we can find ganoderma's effectiveness, we have to understand its bare basics which are based on traditional view and are a part of alternative health which may or may not be agreeable to followers of modern health theory. There are so many health theories each based on some different principle and we can not judge one theory based on principles of another health theory.

Ganoderma's health theory called ganotherapy has some basic assumptions on how and where it works. These basic assumptions do not help in understanding the basis of ganoderma's working but they only throw a light on who could expect health benefits from ganoderma. One simple theory that I have or like to follow is 'Fill it and Forget it'. I don't think that discussing how, what, where and why of any alternative health theory or modern health theory helps in solving a health problem. Discussing and learning about these aspects only help us in understanding how it works and has nothing to do with how effective it can prove for health status of our body system. I think it is better to try it for some time and see the results, results will make it clear whether there is an underlying health theory in ganoderma or any other ganoderma based products. It will also clarify whether it is real gold or something artificially polished like gold.

There are so many aspects of health and health theories that it becomes difficult to conclude anything. I've noticed that over time a single product is reported to be good, then bad, then good for one part of body or another based on new researches. These researches are not meant for common man but for health professionals who understand there basics and what this actually meant. A common man is only perplexed with all these complexities. We cannot research on a product like a health professionals due to lack of skills or due to lack of time to investigate every detail. We only need well researched or proven health plan which is simplified and easy to follow. Anything which is result oriented and effective solves our problem. In case of ganoderma, it isn't a modern artificially generated product or a health product developed by modern man in light of latest modern health theories. Ganoderma is a well estabilished product with credentials that no one can deny, ganoderma is not a dot com bubble which has surfaced due to contemporary reasons. It is another issue that today in the modern world of schemes and scams, anything which gains popularity is immediately imitated by many with both real and fake products. Sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish between real and fake as at times fake seems to be more attractive and effective then real. I think nature must learn some tricks from modern man and work on overall look and appearance of its own creation.

This is first part of Ganoderma Health Theory and discussion on Ganotherapy continues in second part of this article also published with this one.

Yogesh Bailwal has been promoting Ganoderma and Ganoderma based products to those who are seeking natural health in today's atmosphere of polluted environment and polluted lifestyle. He accidentally discovered ganoderma and its health benefits when he was going through a difficult time. He believes in ganoderma's natural way of working on our body system and thinks that it is a perfect solution for those who are unable to take care of there health due to illness, age, disability, working condition, habits or any other factor which prevent a person from following other natural ways to health like exercising, yoga, meditation, sports etc. He manages a website on ganoderma and natural ways to care for health, with Infowebservices.org.
Above article is the first part of Basic Concept of Ganoderma Health Theory-II also published with this article on Ganotherapy.

High Blood Pressure, Tips on Natural Ways to Lower Your High Blood Pressure

How you can, on a natural way, lower your blood pressure. In this document we give some tips to help you achieve your pressure decrease. The purpose of this document is not to replace your medication nor doctor but rather a general awareness among people the importance of a correct balanced diet. This document is meant for the European point of view and therefor only applicable for the European market.

Medical name

The medical term for high blood pressure is hypertension. We speak of hypertension when the systolic blood pressure is = or

Risk factor

High or elevated blood pressure is a major risk factor for getting a heart attack or a stroke. Many adults suffer from hypertension, it is estimated over 30%. But not everyone is aware of this and the risks this entails. Hypertension is called the "silent killer", and it is not a disease in the usual way of the word, but it is certainly a risk factor which is best taken into account. Causes

Apart from any congenital abnormalities, the cause of hypertension is often a combination of factors, including too much stress, inadequate diet, insufficient exercise, smoking or excessive alcohol. However, it is possible to lower the blood pressure when applying some changes in lifestyle.

4 Tips

It is of great importance a high pressure is detected and managed in time so a heart attack or stroke can be prevented. Medications help prevent high blood pressure but often do not take the cause away. 4 tips for your high pressure by removing the cause:

Use less salt and less sugar; Both salt and sugar raise blood pressure and also have a strengthening effect on each other. Significantly reduce both the message.
Eat less red meat; It is still not entirely clear why red meat has a pressure elevating effect, but it is sure. A less red meat diet, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables has a clearly measurable reductions in blood pressure.
Provide more exercise; Exercise and sports are good for our body. Rest rusts, that's for sure. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking the car further away, telephoning standing, go dancing, an errand on a bike, find a new sporting hobby, there are plenty of opportunities to increase physical activity as you are aware, and your actively to reduce pressure.
Use products that have a beneficial effect on pressure; extra virgin olive oil, dark chocolate, green tea

New, Ganoderma Lucidum

Recently men discovered that there is a herb that can help you fight your hypertension on a natural way. It is a mushroom that listens to the name Ganoderma Lucidum. And although that mushroom is known for thousands of years in China for its medicinal properties and its Chinese name (Ling Zhi) means season with spiritual power is it only briefly in the interest of medical science.

One cause of hypertension is blood vessel constriction by the accumulation of fats and cholesterol in the blood vessel wall but also thrombosis. The blood vessel is so narrow and the heart must pump harder as the pressure increases. Now it has been discovered that the Triterpenes in the mushroom constriction of blood vessels to go through the stored fat and cholesterol reduction. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP) Ganoderma has the ability to solve thrombosis. The blood flows much easier so for the heart this means less need to work hard and so is therefore a natural way to prevent hypertension.

Recently available as a supplement in Ganoderma Tea, Coffee and Hot Chocolate and so you work on a healthier vascular system while enjoying tea, coffee or hot chocolate milk.

More information on Ganoderma Lucidum / Reishi you will find at: http://www.ganoderma.be/en/a-cholesterol-diet-can-you-lower-your-cholesterol-with-a-diet/

Researchers Investigate 'Healthy' Obesity Gene

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Genetics;  Diabetes
Article Date: 05 Jun 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
'Researchers Investigate 'Healthy' Obesity Gene'

Why is it that some obese people are healthier than others? This was one of the main questions Dr. Chaodong Wu of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Texas A&M University System - and a group of researchers tried to answer in a recent study.

The study, which will appear in a July issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, used genetically modified mice to investigate the genetic aspects of why some obese people do not develop certain medical problems typically associated with obesity, especially Type 2 diabetes.

Wu noted that Xin Guo, a Ph.D. candidate in the college's department of nutrition and food sciences, contributed significantly to the study.

