I had to chuckle when I saw today's edition of the Huffington Post showing that black cumin "MAY" treat pancreatic cancer and then quoting a study done at Thomas Jefferson University by Dr. Hwyda A. Arafat, MD, PhD, associate professor, departments of surgery and pathology, anatomy and cell biology. This study was done in 2007 and it is just now intriguing them. Is this not a give me a break moment.
There have been literally hundreds of papers written on the positive results done in this study and how miraculous this wonderful little black seed is. It was literally able to reduce the pancreatic tumors when no other medical treatment has been successful.
This little black seed has been used for thousands of years for everything from headaches to asthma and it is just now intriguing the Huffington Post? Excuse my ignorance but it should of intrigued the Huffington Post in 2007. As I pause for a moment to smile at the article, I again noticed that the author offered no hint of how to treat the cancers, only that it "May" help.
What is the point of reporting that a potential miracle herb has been created and then never give the way to treat the cancer. Black cumin is also called Nigella Sativa and kalonji. You can get it in several ways and finding a good source is pretty easy. Here are some links:
Black Cumin oil and seeds
The proper way to treat cancer is with a teaspoon of oil mixed with raw honey or juice 3 times a day. In addition the remedy calls for eating 4 cloves of garlic once a day.
It should be noted that in order for black cumin to work, you need to take it regularly, not just when you are sick. For further information on these wonderful seeds read here.
So if we smile a little today about the Huffington Post just now discovering the healing benefits of black cumin, let us all reflect as to the correct place to look for health news. That place is right here with Barbi Trejo's world.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
New Potential Cause of Alzheimer's Disease
THURSDAY, June 10 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have discovered that the mutation of a gene associated with early onset Alzheimer's may block a key recycling process necessary for brain cell survival -- a finding that points the way to possible treatment for the disease.
When it's working properly, this gene -- called presenilin 1 (PS1) -- performs a crucial house-cleaning service by helping brain cells digest unwanted, damaged and potentially toxic proteins. But in its mutated form, the gene fails to help cells recycle these potential toxins, suggesting an explanation for the damage to the brain characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
"We believe we have identified the principal mechanism by which mutations of PS1 cause the most common genetic form of Alzheimer's disease," study co-author Dr. Ralph A. Nixon, professor in the departments of psychiatry and cell biology as well as director of NYU's Center of Excellence on Brain Aging and the Silberstein Alzheimer's Institute, said in a university news release.
"Presently, no effective treatment exists to either slow or prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease," added Nixon, also director of the Center for Dementia Research at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in New York City. "This discovery has the potential of identifying such a treatment."
Mutations of the PS1 gene have previously been thought to increase production of the toxic beta amyloid protein that appears to collect in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. In turn, scientists have theorized that by preventing amyloid deposits from accumulating, they might be able to slow or prevent Alzheimer's progression.
However, the current investigation into PS1 behavior side-steps this potential scenario -- without questioning its validity -- by focusing on the possibility that abnormal PS1 function may cause cell death unconnected to beta amyloid buildup. PS1 mutations and other factors could, therefore, promote Alzheimer's in entirely different ways, the team said.
"There is an urgent need now to see Alzheimer's disease as [caused by multiple factors] and approach the treatment from that perspective," said Nixon, who added that the current finding opens up a new target for Alzheimer's interventions down the road. Focusing on how to restore brain cells' normal recycling system is a promising therapeutic approach, he said, since its disruption appears to promote Alzheimer's.
Nixon and his colleagues report their findings in the June 10th online issue of the journal Cell.
When it's working properly, this gene -- called presenilin 1 (PS1) -- performs a crucial house-cleaning service by helping brain cells digest unwanted, damaged and potentially toxic proteins. But in its mutated form, the gene fails to help cells recycle these potential toxins, suggesting an explanation for the damage to the brain characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
"We believe we have identified the principal mechanism by which mutations of PS1 cause the most common genetic form of Alzheimer's disease," study co-author Dr. Ralph A. Nixon, professor in the departments of psychiatry and cell biology as well as director of NYU's Center of Excellence on Brain Aging and the Silberstein Alzheimer's Institute, said in a university news release.
"Presently, no effective treatment exists to either slow or prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease," added Nixon, also director of the Center for Dementia Research at the Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research in New York City. "This discovery has the potential of identifying such a treatment."
Mutations of the PS1 gene have previously been thought to increase production of the toxic beta amyloid protein that appears to collect in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. In turn, scientists have theorized that by preventing amyloid deposits from accumulating, they might be able to slow or prevent Alzheimer's progression.
However, the current investigation into PS1 behavior side-steps this potential scenario -- without questioning its validity -- by focusing on the possibility that abnormal PS1 function may cause cell death unconnected to beta amyloid buildup. PS1 mutations and other factors could, therefore, promote Alzheimer's in entirely different ways, the team said.
"There is an urgent need now to see Alzheimer's disease as [caused by multiple factors] and approach the treatment from that perspective," said Nixon, who added that the current finding opens up a new target for Alzheimer's interventions down the road. Focusing on how to restore brain cells' normal recycling system is a promising therapeutic approach, he said, since its disruption appears to promote Alzheimer's.
Nixon and his colleagues report their findings in the June 10th online issue of the journal Cell.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Green tea for your belly
Green tea for your bellyBelly fat is not just unbecoming, it is dangerous to your long term, health and well being. When excessive fat is stored inside your abdominal cavity it has devastating metabolic consequences.
This intra abdominal adipose tissue continually dumps fatty acids into the bloodstream poisoning your muscles so they become unresponsive to the normal action of insulin.
That means your insulin, sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels go up, predisposing you to high blood pressure diabetes heart disease and even some forms of cancer.
Finding a way selectively burn this toxic belly fat has been the holy grail of scientists and dieters alike, but to has proved to be an elusive goal.
Evolving evidence points to green tea and its components like theanine and catechins as at least part of the answer to this problem.
