Weetabix Oaty Milk Chocolate Cereal Bar £1.42 for five 23g bars Per bar: 67 calories, 3.1g sugars, 1.5g fat, 6.2g fibre

Delivers a really useful punch of fibre, very little fat and an incredibly small amount of sugar — and, thanks to the oats, it may take the edge off your hunger, too. This all-round good guy was the lowest-calorie bar I could find.

Geobar Apricot & Raisin £1.89 for six 32g bars Per bar: 132 calories, 18.5g sugars 3.0g fat, 0.8g fibre

Genuine Fairtrade ingredients include honey, rice, apricots and raisins. Not very filling but at least you get almost 30 per cent dried fruits, hend the high level of sugars.

Special K bar 40p per 23g bar Per bar: 90 calories, 8g sugars, 2g fat, 0.5g fibre

Rice and wheat cereal bar containing bits of strawberry-flavoured cranberry and a load of ingredients that taste “yoghurty”. Fortified with vitamins and minerals and low-calorie, but you may need to eat two or three before your stomach takes note.

Jordan’s Blueberry Burst £1.81 for six 30g bars Per bar: 113 calories, 9g sugars, 2.4g fat, 1.4g fibre

Contains 13 per cent “blueberry-infused cranberries”, a mix of sugar, cranberries and blueberry juice. Only 2 per cent blueberries. A two-finger Kit Kat has fewer calories, about the same sugar and only a fraction more fat.

Eat Natural with Peanuts, Almonds and Hazelnuts 75p per 50g bar Per bar: 281 calories, 7.5g sugars, 21.7g fat, 3.1g fibre

About the same calories as a ham and tomato sandwich, and more than a quarter of a woman’s recommended daily fat intake. You would do better (and feel more full) eating 50g of peanuts.

2. Shower and wash your hair before bed. Cleaning up before getting into bed helps remove pollen from your hair and skin, which reduces irritation. You should also consider keeping pets out of the bedroom if they’ve been outside, as pollen can cling to their fur.

3. Minimize activities outdoors when pollen counts are at their peak. Pollen is typically at its highest point during midday and afternoon hours, so those who suffer with allergies and asthma should avoid going outside during those times of day.

4. Run the air conditioner at home. Leaving doors and windows open is a good way to invite allergens and other irritants inside your home, so there’s no escape.

5. Keep air conditioning and furnace filters fresh. It’s important to change filters every three months and use filters with a MERV rating of 8 to 12. A MERV rating tells you how well the filter can remove pollen and mold from the air as it passes through.

British researchers observed more than 46,000 women for nearly four decades from 1968. They compared the number of deaths in women on the pill to those who never took it.

In the study, women on the pill generally took it for almost four years. Experts concluded the pill cut women’s risk of dying from bowel cancer by 38 percent and from any other diseases by about 12 percent.

The research was published Friday in the British medical journal, BMJ.

Slightly higher death rates were found among women under 30 on the pill, but that began to be reversed by age 50.

Doctors aren’t sure exactly why the pill may lower death rates. It contains synthetic hormones to suppress ovulation, which may have some role in preventing certain diseases.

Previous studies have found the pill does not raise the risk of dying. It also may protect against ovarian and endometrial cancer, but slightly increase the chances of breast and cervical cancer. It may also be that women on the pill are somehow healthier than those that aren’t.

Because the study only observed women on the pill compared with those who weren’t, researchers weren’t able to make any hypotheses about cause and effect.

“In the longer term, the health benefits of the contraceptive pill outweigh any risks,” Richard Anderson, a gynecologist at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement. Anderson was not connected to the BMJ study.

But he said the findings might not be projected to women using modern contraceptive pills, which may have a different risks than earlier products. The risks may also be higher depending on when women start taking the pill and how long they are on it.

“Many women, especially those who used the first generation of oral contraceptives many years ago, are likely to be reassured by our results,” Philip Hannaford of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, the study’s lead researcher, said in a statement.

Hannaford and colleagues said the pill’s risks and benefits may vary worldwide, depending on how it is used and each patient’s health risks.