"Previous research had indicated that a regulatory enzyme which is encoded by the gene PFKFB3 protects against diet-induced fat tissue inflammation and systemic insulin resistance," said Wu, who also has a Texas AgriLife Research appointment. "Increasing evidence shows that fat deposition, or amount, is not directly associated with the inflammation or insulin resistance in the development of obesity-related metabolic diseases."

Wu said the inducible 6-phosphorofructo-2-kinase (iPFK2) enzyme links metabolic and inflammatory responses and may underlie what he refers to as "healthy" obesity.

"While many obese people develop Type 2 diabetes, heart conditions and other chronic health problems associated with being significantly overweight, other obese people do not," he said. "And while obesity in general is not healthy, some obese people do not develop the diseases more commonly associated with a less-than-healthy diet. Furthermore, a number of thinner people may have the sort of health problems more typically associated with obesity."

Wu said he and the other researchers theorized that these diseases are associated with the cellular inflammatory response brought on by obesity.

"We also thought this gene could conceivably be targeted for use in the treatment of diabetes, especially Type 2, commonly associated with obesity," he said. "We wanted to find out what might happen to a subject if that particular gene was activated."

Wu and his fellow researchers used laboratory mice to explore the effect of a targeted adipocyte overexpression of the gene/enzyme combination on diet-induced inflammatory responses and insulin sensitivity.

"We were trying to find out what it is in adipose, or fat, tissue that may trigger a negative response that leads to disease - and how to modulate that response," he said. "In our study, we learned overexpression of the iPFK2 enzyme increases fat deposition, suppresses inflammatory responses and improves insulin sensitivity in both adipose and live tissues."

As an extension of this research, Wu said, it may be possible to identify a pharmacological agent or bioactive agent which may have the desired effect on this gene toward reducing obesity-related cellular inflammatory response.

"We're hoping that, as one of its outcomes, this research will help lead to finding bioactive compounds or some type of supplement that might be taken to help activate this gene toward the promotion of health," he said. "It would also be a good idea to compare and contrast this research with studies done on what constitutes a healthy diet and the effect of such a diet at a cellular level. "

Wu said that would allow for screening bioactive compounds in a healthy diet to determine to what degree these might be applicable for the treatment of disease brought on by unhealthy obesity in an animal model.

"As a further extension, one might study different types of obese people and try to isolate additional specific genes that determine a healthy versus an unhealthy obesity and find a way to modulate the expression of those genes toward disease prevention and health promotion," he said. "Once you find the link between the gene and the obese status of the individual, then you could work with experts in chemical research to produce or replicate whatever pharmacological or bioactive compound is needed to treat unhealthy obesity."

Wu said it is important to determine positively to what degree obesity as a health problem is due to a person's genetic makeup as it relates to their ability to store fat, as well as what type of fat - saturated or non-saturated - the individual may store.

"Fat composition is more important than fat deposition, or content," he said. "We know fat cells secrete some of their own bioactive compounds that we may be able to isolate and identify for use in promoting health."

Wu said it will be necessary to discover the role of certain genes in the composition and deposition of fats beyond what has already been identified as being stored in the adipose tissue of mice.

"Then we may be able to produce a dietary supplement or other bioactive compound that would have a positive health effect," he said. "This could be used as a targeted treatment for obesity-related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes in a way that would have limited or minimal side effects."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
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Alzheimer's Disease Process May Be Disrupted By Antioxidant

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Also Included In: Cholesterol
Article Date: 12 Apr 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
'Alzheimer's Disease Process May Be Disrupted By Antioxidant'

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now the sixth leading cause of death among Americans, affecting nearly 1 in 8 people over the age of 65. There is currently no treatment that alters the course of this disease. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that changes in the way the body handles iron and other metals like copper and zinc may start years before the onset of AD symptoms. A new study shows that reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect the brain from changes related to AD.

In the current study a group of investigators from led by Dr. Othman Ghribi, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Therapeutics, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, rabbits were fed a high-cholesterol diet which caused them to accumulate plaques of a small protein called beta-amyloid (Aß). These plaques are toxic to neurons and central to the development of Alzheimer's disease. The rabbits also developed changes in tau protein, which is part of the skeleton of neurons. When this protein becomes heavily phosphorylated, the ability of neurons to conduct electrical signals is disrupted. Following treatment with a drug called deferiprone (an iron chelator), the iron level in the rabbits' blood plasma was reduced and the levels of both beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau in the brain were returned to normal levels.

Another degenerative process in AD involves the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can damage neurons in the brain. Deferiprone is also thought to suppress this reactive oxygen damage caused by free iron in the bloodstream, however in this study there was no difference in reactive oxygen species in the treated group. It appears that iron in the AD brain is located in the wrong places - in particular it accumulates to very high levels in the cores of beta-amyloid plaques and is very reactive in this setting.

According to Dr. Ghribi, "Our data show that treatment with the iron chelator deferiprone opposes several pathological events induced by a cholesterol-enriched diet...Deferiprone reduced the generation of Aß and lowered levels of tau phosphorylation." While there was no effect on ROS levels, he comments that "It is possible that a higher dose of deferiprone, or combination therapy of deferiprone together with an antioxidant to prevent ROS generation would more-fully protect against the deleterious effects of cholesterol-enriched diet that are relevant to AD pathology."

Noted expert on metals metabolism research on AD Ashley Bush, MD, PhD, Mental Health Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia, adds that "this research highlights the role of metal ions as key modulators for the toxic interactions of risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, in this case cholesterol. Drugs targeting these metal interactions hold promise as disease-modifying agents."

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Genetic Variant Linked To Obesity And Insulin Resistance

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Genetics
Article Date: 28 Jun 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Genetic Variant Linked To Obesity And Insulin Resistance

A large study in people at risk of diabetes has found a direct association between the presence of a small genetic alteration in a hormone receptor and increased body fat and insulin resistance. The results, to be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston, suggest an adverse role for a previously described genetic variant, the BclI polymorphism.

"Our findings support the idea that even small variations in hormone receptor sensitivity can have metabolic implications, such as obesity or diabetes," said co-author Bastiaan Havekes, MD, PhD, of Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands.

"Endocrinologists should not just focus on hormone levels themselves. Taking into account hormone receptor sensitivity could help in better understanding hormone-mediated effects on metabolism," he said.

The inherited BclI polymorphism occurs in the gene encoding for the glucocorticoid receptor, which controls the actions of glucocorticoids, steroid hormones that affect every system in the body. This small variant makes the receptor more sensitive to glucocorticoids, resulting in greater effects with similar hormone levels, Havekes said.