You will need to drink about three to four cups of either caffeinated or decaffeinated green tea per day to see the full benefits including weight loss, increased metabolism and a shrinking waistline.
Green tea for your belly
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Beware: Twitter is No Longer for Ads
Twitter’s New Ad Policy And The Dangers Of Tying Your Business To Another Ross | May 25th, 2010
Yesterday, Twitter’s COO Dick Costolo, in an effort to provide more clarity to Twitter’s developer ecosystem, discussed upcoming changes to Twitter’s terms of service and some of the principles that guided Twitter’s recent decisions. Here’s what Costolo wrote in his post:
As our primary concern is the long-term health and value of the network, we have and will continue to forgo near-term revenue opportunities in the service of carefully metering the impact of Promoted Tweets on the user experience. It is critical that the core experience of real-time introductions and information is protected for the user and with an eye toward long-term success for all advertisers, users and the Twitter ecosystem. For this reason, aside from Promoted Tweets, we will not allow any third party to inject paid tweets into a timeline on any service that leverages the Twitter API. We are updating our Terms of Service to articulate clearly what we mean by this statement, and we encourage you to read the updated API Terms of Service to be released shortly.
Shortly after Costolo’s post, Twitter’s API terms of service were indeed updated. Although debates will ensue about the specificity and clarity of those terms of service, I suspect that any ambiguity in the language is intentional – to give Twitter some wiggle room (for those who don’t know – I spent 13 years before crowdSPRING as an attorney representing companies on Intellectual Property issues).
Here’s what the amended terms say about in-stream ads on Twitter (Section IV, 1):
1. Twitter Ads. Twitter reserves the right to serve advertising via its APIs (“Twitter Ads“). If you decide to serve Twitter Ads once we start delivering them, we will share a portion of advertising revenue with you per our then-current terms and conditions.
There’s also this in the next section (Section IV, b and c):
(b) You may generally advertise around and on applications or sites that display Tweets, but you may not place any advertisements within the Twitter timeline on your Service other than Twitter Ads.
(c) Your advertisements cannot resemble or reasonably be confused by users as a Tweet.
That’s it. According to the amended terms, the only permissible in-stream ads are Twitter Ads (which are served by – and sold by – Twitter itself). Period.
Those of you who read my personal blog might recall that I wrote about this issue back in November 2009 – Social Media Insiders Fiddle While Twitter Burns. I am not a fan of in-stream advertising – here’s what I wrote then:
In-stream ads are already out there. Some people are already making large sums of purportedly easy money by promoting products and services they know little or nothing about. I’m not so worried about their credibility – their followers will decide whether or not they should continue listening.
I am worried about Twitter’s credibility. It’s on the line.
Twitter’s move yesterday to amend its API terms of service excluding third party in-stream ads not originating directly from Twitter is only partially satisfying, because Twitter intends to do what it seems to be prohibiting other companies from doing (which is its right).
But Twitter has made changes that have a far greater impact than merely on in-stream ads. There’s additional language that will impact sites that incorporate twitter content into pages (such as the Huffington Post and many other news sites). Here’s Section IV, 2 from Twitter’s amended terms of service:
2. Advertising Around Twitter Content
(a) We encourage you to create advertising opportunities around Twitter content that are compliant with these Rules. In cases where Twitter content is the basis (in whole or in part) of the advertising sale, we require you to compensate us (recoupable against any fees payable to Twitter for data licensing). For example, you may sell sponsorships or branding around gadgets or iframes that include Tweets and other customized visualizations of Twitter. Please contact us for questions and information at twitter_ads@twitter.com, or to notify us of an advertising opportunity.
(b) You may generally advertise around and on applications or sites that display Tweets, but you may not place any advertisements within the Twitter timeline on your Service other than Twitter Ads.
(c) Your advertisements cannot resemble or reasonably be confused by users as a Tweet.
(d) You may advertise in close proximity to the Twitter timeline (e.g., banner ads above or below timeline), but there must be a clear separation between Twitter content and your advertisements.
These changes will seriously impact ad networks like Sponsored Tweets and Ad.ly, who sell and insert advertisements directly into a user’s Twitter timeline.
For those interested in reading the complete (amended) API terms of service, you can find them here. Danny Sullivan also has a detailed post about this subject with some additional info from Twitter.
Twitter’s move shouldn’t surprise anyone. Last month, in reaction to announcements by Twitter (when Twitter acquired Tweetie) and Apple (concerning flash on the iPhone and iPad), I recorded a short video talking about the dangers of tying your business to another company. Twitter’s and Apple’s actions have significantly impacted each company’s developer network.
For those of you unaware of the Tweetie acquisition – Twitter decided in April to acquire the company that makes and sells Tweetie, a popular iPhone client. Prior to this acquisition, Twitter didn’t have its own iPhone application. In part, this was because a healthy and broad third party ecosystem of Twitter apps was developing around Twitter (most of the third party developers, like Twitter, had no revenue model). Twitter’s decision caused many in the Twitter developer ecosystem to wonder about their future and whether Twitter’s continued search for a revenue model would put more Twitter-dependent companies out of business.
Twitter’s move yesterday to amend its API terms of service suggests that Twitter’s developer ecosystem had good reasons to be worried. Twitter’s acquisition of Tweetie (and the reaction from Twitter’s developer community) and now the amended API terms of service that prohibit in-stream advertising other than the advertising sold by Twitter itself, highlights something that’s always been a risk: tying your business to that of another company. Here’s why:
Read the rest of the story here>>>
Yesterday, Twitter’s COO Dick Costolo, in an effort to provide more clarity to Twitter’s developer ecosystem, discussed upcoming changes to Twitter’s terms of service and some of the principles that guided Twitter’s recent decisions. Here’s what Costolo wrote in his post:
As our primary concern is the long-term health and value of the network, we have and will continue to forgo near-term revenue opportunities in the service of carefully metering the impact of Promoted Tweets on the user experience. It is critical that the core experience of real-time introductions and information is protected for the user and with an eye toward long-term success for all advertisers, users and the Twitter ecosystem. For this reason, aside from Promoted Tweets, we will not allow any third party to inject paid tweets into a timeline on any service that leverages the Twitter API. We are updating our Terms of Service to articulate clearly what we mean by this statement, and we encourage you to read the updated API Terms of Service to be released shortly.
