half of normal weight and half overweight or obese. It found that among those with excess pounds, the low-glycemic diet reduced “C-reactive protein” by 22%. This is a major marker that indicates inflammation in the body.

C-reactive protein has long been tied to a higher risk for cancers and heart disease. So, in a way, choosing high-fiber foods is a cancer prevention diet. Lowering inflammation is vital for reducing a broad range of health risks. This low-glycemic diet can improve health for the tens of millions of Americans who are overweight or obese.

They also discovered that this type of diet increased the blood levels of a hormone called “adiponectin” by about five percent. This plays a key role in protecting against several cancers, including breast cancer, as well as metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and hardening of the arteries.

“Glycemic load” refers to how the intake of carbohydrates, adjusted for total grams of carbohydrate, affects blood-sugar levels. Lentils or pinto beans have a glycemic load that is approximately three times lower than instant mashed potatoes, for example, and therefore won’t cause blood-sugar levels to rise as quickly.

The bottom line: when you are protecting against chronic disease, not all carbohydrates are equal. You want quality carbs, including whole grains, legumes such as kidney beans, soy beans, pinto beans and lentils, milk, and fruits such as apples, oranges, grapefruit and pears. Steer clear of white sugar, white flour, and sugar-sweetened foods.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

While knee pain is the most common joint pain reported, shoulder, finger and hip pain are also common, and may occur from numerous causes such as osteoarthritis, injury, repetitive movement or strain on the joint, and poor posture.

Aging is another factor, as with age, the flexible tissues in your body tend to lose their elasticity, leading to sagging and wrinkling of skin, stiff muscles and painful joints.

This process may be exacerbated by inactivity, which promotes muscle weakness, joint contractures, and loss of range of motion.

This, in turn, can lead to more pain and loss of function, and even less activity.

Many people are under the impression that exercise is somehow dangerous for their joints, and joint pain is a condition that requires rest to recover … in reality, the opposite is true – exercise is essential for healthy joints and may even help to improve joint pain and function.

If You Have Joint Pain, Exercise is a Must

The notion that exercise is detrimental to your joints is a misconception, as there is no evidence to support this belief. Instead, the evidence points to exercise having a positive impact on joint tissues — if you exercise sufficiently to lose weight, or maintain an ideal weight, you can in fact reduce your risk of developing joint pain due to osteoarthritis rather than increase your risk. Exercise can also improve bone density and joint function, which can help prevent and alleviate osteoarthritis (a major cause of joint pain) as you age.

As noted by Harvard Health Publications:

” … limiting your movements can weaken muscles, compounding joint trouble, and affect your posture, setting off a cascade of further problems. And while pain relievers and cold or hot packs may offer quick relief, fixes like these are merely temporary.

By contrast, the right set of exercises can be a long-lasting way to tame ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder pain. Practiced regularly, joint pain relief workouts might permit you to postpone—or even avoid—surgery on a problem joint that has been worsening for years by strengthening key supportive muscles and restoring flexibility.”

Case in point, research shows that people with rheumatoid arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness and deformities, who did weight training for 24 weeks improved their function by up to 30 percent and their strength by 120 percent. Unfortunately, many with joint pain are missing out on these potential benefits. Research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine found that over 40 percent of men and 56 percent of women with knee osteoarthritis were inactive, which means they did not engage in even one 10-minute period of moderate-to-vigorous activity all week.

Exercise Can Also Help Your Joints via Weight Loss

Arthritis rates are more than twice as high in obese people as those who are normal weight, because the extra weight puts more pressure on your joints, as well as increases inflammation in your body. This can not only lead to osteoarthritis, it can also make joint pain from any cause exponentially worse.

Exercise, along with a healthy diet, can help you to jumpstart weight loss if you’re overweight, and this can lead to tremendous improvements in your joint pain. Harvard Health Publications states:

“Each pound you lose reduces knee pressure in every step you take. One study found that the risk of developing osteoarthritis dropped 50% with each 11-pound weight loss among younger obese women. If older men lost enough weight to shift from an obese classification to just overweight — that is, from a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher down to one that fell between 25 and 29.9 — the researchers estimated knee osteoarthritis would decrease by a fifth. For older women, that shift would cut knee osteoarthritis by a third.”

Are There Special Considerations for Exercising With Joint Pain?

There are some factors to consider, particularly if your pain worsens with movement, as you do not want to strain a significantly unstable joint. Pain during movement is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of osteoarthritis, and typically this is the result of your bones starting to come into contact with each other as cartilage and synovial fluid is reduced.

If you find that you’re in pain for longer than one hour after your exercise session, you should slow down or choose another form of exercise. Assistive devices are also helpful to decrease the pressure on affected joints during your workout. You may also want to work with a physical therapist or qualified personal trainer who can develop a safe range of activities for you.

Your program should include a range of activities, just as I recommend for any exerciser. Weight training, high-intensity cardio, stretching and core work can all be integrated into your routine.

My most highly recommended form of exercise is Peak Fitness, and this program can be used by virtually everyone. However, if you’ve already developed osteoarthritis in your knee, you’ll want to incorporate exercises that strengthen the quadriceps muscle at the front of your thigh. And, rather than running or other high-impact exercise, you may be better off with non-weight-bearing exercises like swimming and bicycling.

Natural Tips for Pain Relief and Cartilage Loss

Cartilage loss in your knees, one of the hallmarks of osteoarthritis, is associated with low levels of vitamin D. So if you’re struggling with joint pain due to osteoarthritis, get your vitamin D levels tested, then optimize them using safe sun exposure or indoor tanning on a safe tanning bed. If neither of these options are available, supplementation with vitamin D3 can be considered.

To find out the details, watch my free one-hour vitamin D lecture.

In addition, when exposed to sunshine your skin produces two types of sulfur: cholesterol sulfate, and vitamin D3 sulfate. Sulfur plays a vital role in the structure and biological activity of both proteins and enzymes. If you don’t have sufficient amounts of sulfur in your body this deficiency can cascade into a number of health problems, including impacting your joints and connective tissues.

In addition to making sure you’re getting high amounts of sulfur-rich foods in your diet, such as high-quality (organic and/or grass-fed/pastured) beef and poultry, Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a senior scientist at MIT, recommends soaking your body in magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) baths to compensate and counteract sulfur deficiency. She uses about 1/4 cup in a tub of water, twice a week. It’s particularly useful if you have joint problems or arthritis.

As for supplements, methylsulfonylmethane, commonly known by its acronym, MSM, is also an option. MSM is an organic form of sulfur and a potent antioxidant, naturally found in many plants.

For dealing with joint pain, I suggest you avoid anti-inflammatory drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics, like Tylenol, which are often recommended to osteoarthritis patients. Chronic use of these types of medications is associated with significant, and very serious side effects such as kidney and/or liver damage.

Safer, and very effective, options to help relieve joint pain include:

• Eggshell membrane: The eggshell membrane is the unique protective barrier between the egg white and the mineralized eggshell. The membrane contains elastin, a protein that supports cartilage health, and collagen, a fibrous protein that supports cartilage and connective tissue strength and elasticity.