The effects of this change appear to be similar to, although much smaller than, the excessive glucocorticoid exposure that can occur from certain medications or diseases, Havekes said. Such excess exposure can result in weight gain, especially around the abdomen, as well as in disturbed blood sugar metabolism. This exposure most often occurs from long-term use of prednisone or other glucocorticoid medications, which are widely used to treat inflammatory diseases or to suppress the immune system. It also can result from endocrine diseases such as Cushing's syndrome. Cushing's causes overproduction in the body of the glucocorticoid cortisol, often called the "stress hormone."

Patients in this study, however, did not have known excess exposure to glucocorticoids, according to Havekes. He and his co-investigators studied 1,228 adults who participated in one of two Dutch studies focusing on diabetes in the general population. More than half of the study participants had either prediabetes (23 percent) or Type 2 diabetes (33 percent). All subjects underwent genetic testing for the BclI polymorphism.

The researchers found that 519 subjects did not carry the alternative form of the gene, or G-allele, for the BclI polymorphism on either chromosome. Another 540 subjects were heterozygous carriers, meaning the G-allele was present on one of the two chromosomes. The remaining 169 subjects were homozygous carriers and therefore carried the G-allele on both chromosomes.

Those who had the BclI polymorphism on each chromosome had a significantly higher body mass index and larger waist and hip circumferences than did noncarriers or heterozygous carriers, the authors reported. This was reflected by greater insulin resistance, meaning that insulin is less effective at lowering blood glucose (blood sugar).

"Determining an individual's genetic risk profile for metabolic disease is of paramount importance to prevent development of cardiovascular diseases," he said. "Future studies concerning cardiovascular risk profiling should perhaps consider the BclI polymorphism."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
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Ganoderma - Could It Help In The Treatment Of Cancer?

By definition, Ganoderma is a "mushroom" from the green and vibrant Mycetes plant kingdom where short and tiny fungi that are unable to manufacture their own food like green plants--through photosynthesis--thrive. Within the plant kingdom, Ganoderma Lucidum belongs to a superior grade. Of all the many edible fungi in the kingdom, the Ganoderma mushroom stands out in its significant medicinal values.

Although Ganoderma may seem trivial to most people for it leads a parasitic life by breaking down and surviving on nutrients of other plants and animals, there is more to this mushroom than meets the eye. Known as the "superior herb," Ganoderma Lucidum is a rare variety of mushroom credited with the highest medicinal qualities in the Ancient China and is also a subject of many researches by various universities and organizations in the modern times. Also known as "Linghzi" in China--which is considered as an auspicious medicine because of its medical efficacy--and "Reishi" in Japan--which is called, the 'God's Herb', Ganoderma's worldwide popularity as a powerful medicinal herb continues to increase and is now mass-produced to help combat one of the dreaded diseases of today--cancer.

Ganoderma works best in the treatment of cancer because it helps cleanse the entire body from toxins while it strengthens immunity. It also contributes to the improvement of liver function while it stimulates the regeneration of liver cells--providing a very important supplement for those people who have liver cancer. Aside enhancing liver detoxification, the anti-cancer agents in Ganoderma which include Germanium and polysaccharides. The polysaccharide fraction of Ganoderma is responsible for its anti-tumor efficacy.

The indications for Ganoderma use in cancer include supplementation to reduce side-effects during radiotherapy or chemotherapy, to prolong survival, to improve quality of life, and to prevent occurrence or recurrence. While Ganoderma is used as a supplement during chemotherapy or radiotherapy to reduce side-effects such as loss of appetite, fatigue, hair loss, and risk of infection, it can also reduce the toxic and lessen the pains during the sessions particularly to cancer patients at terminal stages. Aside from helping the immune and endocrine system to prevent tumors, help improve the circulation and eliminate harmful free radicals, other qualities of Ganoderma that help in the treatment of cancer include the inhibition of DNA synthesis of the cancer cells, destroying the terminal enzyme activity of the tumor cells and restrain the spread of cancer cells.

Still, while Ganoderma has been recognized traditionally and scientifically as potentially useful in the treatment of cancer, there is still a notable discrepancy whether it can totally cure the Big "C" because of the lack of clinical trials demonstrating its efficacy. Despite these controversies, studies still suggest that though Ganoderma and its derivatives are not pharmaceuticals and have not undergone rigorous clinical trials to be tested against the disease, there are indirect clinical evidences to support its supplemental use in cancer.

Aside from being the biggest potential in curing cancer, the need to take Ganoderma is still indispensable for many illnesses are caused by the imbalance of body functions due to the accumulated toxins in the body.

Apart from removing the build-up of toxins, Ganoderma also protects and detoxifies the liver, prevents and cures heart diseases while it slows the aging process. It also has positive effect on insomnia, being a cure for high blood pressure and as effective treat diabetes. While it serves as a treatment for chronic bronchitis and asthma, Ganoderma also has effect on hyper susceptibility and is used as a beauty care medicine for the skin.

Terry Dunn is Webmaster of http://www.Ganoderma-Online.com - a Informational Resource about Ganoderma

Statins Cause Fatigue

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Statins
Also Included In: Cholesterol;  Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 14 Jun 2012 - 12:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Statins Cause Fatigue

Statin drugs are among the most widely used prescription drugs on the market, but now researchers say that the cholesterol-lowering drugs can cause fatigue and decreased energy upon exertion.

The study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and involved more than 1,000 adults.

According to the researchers, doctors should take these findings in to consideration when prescribing these drugs.

The side effects of statins, particularly their effect on exercise, have gained increasing attention in recent months. Although some patients on statins report fatigue or decreased energy, the occurrence of fatigue-with-exertion or decreased energy in these patients has not been addressed in previous trials.

As a result, Beatrice Golomb, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and her team enrolled more than 1,000 adults from San Diego in order to investigate the occurrence of these side effects. Individuals with cardiovascular disease and diabetes were excluded.

Study participants were randomly assigned to receive either one of two statins at relatively low doses: pravastatin (Pravachol) at 40mg, or simvastatin (Zocor) at 20mg, or placebo.

The researchers chose these satins as they were the most fat-soluble and water-soluble of the statins, at doses expected to produce similar LDL ("bad cholesterol") reduction. The team state that the LDL reduction would be comparable to that with atorvastatin (Lipitor) at 10mg, or rosuvastatin (Crestor) at 2.5-5mg.

Study participants were asked to rate their energy and fatigue with exertion relation to baseline, on a 5-point scale, from "much worse" to "much better."