Shortly after Costolo’s post, Twitter’s API terms of service were indeed updated. Although debates will ensue about the specificity and clarity of those terms of service, I suspect that any ambiguity in the language is intentional – to give Twitter some wiggle room (for those who don’t know – I spent 13 years before crowdSPRING as an attorney representing companies on Intellectual Property issues).
Here’s what the amended terms say about in-stream ads on Twitter (Section IV, 1):
1. Twitter Ads. Twitter reserves the right to serve advertising via its APIs (“Twitter Ads“). If you decide to serve Twitter Ads once we start delivering them, we will share a portion of advertising revenue with you per our then-current terms and conditions.
There’s also this in the next section (Section IV, b and c):
(b) You may generally advertise around and on applications or sites that display Tweets, but you may not place any advertisements within the Twitter timeline on your Service other than Twitter Ads.
(c) Your advertisements cannot resemble or reasonably be confused by users as a Tweet.
That’s it. According to the amended terms, the only permissible in-stream ads are Twitter Ads (which are served by – and sold by – Twitter itself). Period.
Those of you who read my personal blog might recall that I wrote about this issue back in November 2009 – Social Media Insiders Fiddle While Twitter Burns. I am not a fan of in-stream advertising – here’s what I wrote then:
In-stream ads are already out there. Some people are already making large sums of purportedly easy money by promoting products and services they know little or nothing about. I’m not so worried about their credibility – their followers will decide whether or not they should continue listening.
I am worried about Twitter’s credibility. It’s on the line.
Twitter’s move yesterday to amend its API terms of service excluding third party in-stream ads not originating directly from Twitter is only partially satisfying, because Twitter intends to do what it seems to be prohibiting other companies from doing (which is its right).
But Twitter has made changes that have a far greater impact than merely on in-stream ads. There’s additional language that will impact sites that incorporate twitter content into pages (such as the Huffington Post and many other news sites). Here’s Section IV, 2 from Twitter’s amended terms of service:
2. Advertising Around Twitter Content
(a) We encourage you to create advertising opportunities around Twitter content that are compliant with these Rules. In cases where Twitter content is the basis (in whole or in part) of the advertising sale, we require you to compensate us (recoupable against any fees payable to Twitter for data licensing). For example, you may sell sponsorships or branding around gadgets or iframes that include Tweets and other customized visualizations of Twitter. Please contact us for questions and information at twitter_ads@twitter.com, or to notify us of an advertising opportunity.
(b) You may generally advertise around and on applications or sites that display Tweets, but you may not place any advertisements within the Twitter timeline on your Service other than Twitter Ads.
(c) Your advertisements cannot resemble or reasonably be confused by users as a Tweet.
(d) You may advertise in close proximity to the Twitter timeline (e.g., banner ads above or below timeline), but there must be a clear separation between Twitter content and your advertisements.
These changes will seriously impact ad networks like Sponsored Tweets and Ad.ly, who sell and insert advertisements directly into a user’s Twitter timeline.
For those interested in reading the complete (amended) API terms of service, you can find them here. Danny Sullivan also has a detailed post about this subject with some additional info from Twitter.
Twitter’s move shouldn’t surprise anyone. Last month, in reaction to announcements by Twitter (when Twitter acquired Tweetie) and Apple (concerning flash on the iPhone and iPad), I recorded a short video talking about the dangers of tying your business to another company. Twitter’s and Apple’s actions have significantly impacted each company’s developer network.
For those of you unaware of the Tweetie acquisition – Twitter decided in April to acquire the company that makes and sells Tweetie, a popular iPhone client. Prior to this acquisition, Twitter didn’t have its own iPhone application. In part, this was because a healthy and broad third party ecosystem of Twitter apps was developing around Twitter (most of the third party developers, like Twitter, had no revenue model). Twitter’s decision caused many in the Twitter developer ecosystem to wonder about their future and whether Twitter’s continued search for a revenue model would put more Twitter-dependent companies out of business.
Twitter’s move yesterday to amend its API terms of service suggests that Twitter’s developer ecosystem had good reasons to be worried. Twitter’s acquisition of Tweetie (and the reaction from Twitter’s developer community) and now the amended API terms of service that prohibit in-stream advertising other than the advertising sold by Twitter itself, highlights something that’s always been a risk: tying your business to that of another company. Here’s why:
Read the rest of the story here>>>
Friday, May 14, 2010
Most Older People Have Damaged Kidneys - Dr. Cinque
Most older people have damaged kidneys
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the kidneys of healthy adults show signs of chronic mild injury that increase with age. This damage is present even though the adults showed no clinical signs of kidney disease. The findings are reported in the current issue of the, Annals of Internal Medicine.
"This was a surprise," says Andrew Rule, M.D., M.Sc., a Mayo Clinic nephrologist and epidemiologist who led the study. "These patients' kidneys are functioning normally, and this damage doesn't show up on the tests doctors routinely use to assess kidney health. It means we need to come up with new tests to detect mild kidney injury more accurately."
The medical records of 1,203 people who donated kidneys at Mayo Clinic from 1999 to 2009 were used for the cross-sectional study. The donor kidneys were examined with a needle biopsy once they were transplanted into the recipient as part of a routine procedure to gather baseline information about the new kidney.
The researchers looked at four signs of nephrosclerosis, or chronic kidney injury: glomerulosclerosis (scarring of the kidney's filtration units), tubular atrophy (loss of the tubes that process urine), interstitial fibrosis (general scarring of the kidney tissue), and arteriosclerosis (narrowing of tiny blood vessels).