Childhood obesity and juvenile diabetes are on the rise like never before. “This may be the first generation that has a shorter life expectancy than their parents,” said an author of a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In February, first lady Michelle Obama introduced an initiative calledLet’s Move! to do something about the situation. She even laid it on the line when she spoke to the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association last week, “We need you … to entirely rethink the products that you’re offering, the information that you provide about these products, and how you market those products to our children.” The Grocery Manufacturer’s Association says it’s on its way to compliance.

But you don’t need the first lady or an industry trade group to tell you how to improve your diet. You can have your own ambitious plan. You can start at home, by learning how to cook.

Time-strapped and seduced by “quick” prepared foods, many dismiss home cooking as inconvenient and old-fashioned, something Grandma did because she lacked options. As a necessary chore, cooking is one step below vacuuming in the household hierarchy.

But make no mistake: Cooking is power. By preparing dishes in your own kitchen, you can improve your family’s health, save a ton of money and encourage your kids’ development in ways that go beyond the kitchen. Grandma was on to something.

First and foremost, cooking gives parents control over ingredients, preparation and serving sizes of household meals.

Home chefs — like you — can emphasize whole foods and avoid additives like high fructose corn syrup (Who cooks at home with this? But processed food is loaded with it) and trans fats (same here). Cooking keeps loved ones out of restaurants and fast food joints, where nutrition is questionable and portions can be large enough to feed half the soccer team, never mind a single kid.

In a country where we spend 49 percent of our food budget eating out, home cooking saves staggering amounts of money. Don’t believe it? Log on. There are leagues of dedicated parents feedinglarge families for a fraction of what many people spend on themselves. The process takes time and a little planning, but can potentially help reclaim hundreds of dollars every week.

Meal prep as a family affair not only teaches kids about cooking, it equips them with valuable skills, promoting lifelong health and self-sufficiency. What’s more, eating together strengthens communication and tightens bonds. According to a study by Columbia’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, teens who eat with their families five or more times per week claim to enjoy better relationships with their parents and are less likely to drink and do drugs. Not too shabby for a plate of spaghetti.

Did we mention people like people who cook? With culinary aptitude a little sparse these days, roasting chicken is practically a magic trick. Serving it can be a gesture of love as well as an extension of friendship. You also can stretch that leftover chicken into several days of delicious dishes. Your kids will thank you for these skills.

Still afraid to try? Remember: Cooking is a learned skill. Few of us come into life knowing how to correctly dice an onion. Trial and error are key, as is a willingness to hang in there when things don’t come out perfectly.

To learn, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on cookbooks, either. If you don’t know anyone who cooks who will let you hang around and watch, check your public library, yard sales, Craigslist, and Amazon for used classics, or try one of many online book swaps like Goodreads, BookMooch and SwapTree. Some of our favorites include “Betty Crocker Cookbook,” “Cook’s Illustrated Best 30-Minute Recipe,” “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian,” and Cooks Illustrated magazine. They’re easy to follow and the recipes will impress the pants off your friends.

YouTube is rich with instructional videos. Type in “julienne” or “blanch” (or any other woman’s name that is also a cooking technique) and you’ll be chopping away, fingers intact. PBS and Food Network produce a wealth of shows to inspire you and remove a little of the intimidation factor. “America’s Test Kitchen,” “Lidia’s Italy,” “The Barefoot Contessa” and “Good Eats” top our list. Their food is simple and stellar.

Start small, with the most important meal — breakfast. It’s easy to prepare in advance with recipes like Overnight Oatmeal or Oat, Pear, and Raspberry Loaf. Move on to packing lunches and making simple dinners. Cooking doesn’t have to be a big production. You will find that it is perfectly easy to whip up sandwiches rather than open up your wallet and order them already made. A homemade pasta dish with fresh vegetables can have you sitting at the table in less than a half-hour.

Set up a lunch-prep assembly line in the morning before school, or share the vegetable washing or peeling duties before supper. Set aside a weekend afternoon to cook several meals for the week and wrap them tight in the fridge. Kids will feel pride and accomplishment when they’ve invested time and care in the food they eat.

They’ll know the difference between a zucchini and a yam. And they’ll know the difference between good food and junk.

Ultimately, a family’s health depends on a vast web of interrelated factors, only some of which we can easily influence. Cooking is one of those controllable things. Learn how, and you’ll put your nearest and dearest on the right track for life.

