Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Toxic Truth About A New Generation of Nonstick and Waterproof Chemicals

The Toxic Truth About A New Generation of Nonstick and Waterproof Chemicals: Ten years ago, DuPont was forced to phase out a key chemical in making Teflon, after revelations that for nearly 45 years the company covered up evidence of its health hazards, including cancer and birth defects. But a new EWG investigation finds that the chemicals pushed by DuPont and other companies to replace the Teflon chemical and similar perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs – already in wide use in food wrappers and outdoor clothing – may not be much – if at all – safer.

Friday, December 13, 2019

Vitamin C shown to improve blood sugar levels and reduce blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes

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reduce-blood-pressure(NaturalHealth365) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that fully one third of the American population is prediabetic, with elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels that can – if untreated – lead to full-blown type 2 diabetes.  Diabetes, which currently affects over 30 million Americans, causes the risk of heart disease to skyrocket – and can feature serious complications such as nerve damage, kidney disease and retinal damage.
Now, a brand-new Australian study shows that vitamin C can lower elevated blood glucose in type 2 diabetics, helping to control dangerous after-meal surges and “spikes.”

The misunderstood health benefits of vitamin C

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is a potent natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immune system booster.  Thankfully, a handful of forward-thinking doctors – early vitamin C pioneers such as Dr. Frederick Klenner, Linus Pauling, Dr. Mathias Rath and Thomas E. Levy, MD, JD – have long spoken out about the ability of vitamin C to treat, and even reverse, a host of serious conditions.
In the 1940s, Dr. Klenner reported curing a variety of diseases, including polio and hepatitis, with high-dose vitamin C – while in the present day, Dr. Paul Marik, Professor of Medicine of Eastern Virginia Medical School, administers a vitamin C protocol that drastically improves survival rates for patients suffering from sepsis, a life-threatening systemic infection.
But the therapeutic value of this non-toxic, inexpensive natural nutrient has been consistently downplayed by the medical powers-that-be. Time and again, the mainstream medical community seems to have greeted even the most impressive vitamin C studies with indifference, suspicion and even scorn.
Fortunately, well-designed scientific studies on vitamin C’s benefit are accumulating – as manifested by this latest study, conducted by an international team of researchers and published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.
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Study: Vitamin C can reduce blood sugar spikes by a substantial 36 percent

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2019 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, adult participants with type 2 diabetes were randomly divided into two groups. One group took 1,000 mg of ascorbic acid in divided doses every day for four months, while the other group received a placebo.
Participants were given standardized meals, and their glucose levels were monitored continuously for 48 hours.  The results were clear-cut.
The vitamin C group experienced significantly lower after-meal blood sugar levels – reducing by roughly three hours the time spent every day in hyperglycemia – a state of elevated blood glucose.
Why is this important?
Research has shown that blood sugar “spikes” damage cells in multiple ways, and are linked to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, kidney failure, cognitive dysfunction and retinal damage.
Clearly, the less time spent in hyperglycemia – the better.  However, better glucose control wasn’t the only benefit for the participants in the vitamin C group.
The ascorbic acid also lowered elevated blood pressure – a primary risk factor for heart disease.
The team reported that participants’ blood pressure readings dropped by an average of 7 mmHg in the systolic number (which measures the pressure exerted by heartbeats) and by 5 mmHg in the diastolic (which measures the pressure in between beats).
Incidentally, the vitamin C group also experienced a significant lessening of disease-promoting oxidative stress.  The researchers concluded that the study provided evidence for use of vitamin C as an adjunct therapy to improve control of blood sugar and blood pressure in people with type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin C drastically lowers the risk of developing cardiovascular disease

People with type 2 diabetes suffer from increased risk of heart disease – in fact, the Cleveland Clinic reports that 75 to 85 percent of patients with diabetes die from heart attack or stroke.
This makes the findings of recent studies on vitamin C and heart disease particularly significant.  In one study, which was published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers evaluated the daily vitamin C intake of 108 men.
They found that men in the group with the highest levels of vitamin C intake had a 66 percent less chance of developing coronary heart disease – the number one killer in the United States – than men in the lowest-intake group.  In other words, men who consumed higher levels of vitamin C were two-thirds more likely to avoid developing heart disease.
Researchers believe that this beneficial effect is due to vitamin C’s ability to prevent and alleviate endothelial dysfunction – the stiffening of arterial walls that interferes with the healthy flow of oxygen-rich blood.
And, in a 2003 observational study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 85,000 female nurses were followed for 16 years.
Women who took supplemental vitamin C reduced their risk of heart disease by a hefty 28 percent.