Researchers discovered that the percentage of donors with nephrosclerosis ranged from 2.7 percent for men and women ages 18 -- 29 years to 73 percent for those ages 70 -- 77 years. The greater damage with older age was not explained by differences in kidney function or risk factors for kidney disease.
"Even though there are signs of damage, the kidneys were functioning within normal parameters," says Dr. Rule. "These findings do not mean that older people shouldn't donate kidneys. As far as we know, this mild kidney injury is an inevitable consequence of aging. Instead, we need an age-specific cut point for kidney function to identify early kidney disease. Right now, doctors use the same cut point for a 20-year-old as for a 70-year-old. This does not take into consideration the normal decline in kidney function that comes with aging. With older age there may be decreased demand for kidney function since the changes in kidney function do not reflect kidney injury on biopsy."
Dr. Rule is working with an international team to develop a new test for nephrosclerosis. He says that people can lessen damage to their kidneys by preventing and treating diabetes and controlling their blood pressure. "Even when kidney function tests are normal, people with high blood pressure have kidneys that look eight years older on biopsy than the kidneys of people with normal blood pressure," Dr. Rule says.
Dr. Cinque's comments: This tells me that the kidneys are endowed with a tremendous reserve capacity, but then again, we already knew that. A young football player can get clipped and lose a kidney to the surgeon's knife, and even though his kidney function is cut in half instantly, his life and his functioning continue quite normally and with no restrictions. Obviously then, you have to lose more than 50 percent of your kidney function before you begin to suffer in any noticable way. What a blessing that we were given so much surplus capacity. But once damaged, the kidneys cannot repair themselves, which is why we need to take care of them and prevent damage. I know of no dietary supplements that are of any help in preserving the kidneys. I certainly don't take any for that purpose. You can only help your kidneys indirectly- by not hurting them, which means: do not overindulge in salt or protein, and avoid alcohol and drugs. And that includes diuretics, which are not good for your kidneys.
Dr. Cinque's Website
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the kidneys of healthy adults show signs of chronic mild injury that increase with age. This damage is present even though the adults showed no clinical signs of kidney disease. The findings are reported in the current issue of the, Annals of Internal Medicine.
"This was a surprise," says Andrew Rule, M.D., M.Sc., a Mayo Clinic nephrologist and epidemiologist who led the study. "These patients' kidneys are functioning normally, and this damage doesn't show up on the tests doctors routinely use to assess kidney health. It means we need to come up with new tests to detect mild kidney injury more accurately."
The medical records of 1,203 people who donated kidneys at Mayo Clinic from 1999 to 2009 were used for the cross-sectional study. The donor kidneys were examined with a needle biopsy once they were transplanted into the recipient as part of a routine procedure to gather baseline information about the new kidney.
The researchers looked at four signs of nephrosclerosis, or chronic kidney injury: glomerulosclerosis (scarring of the kidney's filtration units), tubular atrophy (loss of the tubes that process urine), interstitial fibrosis (general scarring of the kidney tissue), and arteriosclerosis (narrowing of tiny blood vessels).
Researchers discovered that the percentage of donors with nephrosclerosis ranged from 2.7 percent for men and women ages 18 -- 29 years to 73 percent for those ages 70 -- 77 years. The greater damage with older age was not explained by differences in kidney function or risk factors for kidney disease.
"Even though there are signs of damage, the kidneys were functioning within normal parameters," says Dr. Rule. "These findings do not mean that older people shouldn't donate kidneys. As far as we know, this mild kidney injury is an inevitable consequence of aging. Instead, we need an age-specific cut point for kidney function to identify early kidney disease. Right now, doctors use the same cut point for a 20-year-old as for a 70-year-old. This does not take into consideration the normal decline in kidney function that comes with aging. With older age there may be decreased demand for kidney function since the changes in kidney function do not reflect kidney injury on biopsy."
Dr. Rule is working with an international team to develop a new test for nephrosclerosis. He says that people can lessen damage to their kidneys by preventing and treating diabetes and controlling their blood pressure. "Even when kidney function tests are normal, people with high blood pressure have kidneys that look eight years older on biopsy than the kidneys of people with normal blood pressure," Dr. Rule says.
Dr. Cinque's comments: This tells me that the kidneys are endowed with a tremendous reserve capacity, but then again, we already knew that. A young football player can get clipped and lose a kidney to the surgeon's knife, and even though his kidney function is cut in half instantly, his life and his functioning continue quite normally and with no restrictions. Obviously then, you have to lose more than 50 percent of your kidney function before you begin to suffer in any noticable way. What a blessing that we were given so much surplus capacity. But once damaged, the kidneys cannot repair themselves, which is why we need to take care of them and prevent damage. I know of no dietary supplements that are of any help in preserving the kidneys. I certainly don't take any for that purpose. You can only help your kidneys indirectly- by not hurting them, which means: do not overindulge in salt or protein, and avoid alcohol and drugs. And that includes diuretics, which are not good for your kidneys.
Dr. Cinque's Website
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Miraculous Cures of Apple Cider Vinegar
From: Barefooter's Library
There have been many lofty claims about the miraculous healing powers of apple cider vinegar, and many people do seem to be experiencing some health benefits. However, much of what you read about this product on the Internet is overstated, or simply unfounded.
Some proponents of apple cider vinegar claim it can cure everything from diabetes to acid reflux, to warts, cancer, arthritis, athlete’s foot, halitosis, high cholesterol, gout, poison oak, urinary tract infections, and even head lice!
Oh -- and yes, it can help you with your Easter egg dying as well.
With the surging interest in alternative medicine, you can now even get apple cider vinegar in pill form.
Dramatic claims aside, let’s examine what is really known about vinegar, based on the scientific studies to date.
Latest Research Findings on Vinegar and Diabetes
There has been surprisingly little research about using vinegar for therapeutic health purposes, given the large number of dramatic claims about it. However, lack of scientific studies is a common problem for many natural and alternative therapies.