  It also contains transforming growth factor-b, a protein that supports tissue rejuvenation, along with other amino acids and structural components that support the stability and flexibility of your joints by providing them with the building blocks needed to build cartilage.

• Hyaluronic acid (HA): Hyaluronic acid is a key component of your cartilage, responsible for moving nutrients into your cells and moving waste out. One of its most important biological functions is the retention of water… second only to providing nutrients and removing waste from cells that lack a direct blood supply, such as cartilage cells.

  Unfortunately, the process of normal aging reduces the amount of HA synthesized by your body. Oral hyaluronic acid supplementation may effectively help most people cushion their joints after just 2 to 4 months.

• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this Indian herb is one treatment I’ve found to be particularly useful against arthritic inflammation and associated pain. With sustained use, boswellia may help maintain steady blood flow to your joints, supporting your joint tissues’ ability to boost flexibility and strength.
• Turmeric / curcumin: A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that taking turmeric extracts each day for six weeks was just as effective as ibuprofen for relieving knee osteoarthritis pain. This is most likely related to the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin — the pigment that gives the turmeric spice its yellow-orange color.

• Animal-based omega-3 fats: These are excellent for arthritis because omega-3s are well known to help reduce inflammation. Look for a high-quality, animal-based source such as krill oil.
• Astaxanthin: An anti-inflammatory antioxidant that affects a wide range of inflammation mediators, but in a gentler, less concentrated manner and without the negative side effects associated with steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And it works for a high percentage of people. In one study, more than 80 percent of arthritis sufferers improved with astaxanthin.

A Final Point about Glucosamine and Chondroitin

You’ve probably heard that glucosamine and chondroitin (two animal products marketed as food supplements) can help relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis such as joint pain. However, the results from studies evaluating these supplements have been mixed, and many do not appear to be getting any significant relief from either glucosamine or chondroitin.

Further, while generally considered to be free of side effects, some people do experience gastrointestinal upset from it. Chondroitin molecules are large, making it difficult for your body to digest, which could be what causes problems for some people.

Also, only a small fraction of the glucosamine you take is actually utilized by your body. In the case of pills and capsules, the studies demonstrate that only about 15-20% is absorbed. The steps outlined above, however, should help to significantly slow down any further deterioration or loss of motion in your joints, along with help to alleviate pain.

Source for Story:

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/01/06/major-secret-in-achieving-joint-pain-relief.aspx?e_cid=20120106_FNL_art_2

I had arrived at BYU after a long drive from the San Francisco area. I started unloading my personal items, including some fairly heavy boxes, from my car. Suddenly, I felt a deep and sharp pulling pain in my low back (without radiation to my lower extremities) that stopped me in my tracks for a few moments. Initially, the pain was not disabling, so I did not think much of it. I continued lifting boxes, not knowing I was making my condition worse with each box.

Inflammation Hits the Back

The inflammation started in my lumbosacral spine area, but it was not until hours after lifting boxes that the stiffness and pain became seriously intense. That evening, I felt like I had aged decades, reduced to cautious walking and very careful sitting or bending. The stiffness and pain continued for several more days. I used the conventional treatment of icing my back 15 minutes before bedtime, heating it in the morning and taking 800 mg of Ibuprofen twice daily to dull the pain. Within days, the pain stopped.

For me, this has been a common scenario — my recurring low back strain is only a temporary hindrance. It heals within just a few days if I just go easy on bending and lifting and remain patient. At those times, though, I ponder more deeply the possible psycho-emotional causes of my discomfort. What financial stress am I under? What worries or fears do I harbor?  Do I trust that I am supported in my life?  It always helps to take an honest look at myself and shift my attitudes. As Louise L. Hay, author of You Can Heal Your Life, writes, “The back represents our support system. Problems with the back usually mean we feel we are not being supported. Too often we think we are only supported by our job or by our family or spouses. In reality we are totally supported by the universe, by Life itself.”

In my case, I am grateful that I can heal quickly and return to normal functions rapidly. My back problem provides me with a fresh new perspective on health. I get back into stretching, strengthening and an active lifestyle. Within two weeks, I’m as good as new as well as re-motivated to keep fit and to eat for longevity and not just pleasure. I also contemplate more seriously what I am doing for others in this world.

Pain That Lingers

For some, however, back pain can be chronic, and last longer than three months. Occasionally, the pain is linked to infection or cancer, but these cause less than 2 percent of chronic back pain. Rather, back issues almost always stem from a musculoskeletal problem that involves compressed nerves. Such nerves are trapped by subluxations (slipped vertebral bones), disc herniation (material between vertebral bones), strained muscles themselves or degenerative arthritis of particular bones. These irritated nerves then fire pain impulses.

Take neck pain for example. Neck pain can result from irritating interactions among the top vertebrae on the spine and the neck as well as their articulation with the base of the skull. Nerves can become irritated anywhere along their pathway from the spinal cord out to the peripheral joints and surrounding cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscles. There’s a lot that can malfunction and lead to pain.

Headaches

Neck pain can give rise to headaches, too. For example, your typical tension headache of the forehead or temple area originates in a strained or irritated neck. This is because the nerves that run through all these muscles and connective tissues are interrelated. I have heard from many of my own patients that the best chiropractic results for neck pains and/or headaches are the simple and gentle realignment of the top two vertebrae on the spinal column with what are called NUCCA procedures. These are noninvasive chiropractic techniques endorsed by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA).

Thoracic, lumbar and even tail bone pains almost always originate from a problem of the spinal column and the associated nerve roots that emerge from the spinal cord. Resolution of these problems is not as straightforward as dealing with neck pain. The weight-bearing joints of the spine can become diseased from the prolonged consumption of a poor diet, emotional stress and physical injury.

Healing Is More than Banishment of Pain

Certainly, when back pain won’t go away, you must consider how to effectively heal the underlying difficulties and not only how to quell the pain. For example, when arthritis causes chronic back aches, the use of narcotic pain relievers is not your best solution. Narcotics dull your brain, cause constipation and can lead to addictive cravings for the high feelings they create. After a short time, narcotics up-regulate the sensation of pain so that, when you are off them, your pain is even more unbearable. I have seen this type of situation even lead to drug dealing or use of highly addictive drugs in patients. Narcotic use for pain relief is a typical first step to drug addiction.

Instead, consider the benefits of yoga exercises and diet. Yoga poses help you regain flexibility and boost circulation to supporting musculoskeletal structures. Yoga meditations help you appreciate that your body temple needs to be honored with a diet of mostly raw whole food nutrition. it also helps you recognize that the body suffers from soft drinks, refined sugar, dairy products, fried food, processed food and all other junk foods that clearly contribute to chronic inflammation. Massage therapy and chiropractic interventions are often necessary to promote healing, too.