The researchers found that participants who received statins were considerably more likely to rate their energy and fatigue-with-exertion as "much worse", than those given placebo. According to the researchers. The effect seemed stronger in participants given simvastatin. Simvastatin reduced cholesterol levels significantly.

Golomb explained: "Side effects of statins generally rise with increasing dose, and these doses were modest by current standards. Yet occurrence of this problem was not rare - even at these doses, and particularly in women."

According to the researchers if, for example, 4 of 10 women on simvastatin reported worsened energy or exertional fatigue; 2 in 10 reported worsening in both, or rated either one as "much worse"; or if 1 in 10 participants rated energy and exertional fatigue as "much worse."

Golomb said:

"Energy is central to quality of life. It also predicts interest in activity. Exertional fatigue not only predicts actual participation in exercise, but both lower energy and greater exertional fatigue may signal triggering of mechanisms by which statins may adversely affect cell health."

The researchers note that findings from this study should be taken into consideration by doctors in risk-benefit determinations for statins, particularly for women, people aged 70-75(even if heart disease is present), and most patients without cardiovascular disease.

Written By Grace Rattue

Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today Visit our statins section for the latest news on this subject. "Effects of Statins on Energy and Fatigue With Exertion: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial"
Beatrice A. Golomb, MD, PhD; Marcella A. Evans, BS; Joel E. Dimsdale, MD; Halbert L. White, PhD
Archives of Internal Medicine, June 2012, doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2012.2171 Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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'Statins Cause Fatigue'

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Diabetes Drug Pioglitazone Associated With Bladder Cancer Risk

Editor's Choice
Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Diabetes
Article Date: 01 Jun 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
'Diabetes Drug Pioglitazone Associated With Bladder Cancer Risk'

According to a study published in British Medical Journal (BMJ), a drug for treating type 2 diabetes called Pioglitazone is linked to a higher risk of bladder cancer and taking the drug continuously for longer than two years doubles the risk. The researchers stress, however, that the risk in absolute terms is relatively low with up to 137 extra cases per 100,000 person years.

Rosiglitazone, which is a similar drug, showed no increased risk. Both pioglitazone and rosiglitazone are thiazolidinediones, which help control blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and are known to increase the risk of heart failure, yet following a safety review, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) decided to keep pioglitazone on the market. ??

A Canadian team of researchers decided to investigate if pioglitazone was linked to a higher risk of bladder cancer in people with type 2 diabetes and after obtaining data from the General Practice Research Database (GPRD), they evaluated 115,727 patients who initiated diabetes therapy from 1988 to 2009. The GPRD contains anonymous patient records from over 600 UK GPs. The team identified cases of bladder cancer and matched them to up to 20 healthy control patients. ??

The results revealed that from 376 cases that were matched against 6,699 controls, 470 patients were diagnosed with bladder cancer during the average 4.6 years of follow-up, which translates to a rate of 89 per 100,000 person years, whilst the rate of bladder cancer in the general UK population aged 65 years and above is 73 per 100,000 person years. ??

Patients who had taken pioglitazone at any time were found to have a 83% higher risk of bladder cancer, which translates into 74 per 100,000 person years. The figures increased to 88 per 100,000 person years for those who had taken the drug for two years or longer and increased even further, to 137 per 100,000 person years those who had taken 28,000mg or more. ??

The researchers cross-checked the results in several further analyses, but the results remained consistent, and "provide evidence that pioglitazone is associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, whereas no increased risk was observed with the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone."??

They believe that these links may have been underestimated during earlier observational studies and comment that doctors, patients and regulatory agencies "should be aware of this association when assessing the overall risks and benefits of this therapy."??

Dominique Hillaire-Buys and Jean-Luc Faillie from the Department of Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology in Montpellier, France comment in a linked editorial: "It can confidently be assumed that pioglitazone increases the risk of bladder cancer. It also seems that this association could have been predicted earlier."

They continue saying that in view of pioglitazone's benefits of reducing cardiovascular events being questionable, they remark that, "prescribers who are ultimately responsible for therapeutic choices can legitimately question whether the benefit-risk ratio of pioglitazone is still acceptable for their patients with diabetes."

Written By Petra Rattue
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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Is Lingzhi the King of Herbs?

Ganoderma Lucidum, known in China as Lingzhi or Reishi in Japan and Yeongji in Korean is a type of mushroom that until recently, was a rare herb and only available to those rich and powerful. In nature, it lives mainly on dried trunks or stumps of trees such as maple, plum, guercus serrata or pasonia trees. Even then, only 2 or 3 out of 10,000 of such aged tree will have Lingzhi growing, therefore it is very scarce.

The oldest Chinese Medical text known today is the "Shen Nong's Herbal Classic", which is known in Japan

as " Shinnoh Honsohkyo". This herbal medicine book classifies 365 species into three categories:

* Superior: Herbs which are effective for multiple diseases and mostly responsible for maintaining and restoring the body balance. They have almost no unfavorable side effects, thus also called God's Herbs.

* Average: These are herbs mainly used as tonics and boosters, but their consumption must not be prolonged.

* Fair: Herbs in this category are taken as a remedy for certain ailments only and taken in small doses.

Treatments using herbs in fair and average category have be monitored carefully and should not be taken continuously. In the superior category, these herbs can be taken in any doses and continuously without unfavorable side effects. Amongst the Superior Herbs, Lingzhi is ranked number one, and was therefore the most exalted medicine in ancient times, thus it is also called" the King of Herbs". For centuries Lingzhi / Reishi is known to be a medicine that will grant you eternal youth and longevity.

Due to its medicinal properties and its rarity, many studies were carried out to cultivate Lingzhi / Reishi. With the success in cultivating Lingzhi, Lingzhi is now more readily available to us to use to maintain our health or treat illnesses. Scientists can now make more research to understand it's medicinal properties. One of the success is that Lingzhi is found to be effective in fighting against cancer, though many modern medicine professionals still discounted it, preferring the use of drugs and chemotherapy which have been shown to have many bad side effects.

Ganoderma Lucidum ( Lingzhi / Reishi ) are now used in many forms and are produced in several ways to extract the best medicinal properties. In it's pure powder form, it is still quite expensive, about 30 cents per capsule and is usually taken 2 to 4 capsules per day for health maintenance. The less expensive method is consuming coffee, tea and other beverages which contains Ganoderma or Lingzhiin it. Some of these are now popularly known as Healthy Coffee, Lingzhi Coffee or Gano Coffee. Thousands now have reaped the benefit of drinking such coffee, feeling less tired, more energetic with much less caffeine than the normal coffee that they had before. Treatment using Ganoderma Lucidum is also called by some as Ganotherapy.