Perhaps the most researched and the most promising of apple cider vinegar’s benefits are in the area of type 2 diabetes. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower blood glucose
In 2004, a study cited in the American Diabetes Foundation’s publication Diabetes Care[i] found that taking vinegar before meals significantly increased insulin sensitivity and dramatically reduced the insulin and glucose spikes that occur after meals. The study involved 29 people, divided into three groups:
1. One third had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
2. One third had prediabetic signs.
3. One third were healthy.
The results were quite significant:
~All three groups had better blood glucose readings with the vinegar than with the placebo.
~People with prediabetic symptoms benefitted the most from the vinegar, cutting their blood glucose
concentrations by nearly half.
~People with diabetes improved their blood glucose levels by 25 percent with vinegar.
~People with prediabetic symptoms had lower blood glucose than the healthy participants after both drank vinegar.
A follow-up study geared at testing vinegar’s long-term effects yielded an unexpected but pleasant side effect: moderate weight loss. In this study, participants taking two tablespoons of vinegar prior to two meals per day lost an average of two pounds over the four-week period, and some lost up to four pounds.
In 2007, another study cited by WebMD involving 11 people with type 2 diabetes found taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4 to 6 percent.
Although the research to date looks favorable, more studies are needed to confirm the extent of vinegar’s insulin stabilization benefits.
Vinegar and Blood Pressure
There is far less research exploring vinegar and heart health.
In 2006, one study showed that vinegar could lower cholesterol in laboratory rats[ii]. Another study on rats[iii] found their blood pressure could be lowered by the acetic acid in vinegar.
However, these results do not necessarily apply to people; therefore, we really need some research on humans before conclusions can be drawn.
Possible Cancer Combatant
There is some positive preliminary research suggesting apple cider vinegar can help prevent cancer. A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. However, epidemiological studies of people have yielded confusing results.
One study found that taking vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. Another associated it with an increased risk for bladder cancer. Clearly, the jury is still out on cancer prevention.
An Apple a Day
remain, even after the apples are fermented. They contend that vinegar is rich in minerals, vitamins (including potassium, calcium, and beta-carotene), complex carbohydrates and fiber, pectin, amino acids, and beneficial enzymes.
The problem is, when standard nutritional analyses of apple cider vinegar are done, it is found to be a poor source of most of these nutrients. For example, the one milligram of calcium found in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar does not come close to the 1,000 milligrams a typical adult needs each day.
It has been claimed that soluble fiber in the vinegar, in the form of pectin, binds to cholesterol and helps carry it out of your body, thereby improving your lipid profile. However, apple cider vinegar contains no measurable pectin or any other fiber, for that matter.
Perhaps apple cider’s magic may come from the vitamins it contains?
Wrong again.
According to the USDA, apple cider vinegar has no measurable vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, beta-carotene, or folate -- and it’s equally lacking in amino acids, lycopene, or any other nutritional elements.
Then, is this stuff just good for cleaning windows and dying eggs?
Hardly.
Even though it is devoid of many of the traditionally valued nutrients, evidence of apple cider vinegar’s health benefits has been witnessed for hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of years[iv].
So, what can explain this mysteriously beneficial elixir?
It could be partially related to the fact that vinegar is a diluted acid, specifically acetic acid, which is responsible for its sour taste and pungent smell. The pH changes it induces may contribute to some of its actions.
Some of the dramatic benefits may also be derived from yet-to-be-identified phytochemicals (beneficial compounds in plants) that scientists are now discovering in a number of different foods. In fact, many of your strongest weapons against cancer are the phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables
The more we know, the more we realize we don’t know.
One thing that apple cider vinegar is high in is acetic acid. Like other acids, acetic acid can increase your body’s absorption of important minerals from the foods you eat. Therefore, it is possible that drinking a mild tonic of vinegar and water just before meals might improve your body’s ability to absorb the essential minerals locked in foods. Apple cider vinegar might help you get more out of your leafy greens!
How can apple cider vinegar help regulate your insulin?
One theory is that it might activate some of the digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates into sugar, thus slowing absorption of sugar from a meal into your bloodstream. This gives your body more time to pull sugar out of your blood, preventing your sugar levels from spiking.
The Gnarlier, the Better
When purchasing an apple cider vinegar, you’ll want to avoid the perfectly clear, “sparkling clean” varieties you commonly see on grocery store shelves. Instead, you want organic, unfiltered, unprocessed apple cider vinegar, which is murky and brown.
When you try to look through it, you will notice a cobweb-like substance floating in it. This is known as “mother,” and it indicates your vinegar is of good quality.
The reason manufacturers distil vinegar is to remove this rather schmurky looking stuff that most folks won’t buy. But in this case, it’s the murky looking stuff you want. As with everything else, the more processed a food is, the less nutritious, and this holds true for apple cider vinegar.
The first vinegar was the result of an ancient accident.
Long ago, someone stored a keg of wine too long (presumeably a poorly sealed one that allowed oxygen in). When the eager drinkers opened it, they found a sour liquid instead of wine. The name “vinegar” comes from the French words for “sour wine.”
How Should Apple Cider Vinegar be Used?
There are no official guidelines about taking vinegar internally. Some people take one to two teaspoons a day, mixed in a glass of water or juice, before meals or in the morning, and report benefits from doing so. The risk of taking small amounts of apple cider vinegar seems low.
Apple cider vinegar makes a delightful salad dressing. You can even make a vinegar-based coleslaw, rather than the usual creamy mayonnaise-based one. It is good on fish as well and serves as a great tenderizing marinade for meat, giving it a bit of zing. And it’s tasty drizzled over cooked greens.
If you are considering taking it medicinally, there are some things to keep in mind[v]:
~Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. The main ingredient is acetic acid, which is quite harsh. You should always
dilute it with water or juice before swallowing. Pure, straight apple cider vinegar could damage your tooth
enamel or the tissues of your mouth and throat. (There is, in fact, one reported incident of long-term
esophageal damage to a woman who got an apple cider vinegar supplement capsule stuck in her throat.)