Alert: Vitamin C also improves post-heart attack prognosis

Vitamin C can help reduce the damage to heart tissue from ischemia-reperfusion injury (a type of post-heart attack damage in which blood previously cut off by the attack suddenly floods back into the area).
Researchers credit vitamin C with improving electrical conduction throughout the heart muscle, reducing inflammation and decreasing clotting factors – which contribute to stroke risk.  Vitamin C also appears to help protect against two other heart problems: atrial fibrillation – a type of irregular heartbeat – and dilated cardiomyopathy, a harmful enlargement and weakening of the heart.

How much vitamin C do I need a day?

According to natural health experts, the current vitamin C RDAs advised by the Office of Dietary Supplements are good for a laugh – and not much else.
Vitamin C proponents note that the ODS recommendations – a paltry 75 to 90 mg of vitamin C a day – are enough to prevent the severe form of vitamin C deficiency known as scurvy, but not enough to maintain optimal health or combat disease.
Knowledgeable integrative and functional doctors usually advise taking anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 mg of vitamin C a day, in divided doses – with even higher levels recommended for serious chronic conditions.
Naturally, you should consult with your own physician before supplementing with vitamin C.  And, of course, do notstop or reduce prescribed blood sugar-lowering medications – unless specifically advised to do so by your doctor.
Health tip: various fiber-rich foods and nutritional supplements – including citrus fruits, cruciferous vegetables, oat bran and psyllium husks – can also help to promote healthy glycemic control.
As the studies suggest, daily supplementation with inexpensive, non-toxic vitamin C can provide major protective dividends to the heart – while helping to regulate blood sugar levels. Clearly, having optimal levels of this essential micronutrient is a “win/win” scenario.
Sources for this article include:

Coconut Oil Improves Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms

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This Saturated Fat Improves Alzheimer's Disease Symptoms
A new study in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using dietary supplementation with a unique saturated fat has confirmed earlier research that a non-drug based approach can stabilize and even improve a degenerative disease whose symptoms are usually managed with drugs and not cured. 
Published in the journal Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment and titled "Retrospective case studies of the efficacy of caprylic triglyceride in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease," [i] this exploratory study sought to test whether caprylic acid triglycerides (CT) - a type of fat found naturally in the milk of mammals and a constituent of coconut and palm kernel oil - would improve the condition of mild-to-moderately afflicted AD patients.
The researchers noted that, "The limitations of current pharmacotherapy have prompted interest in diet and dietary supplementation as part of the overall treatment regimen for patients with AD."
The researchers reviewed the case records of eight patients with extensive monitoring of cognitive function using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and who had received on average 20 grams a day of CT for at least 6 months. The patients were at least 50 years of age, were undergoing conventional drug-based therapy for AD of mild-to-moderate severity (MMSE 14-24). 
Caprylic acid is commonly isolated from coconut oil. One cup (218 grams) contains approximately 16.3 grams, according to NutritionData.com'scoconut oil nutrition facts. While the prospect of consuming over a cup of coconut oil in order to obtain the 20 gram 'clinical dose' used in this study may be unappealing, consider that preclinical research on whole coconut oil, which contains other beneficial medium chain triglycerides, is quite encouraging, and that generally speaking one needs to take less of the whole food complex in order to obtain the kind of therapeutic effect observed in one of its isolated components.
The results of the 8-person case study revealed that 2 patients experienced disease stabilization and 2 saw modest improvement, i.e. the CT actually reversed the disease trajectory, with a reduction in symptoms corresponding directly with the initiation of the dietary intervention.
The researchers concluded:
"Results from this case review study indicated that addition of CT to pharmacotherapy for AD was associated with stable disease or improvement for some patients. In particular, addition of CT seemed to have slowed the rate of decline, as measured by MMSE scores, compared with rates of decline reported in larger longitudinal studies. These findings warrant further investigation in a larger study."
This study has profound implications for the estimated 5.4 million people in the U.S. diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and who are presently taking a class of drugs (cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists) that have been linked to a wide range of side effects including seizures and may fail to outperform basic plant therapies such as turmericsaffron and ginkgo biloba.
The basic premise behind the use of caprylic acid in Alzheimer's disease is that it addresses region-specific decreases in cerebral glucose metabolism characteristic of the disease. Caprylic acid releases ketone bodies which can be used as an alternative fuel source by the brain during periods of low glucose availability. Semi-miraculous recoveries have been reported anecdotally, and even within the peer-reviewed medical literature, a 2004 study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging found near immediate improvements in cognition and memory within 20 Alzheimer's patients who received a single 40 ml (2.7 tablespoon) dose of medium chain triglycerides. Read our article "MCT Fats Found in Coconut Oil Boost Brain Function In Only One Dose" to learn more.
As we have touched upon recently in an article about 'The Grain That Damages The Human Brain,' there is increasing recognition among the medical community that dietary interventions and/or modifications are not of secondary importance in treating brain disorders, but constitute - as Hippocrates once taught - an essential element in treating and even reversing chronic, degenerative conditions that are for the most part refractory to conventional, drug-based treatment. This new study adds to a now substantial body of data that Thomas Edison was absolutely correct:
"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."