Read More @ CNN.COM

1. Tweaked Muscles
The pain in your neck that you attributed to long hours at the computer could actually be a symptom of stress. “Stress definitely affects our musculoskeletal system, resulting in tight, contracting muscles and/or spasms in muscles,” explains Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD, MS, PT, a psychologist and physical therapist in Wexford, Pennsylvania, and author of A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness. “It gets us ready for fight-or-flight, although unlike our cavewomen ancestors, we don’t actually need our bodies to react like this.” If you’re experiencing what you believe to be stress-related muscle symptoms, try this exercise: Take 5 to 10 deep breaths and focus on relaxing the tense area of your body, says Dr. Lombardo. For the neck, try gentle neck rolls or enlist your husband to give you a quick shoulder rub.

2. Eye Twitching
Have you ever had an eye twitch? The often temporary conditioncan be annoying and worrisome, and for some, can be triggered by stress. “This condition is known as blepharospasm,” explains Debbie Mandel, MA, a stress and wellness expert and author ofAddicted to Stress: A Woman’s 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life. “Closing your eyes and visualizing your happiest place on earth will help.” Also, avoid stress-related eye issues by giving your peepers a break now and then. “If your eyes get stressed from detailed work at the computer, ’stretch’ them every 20 minutes by looking out the window at a larger landscape,” suggests Mandel. “If you have no view, close your eyes and imagine a panorama.”

3. Ragged Cuticles
Do you have ragged, unkempt cuticles or nails? Their condition could be the result of a stress-induced nervous habit. “Nervous habits like nail-biting are how we channel our stress by distracting ourselves with what is known as oral satisfaction,” says Mandel, adding that picking nails and cuticles is also a common way for women to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. If you take stress out on your hands, consider keeping a stress ball in your desk drawer—something you can squeeze or knead when on the phone with a difficult client, for instance. This helps “squeeze the stress out of your body,” says Mandel.

4. Cavities
We all know that slacking off on dental hygiene is the first way to get cavities, but stress can also be a culprit, say experts, especially when you’re grinding your teeth at night or during the day. Mandel explains teeth grinding, which many women do, as “chewing over the day’s stressors.” The problem, however, is that this bad habit can erode dental work, damaging your teeth and making them more susceptible to cavities. Mandel suggests redirecting your anxiety to pen and paper. “Set aside time to write down your problems to see them objectively in black and white, and then jot down some solutions,” she says. But, she adds, “If teeth grinding is severe, see a dentist about getting a mouth guard.”

5. Rashes
It sounds strange, but your skin can be a pretty good barometer of your stress level. “Stress can cause a rash, usually raised red spots or hives on the stomach, back, arms and face,” notes Dr. Lombardo. “While we don’t know why it occurs, some experts believe that it has to do with the adverse effects of stress on the immune system—histamine is released, causing these itchy bumps.” Deep breathing may keep rashes at bay, or from developing in the first place. So, next time you feel your stress level rising, place your hand right above your belly button. “Every time you inhale, you want your hand to rise; with each exhale, it lowers. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths periodically throughout the day.”

6. Nausea
Have you ever been worried about a loved one’s (or your own) health condition, Googled it and suddenly felt nauseated? “Stress can upset the stomach, and nausea can be a byproduct of worry,” says Mandel, who warns against playing “Google MD.” Worrying about your health or a loved one’s is normal, but obsessing about it is unhealthy. If your anxiety is causing nausea, try this trick that Mandel swears by: Let tepid water run over your fingers; it’s believed to keep nausea at bay.

7. Sleepiness
Feeling sluggish? It could be stress. “Stress hormones cause your body to surge with adrenaline and then crash into sleepiness,” says Mandel. “Stress will also ruin the quality of your sleep, so you wake up tired and irritable.” What to do? Go to bed earlier, says Mandel, or catch a 30-minute nap midday, and don’t feel guilty about doing so. “There is great productivity in rest,” she says. “You come back more focused!”