Other successful recipes for soothing chronic back pain combine daily traction (with a calibrated mechanical table or a home inversion table), stretching, exercise, excellent nutrition and a positive mental-emotional focus. Even disc herniation can eventually heal, much like a sprained ankle repairs itself if you treat it right. New tissue forms and nerves gradually become less and less irritated.

Comparisons

Compare this type of healing, conservative approach to back pain with surgical intervention. The main surgeries for disc herniation and spinal stenosis include a discectomy (removal of fragments of a herniated disc), spinal fusion and a laminectomy (removal of spinal bone). Contrary to what spine surgical centers claim, a 2009 review of back surgery studies reported in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Spine found that surgery is only moderately more effective than conservative, non-surgical treatments, and that the benefits of surgery usually decline eventually.¹

Lessons to Learn From Back Pain

What can back pain teach you? First of all, take a look at your own psycho-emotional challenges. What are you not dealing with that needs looking after? Healing from back pain is definitely impeded by worries, fears or other emotional issues that need to be addressed.

Next, consider what this pain teaches you about yourself. For example, do you turn to pain pills immediately, or do you have the confidence to work through the pain and take responsibility to get on the active road to healing? Instead of growing more resentful and ill-tempered with others, let the pain show you the value of being more appreciative and patient with those around you.

In the years that have followed my college years I have had many sudden and unexpected episodes of low back strain. Each one is a wake-up call to my own path of health and happiness. For this, I am thankful and healthier.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/dont-suffer-back-pain-learn-and-heal/

Authors of the study said that since their sample size was small, further studies may be needed to support the use of probiotics in traumatic brain injury patients, as their final results may not be considered clinically significant.

“However probiotic therapy reduced the number of infections occurring after seven days, reduced the number of different antibiotics needed to treat infections, and shortened the length of time the patients were required to stay in ICU,” said study supervisor Jing-Ci Zhu.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/probiotics-shown-to-stave-off-infection-in-brain-injury-patients-800656541/

And if it heats up for too long, it breaks down.

This is a suitable metaphor for the effect that inflammation can produce in the body. We know that inflammation — and the free-radical, oxidative stress it causes — is the hallmark of every chronic disease, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases and infections. Therefore, regulating inflammation has immense benefits — not just for your heart, but for your overall health as well.

Complications

The disruption of movement and flow in your body represents a secondary complication of inflammation. As things heat up, they tend to get stickier; and, as a result, circulation has trouble flowing smoothly to nourish organs and remove waste. In Western medicine, this stickiness can be translated to issues such as hyperviscosity (thickness of the blood) and to diseases such as circulatory blockages and even cancer. This type of thickness also occurs when a genetic tendency toward hyperviscosity, such as elevated homocysteine or Lp(a), or lifestyle factors which cause hyperviscosity, like oxidized cholesterol or elevated fibrinogen, contribute to inflammation.

Chronic Inflammation

When inflammation and hyperviscosity combine, they can negatively disrupt every system in your body, including the immune system. A healthy immune system should engage only in proper inflammatory responses. When the inflammatory response is too low, the immune system can’t respond adequately to pathogens and illness becomes overwhelming. But when inflammatory processes crank up too high, the body’s response becomes inappropriate or overexaggerated. You can develop allergies, autoimmune diseases (the body’s immune system attacks itself), and other degenerative conditions. Therefore, optimal immunity requires a finely tuned balance of appropriate inflammation reactions. If you can support this intricate relationship between healthy circulation, inflammation and immune response, you can restore heart health and protect other organs.

Practice Stress Relief

Slowing down and making simple lifestyle adjustments to decrease stress and anxiety can proactively reduce inflammation throughout the body. In this vein, research demonstrates that yoga and Tai Chi can dramatically reduce stress levels when practiced regularly.

Yoga aims to relax and rejuvenate, but it also invigorates. The constantly moving poses release dormant energy in your body. Similarly, the Chinese martial art called Tai Chi is designed to help bring about a state of mental calm and clarity. The strategic breathing involved in both yoga and Tai Chi naturally increases energy levels, while the postures and meditation keep the mind, body and spirit focused and grounded, allowing you to let go of your anxieties. Reducing stress by integrating short meditation sessions into your daily routine can have a profound impact on inflammatory conditions as well. Numerous published studies document the beneficial physiological changes that happen within the body during meditation.

Stick To a Heart-Healthy Diet

While these simple lifestyle practices direct you toward a healthier mind and body, the greatest effects occur when you combine them with a healthy diet.

Drink plenty of fresh, clean water and make smart food choices by sticking to unprocessed, natural whole foods. Consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables like berries, carrots, squash, kelp, spinach and broccoli. The high nutritional and antioxidant content of many whole foods contributes to increased antioxidant activity, improved digestion, healthy inflammation response, healthy glucose metabolism, healthier lipid profiles and increased immune activity (among other benefits).

Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids — such as cold-water oily fish, flax seeds, canola oil and pumpkin seeds — also help to decrease inflammation, reduce the risk of heart disease and improve brain function.

Reversing Chronic Inflammation

In addition to the inflammatory effects of the typical Western lifestyle, new research shows that elevated levels of a substance called galectin-3 in the body can also promote chronic inflammation throughout the body. Numerous published studies have shown that galectin-3 can contribute to fibrosis, heart disease, kidney disease and even metastatic cancer. A new blood test approved by the Food and Drug Administration can now measure circulating galectin-3 levels.

Fortunately, certain natural supplements, in combination with healthy lifestyle modifications, can profoundly improve cardiovascular difficulties and other diseases by blocking the action of galectin-3. For example, a nutrient called modified citrus pectin (MCP) — derived from citrus fruit peels — has the proven ability to bind and block excess galectin-3 molecules throughout the body. In this way, MCP prevents excess galectin-3 from promoting chronic inflammation, fibrosis and cancer within the heart and other organs, and may also prevent cancer from metastasizing.

All-Natural Support

Other powerful supplements play an important role in the fight against inflammation, especially those that offer comprehensive antioxidant-rich nutritional support. These include nutrients such as alpha lipoic acid, glutathione, acetyl l-carnitine, vitamin C and botanicals like curcumin, quercetin and honokiol from magnolia officinalis. Certain botanical formulas also offer critical circulatory and antioxidant support, such as the Tibetan botanical formula called Padma Basic which has been well researched in studies published in peer-reviewed literature.

Integrative medicine can provide the tools needed to achieve healthy circulation and healthy arteries, safely and naturally. When you combine the proper supplementation with positive lifestyle modifications, a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise, you can achieve the support needed to actively protect your heart, combat inflammation and boost circulation to help you live a longer, healthier life.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/douse-inflammation-diminish-heart-disease/

• Eggplant
• Potatoes
• Peppers (hot and sweet)
• Tomatoes
• Tomatillos
• Paprika
• Cayenne
• Pimentos

These nightshade foods are suspected of causing arthritic type symptoms in people already prone to the ailment, but you will probably still love them anyway. Although there is no solid evidence that the alkaloids in nightshade plants negatively affect joint and nerve-muscle function in humans and animals, there are individuals who experience symptomatic relief when nightshade foods are eliminated from their diet.