~Long-term excessive use could conceivably cause low potassium levels and lower bone density.
~Apple cider vinegar could theoretically interact with diuretics, laxatives, and medicines for diabetes and heart
disease.,br>
If you are under the care of a physician and you want to try a course of apple cider vinegar, talk to your doctor first to make sure it won’t interfere with any of the medications you are presently on.
Apple Cider Vinegar -- It’s Not Just a Breakfast Drink
Vinegar is one of the best natural agents for removing certain pesticides and bacteria from your fresh produce. Of course, you don’t need apple cider vinegar for this -- any basic white vinegar will do, and for a fraction of the price.
Gayle Povis Alleman, MS, RD recommends a solution of 10 percent vinegar to 90 percent water as a bath to briefly soak produce. Just place your veggeis or fruit in the solution, swish it around, and rinse thoroughly.
Don’t use this process on fragile fruits (like berries), since they could be damaged in the process or soak up too much vinegar through their porous skins.
~Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a natural hair care product. Its acidity is close to that of human hair;
it’s a good conditioner and cleaning agent, as well as an effective germ killer. You can visit
http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com for information on how to make a vinegar hair rinse.
~Vinegar also has some applications for pets, including cleaning ears, relief of certain skin problems, and
combating fleas and ticks[vi].
~Some horse owners claim apple cider vinegar is an excellent natural horse fly spray and horse hoof care
product.
~Vinegar is a great, all around cleaning agent for everything from countertops to windows.
Obviously, we need a great deal more research to investigate vinegar’s full healing potential. While it is not likely an all-encompassing miracle cure, it can certainly be useful in a variety of ways, for a variety of conditions. It’s one more multi-purpose tool to have in your natural pantry.
And if you are really ambitious and adventuresome, you might want to try your hand at making apple cider vinegar from scratch. Detailed instructions can be found at http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com.
Again let me remind you that this document is NOT intended to be a comprehensive or exhaustive analysis of apple cider vinegar. However you can help create to the current understanding of this topic by adding your comments to the page.
footnotes:
[i] Johnston, CS, Kim, CM, Buller, AJ. 2004. Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 27(January): 281-282 http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/1/281
[ii] Fushimi T, Suruga K, Oshima Y, Fukiharu M, Tsukamoto Y, Goda T. 2006. Dietary acetic acid reduces serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. British Journal of Nutrition (May)95(5):916-924 http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/bjon/abstract.00002375-200605000-00008...!-601995444!181195629!8091!-1
[iii] Kondo S, Tayama K, Tsukamoto Y, Ikeda K, Yamori Y. 2001. Antihypertensive effects of acetic acid and vinegar on spontaneously hypertensive rats. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 65(12) 2690-2694. http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bbb/65/12/65_2690/_article/-cha...
[iv] Vinegar History, http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-history.html
[v] WebMD, Healthy Eating & Diet, Apple cider vinegar. http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar
[vi] Pet Care with Apple Cider Vinegar, http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/pet-care.html
© Copyright 2009 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
There have been many lofty claims about the miraculous healing powers of apple cider vinegar, and many people do seem to be experiencing some health benefits. However, much of what you read about this product on the Internet is overstated, or simply unfounded.
Some proponents of apple cider vinegar claim it can cure everything from diabetes to acid reflux, to warts, cancer, arthritis, athlete’s foot, halitosis, high cholesterol, gout, poison oak, urinary tract infections, and even head lice!
Oh -- and yes, it can help you with your Easter egg dying as well.
With the surging interest in alternative medicine, you can now even get apple cider vinegar in pill form.
Dramatic claims aside, let’s examine what is really known about vinegar, based on the scientific studies to date.
Latest Research Findings on Vinegar and Diabetes
There has been surprisingly little research about using vinegar for therapeutic health purposes, given the large number of dramatic claims about it. However, lack of scientific studies is a common problem for many natural and alternative therapies.
Perhaps the most researched and the most promising of apple cider vinegar’s benefits are in the area of type 2 diabetes. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower blood glucose
In 2004, a study cited in the American Diabetes Foundation’s publication Diabetes Care[i] found that taking vinegar before meals significantly increased insulin sensitivity and dramatically reduced the insulin and glucose spikes that occur after meals. The study involved 29 people, divided into three groups:
1. One third had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
2. One third had prediabetic signs.
3. One third were healthy.
The results were quite significant:
~All three groups had better blood glucose readings with the vinegar than with the placebo.
~People with prediabetic symptoms benefitted the most from the vinegar, cutting their blood glucose
concentrations by nearly half.
~People with diabetes improved their blood glucose levels by 25 percent with vinegar.
~People with prediabetic symptoms had lower blood glucose than the healthy participants after both drank vinegar.
A follow-up study geared at testing vinegar’s long-term effects yielded an unexpected but pleasant side effect: moderate weight loss. In this study, participants taking two tablespoons of vinegar prior to two meals per day lost an average of two pounds over the four-week period, and some lost up to four pounds.
In 2007, another study cited by WebMD involving 11 people with type 2 diabetes found taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4 to 6 percent.
Although the research to date looks favorable, more studies are needed to confirm the extent of vinegar’s insulin stabilization benefits.
Vinegar and Blood Pressure
There is far less research exploring vinegar and heart health.
In 2006, one study showed that vinegar could lower cholesterol in laboratory rats[ii]. Another study on rats[iii] found their blood pressure could be lowered by the acetic acid in vinegar.
However, these results do not necessarily apply to people; therefore, we really need some research on humans before conclusions can be drawn.
Possible Cancer Combatant
There is some positive preliminary research suggesting apple cider vinegar can help prevent cancer. A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. However, epidemiological studies of people have yielded confusing results.
One study found that taking vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. Another associated it with an increased risk for bladder cancer. Clearly, the jury is still out on cancer prevention.
An Apple a Day
remain, even after the apples are fermented. They contend that vinegar is rich in minerals, vitamins (including potassium, calcium, and beta-carotene), complex carbohydrates and fiber, pectin, amino acids, and beneficial enzymes.
The problem is, when standard nutritional analyses of apple cider vinegar are done, it is found to be a poor source of most of these nutrients. For example, the one milligram of calcium found in a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar does not come close to the 1,000 milligrams a typical adult needs each day.
It has been claimed that soluble fiber in the vinegar, in the form of pectin, binds to cholesterol and helps carry it out of your body, thereby improving your lipid profile. However, apple cider vinegar contains no measurable pectin or any other fiber, for that matter.
Perhaps apple cider’s magic may come from the vitamins it contains?
Wrong again.
According to the USDA, apple cider vinegar has no measurable vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, beta-carotene, or folate -- and it’s equally lacking in amino acids, lycopene, or any other nutritional elements.
Then, is this stuff just good for cleaning windows and dying eggs?
Hardly.
Even though it is devoid of many of the traditionally valued nutrients, evidence of apple cider vinegar’s health benefits has been witnessed for hundreds -- maybe thousands -- of years[iv].
So, what can explain this mysteriously beneficial elixir?
It could be partially related to the fact that vinegar is a diluted acid, specifically acetic acid, which is responsible for its sour taste and pungent smell. The pH changes it induces may contribute to some of its actions.
Some of the dramatic benefits may also be derived from yet-to-be-identified phytochemicals (beneficial compounds in plants) that scientists are now discovering in a number of different foods. In fact, many of your strongest weapons against cancer are the phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables
The more we know, the more we realize we don’t know.
One thing that apple cider vinegar is high in is acetic acid. Like other acids, acetic acid can increase your body’s absorption of important minerals from the foods you eat. Therefore, it is possible that drinking a mild tonic of vinegar and water just before meals might improve your body’s ability to absorb the essential minerals locked in foods. Apple cider vinegar might help you get more out of your leafy greens!
How can apple cider vinegar help regulate your insulin?
One theory is that it might activate some of the digestive enzymes that break down carbohydrates into sugar, thus slowing absorption of sugar from a meal into your bloodstream. This gives your body more time to pull sugar out of your blood, preventing your sugar levels from spiking.
The Gnarlier, the Better
When purchasing an apple cider vinegar, you’ll want to avoid the perfectly clear, “sparkling clean” varieties you commonly see on grocery store shelves. Instead, you want organic, unfiltered, unprocessed apple cider vinegar, which is murky and brown.
When you try to look through it, you will notice a cobweb-like substance floating in it. This is known as “mother,” and it indicates your vinegar is of good quality.
The reason manufacturers distil vinegar is to remove this rather schmurky looking stuff that most folks won’t buy. But in this case, it’s the murky looking stuff you want. As with everything else, the more processed a food is, the less nutritious, and this holds true for apple cider vinegar.
The first vinegar was the result of an ancient accident.
Long ago, someone stored a keg of wine too long (presumeably a poorly sealed one that allowed oxygen in). When the eager drinkers opened it, they found a sour liquid instead of wine. The name “vinegar” comes from the French words for “sour wine.”
How Should Apple Cider Vinegar be Used?
There are no official guidelines about taking vinegar internally. Some people take one to two teaspoons a day, mixed in a glass of water or juice, before meals or in the morning, and report benefits from doing so. The risk of taking small amounts of apple cider vinegar seems low.
Apple cider vinegar makes a delightful salad dressing. You can even make a vinegar-based coleslaw, rather than the usual creamy mayonnaise-based one. It is good on fish as well and serves as a great tenderizing marinade for meat, giving it a bit of zing. And it’s tasty drizzled over cooked greens.
If you are considering taking it medicinally, there are some things to keep in mind[v]:
~Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. The main ingredient is acetic acid, which is quite harsh. You should always
dilute it with water or juice before swallowing. Pure, straight apple cider vinegar could damage your tooth
enamel or the tissues of your mouth and throat. (There is, in fact, one reported incident of long-term
esophageal damage to a woman who got an apple cider vinegar supplement capsule stuck in her throat.)
~Long-term excessive use could conceivably cause low potassium levels and lower bone density.
~Apple cider vinegar could theoretically interact with diuretics, laxatives, and medicines for diabetes and heart
disease.,br>
If you are under the care of a physician and you want to try a course of apple cider vinegar, talk to your doctor first to make sure it won’t interfere with any of the medications you are presently on.
Apple Cider Vinegar -- It’s Not Just a Breakfast Drink
Vinegar is one of the best natural agents for removing certain pesticides and bacteria from your fresh produce. Of course, you don’t need apple cider vinegar for this -- any basic white vinegar will do, and for a fraction of the price.
Gayle Povis Alleman, MS, RD recommends a solution of 10 percent vinegar to 90 percent water as a bath to briefly soak produce. Just place your veggeis or fruit in the solution, swish it around, and rinse thoroughly.
Don’t use this process on fragile fruits (like berries), since they could be damaged in the process or soak up too much vinegar through their porous skins.
~Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a natural hair care product. Its acidity is close to that of human hair;
it’s a good conditioner and cleaning agent, as well as an effective germ killer. You can visit
http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com for information on how to make a vinegar hair rinse.
~Vinegar also has some applications for pets, including cleaning ears, relief of certain skin problems, and
combating fleas and ticks[vi].
~Some horse owners claim apple cider vinegar is an excellent natural horse fly spray and horse hoof care
product.
~Vinegar is a great, all around cleaning agent for everything from countertops to windows.
Obviously, we need a great deal more research to investigate vinegar’s full healing potential. While it is not likely an all-encompassing miracle cure, it can certainly be useful in a variety of ways, for a variety of conditions. It’s one more multi-purpose tool to have in your natural pantry.