8. Forgetfulness
Ask any woman who is trying to do it all and she’ll admit to a few slip-ups in the memory department (forgotten appointments, lost keys, missing cell phone—ring a bell?). “Research shows that chronic stress can literally shrink the size of the hippocampus, which is responsible for some memories,” says Dr. Lombardo. “Luckily, its size will go back to normal once your stress level reduces.” Want to keep your brain functioning at an optimal level? Combat the first signs of stress with exercise, she says: “Go for a walk, run up a flight of stairs or dance around to the newest Black Eyed Peas tune.” Exercise, she adds, keeps your brain sharp and may even help you be more prepared for future stressful moments.

9. Confusion
You can’t decide what to make for dinner, what to wear to work or which exit to take off the freeway. Stress causes distraction and lack of focus, says Mandel. “Stress hormones lodge longest in the brain,” she says. To restore focus, take a walk, she says. “Move the stress out of your body by exercising large muscle groups like the legs. You will gain clarity. Walk out in the light and you’ll reset your natural rhythm while you move out the stress. Sunlight helps the body release serotonin to improve mood, and vitamin D helps you improve your immune system—a great perk.”

Read More @ WOMANSDAY.COM

This book is filled with easy to make recipes from all natural ingredients that are readily available.  Why buy store bought beauty products and drugs filled with man made chemicals when you can create your own in the purest form available?  I’m typically skeptical of homemade remedies but I tried the sore throat recipe and found it instantly soothing. I Would recommend this book in a heartbeat to anyone who wants to take care of their body the natural way. Grow Your Own Drugs: Easy Recipes for Natural Remedies and Beauty Fixes

With easy recipes using ingredients grown in your window box or the local market, Ethnobotanist James Wong shows you how easy-and cheap-it is to make simple creams, salves, teas, lozenges, and much more. James uses his top-class academic knowledge to reveal how many plants contain the same active ingredients as over-the counter drugs, and offers recipes to relieve a whole range of common conditions, including:

• Digestive disorders: bad breath, heartburn and indigestion, digestion, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, flatulence, diarrhea
• Skin complaints: athlete’s foot, eczema, insect bites and stings, acne, sunburn, age spots, fungal conditions, burn scars, poor foot circulation, chapped hands and sores, insect deterrent
• Kids’ remedies: vitamin booster, head lice, eczema, ear wax build-up, colic
• Aches and pains: water retention, varicose veins, aching muscles, arthritis
• Female-specific problems: hot flashes and night sweats, morning and travel sickness, PMS, cystitis
• Under the weather: colds and flu, coughs and sore throats, cholesterol reducer, hangover, cold sores, immune system booster, mouth ulcers, restorative
• Mind: memory enhancer, insomnia, migraine prevention, anxiety, memory booster
• Face and body: hair strengthener, body scrub, bath and massage oil, deodorant, face mask, hand care, bath bomb, exfoliator, face toner/hair rinse, sore eyes, tired/red eyes, glycerine soap, plague remover and gum soother, chapped lips

With over 150 full-color photos, this book outlines all of the tools, oils, waxes, and powders necessary to get started, and also directs you to suppliers for easy shopping. You’ll also find a 60 page reference of the top 100 plants you should consider growing in order to make herbal remedies out of your own garden. So unleash the power of plants and soothe the symptoms of everyday ailments the natural way.
Grow Your Own Drugs: Easy Recipes for Natural Remedies and Beauty Fixes

]]> http://healthslate.com/science_medicine/book-review-grow-your-own-drugs/feed/ 0 http://healthslate.com/living_green/keep-those-pesky-critters-out-of-your-compost/ http://healthslate.com/living_green/keep-those-pesky-critters-out-of-your-compost/#comments Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:47:16 +0000 Steve W. http://healthslate.com/?p=858 It’s true that outdoor compost piles and bins can be a draw for wildlife — be it bears, rats, raccoons, skunks, opossums or some other creatures of the night — but there are ways to minimize the attraction. For one, make sure everyone in your household knows to keep meat, bones, fish, fat and dairy out of the compost. Not only will these items “overheat” the compost pile, they’ll also stink it up and attract animals.

Otherwise, home composters should keep in mind that critters aren’t actually eating the compost but are sifting through it to find fresh edible kitchen or garden scraps. To discourage animals, the website OrganicGardening.com recommends mixing kitchen garbage with soil or wood ashes before burying it in the hot center of your compost pile. Washington State’s Department of Fish and Wildlife recommends not putting any food scraps in open compost piles, but says that if you must, bury them under at least eight inches of soil and then place a wire mesh barrier over the top held in place with a heavy object or two.