There have been numerous testimonials and studies showing the excellent medicinal properties of Lingzhi, which is also known as Ganoderma Lucidum, Reishi or Yeongji which confirms that it is indeed The King of Herbs.

Salmah is a partner in Your Total Health Center at [http://www.urtotalhealth.com] and [http://www.cureforhealth.com] and consumes ganoderma daily to maintain her health.

Shedding Light On Human Sweet Perception, Metabolic Disorders With The Help Of Honey Bees

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Genetics;  Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 03 Jul 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Shedding Light On Human Sweet Perception, Metabolic Disorders With The Help Of Honey Bees

Scientists at Arizona State University have discovered that honey bees may teach us about basic connections between taste perception and metabolic disorders in humans.

By experimenting with honey bee genetics, researchers have identified connections between sugar sensitivity, diabetic physiology and carbohydrate metabolism. Bees and humans may partially share these connections.

In a study published in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics (Public Library of Science), Gro Amdam, an associate professor, and Ying Wang, a research scientist, in the School of Life Sciences in ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, explain how for the first time, they've successfully inactivated two genes in the bees' "master regulator" module that controls food-related behaviors. By doing so, researchers discovered a possible molecular link between sweet taste perception and the state of internal energy.

"A bee's sensitivity to sugar reveals her attitude towards food, how old the bee is when she starts searching for nectar and pollen, and which kind of food she prefers to collect," said Wang, the lead author of the paper. "By suppressing these two 'master' genes, we discovered that bees can become more sensitive to sweet taste. But interestingly, those bees also had very high blood sugar levels, and low levels of insulin, much like people who have Type 1 diabetes."

In Amdam's honey bee lab at ASU, scientists suppressed two genes including vitellogenin, which is similar to a human gene called apolipoprotein B, and ultraspiracle, which partners with an insect hormone that has some functions in common with the human thyroid hormone. The team is the first in the world to accomplish this double gene-suppressing technique. Researchers used this method to understand how the master regulator works.

"Now, if one can use the bees to understand how taste perception and metabolic syndromes are connected, it's a very useful tool," said Amdam, who also has a honey bee laboratory at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. "Most of what we know about deficits in human perceptions is from people who are very sick or have had a brain trauma. We know shockingly little about people in this area."

The researchers are now considering how, exactly, the bees' sweet taste was enhanced by the experiment. The most metabolically active tissue of the bee, called the fat body, may hold the key. The fat body is similar to the liver and abdominal fat in humans, in that it helps store nutrients and create energy.

Amdam explains that taste perception evolved as a survival mechanism, for bees as well as for people. For example, bitter foods may be poisonous or sweet taste may signal foods rich in calories for energy. For all animals, taste perception must communicate properly with one's internal energetic state to control food intake and maintain normal life functions. Without this, poorly functioning taste perception can contribute to unhealthy eating behaviors and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity.

"From this study, we realized we can take advantage of honey bees in understanding how food-related behaviors interact with internal metabolism, as well as how to manipulate these food-related behaviors in order to control metabolic disorders," added Amdam.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our diabetes section for the latest news on this subject. In addition to Amdam and Wang, the team included former ASU research partners Colin Brent, a research entomologist with the USDA, and Erin Fennern, now with Oregon Health Science University.
A new-born honey bee worker (Apis mellifera) breaks free from her nursery chamber in the colony nest. A few weeks later, she will leave the hive in search for nectar and pollen to feed her siblings and mother queen. The genes vitellogenin and ultraspiracle, which regulate the bees’ behavioral transition to foraging tasks, also coordinate their carbohydrate metabolism, blood sugar levels, sweet taste, and several metabolic genes in adipose tissue. When vitellogenin and ultraspiracle are simultaneously suppressed in adipose cells, the bees develop a metabolic syndrome similar to Type 1 diabetes:
https://asunews.asu.edu/files/5p4r5064.jpg
Photo by: Christofer Bang
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'Good' Cholesterol, May Not Protect Against Heart Disease

Main Category: Heart Disease
Also Included In: Cholesterol
Article Date: 09 May 2012 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
''Good' Cholesterol, May Not Protect Against Heart Disease'

A new study by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers has found that a subclass of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol, may not protect against coronary heart disease (CHD) and in fact may be harmful.

This is the first study to show that a small protein, apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III), that sometimes resides on the surface of HDL cholesterol may increase the risk of heart disease and that HDL cholesterol without this protein may be especially heart protective.

The study was published online in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

"This finding, if confirmed in ongoing studies, could lead to better evaluation of risk of heart disease in individuals and to more precise targeting of treatments to raise the protective HDL or lower the unfavorable HDL with apoC-III," said Frank Sacks, professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at HSPH and senior author of the study.

A high level of HDL cholesterol is strongly predictive of a low incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). But trials of drugs that increase HDL cholesterol have not consistently shown decreases in CHD, leading to the hypothesis that HDL cholesterol may contain both protective and non-protective components.

ApoC-III, a proinflammatory protein, resides on the surface of some lipoproteins - both HDL and low-density lipoproteins, or LDL ("bad") cholesterol. The researchers, led by Sacks and Majken Jensen, research associate in the Department of Nutrition at HSPH, examined whether the existence or absence of apoC-III on HDL cholesterol affected the "good" cholesterol's heart-protective qualities, and whether its existence could differentiate HDL cholesterol into two subclasses - those which protect against the risk of future heart disease and those which do not.

Blood samples collected in 1989 and 1990 from 32,826 women in the Brigham and Women's Hospital-based Nurses' Health Study were examined, along with blood samples collected from 1993 to 1995 from 18,225 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. During 10 to 14 years of follow-up, 634 cases of coronary heart disease were documented and matched with controls for age, smoking, and date of blood drawing.

The researchers compared plasma concentrations of total HDL, HDL that has apoC-III, and HDL without apoC-III as predictors of the risk of CHD.

After adjusting for age, smoking status and other dietary and lifestyle cardiovascular risk factors, the researchers found that two different subclasses of HDL have opposite associations with the risk of CHD in apparently healthy men and women. The major HDL type, which lacks apoC-III, had the expected heart-protective association with CHD. But the small fraction (13%) of HDL cholesterol that has apoC-III present on its surface was paradoxically associated with a higher, not lower, risk of future CHD. Those men and women who had HDL apoC-III in the highest 20% of the population had a 60% increased risk of CHD.