One type of alkaloid, found in eggplant and tomato, is nicotine, although in much less quantity than the tobacco leaf and considered safe for most people to eat. Another type are steroid alkaloids found in the potato, which research reveals has the ability to block activity of an enzyme in nerve cells causing nervous system disruptions and joint inflammation. Researchers continue to investigate the possibility that steroid alkaloids affect our ability of metabolize calcium by removing the calcium from the bones and depositing it in our soft tissue.

Some dietary health programs, such as Macrobiotics, eliminate the use of nightshade vegetables in their healing programs and cautions the consumption of tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and potatoes even for healthy individuals. For those suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, gout or joint issues, flare-ups have been shown to occur in 1-2% of patients who consume a diet high in nightshade vegetables. Therefore, it is suggested by medical researchers, to eliminate this family of foods to help relieve symptoms.

If you are thinking of boiling the alkaloids out of your vegetables, cooking only lowers the amount by 40-50%, and for sensitive individuals this just won’t be enough. Instead, try eliminating them for six weeks to determine if they are having an impact on your health. Then, if you cannot live without them, add one vegetable at a time back into your diet, over the course of a week or two, while keeping a journal as to what you experience. This is a far better way to determine how a food is affecting you and places responsibility for optimal health in your own capable hands.

Source for Story:

http://www.dietsinreview.com/diet_column/07/eat-fewer-tomatoes-to-reduce-arthritis-symptoms/

Researchers at the University of Illinois in Chicago studied the impact of carrageenan on glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and insulin signaling in mice. They noted at the outset of the study that carrageenan is known to cause inflammation, which is associated with diabetes.

The mice were given carrageenan in their drinking water, and underwent a glucose tolerance test and an insulin tolerance test. The researchers found that glucose tolerance was significantly impaired in carrageenan-treated mice compared with untreated controls. Baseline insulin levels were also significantly higher following carrageenan treatment. Interestingly, during the insulin tolerance test, glucose levels declined by more than 80% in controls, but not in carrageenan-treated mice.

The researchers say this is the first report of the impact of carrageenan on glucose tolerance and shows that carrageenan impairs glucose tolerance, increases insulin resistance, and inhibits insulin signaling. They suggest that these effects may result from carrageenan-induced inflammation. They concluded by stating directly that carrageenan in the human diet may contribute to the development of diabetes.

If you are struggling with your blood sugar, or just want to make sure that diabetes is never a health concern for you, you may want to watch your intake of carrageenan.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

that if you experienced a reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, the effect on your health stemmed from the resultant digestive difficulties. Experts believed that when your digestion suffered because of foods made with gluten-containing grain (pizza, cookies, bread, crackers, etc.), your brain, in turn, might be harmed because you weren’t absorbing the proper nutrients for brain health.

But scientists have now found that gluten can cause inflammation and damage in nerve and brain tissue without apparently instigating significant digestive issues. According to researchers who have analyzed studies of gluten reactions, often “… there is no clear relationship with nutrient deficiency and a precise mechanism for the neurological changes has not been defined.”² In other words, after you eat a meal containing gluten, your immune system may begin to attack nerve and brain tissue without an observable reaction in the walls of the digestive tract.

Gluten and Attention Deficit

Because of these kinds of findings, more and more researchers are coming to believe that a first line of defense against brain problems may be a gluten-free diet. For instance, when European researchers examined 67 people with ADHD in Italy, they found that 15 percent of them had full-blown celiac, the autoimmune reaction to gluten. This is a significantly high rate since celiac is thought to occur in a little less than 1 percent of the general population. When they put these people, who ranged in age from 7 to 42 years, on a gluten-free diet they found that there was a “… significant improvement in their behavior and function compared to the period before celiac diagnosis and treatment…”³

These results led to the experimenters’ conclusion that “… celiac disease should be included in the ADHD symptom checklist.”

Other common foods may also be adding to the ADHD problem. A study in the Netherlands and Belgium found that carefully controlling the diets of children with ADHD and eliminating problem foods improved the mental performance of two of three of the kids in the study.⁴ These researchers stress that parents should consult knowledgeable healthcare providers when limiting the foods children eat to make sure they receive adequate nutrition. But their research is further evidence that what kids eat is having a strong influence on their academic performance and behavior.

Prescription Ban

Another sign that something is seriously wrong with our brain health: Use of Adderall, an amphetamine ADHD medication, is so out of control that Duke University has banned its use “to enhance academic performance.”⁵ Meanwhile, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that 60 percent of children with ADHD are being treated with these types of medication.

Instead of figuring out natural ways to help kids with ADHD, American parents are medicating them. As Benedetto Vitiello, M.D., of NIMH points out, “Stimulant medications work well to control ADHD symptoms, but they are only one method of treatment for the condition.” Vitiello’s research has found that among American children from ages 6 to 18, about one in 20 is now on ADHD medication. Even some preschoolers are being given these drugs.⁶

I know that many people find the fact that wheat, the simple grain contained in seemingly innocuous foods like toast, rolls, crackers and pizza crust, can be wreaking havoc with so many people’s brains and nervous systems. If I hadn’t experienced my own brush with gluten-induced dementia, I might have trouble believing it, too. But you can go back decades and find that researchers have steadily compiled evidence that gluten can, in fact, make your immune system destroy your brain. For example, in 1991 scientists in Finland identified celiac patients who suffered “intellectual deterioration rang(ing) from moderate to severe and diffuse cerebral or cerebellar atrophy… found on brain CT.”⁷

As those scientists admitted, “…the pathogenetic mechanisms are obscure…” But although we don’t understand how gluten performs its nefarious destruction we do know that these brain problems are growing in number and they threaten our future.

¹ http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db70.htm

² Freeman JF, “Neurological disorders in adult celiac disease,” Can J Gastroenterol 2008 November; 22(11):909-911

³ Niederhofer H. Association of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Celiac Disease: A Brief Report. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2011; 13(3).

⁴ Pelsser LM, Frankena K, et al. “Effects of a restricted elimination diet on the behavior of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (INCA study): a randomized controlled trial. The Lancet, Vol 377, Issue 9764, pgs 494-503.

⁵ http://reesenews.org/2011/10/26/adderall-the-whole-story/19843/

⁶ http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2011/prescribed-stimulant-use-for-adhd-continues-to-rise-steadily.shtml#.ToMxbo8yIZA.twitter

⁷ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Neurology.%201991%20Mar%3B41(3)%3A372-5

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/gluten-may-threaten-your-brain/?rmid=2011_11_08_EHD_[E11460857]&rrid=389282190

There are many types of honey and not all honey has the same healing properties. Honey that has been processed or heated will not have the enzymes that aid indigestion. Filtering honey removes many types of pollen and other properties that aid in digestion alleviate cold symptoms and reduce allergies.