Putting your compost pile in a pest-proof container is another way to prevent tampering with your precious organic soil-to-be. Compost tumblers are popular because they mix and aerate by just being turned occasionally, and they keep raccoons, rats, dogs and other interlopers at bay. Otherwise, compost bins with wire tops or sealed lids work well too, but require a little more manual labor in terms of stirring.

Of course, another option would be to make the compost indoors using a worm bin. You can still put kitchen scraps in just like in a bigger outdoor compost pile, but without the worry of attracting wildlife. The website Instructables.com offers instructions for how to create your own worm composting bin. Another good source is the blog One-Change.com, which offers a step-by-step guide to the process.

The long and short of it is that if you know what you’re doing, composting can be a rewarding, environmentally friendly and pest-free experience. For some great tips on how to get started, visit the website Composting101.com, a comprehensive and free guide for the home gardener on what to do and how to do it. Also, some forward-thinking cities such as Seattle are picking up food scraps with yard waste at the curbside along with garbage collection, and making huge amounts of commercially viable compost out of it. If your city or town offers a similar program you might want to consider saving yourself the trouble of doing it at home for the common good.

One more thing to keep in mind is that the garden itself may attract as much if not more wildlife than some food scraps in a compost pile. Strategically placed fencing and wire mesh can frustrate some critters enough to keep them moving along, but you can be sure some of your neighborhood wildlife will reap the harvest that you’ve sown. And as long as they leave enough for you, who can’t live with that?

Read More @ THEDAILYGREEN.COM

]]> http://healthslate.com/living_green/keep-those-pesky-critters-out-of-your-compost/feed/ 0 http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/put-color-on-your-plate/ http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/put-color-on-your-plate/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 15:26:21 +0000 Steve W. http://healthslate.com/?p=856 Most of us know we should be eating more produce each day (at least five servings, we’re contractually obligated to tell you). But it also seems that our produce palate is about as exciting as a pair of basic khakis. According to a recent study based on government nutritional data, we’re coming up short in terms of eating a variety of fruit and vegetable colors: Sixty-nine percent of Americans don’t get enough green; 78 percent don’t get enough red; 86 percent don’t get enough white; 88 percent don’t get enough purple/blue; and 79 percent don’t get enough yellow/orange. We tend to eat the same produce over and over again.

This skew toward bland means we’re missing out on a lot more than just good-tasting food. “There are unique phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, that vary from color to color. These various compounds all do different things to protect your health. If you’re eating only red bell peppers, you’re going to be limited as far as health benefits because you’re not getting all those other colors,” says David Grotto, R.D., author of 101 Optimal Life Foods.

When it comes to selecting produce, there’s no one tint that rises above the rest. “We need the full spectrum. That’s why we’re omnivores,” Grotto says. Here’s what each hue brings you.

Green

Artichokes (Peak: March to May): Seek out deep-green, heavy artichokes with tightly closed leaves that squeak when pinched. Storage: In the fridge, in a plastic bag, up to five days.

Asparagus (Peak: February to June): Buy vibrant green spears with tight, purple-tinged buds. Thin spears are sweet and tender. Storage: Trim the woody ends. Stand the spears in a bit of water in a tall container; cover tops with a plastic bag. Cook within a few days.

Avocados (Peak: Year-round): Find firm ones with no sunken, mushy spots, and a waxy rather than shiny appearance. Shake it—a rattle means the pit has pulled away from the flesh. Not good. Storage: To ripen, place in a paper bag and store at room temp for two to four days. Ripe ones can go in the fridge for up to a week.

Broccoli (Peak: October to April): Look for rigid stems with tight floret clusters that are deep green or tinged purple. Pass on any with yellowing heads—they’re too bitter. Storage: Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to one week.

Green Beans (Peak: May to October): Good beans have vibrant, smooth surfaces. The best are thin, young, and velvety and will snap when you bend them gently. Storage: Refrigerate unwashed in an unsealed bag for up to one week.