The results suggest that measuring HDL apoC-III and HDL without apoC-III rather than the simpler measure of total HDL may be a better gauge of heart disease risk (or of HDL's protective capacity). "Reduction in HDL-apoC-III by diet or drug treatments may become an indicator of efficacy," said Jensen.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our heart disease section for the latest news on this subject. The study was supported by The National Institutes of Health and the Villum Kann Rasmussen Foundation (Denmark).
"Apolipoprotein C-III as a Potential Modulator of the Association Between HDL-Cholesterol and Incident Coronary Heart Disease," Majken K. Jensen, Eric B. Rimm, Jeremy D. Furtado, Frank M. Sacks, Journal of the American Heart Association, April 2012.
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Food In Smaller Pieces May Help Control Weight

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Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 12 Jul 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Food In Smaller Pieces May Help Control Weight

Cutting up food into smaller pieces may help people control their weight more easily because they are more satisfying to eat than one large piece with the same number of calories, according to a new study presented at a conference this week.

The 2012 meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, which runs from 10 to 14 July in Zurich, Switzerland, heard how the researchers concluded that humans, like animals, seem to find eating food as smaller pieces more enjoyable and satisfying.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, lead author Devina Wadhera, from the Department of Psychology at Arizona State University in the US, suggests:

"Cutting up energy-dense meal foods into smaller pieces may be beneficial to dieters who wish to make their meal more satiating while also maintaining portion control."

Previous studies have already suggested that larger portions lead people to eat more. For this study, Wadhera and colleagues focused on the number and size of food pieces, because it is also known that humans and other animals judge food quantity using several cues, of which number is one, with larger numbers usually taken to mean larger amounts.

For instance, in 1989, a team of researchers ran a series of intriguing experiments with rats in mazes. In the first experiment they trained rats in a T-maze using 4 x 75 mg food pellets in one arm of the T, and a single 300 mg pellet in the other arm.

The rats developed a preference for the 4 x 75 mg arm, and when the researchers reversed the arms, the rats also switched their preference. This indicated, when faced with the same weight of food, the rats preferred the four-pellet alternative to the single pellet one.

In a slightly different version of the experiment, the researchers put 4 x 45 mg pellets in one arm and a single 300 mg pellet in the other. But this time the rats showed a preference for the 300 mg arm, indicating they were choosing weight over number of pieces. This was confirmed in a third experiment, when the choice was either 4 x 45 mg, or 4 x 75 mg pellets.

The researchers in that study concluded that rats prefer multiple to single food units, and judge a given weight of food as greater when the number of units is greater. They proposed that this apparent "failure of conservation" may be common to other species, including humans.

So to test the idea in humans, Wadhera and colleagues invited 301 college students to take part in an experiment where they gave each an 82 g bagel, either uncut or cut into four.

Twenty minutes after eating the bagel, the students were invited to eat as much as they wanted from a measured amount of food at a free lunch (the test meal).

Any left over bagel or test meal was then measured to assess what each student had eaten.

The results showed that the students who ate the single, uncut bagel, ate more calories from both the bagel and the test meal, than their fellow counterparts who were given the bagel as four pieces.

Wadhera said this showed that eating food cut into several pieces may be more satiating than eating it as a single, uncut portion.

The idea of manipulating perception to fool the body about food, was also taken up in another study reported in February 2012, where researchers from the Netherlands found that manipulating the aroma of food caused people to take smaller bites, resulting in up to 10% reduction in intake per bite. They suggested aroma control combined with portion control could fool the body into thinking it was full with a smaller amount of food.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Visit our obesity / weight loss / fitness section for the latest news on this subject. EJ Capaldi and others (1989); "Multiple-food-unit-incentive effect: Nonconservation of weight of food reward by rats" Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes.
Additional source: Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior.
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posted by Joanne on 11 Jul 2012 at 5:47 am

Truly a fascinating study and outcome. I wonder, though, if this same approach would work when the subject knows the purpose. In other words, while I probably won't tell my family why I am serving things in pieces rather than whole, I still know the "why" for my own dinner and I wonder if, like eating from a smaller plate, etc., knowing the intent potentially changes the outcome.

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'Food In Smaller Pieces May Help Control Weight'

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Metabolic Output Profoundly Influenced By Circadian Rhythms

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Also Included In: Diabetes;  Cholesterol
Article Date: 21 Mar 2012 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
'Metabolic Output Profoundly Influenced By Circadian Rhythms'

By analyzing the hundreds of metabolic products present in the liver, researchers with the UC Irvine Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism have discovered that circadian rhythms - our own body clock - greatly control the production of such key building blocks as amino acids, carbohydrates and lipids.

They identified more than 600 liver-originated metabolites, which are the chemical substances created by metabolism that sustain and promote cell health and growth. Approximately 60 percent of these metabolites were found to be dependent on the endogenous circadian clock - many more than expected, as only about 15 percent of the body's genes are regulated by it.

Circadian rhythms over 24 hours govern fundamental biological and physiological processes in almost all organisms. They anticipate environmental changes and adapt certain bodily functions to the appropriate time of day. Disruption of these cycles can seriously affect human health.

Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism director Paolo Sassone-Corsi, lead author on the study and one of the world's preeminent researchers on circadian rhythms, said the liver metabolites reveal how the body clock - through the main circadian gene, CLOCK - orchestrates the interplay between metabolites and signaling proteins in much the same way a conductor leads a symphony.

"Metabolites and signaling proteins - like the horns and strings in an orchestra - need to be perfectly coordinated, and we've found that CLOCK provides that direction," he said.

Since external cues such as day-night lighting patterns and nutrition influence the circadian machinery, metabolites and their relationship to signaling proteins in cells seem to be acutely tied to circadian disruptions. This may help explain, Sassone-Corsi added, some of the primary physiological factors underlying obesity, high cholesterol and metabolic-based diseases like diabetes.

"This interplay has far-reaching implications for human illness and aging, and it is likely vital for proper metabolism," he said. Study results appear this week in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"By identifying the relationship between metabolites and the body clock, we have taken a first step toward a better understanding of how nutrients interact with our metabolism, giving researchers a new opportunity to spot the optimal times for us to get the fullest benefits from the foods we eat and the medications we take," added Kristin Eckel-Mahan, a UCI postdoctoral researcher in biological chemistry and study co-author.