When purchasing honey, you should know that USDA Organic does not mean the honey is from the United States. Currently the United States has not defined organic honey. Tests completed on honey produced in the U.S. (that is not organic) have shown extremely small traces of pesticide. It is more important however that the honey be processed organically. It is during this stage that pesticides and other contaminants can penetrate the honey at high levels.

Beekeepers Scott Shurman and Jean Vasicek suggest asking the following questions from the beekeeper you purchase your honey from.

1. How many beehives do you have? If they do not have any beehives, then they are not in control of how their honey is being processed.

2. How do you treat for mites? You are looking to make sure that pesticides are not used.

3. How do you feed your bees? Bees should be fed their own honey for most of the year. You do not want to purchase honey from a beekeeper that only feeds the bees sugar water.

4. Are you state certified for beekeeping and for your bottling facility? This answer should be yes.

5. Do you heat your honey? Purchase honey that has not been heated.

6. Do you filter your honey? The more honey is filtered the less medicinal benefits it will have.

Reference:

Shurman, Scott and Vasicek, Jean. Interview September 28, 2011. http://www.winterparkhoney.com

Stefan Bogdanov. Honey in Medicine. Web. May 5, 2011. http://www.bee-hexagon.net

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Honey Can Serve as an Effective Carbohydrate Replacement During Endurance Exercise. 2004;18(3): 466-72. Web. http://www.honey.com/nhb

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034026_honey_healing.html#ixzz1caTJlg94

One of the major reasons why CHF or COPD patients stop exercising is that their leg muscles are tired.

Several things cause this weakness:

• Low oxygen levels or reduced blood flow
• Oxidative stress
• Deficiencies in nutrients
• Inflammation
• Medications (e.g. steroids)
• Muscle not used enough

People have used, with variable success, exercise training, nutritional supplements, anabolic steroids, and anti- inflammatory drugs to help their muscles. Since it is known that the creatine levels are low in both the heart and skeletal muscles, there are several studies that used creatine for CHF and COPD. Here’s what they found:

• In 17 CHF patients, 20 g of creatine/day was used for 10 days. It increased muscle strength and endurance. It made more energy-rich phosphates available in the muscles.
• In 20 CHF patients, 20 g a day was used for five days. Creatine improved skeletal muscle endurance and the muscle’s response to exercise.
• In 20 CHF patients, 20 g was used for six weeks. It led to increased body weight and improved muscle strength.
• In 38 patients with COPD, daily creatine increased fat- free muscle mass, improved limb muscle performance, improved muscle strength and endurance at the knee, and improved general health status.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

that the study doesn’t show that aspirin causes vision loss, but it does seem suggest that daily aspirin use may not be a good idea for people who already have MD or who are prone to it. They have this health advice: if you have age-related MD, it is not recommended that you take aspirin.

Of course, it’s best to consult your doctor for the final word on the matter.

In the meantime, here are five foods known for protecting and boosting the health of your eyes. Incorporate them into your weekly diet:

• Berries — especially blueberries
• Yellow veggies, such as squash and pumpkin
• Eggs
• Kale
• Fish

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

basil as an alternative to medical marijuana, since it offers the same pain relief without the addictive “high”.

An Alternative to Medical Marijuana: Curbing Inflammation without the Side Effects

Although most people regard cannabis only as the recreational substance that has been the drug of choice since the 60s, medicinal use of marijuana dates back approximately 10,000 years to a prehistoric village that was discovered in Taiwan in 1972.

In 2008, experts published findings on an archaeological dig in Central Asia that has uncovered evidence of the use of cannabis by a prehistoric medicine man about 27,000 years ago.

Currently, tens of thousands of seriously ill Americans (especially those with cancer and AIDS) are now physician-certified users of medical marijuana because it provides effective pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation … as well as an amazing number of other medicinal uses.

However, the use of medical marijuana does come with potentially permanent mental or neurological side effects, such as …

• Impaired attention
• Difficulty learning
• Decreased computing speed
• Changes to brain structure
• Decreased motor skills

Holy basil carries none of those risks as an alternative to medical marijuana. That’s because basil’s anti-inflammatory action comes from a compound called BCP, or (E)-beta-caryophyllene. BCP combats inflammation in a manner similar to cannabis, but without the side effects.

Basil is recommended by The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) as a first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder … bulimia … and hypoglycemia. According to UMMC, basil may even protect the body from harmful radiation exposure.

Basil’s aromatic extracts have also proven to eliminate swelling and pain from arthritis. In fact, research has demonstrated that basil works just as well as anti-inflammatory drugs.

The study—presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester—showed that concentrated extracts of two types of basil taken orally reduced joint swelling by up to 73% in just 24 hours.

Power That’s Stood the Test of Time

In India, holy basil has been considered one of the most powerful herbs for nearly 3,000 years. It’s said to be sacred to the Hindu god Vishnu, and classified as a rasayana an herb that promotes long life and personal growth and health.

Holy basil is a mainstay of traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It is used to treat ailments such as:

• Diabetes
• Respiratory disorders
• Impotence
• Allergies
• Infertility

The Science behind Basil’s Curative Power

Basil’s efficacy against such a wide range of ailments is due not only to BCP, but also to the cinnamanic acid it contains. Cinnamanic acid is known to enhance circulation…stabilize blood sugar…and improve respiration. Most research on basil has focused on those 3 areas.

In animal studies and human clinical trials, basil has proved to be a powerful adaptogen with potent benefits that are:

• Antioxidant
• Neuroprotective
• Radio protective (prevents damage from ionizing radiation)
• Stress and anxiety reducing
• Antibacterial and antiviral
• Diuretic

Several studies have confirmed holy basil’s anti-inflammatory action. Its compounds inhibit the production of inflammatory prostaglandins—molecules that produce pain and fevers. By reducing prostaglandins, basil reduces pain and inflammation in the body.

How to Use Basil for Medicinal Purposes

One passionate advocate for basil’s medicinal benefits is Dr. Narendra Singh, a pioneer in modern scientific investigation of Ayurvedic and medicinal herbs of India.

Among other prestigious posts, Dr. Singh is the former Head of the Regional Ayurvedic Research Institute (Government of India, Department of Health).

Specifically, Dr. Singh focuses on the adaptogenic and anti-stress properties of medicinal herbs. With regard to basil, Dr. Singh recommends taking a single dose of 300mg to 600mg of dried leaves daily as preventative therapy and immune system support.

For curative therapy, he suggests taking 600mg to 1800mg in divided doses. Alternately, holy basil can be prepared as a tea (2 grams per cup). This brew is an excellent preventive remedy against common illnesses. It also works to treat many of the health issues described earlier.

Dr. Singh notes that the biological and neurological effects of taking holy basil, such as increased stamina and a heightened immunological defense, may take anywhere from 1 week to 1 month to develop.

However, once basil’s effects take hold, the improvements can last as long as 1 month even after discontinuation of the therapy.