Kiwis (Peak: Year-round): A ripe kiwi will be slightly yielding to the touch. Avoid mushy or wrinkled ones with an “off” smell. Storage: Let kiwis ripen at room temperature. To speed up the process, place them in a paper bag with an apple or a ripe banana. Once ripe, refrigerate kiwis in a plastic bag for up to a week.

Romaine Lettuce (Peak: Year-round): Look for crisp leaves that are free of browning edges and rust spots. Storage: Refrigerate for five to seven days in a plastic bag.

Yellow

Pears (Peak: August to March): You want a pleasant fragrance and a little softness at the stem end. Some brown discoloration is fine. Storage: If not yet ready to eat, ripen at room temperature in a loosely closed paper bag.

Pineapples (Peak: March to July): Look for vibrant green leaves, a bit of softness to the fruit, and a sweet fragrance at the stem end. Avoid ones that feel spongy. Storage: If it’s unripe, keep it at room temp for three or four days until it softens and gives off a pineapple aroma. Refrigerate for up to five days.

Orange

Peaches (Peak: May to October): Good peaches have a fruity aroma and a yellow or warm cream background color, without green shoulders. They’re ready when they yield to gentle pressure on the seams, but skip if mushy. Storage: Leave unripe ones out at room temperature. Ripe ones can go in the refrigerator, but eat within two or three days.

Red

Bell Peppers (Peak: Year-round): These should have lots of heft for their size, and brightly colored, wrinkle-free exteriors. The stems should be a vivid green. Storage: Refrigerate in the crisper for up to two weeks.

Strawberries (Peak: April to September): Seek out unblemished berries that have a bright red color extending to the stem and a strong fruity smell. The best are neither hard nor mushy. Storage: Place unwashed berries in a single layer on a paper towel in a covered container.

Tomatoes (Peak: June to September): Go for heavy ones with rich color and no wrinkles, cracks, bruises, or soft spots. The best tomatoes aren’t rock hard and have some give. Storage: Never in a fridge; cold destroys flavor and texture. Keep them on a countertop but out of direct sunlight for up to a week.

Watermelons (Peak: June to August): Pick it up; you want a dense melon free of cuts and sunken areas. The rind should be dull, with a creamy yellow underside. A slap produces a hollow thump. If buying a cut watermelon, check that the flesh is not dried out and pale. Storage: Keep whole in the fridge for up to a week to prevent flesh from drying out and turning fibrous.

Blue and Purple

Blueberries (Peak: May to October): You want plump, uniform, indigo berries with taut skin, covered with a dull white frost. Storage: Transfer them unwashed to an airtight container and refrigerate for five to seven days.

Grapes (Peak: May to October): Find plump, wrinkle-free grapes that are firmly attached to stems. A silvery white powder (“bloom”) means they’ll stay fresher longer. Storage: Keep unwashed in a shallow bowl in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Read More @ MSN.COM

]]> http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/put-color-on-your-plate/feed/ 0 http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/the-benefits-of-fish-oil/ http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/the-benefits-of-fish-oil/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:58:02 +0000 Steve W. http://healthslate.com/?p=854 Recent reports on the health benefits of fish oil sound almost too good to be true. The omega-3 fatty acids that it contains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and slow the formation of plaques in the arteries, and they may also lower blood pressure. Accordingly, the American Heart Association now recommends that healthy people eat fatty fish at least twice a week (individuals with heart disease should consume 1,000 milligrams of omega-3s per day and may want to discuss capsule supplements with their doctors). The latest studies go even further, demonstrating that the benefits of omega-3s extend beyond the heart and exploring exactly how these fatty acids do their good work in our bodies.

Research conducted at the University of Barcelona showed that obese mice living on a diet enriched with omega-3s displayed improved sensitivity to insulin. If the finding holds true for humans, this insulin response could translate to a reduced risk of diabetes. Other scientists are garnering evidence for the anecdotal claims that fish oils improve cognitive functioning. Last fall an American and Canadian team reported on three studies in which infants were randomly fed standard or high-omega-3 formulas; those who consumed the latter performed better on a problem-solving test. An independent, large-scale study in Sweden found that teenage males who eat fish weekly have intelligence scores 7 percent higher than do those who eat fish less often. Consuming fish more than once per week correlated with intelligence scores that were 12 percent higher than those of infrequent fish eaters.