Working with Metabolon Inc., Sassone-Corsi and Eckel-Mahan created the first liver metabolome - the full set of metabolites. With this information, they partnered with Pierre Baldi, director of UCI's Institute for Genomics & Bioinformatics, and his graduate student Vishal Patel to analyze the data and build CircadiOmics, a Web-based data system that provides detailed profiles of the metabolites and related genes in the liver and the underlying networks through which they interact.

"Within CircadiOmics, we were able to integrate this circadian metabolite data with multiple other data sources to generate the first comprehensive map of the liver metabolome and its circadian oscillations and develop regulatory hypotheses that have been confirmed in the laboratory," said Baldi, Chancellor's Professor of computer science. "CircadiOmics is being expanded with metabolic data about other tissues and conditions and will be invaluable to further our understanding of the interplay between metabolism and circadian rhythms in healthy and diseased states."

Robert Mohney and Katie Vignola of Metabolon, in Durham, N.C., contributed to the study, which received National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation support.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
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What the Heck Is Healthy (or Gano or Ganoderma or Reishi) Coffee?

If you drink coffee, here's something that you may be interested in: a healthier coffee!

Coffee is the most consumed beverage on the planet and is the second-most traded commodity on the stock exchanges, after oil, and more and more people are getting into the coffee business as distributors and affiliates.

And, as I said, the market is huge.

There are over 108 million coffee consumers in the United States making coffee consumption $50 billion-a-year.

The dietary supplement industry sales total $20 billion-a-year.

The health and wellness industry reached $68 billion in 2004.

The "healthy coffee" market combines all three of these industries into one Great Cup of Coffee!

So, what is "Healthy coffee?" Healthy coffee is just great-tasting, black, Brazilian coffee that is mixed with Ganaderma, the "King" of the herbs. The Chinese name for Ganoderma is Lingzhi and in Japan this same herb is called Reishi.

By combining the second largest traded commodity on earth along with the benefits of Ganoderma (Red Mushroom), "healthy coffee" is quickly becoming the healthy beverage of choice!

One sector of this booming business is dominated by the MLM (multi-level marketing) companies. This marketing sector includes companies such as Gano Excel, Organo Gold, Serenigy, Javafit, Javita, Healthy Coffee and so on. Due to the structure of MLM in general, with 7 or 8 or more levels of commissions, sign-up bonuses, car programs and so on, the coffee products, to support all this, are priced sky-high. Coffee itself becomes secondary to the marketing plan and this explains the compulsive nature of recruitment that is found in the MLM "opportunity" meeting.

There is, as far as I know, only one company is offering Ganoderma coffee as part of an affiliate program with a sane yet handsome commission schedule.

Well, enough about that. Let me tell you something happened about two weeks ago. My weight dropped 4 pounds and has stayed there this past week, and I'm not even on a diet! How did this happen?

I started cutting down on my coffee-drinking recently while on a business trip to Sacramento and switched to a product from a company called Ganobrand that is known as "healthy coffee." By coincidence, and inadvertently and unintentionally, I lost 4 pounds that week, and I wasn't cutting down on my eating!

Ganoderma apparently has some properties that help with weight-loss in some way because I have lost 4 pounds, etc.

From my reading, Ganoderma contains over 150 nutrients.

Ganoderma Lucidum (Red Mushroom) has been prized over the centuries and dates back more than 4,000 years. Ancient generations realized Ganoderma provided them more vigor and energy, while reducing fatigue.

Ganoderma is said to be more powerful than Ginseng and has very low acid content.

There are several coffee products available and the most popular is the "2-in-1."

"2-in-1" means that there are two things in each coffee packet - coffee and Ganoderma and nothing else. The coffee is sold in boxes of single-serving packets, 20 or 30 packets to the box, and looks much like the Starbucks Via product.

There are also low caffeine products available. These are not decaffeinated but they achieve lower caffeine content by using less coffee in the mix. Typically, there are 50 mg of caffeine per serving in the low caffeine mix.

As far as I'm concerned, "healthy coffee" is a great product. I've been using it for about a month now and I've lost 4 pounds without changing my diet, which was completely unexpected! My entire mid-section seems to have "tightened up" and, to be frank, I'm more regular! In addition, remarks have been very positive coming back from the samples I've given out.

The above information has not been evaluated by the FDA. We do not claim that Ganoderma coffee products prevent, cure, treat, mitigate or diagnose any ailments or disease. We do not suggest that anyone should replace traditional medical treatment with our products. If you are under a physician's care, it is very important that you do not discontinue or reduce any prescription medication without first consulting your physician.

Steve Downing is an affiliate of Gano Brand Healthy Coffee - Try some of our healthy coffee today. The price is great, you'll love the coffee and you'll feel better - and maybe even lose a few pounds. Visit my website today. I have tons of entertaining videos on my site:
Gano Brand Healthy Coffee

Can Artificial Sweeteners Aid Weight Loss? Yes, But Don't Compensate!

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Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness;  Diabetes;  Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 10 Jul 2012 - 11:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Can Artificial Sweeteners Aid Weight Loss? Yes, But Don't Compensate!

Artificial sweeteners, also known as non-nutritive sweeteners, may help people reach their body weight goal, and also maintain a healthy body weight, researchers reported in two journals, Circulation and Diabetes Care. However, users have to make sure they do not "compensate" by eating high-calorie foods. An example of "compensating" might be ordering a diet coke and also a large slice of chocolate cake.

Non-nutritive sweeteners are also known as low-calorie sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, non-caloric sweetners, and intense sweeteners.

The American Diabetes Association stated that for diabetes patients, using artificial sweeteners on their own or in foods and drinks may help aid glucose control if "used appropriately".

In a new scientific statement issued by the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association, replacing added sugars in drinks and other foods with non-nutritive sweeteners can, if used appropriately, help people lose weight and keep it off.

However, according to the article in Circulation, there is limited compelling scientific evidence that using artificial sweeteners is effective in the long-term for reducing calorie intake and consuming fewer added sugars.

The American Heart Association (AHA) states that a high dietary sugar intake is a contributory factor for obesity, cardiovascular disease, and developing type 2 diabetes. Added sugar consumption should not exceed 100 calories per day for women and 150 calories for men, if the consumer does not wish to increase the risk of the diseases and conditions mentioned above, the AHA adds.

Experts say "Do not compensate" - Do not have a diet drink together with a high-calorie meal

Another problem with sugary foods and drinks is that they displace nutritious food consumption, which may not only lead to weight gain, but also some level of malnutrition - i.e. the person may not be consuming the right balance of vitamins, minerals, fiber and proteins for good health.

Christopher Gardner, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Stanford University in California, said:

"While they are not magic bullets, smart use of non-nutritive sweeteners could help you reduce added sugars in your diet, therefore lowering the number of calories you eat. Reducing calories could help you attain and maintain a healthy body weight, and thereby lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. But there are caveats."

Examples of non-nutritive sweeteners quoted by the authors include: aspartameacesulfame-Kneotamesaccharinsucraloseplant-derived steviaThe authors explained that to date, studies on whether artificial sweeteners used to displace calorie-rich sweeteners, such as added sugars, may result in a reduction in carbohydrate consumption (desirable for diabetes control), calorie consumption, body weight control are inconclusive. Studies are also inconclusive regarding artificial sweeteners' long-term impact on appetite, and the reduction of other risk factors linked to heart disease and diabetes.

Dr. Garner said:

"Determining the potential benefits from non-nutritive sweeteners is complicated and depends on where foods or drinks containing them fit within the context of everything you eat during the day.

For example, if you choose a beverage sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners instead of a 150-calorie soft drink, but then reward yourself with a 300-calorie slice of cake or cookies later in the day, non-nutritive sweeteners are not going to help you control your weight because you added more calories to your day than you subtracted.

However, if you substitute the beverage with non-nutritive sweeteners for a 150-calorie sugar-sweetened soft drink, and don't compensate with additional calories, that substitution could help you manage your weight because you would be eating fewer calories. "

For people with diabetes, soft drinks with artificial sweeteners do not raise blood glucose levels, and can therefore provide patients with a "sweet option", says the American Diabetes Association. However, people need to select carefully; just because something says it has artificial sweeteners instead of sugar does not necessarily mean it is a "free" food or a healthy one.

Diane Reader, R.D., CDE, manager of professional training at the International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis, Minn., said:

"The use of non-nutritive sweeteners may be used in a carbohydrate-controlled food plan, to potentially reduce carbohydrate intake which may aid in weight management and diabetes control."

The American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association both stressed that their new statement on artificial sweeteners does not evaluate the safety of such ingredients; this is done by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).

Garner said:

"For anyone trying to monitor or reduce their intake of calories or added sugars, the potential impact of choosing 'diet products' with non-nutritive sweeteners needs to be considered within the context of the overall diet. Strategies for reducing calories and added sugars also involves choosing foods which have no added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners - such as vegetables, fruits, high-fiber whole grains, and non or low-fat dairy."

The authors believe that well-designed human studies that address the specific, practical, public health issues related to artificial sweeteners are needed.

Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
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posted by Millie on 11 Jul 2012 at 4:02 am

While I appreciate all of the information shared in Medical News Today, I have found that the recommendations and recipes from the American Diabetes Association are too high in carbohydrates for those with insulin resistant Type II diabetes. Diet sodas with phosphoric acid and unsafe chemical sugar substitutes are unhealthy. Do many wonder why they only drink diet sodas but never lose weight?

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How Dietary Fat Regulates Cholesterol Absorption

Main Category: Cholesterol
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 26 Jun 2012 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
How Dietary Fat Regulates Cholesterol Absorption

Buttery shrimp. Fried eggs. Burgers and fries. New research suggests there may be a biological reason why fatty and cholesterol-rich foods are so appealing together.

It has been known for more than 40 years that dietary fat promotes cholesterol uptake, but fundamental aspects of that process remain poorly understood. James Walters, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the Carnegie Institution for Science are using zebrafish to better understand the cellular mechanisms of cholesterol processing and have discovered a surprising link between dietary fat and cholesterol absorption.

"One reason these questions remain unknown is because of the difficulty of studying such a complex biological system as the intestine," which in addition to multiple cell types also includes a diverse array of enzymes, mucus, and symbiotic bacteria, he said in a presentation at the 2012 International Zebrafish Development and Genetics Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

As a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Steven Farber's lab at the Carnegie Institution for Science, in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Walters turned to young zebrafish, which provide a biologically complete and scientifically accessible system for studying the workings of the gut.

"Because the larval zebrafish are optically clear, we can visualize fat transport and processing by looking right through their body wall into the intestine where the action is," Dr. Walters said.

He developed a way to feed zebrafish a diet high in lipids (e.g., fat and cholesterol) or high in protein and low in lipids. He accomplished this by turning to the chicken egg, whipping fish water with the yolk for a high-lipid diet and the egg white as a high-protein diet. Before feeding these diets, fluorescently tagged cholesterol or fatty acid was added, enabling the microscopic viewing of how lipids are absorbed and processed by the intestinal cells.

Dr. Walters found that cholesterol was only absorbed when the fish ate a high-fat diet, not a low-fat diet. The fats and cholesterol were packaged into separate and clearly visible compartments within the cells. "You can tell which larvae had eggs for breakfast," he said.

The researchers also found that some long-chain fatty acids, particularly a common one called oleic acid, were especially effective for promoting cholesterol uptake. They provided evidence that oleic acid acts to drive a cholesterol transport protein from within the intestinal cell to the cell surface, where it can interact with cholesterol passing through the gut and pull it into the cell. More details of the new work will be published soon.

Their findings suggest a tightly regulated system in which cholesterol is only taken up by the intestine in the presence of fats. One reason such regulation is important, Dr. Walters said, is that unprocessed cholesterol can be toxic to cells and requires fatty acid-mediated modification to render it safe in a process called esterification.

"In nature, cholesterol and fatty acids go hand in hand. It makes sense that you could use dietary fatty acids as a cue for the transport protein to translocate to the cell surface and that dietary cholesterol may be available for absorption," he said. "The protein isn't displayed on the cell surface unless its preferred substrate for making cholesterol less toxic is also there."

Dr. Walters and his colleagues are now exploring the system's potential for studying and testing compounds that can block the absorption of dietary cholesterol, including one drug already on the market.

"Diet is a huge modulator of human disease," says Dr. Walters. "Our work demonstrates the power of the zebrafish larval system to provide fresh insights into the process of intestinal cholesterol absorption. It gives us a way to look at these processes for the first time in the context of a whole organism."

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posted by Anna on 26 Jun 2012 at 3:41 am

The body requires huge amounts of cholesterol everyday to make hormones and other products, why would you want to block the uptake of cholesterol from the diet? We need to make more cholesterol than we could possibly ever eat!

'High cholesterol' in the blood is a totally different situation and will not be altered by dietary cholesterol.

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'How Dietary Fat Regulates Cholesterol Absorption'

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