Source for Story:

http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/holy-basil-an-alternative-to-medical-marijuana-treatmen

profound effects of green tea against Helicobacter. They also found that green tea could prevent stomach inflammation if ingested prior to exposure to Helicobacter infection. The researchers concluded by stating that components within green tea could be further used for prevention and treatment of Helicobacter-induced gastritis in humans.

Are there any other antibacterial foods that you can add to your diet? Absolutely! Here is a list to help you out. These foods will not only boost your nutritional health, but they’ll also kill off bacteria before it causes damage to your body.

• Garlic is a potent antibacterial food. It is also a powerful antioxidant. Add garlic to meals and shield yourself against the ravages of Helicobacter.
• Lemon and lime are both antibacterial and could protect against bacterial disease in the stomach and intestines. Squeeze the fresh juice into a glass of water and drink before bed.
• Horseradish contains a special compound called “allyl isothiocyanate.” This compound is responsible for horseradish’s antibacterial effects. Horseradish is also a good alternative remedy against food borne illnesses.
• Coriander is known for its protective effect against salmonella. The herb contains a compound called “dodecenal” that is source of its antibacterial effects.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

requires a different approach. The various interior body environments that trigger these differ significantly. What’s more, it is very common for people to experience more than one type of headache at a time.

Migraine Headaches

Changes in blood vessels cause migraine headaches. The solution, then, is to get to the root of these vascular changes and prevent their occurrence.

Prevention Tips: Don’t eat foods with nitrates or preservatives and cut back on diuretic beverages (coffee, soda, tea). Keep the bowels moving regularly to prevent toxicity from re-entering the bloodstream by eating whole grains and fresh fruit and vegetables. Take fiber supplements if necessary.

Acute Pain Tips: At the first sign of a migraine coming on, you can interfere with painful vascular developments and stop them from getting worse. First, if you have not had a bowel movement in two days, use an enema to evacuate your bowels. Second, submerge your hands or feet in hot water, as hot as you can stand without burning your skin. This draws blood away from the vessels in your head and sends it to your extremities, taking the edge off the throbbing.

Tension Headache

These headaches are usually episodic and their root cause easily identifiable. Psychological stress causes negative effects on the liver, digestion and breathing, as well as the free flow of oxygen and fluids in the body. Strenuous activity like heavy lifting or moving without properly warming up also stresses the muscles and oxygen circulation because of restricted breathing.

Prevention Tips: For headaches induced by psychological stress, you must either change your environment (home, work, social) to remove yourself from the stress or develop strong stress-management skills. Some concepts like “reframing” from neurolinguistics programming (which entails changing your point of view) or having “crucial conversations” (talking about central emotional issues) with those in a stress pattern can alter the attitude leading to the headache. For headaches induced by physical stress, the best advice is to warm up before performing demanding tasks; stretch and move cautiously. Don’t attempt too much, too soon.

Acute Pain Tips: If you are in the throes of a psychological-stress situation and a headache is looming, immediately begin mindful breathing to engage the relaxation response and normalize your system (click here for instruction on this method). You can begin the breathing while in the midst of the stress situation (conversation, meeting, driving), but this technique works best when you can sit alone in a quiet place for 15 minutes. For physical stress, simply stop what you are doing and stretch the area that is contracted. Taking a walk around the block also helps warm up the body before stretching. Apply heat to the problem area. If the problem is with the back or hips, lie on a tennis ball to help work out the spasm.

Sinus Headache
When the sinuses are inflamed, nasal passages narrow. This leads to pressure in the sinus cavities and provides a place for viral and bacterial infections to grow. This can lead to sensitivity and throbbing pain around the cheeks, nose and eye areas.

Prevention Tips: Make sure your work and living areas are free of dampness and mildew. Use a dehumidifier to dry the air. If you often suffer sinus pressure and congestion, take animal milk out of your diet. Adding more ginger to your diet can also help.

Acute Pain Tips: Research indicates that actual sinus headaches are rare, despite the media and product marketing surrounding this problem. Most often, what you think is a sinus headache is actually a migraine that just happens to correlate with sinus pressure and rainy days. The first step to relieving the acute pain, then, is to adopt the migraine advice above. This can be followed with a hot shower or compress to open the sinuses and a hot mug of ginger tea to break up the mucus and inflammation.

Diet For Sinus Headache

• Eat a lot of mangoes during mango season (generally January through September). Mangoes are rich in vitamin A and offer protection from various infections. Leafy vegetables, papaya, pumpkin, tomatoes, yogurt and milk are also very rich in vitamin A.
• Eat an apple with a pinch of salt every morning on an empty stomach.
• Avoid cold food, dessert and drinks.
• Drink hot soups.
• Drink ample water throughout the day and at bedtime. This helps drain mucus and provides relief from sinus pain.

General Headache Advice

The Neurological Clinic at University of Kiel in Germany recently conducted a study and found this general tip for reducing headache pain:

“The effects of peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil preparations on neurophysiological, psychological and experimental algesimetric parameters were investigated in 32 healthy subjects in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over design…. A significant analgesic effect with a reduction in sensitivity to headache was produced by a combination of peppermint oil and ethanol. The essential plant oil preparations often used in empiric medicine can thus be shown by laboratory tests to exert significant effects on mechanisms associated with the pathophysiology of headache.”

Overall, drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated is also important to flushing toxins out of your body and preventing muscular and vascular contraction. Get a solid eight hours of sleep per night to allow the body to repair itself. With these simple prevention and acute-relief tips, you should be able to get a handle on your headaches. Natural solutions are the best route; but keep in mind, many are successful only at the onset of the headache. If you allow the headache to get going, even prescription medications have a difficult time controlling them.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/natural-pain-relief-for-headaches/?rmid=2011_10_05_EHD_[E11938243]&rrid=389282190

as well as the negative emotional moods normally associated with AD victims.

He concluded that by drinking apple juice only three times per week, you would reduce your chances of Alzheimer’s by 75%.

And there are other benefits. Other animal studies have demonstrated that apples protect the heart, increase lipid metabolism, and reduce inflammation.

A Florida State University study by Dr. Bahram Arjmandi, involving several women aged 45 to 65, discovered that a heavy diet of apples reduced LDL in the women by 23% in six months. The women also lost three and a half pounds on average.

How to juice apples yourself

Don’t bother with store bought pasteurized apple juice. Organic raw and unfiltered apple juice is better. But the best way to go is juicing just enough apples to drink at one sitting each time. Since Big Ag apples top the list of the “dirty dozen” (the 12 most sprayed foods), you should invest in organic apples.

Sometimes locally grown small orchard apples are not sprayed, but they are not USDA certified organic. This is often due to the time and money it takes to get that approval. So locally grown could be a solution for less expensive non- toxic apples if you are assured they are not sprayed.

You should use a slow speed masticating juicer. It can be single auger (the masticating screw) or double auger. You can Google slow speed masticating juicers and shop for what works for you. This is a worthwhile investment if you intend to do any juicing for improved health.

This type of juicer eliminates the extra fiber that inhibits rapid absorption while concentrating the juice of several items in one drink and preserving the enzymes that a high speed juicer may destroy.

Do not peel the apples. Cut them into pieces small enough for the juicer and include the core, seeds and all. Adding a small piece of peeled ginger root into the juicer adds more inflammatory protection. A freshly squeezed lemon can be added also. This should be done at least three times a week.

Early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) symptoms

It’s best to launch a three prong attack if confusion, fog, and memory loss is creeping in as a matter of daily life. The apple juice approach is good, but it may not be enough.

Orthomolecular medical doctors specialize in curing with high dose vitamin and mineral supplements, such as IV mega-dose Vitamin C. They have had a good deal of success with all types of brain issues using large doses of niacin.

Consuming pure cold pressed coconut oil twice daily has even reversed advanced AD.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/033765_apples_brain_power.html#ixzz1Zqh2m35G

that measures your body surface temperature and presents the information as a digitized image. This tool makes a digital map of your body and very accurately illustrates heat patterns. These patterns may detect some abnormal condition such as cancer cell growth or active infection.

Mammograms look for anatomical changes in the breast such as masses or lumps. Thermograms analyze for vascular changes in the breast. Increased blood into certain regions of the body increases the heat of that region. Areas of inflammation, cancer cell formation and active infection have elevated circulation. Thermal imaging has a great ability to detect subtle physiological changes that accompany pathology.

The body should naturally have thermal symmetry. Areas of asymmetry can indicate problems and are analyzed specifically for underlying pathology. Cancer cells divide very rapidly and demand increased blood flow and nutrient delivery. The metabolic processes in the body cannot differentiate between cancer cells and healthy cells. This results in increased formation of blood cells around these active cancer cells.

Thermography picks up this abnormal blood supply well before the cancer gets large enough to be noticed as a lump on a breast exam. Thermography can see cancer formation at the size of 256 cells, roughly the size of a pinhead. Mammograms can`t detect cancer until there are roughly 4 billion cells clumped together. It is estimated that thermography can detect cancer formation 6-10 years before mammography can identify a tumor.

The breasts do not normally generate much heat. Healthy breasts appear purple during a thermographic exam. This indicates very low heat levels. Red, orange, or yellow spots that appear during a breast thermograph may indicate the presence of cancer and should be analyzed more closely.

Thermography has been studied in detail for over 30 years. The data base is over 250,000 women that have been included as study participants. These large, long-durational studies have shown an average sensitivity and specificity of 90%. The studies show that a persistent abnormal thermo gram carries with it a 22 time higher risk of future breast cancer.

Unlike mammograms, thermo grams emit no harmful ionizing radiation. Mammograms are one of the more dangerous medical tools due to the very high amounts of ionizing radiation. Thermo grams use infrared technology that is completely safe. They also do not compress the breast tissue like mammograms. This compression that takes place during mammograms can cause cancer cells to break off and to create a malignant spread through the blood stream.

The first session one receives provides the baseline reading. Many practitioners call this the `thermal signature.` A second reading is typically recommended 3 months later to test for any changes. After these initial 2 patterns are analyzed the patient is recommended to receive yearly thermographs to detect any subtle changes in vascularity and blood flow dynamics.

Thermo grams are a very reliable, and accurate tool that provide precise and objective data of thermal information. This information can be used for successful diagnosis, treatment, & prognosis. They are quick (15 minutes), non-invasive and completely painless.

Source for Story:

http://naturalhealthcenter.mercola….

http://www.knowcancer.com/cancer-te…

http://www.iact-org.org/patients/br…

http://www.naturalnews.com/033586_thermography_mammography.html#ixzz1YQKqwdXe

Researchers found that the plant extract has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and becomes concentrated in hepatic tissue soon after ingestion. They found that silymarin promotes liver tissue regeneration by supporting multiple critical metabolic functions: these include lower oxidized LDL cholesterol levels, regulation of membrane permeability and stability and prevention of the deposition of collagen fibers, which lead to cirrhosis. In addition, milk thistle inhibits the absorption of many toxins, effectively preventing them from entering circulation through the bloodstream.

Silymarin is known to be a powerful cellular antioxidant with specific properties that can prevent excess oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Oxidized LDL cholesterol particles are sticky and become lodged in the delicate endothelial layer of coronary artery vessels where they combine with other blood-borne compounds to form plaque. Natural milk thistle extracts (570 mg per day) have proven effective to lower risk factors that promote arterial hardening.

Milk thistle has been used as a chemo preventive agent in the fight against certain cancer lines, most notably metastatic cancers of the prostate. Silymarin interferes with cancer growth and immortality, and it exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-metastatic activity (prevents cancer spread). Extracts of milk thistle have also been used as an agent in the war against numerous malignancies including those of the liver, colon and skin.

Our body is continually under assault from a barrage of more than 70,000 chemicals and 900 drugs known to induce liver damage. Milk thistle supplementation provides an effective tool to protect and heal our primary filtration organ, the liver. Silymarin is also proving to be an important tool that can naturally lower cancer risk, while providing critical support for the heart and prostate.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/033524_milk_thistle_liver_protection.html

as a therapeutic supplement since 1957. Research was first conducted in Hawaii but has now spread around the world. Germany is the most involved in research on this unique nutrient. Bromelain is currently the thirteenth most used herbal supplement in Germany. (1-2)

Bromelain has shown through a number of research studies to be effective at modulating inflammation and lessening the severity of a number of inflammatory based diseases. These include multiple sclerosis, pleurisy, arteriosclerosis, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and allergic asthma. (3-16)

Bromelain is also great at relieving sinus congestion. Bromelain has been shown to ease congestion, reduce nasal mucous and heal areas of swelling by mediating the inflammation caused by infection or hay fever. The German Commission E approved bromelain for the treatment of sinus and nasal swelling following ear, nose, and throat surgery or trauma.

Bromelain has been shown to remove certain CD128 receptors for interleukin-8 (IL-8). IL-8 is an immune cell that stimulates neutrophil activation. Increased neutrophil activation is associated with increased inflammation. By modulating the receptors for IL-8, bromelain helps control this immune reaction. Other studies have shown bromelain to effectively reduce other known inflammatory prostaglandins, cytokines, and chemokines. (17, 18)

Bromelain has shown itself to be comparable to strong anti-inflammatory drugs such as dexamethasone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs). While these medications can be addictive and have very dangerous side effects, bromelain is non-addictive and side effects happen less often than what occurs with these medications.

Most common side effects associated with bromelain include nausea, diarrhea and indigestion. Other side effects include tachycardia, fatigue and heavy menstruation. People with allergies to pineapple should avoid bromelain. Allergic reactions may also occur in people who are intolerant to celery, fennel, carrot, papain, & latex. People with peptic ulcers should not use bromelain either.

Bromelain and supplements utilizing this enzyme are particularly useful for athletes and people involved in intense exercise. Although studies show mixed results, bromelain may reduce swelling, bruising, healing time, and pain following surgery and physical injuries. It is often used to reduce inflammation associated with tendinitis, sprains and strains, and with other minor muscle injuries such as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). (19,20)

DOMS is the typical muscle soreness associated with an intense bout of exercise. Athletes and lay people frequently encounter DOMS as they alternate training frequency, intensity and time periods. A 2004 study showed that bromelain in combination with other proteolytic enzymes significantly reduced DOMS in downhill runners. (21)

Source for Story:

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/her…

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art…

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/…

1.Maurer HR. Bromelain: biochemistry, pharmacology and medical use. Cell & Molec Life Sci. 2001;58:1234-1245. [PubMed]

2.Taussig SJ, Batkin S. Bromelain, the enzyme complex of pineapple (Ananas comosus) and its clinical application. An update. J Ethnopharmacol. 1988;22:191-203. [PubMed]

3.Brien S, Lewith G, Walker A (2004). “Bromelain as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis: a Review of Clinical Studies”. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM. 1 (3): 251-257. doi:10.1093/ecam/neh035. PMC 538506. PMID 15841258.

4.Hale LP, Chichlowski M, Trinh CT, Greer PK (2010). “Dietary supplementation with fresh pineapple juice decreases inflammation and colonic neoplasia in IL-10-deficient mice with colitis”. Inflamm Bowel Dis 16 (12): 2012-21. PMID 20848493.

5.Majima M, Kawashima N, Hiroshi I, Katori M. Effects of an orally active non-peptide bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist, FR173657, on plasma exudation in rat carrageenin-induced pleurisy. Brit J Pharmacol. 1997;121:723-730. [PMC free article] [PubMed]

6.Ogino M, Majima M, Kawamura M, Hatanaka K, Saito M, Harada Y, Katori M. Increased migration of neutrophils to granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in rat carrageenin-induced pleurisy: roles of complement, bradykinin, and inducible cyclooxygenase-2. Inflamm Res. 1996;45:335-346. [PubMed]

7.Gaciong Z, Paczek L, Bojakowski K, Socha K, Wisniewski M, Heidland A. Beneficial effect of proteases on allograft arteriosclerosis in a rat aortic model. Nephrol Dialysis, Transplant. 1996;11:987-989.

8.Wittenborg A, Bock PR, Hanisch J, Saller R, Schneider B. Comparative epidemiological study in patients with rheumatic diseases illustrated in a example of a treatment with non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs versus an oral enzyme combination preparation. Arzneimittel-Forschung. 2000;50:728-738. [PubMed]

9.Brown AC. Lupus erythematosus and nutrition: a review of the literature. J Renal Nutrit. 2000;10:170-183.

10. Akhtar NM, Naseer R, Farooqi AZ, Aziz W, Nazir M. Oral enzyme combination versus diclofenac in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee – a double-blind prospective randomized study. Clin Rheumatol. 2004;23:410-415.

11.Secor ER, Jr, Carson WF, IV, Cloutier MM, Guernsey LA, Schramm CM, Wu CA, Thrall RS. Bromelain exerts anti-inflammatory effects in an ovalbumin-induced murine model of allergic airway disease. Clin Immunol. 2005;237:68-75.

12.Rovenska E, Svik K, Stancikova M, Rovensky J. Enzyme and combination therapy with cyclosporin A in the rat developing adjuvant arthritis. Inter J Tiss React. 1999;21:105-111.

13.Thornhill SM, Kelly AM. Natural treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis. Alternative Med Rev. 2000;5:448-454.

14.Hale LP, Greer PK, Trinh CT, Gottfried MR. Treatment with oral bromelain decreases colonic inflammation in the IL-10-deficient murine model of inflammatory bowel disease. Clin Immunol. 2005;116:135-142. [PubMed]

15.Kane S, Goldberg MJ. Use of bromelain for mild ulcerative colitis. Ann Int Med. 2000;132:680. [PubMed]

16.Rovenska E, Svik K, Stancikova M, Rovensky J. Inhibitory effect of enzyme therapy and combination therapy with cyclosporin A on collagen-induced arthritis. Clin ExpRheumatol. 2001;19:303-309.

17.Onken JE, Greer PK, Calingaert B, Hale LP. Bromelain treatment decreases secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by colon biopsies in vitro. Clin Immunol. 2008 Mar;126(3):345-52. Epub 2007 Dec 21.

18.Fitzhugh DJ, Shan S, Dewhirst MW et al. (2008). Bromelain treatment decreases neutrophil migration to sites of inflammation. Clin Immunol. 128:66-74.

19.Masson M. Bromelain in blunt injuries of the locomotor system. A study of observed applications in general practice. Fortschritte der Medizin. 1995;113:303-306. [PubMed]

20.Buford TW, Cooke MB, Redd LL, Hudson GM, Shelmadine BD, Willoughby DS. Protease supplementation improves muscle function after eccentric exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Oct;41(10):1908-14.

21.Miller PC, Bailey SP, Barnes ME, Derr SJ, Hall EE The effects of protease supplementation on skeletal muscle function and DOMS following downhill running. J Sports Sci. 2004 Apr;22(4):365-72.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033508_bromelain_proteolytic_enzymes.html#ixzz1XCkdRRQd

and his team have revealed now, sexual hormones play an important role in this. The researchers report about this in the current edition of the scientific journal ‘FASEB Journal’ (DOI: 10.1096/fj.11-182758).

“In a series of analyses we have shown that cells from men and women react in a different manner to inflammatory stimuli,” Dr. Carlo Pergola from the Institute of Pharmacy of University Jena explains. Thus, certain immune cells of women produced nearly twice as many pro-inflammatory substances than those of men. Together with colleagues from Tübingen (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden) and Naples (Italy) the Jena researchers pursued the molecular basis for these differences and published their findings in their current study. To this aim, they isolated immune cells of male and female donors and analyzed in test tubes the activity of the enzymes responsible for the production of pro-inflammatory substances. They found that in male cells the enzyme phospholipase D is less active than in the female ones. “Interestingly, the activity of the enzyme is reduced after treatment with testosterone also in the female immune cells“, Dr. Pergola defines a crucial result.

Based on these findings, the Jena pharmacists concluded that the male sex hormones play a key role in the modulation of the immune response. This would also explain another phenomenon that has been previously noticed, that is, testosterone can protect men from arteriosclerosis.

Most importantly, the new knowledge should be taken into account in the assessment of new therapies and drugs for inflammatory diseases, Professor Werz stresses. “New therapies are usually still more often being tested on male volunteers or patients“. But the Jena study indicates now that the results derived from male subjects cannot be immediately transcribed to women. On the contrary, a ‘customized’ therapy for men and women would be important.

Original-Publication:
Pergola C. et al.: Testosterone suppresses phospholipase D, causing sex differences in leukotriene biosynthesis in human monocytes

Source for Story:

The http://idw-online.de/de/news434491FASEB Journal 2011 (DOI: 10.1096/fj.11-182758)