Meanwhile, an international team has tracked how one of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), carries out its protective functions. The scientists determined that the body converts DHA to a compound called resolvin D2, which prevents neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) from sticking to the walls of blood vessels and initiating an inflammation response. In mice with sepsis, resolvin D2 reduced the widespread swelling that usually accompanies the condition without impairing the immune system’s ability to fight the underlying infection. A similar mechanism may be behind fish oil’s cardiovascular benefits, since inflammation is associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. “Resolvin D2 is an excellent prototype for a new anti-inflammatory drug,” says pharmacologist Mauro Perretti of Queen Mary University of London, one of the study’s authors. A Massachusetts-based company, Resolvyx Pharmaceuticals, is already conducting clinical trials of resolvins for the treatment of inflammatory problems, including asthma and dry eyes.

Read More @ DISCOVERMAGAZINE.COM

]]> http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/the-benefits-of-fish-oil/feed/ 0 http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/choking-on-hot-dogs-its-not-the-shape-its-the-ingredients/ http://healthslate.com/diet_nutrition/choking-on-hot-dogs-its-not-the-shape-its-the-ingredients/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 16:48:08 +0000 Steve W. http://healthslate.com/?p=851 The American Academy of Pediatrics is making headlines this week with a bizarre recommendation that hot dogs should be re-shaped to make them less of a choking hazard for children. But there’s no mention of all the cancer-causing chemical ingredients that actually go into the hot dogs. Pediatric physicians are apparently more concerned about the shape than the ingredients. And they apparently have no concern about the truth that hot dogs contain cancer-causing ingredients.

Hot dogs contain sodium nitrite, of course — a cancer-causing ingredient that’s been widely linked to pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer. People who eat hot dogs and other processed meats have a 67% increased risk of pancreatic cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/007024.html).

Processed meats no doubt contribute to a large number of childhood cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, over 1,500 children die each year in the United States from childhood cancer (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/…).

How many children actually die from choking on hot dogs, anyway? I’ll bet you it’s a fraction of the number of children who die from leukemia or brain cancer each year.

That the AAP would be so concerned about the shape of hot dogs while remaining silent about the health harm caused by hot dog ingredients isn’t all that surprising, actually: These are physicians who often focus on treating children with yet more chemicals such as ADHD drugs, antibiotics and antidepressants. One such pediatrician just got arrested for sexually assaulting over one hundred children in his medical practice (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor…).

Of course, that whacko doesn’t represent all pediatricians. Most pediatric physicians are caring human beings who really want to help children. And that’s where this advice about changing the shape of hot dogs comes from: These doctors genuinely want to prevent children from choking on these processed meat products.

So what should the new shape be… rectangular? Should hot dogs be made into long rectangle shapes so they resemble pink lumber? It would certainly prevent them from rolling out of the buns, wouldn’t it?

Then again, we might have to redesign the buns, too. Square hot dogs, you see, don’t fit right in round buns. So we’d have to recalibrate the entire chain of processed junk food just to prevent children from choking on the dogs.

Personally, I think we should engage a little truth in advertising and just mandate that hot dogs be reshaped into fleshy cancer tumors. That way, you really know what you’re eating. If these dogs resembled the diseased animals they’re sometimes made from, choking would no longer be a problem at all because no one would eat them in the first place!

Check out my mystery meat macrophotography to see actual pictures of hot dogs, salami and other processed meats up close and personal: http://www.naturalnews.com/PhotoTou…

What’s really in hot dogs

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60 percent of all infant choking emergency room visits are caused by food. Another one-third are caused by non-food items such as coins, buttons and marbles, and 9 percent of choking incidents are caused by “undetermined” objects. As in, “What the heck does little Joey have in his mouth?”

If he’s choking on a hot dog, then what he has in his mouth should be quite frightening: Ground-up bits of meat scraps gathered from thousands of different carcasses from animals that were pumped full of hormones, fed chicken litter as part of their diet, treated inhumanely and slaughtered in a highly fearful environment that releases even more “terror” hormones into the meat at the moment of death.

Read More @ NATURALNEWS.COM

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