And if you are really ambitious and adventuresome, you might want to try your hand at making apple cider vinegar from scratch. Detailed instructions can be found at http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com.
Again let me remind you that this document is NOT intended to be a comprehensive or exhaustive analysis of apple cider vinegar. However you can help create to the current understanding of this topic by adding your comments to the page.
footnotes:
[i] Johnston, CS, Kim, CM, Buller, AJ. 2004. Vinegar improves insulin sensitivity to a high-carbohydrate meal in subjects with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 27(January): 281-282 http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/27/1/281
[ii] Fushimi T, Suruga K, Oshima Y, Fukiharu M, Tsukamoto Y, Goda T. 2006. Dietary acetic acid reduces serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. British Journal of Nutrition (May)95(5):916-924 http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/bjon/abstract.00002375-200605000-00008...!-601995444!181195629!8091!-1
[iii] Kondo S, Tayama K, Tsukamoto Y, Ikeda K, Yamori Y. 2001. Antihypertensive effects of acetic acid and vinegar on spontaneously hypertensive rats. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 65(12) 2690-2694. http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bbb/65/12/65_2690/_article/-cha...
[iv] Vinegar History, http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/vinegar-history.html
[v] WebMD, Healthy Eating & Diet, Apple cider vinegar. http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar
[vi] Pet Care with Apple Cider Vinegar, http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/pet-care.html
© Copyright 2009 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved. This content may be copied in full, with copyright, contact, creation and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Caloric restriction boosts immunity
Written by Dr. Cinque
1 to 1 Vitamins
Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that volunteers who followed a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lost weight, but also significantly enhanced their immune response. The study may be the first to demonstrate the interaction between caloric restriction and immune markers among humans.
The lead researcher, Simin Nikbin Meydani, is director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., and also of the HNRCA's Nutritional Immunology Laboratory.
The study is part of the "Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy" trial conducted at the HNRCA. As people age, their immune response generally declines. Calorie restriction has been shown to boost these immune responses in animal models.
In the study, 46 overweight (but not obese) men and women aged 20 to 40 years were required to consume either a 30-percent or 10-percent calorie-restricted diet for six months. Prior to being randomly assigned to one of the two groups, each volunteer participated in an initial 6-week period during which measures of all baseline study outcomes were obtained. All food was provided to participants.
For the study, the researchers looked at specific biologic markers. A skin test used called DTH (delayed-type hypersensitivity) is a measure of immune response at the whole body level. The researchers also examined effects of calorie restriction on function of T-cells--a major type of white blood cell--and other factors on the volunteer's immune system.
DTH and T-cell response indicate the strength of cell-mediated immunity. One positive was that DTH and T-cell proliferative response were significantly increased in both calorie-restrained groups. These results show for the first time that short-term calorie restriction for six months in humans improves the function of T-cells.
Details of this 2009 study can be found in the publication Journal of Gerontology, Biological Sciences. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's principal intramural scientific research agency.
Dr. Cinque's comments: I have seen visual evidence of this. In 1989, I worked at Dr. Alec Burton's clinic on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia, and there he performed live cell analysis with dark field microscopy. Among the patients who were fasting (which is the ultimate form of caloric restriction) there was a noticable enhancement in the activity of the leukocytes (the white blood cells). It's as though those lobulated cells were unleashed, unburdened, and infused with life as they streamed around the slide with great vigor. It really was quite a sight which I will never forget. It's not easy to restrict one's calories, but sometimes we can catch ourselves stuffing in more food than we need. For instance, does anyone really need to eat dessert? What, are we like children who have to be rewarded for eating their vegetables? Just think about the enormous benefits of calorie restriction, and it may help you to just say no to more food when others are clearly pigging out.
1 to 1 Vitamins
Scientists funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) found that volunteers who followed a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lost weight, but also significantly enhanced their immune response. The study may be the first to demonstrate the interaction between caloric restriction and immune markers among humans.
The lead researcher, Simin Nikbin Meydani, is director of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass., and also of the HNRCA's Nutritional Immunology Laboratory.
The study is part of the "Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy" trial conducted at the HNRCA. As people age, their immune response generally declines. Calorie restriction has been shown to boost these immune responses in animal models.
In the study, 46 overweight (but not obese) men and women aged 20 to 40 years were required to consume either a 30-percent or 10-percent calorie-restricted diet for six months. Prior to being randomly assigned to one of the two groups, each volunteer participated in an initial 6-week period during which measures of all baseline study outcomes were obtained. All food was provided to participants.
For the study, the researchers looked at specific biologic markers. A skin test used called DTH (delayed-type hypersensitivity) is a measure of immune response at the whole body level. The researchers also examined effects of calorie restriction on function of T-cells--a major type of white blood cell--and other factors on the volunteer's immune system.
DTH and T-cell response indicate the strength of cell-mediated immunity. One positive was that DTH and T-cell proliferative response were significantly increased in both calorie-restrained groups. These results show for the first time that short-term calorie restriction for six months in humans improves the function of T-cells.
Details of this 2009 study can be found in the publication Journal of Gerontology, Biological Sciences. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's principal intramural scientific research agency.
Dr. Cinque's comments: I have seen visual evidence of this. In 1989, I worked at Dr. Alec Burton's clinic on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia, and there he performed live cell analysis with dark field microscopy. Among the patients who were fasting (which is the ultimate form of caloric restriction) there was a noticable enhancement in the activity of the leukocytes (the white blood cells). It's as though those lobulated cells were unleashed, unburdened, and infused with life as they streamed around the slide with great vigor. It really was quite a sight which I will never forget. It's not easy to restrict one's calories, but sometimes we can catch ourselves stuffing in more food than we need. For instance, does anyone really need to eat dessert? What, are we like children who have to be rewarded for eating their vegetables? Just think about the enormous benefits of calorie restriction, and it may help you to just say no to more food when others are clearly pigging out.
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