Reference
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Remedies for gingivitis and to avoid the loss of teeth

Discover natural remedies for gingivitis and avoid the loss of teeth

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woman with mouth pain(NaturalHealth365) While its symptoms may seem easy to ignore, gingivitis can cause serious health problems, if left untreated. Over time, gingivitis can develop into gum disease, ravaging surrounding mouth tissue and bone.  Also known as periodontitis, this advanced gum disease condition can often cause a loss of teeth and be the “seed” to many other health issues.
For example, periodontitis – and poor oral health in general – has been linked with life-threatening conditions like a heart attack, lung disease and stroke. It’s also suspected that pregnant women suffering from periodontitis are more likely to experience premature births and low birth-weight babies.

What are the symptoms of gingivitis?

Healthy gums are firm and light pink in color. If your gums have become puffy and soft, or changed to a deeper color, you probably have gingivitis. Other symptoms include gums that bleed easily, a film covering mouth tissues, bad breath and receding gums. Often, pink (from bleeding gums) toothbrush bristles are a telltale sign.
To improve gum health, it’s important to brush regularly with a high-quality toothpaste, essential oil or sea salt solution and follow other good oral health practices, like visiting a biological dentist – on a regular basis. In addition, if you need it, here are a variety of natural remedies for gingivitis:
1. Vitamins C and D greatly reduce the risk of gingivitis.
You may remember hearing in childhood that certain vitamins are important for building strong bones – especially the teeth. The same holds true for developing healthy gums.
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A number of studies have shown that vitamin C deficiency is associated with increased signs of gingivitis. This likely explains why smokers are at greater risk for gum disease since the unhealthy habit also depletes the body of vitamin C. In fact, just one cigarette can deplete 25 mg. of vitamin C!
Vitamin C can both prevent and reverse gum disease. One study involved subjects suffering from periodontal disease who normally consumed only about 25-30 mg of vitamin C each day. Provided with an additional 70 mg of the vitamin, they showed marked improvement in gum health after just six weeks.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionvitamin D is also associated with decreased risk of gum disease. Boston University researchers looked at National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 6,700 non-smoking subjects of a wide age range.
Those exhibiting the highest blood levels of a vitamin D metabolite were less likely to show signs of gingivitis. It’s thought that vitamin D’s anti-inflammatory effects help to decreases susceptibility to gum disease.
2. Antioxidants and probiotics promote healthy teeth and gums.
You may not have heard of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), but this vital nutrient plays an important role in energy production for every cell in the body. When it comes to oral health, CoQ10 also has a critical role to play – as an antioxidant – in preventing periodontal and other diseases.
In fact, researchers have shown that dosages of 50 to 75 mg per day can slow advancement of gum disease, providing a natural approach on how to treat gingivitis.
Clinical cardiologist and author Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., found that patients exhibited noticeable improvement in gum health after starting a CoQ10 supplementation regimen for heart disease. The effect is likely due to CoQ10’s support of the immune system.
Holistic dentist and author Dr. Victor Zeines, well-known for his natural approaches to oral health, recommends 100 mg of CoQ10 each day, in combination with other supplements.
Another well-known antioxidant, pomegranate, has also been found to improve dental health. This antioxidant vigorously attacks bacteria that can lead to gum disease. Scientists believe it works by interfering with production of chemicals that bacteria normally use to adhere to surfaces of the mouth.
In fact, study subjects rinsing with pomegranate solution – as a mouthwash – had a lower protein content in saliva, a nutrient found to be higher in saliva when gingivitis is present.
Another natural approach to reducing gingivitis includes the use of probiotics to promote the growth of healthy organisms in the mouth while reducing the numbers of bacteria known to cause inflammation and disease.
Although regular brushing helps remove plaque from teeth, probiotics can take this good oral health habit a step further by actually changing the mouth’s environment, making it a less desirable place for plaque to develop. Examples of probiotics that have been shown through research to improve the environment of the mouth include S. salivarius probiotic and Bacillus coagulans.
Bottom line: Gingivitis should not be ignored and, more importantly, resolved (quickly) to protect your health.
Sources for this article include: