Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis is inflammation of the kidney that is caused by systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). Also called lupus, SLE is an autoimmune disease. With lupus, the body's immune system targets its own body tissues. Lupus nephritis happens when lupus involves the kidneys.

An estimated one-third to one-half of lupus patients develop lupus nephritis within the first six months to three years of their lupus diagnosis. When the kidneys are inflamed, they can't function normally and can leak protein. If not controlled, lupus nephritis can lead to kidney failure.

Symptoms of Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis is a serious problem. Its symptoms, though, are not always dramatic. Many people don't experience pain with nephritis. For many, the first noticeable symptom is swelling around the eyes, legs, ankles, or fingers that gets worse through the day.

Other symptoms can vary from person to person and from day to day. Symptoms may include:

• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Dark urine
• Foamy, frothy urine
• The need to urinate during the night

Not all urinary or kidney problems in people with lupus are due to lupus nephritis. People with lupus may also be prone to urinary tract infections. These cause burning on urination and require treatment with antibiotics. Certain lupus medications can also affect the kidneys and cause swelling and other symptoms similar to those of lupus nephritis. Problems related to these drugs usually go away when the drugs are no longer used.

Lupus Nephritis Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis of lupus nephritis begins with a medical history, physical exam, and evaluation of symptoms. You doctor will likely order tests to make or confirm a diagnosis. Tests used in diagnosing kidney problems include urine tests, blood tests, imaging tests such as ultrasound, and kidney biopsy.

There are five different types of lupus nephritis, ranging from I through V. Treatment is based on the type of lupus nephritis, which is determined by the biopsy. Since symptoms and severity vary from person to person, treatments are individually tailored to meet a person's particular circumstances.

Medications used in treatment can include:

• Corticosteroids. These strong anti-inflammatory drugs can decrease inflammation. Doctors may prescribe these until the lupus nephritis improves. Because these drugs can cause a variety of potentially serious side effects, they must be monitored carefully. Doctors generally taper down the dosage once the symptoms start to improve.
• Immunosuppressive drugs. These drugs, which are related to the ones used to treat cancer or prevent the rejection of transplanted organs, work by suppressing immune system activity that damages the kidneys. Used in severe cases, they include Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) and CellCept (mycophenolate).
• Medications to prevent blood clots or lower blood pressure or both.

Even with treatment, loss of kidney function sometimes progresses. If both kidneys fail, people with lupus nephritis may need dialysis. Dialysis involves filtering the blood through a machine to remove waste products from the body.

Ultimately, it may be necessary to have a kidney transplant. In those cases, people will need additional drugs to keep their immune system from rejecting the transplanted kidney.

Yoga May Improve Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

May 24, 2012 (Honolulu, Hawaii) -- Young patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may feel better after practicing yoga for just six weeks, a new study shows.

Researchers reported their findings here last week at the American Pain Society's annual meeting.

"It seems to be a very feasible, practical treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis," one of the researchers, Kirsten Lung, tells WebMD. Lung researches pain at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The results are not surprising to Kathleen Sluka, PhD, a physical therapist who researches pain at the University of Iowa. All kinds of physical activity can help with rheumatoid arthritis, she tells WebMD. Sluka was not involved in this study.

RA is a chronic type of arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease. It is most common among women. Early symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, and stiffness.

As it progresses, RA may feel like the flu, with muscle aches and loss of appetite. Early and effective treatment may help prevent joint and bone destruction.

An Alternative to Drugs

The UCLA researchers say some drugs for RA can pose additional risks for younger patients. So the researchers are looking for alternatives. They decided to try Iyengar yoga.

In Iyengar yoga, practitioners may use blocks, straps, cushions, and other props to stretch and strengthen their muscles.

The UCLA researchers recruited 26 women with RA. The women's ages ranged from 21 to 35. On average they had suffered from RA for 10 and a half years.

The researchers then assigned 11 of these women to classes in Iyengar yoga. They assigned the other 15 to a wait list for yoga classes.

After six weeks, they asked both groups about their condition. The group that practiced yoga said they were happier than when they started. They said they could better accept their pain. They also reported better general health and more energy.

The women on the wait list for yoga classes did not experience these improvements.

Even the women who did yoga did not report less pain or disability. That may be because the study was so short, says Lung. "But six weeks did a world of good for those involved."

Sluka says that physical exercise usually takes about eight weeks to show significant effects. All kinds of exercise can help with RA, she says. "Yoga is just another form of exercise," she says.

By strengthening muscles, exercise prevents joints from moving in uncomfortable ways. And it can activate parts of the nervous system that reduce pain.

The study is not conclusive, she points out, because it is very small. Also, there is a possibility that the people in the yoga group felt better just because they were doing something to help themselves, not specifically because they were doing yoga.

But the study is still worthwhile, Sluka says. It shows people with RA they have another option for getting exercise. "Some people like to run. Some people like to lift weights. Some people like to do yoga," she says.

These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary, as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.

9 Tips to Treat Colds and Flu the 'Natural' Way

With no cure in sight for the cold or the flu, current treatments can at best bring symptom relief or shorten the duration of those symptoms. You can take one of a variety of medications that may help relieve your symptoms. Or you can take the natural approach. WebMD went to Charles B. Inlander, president of The People's Medical Society, for some home remedies that may help you feel better along the way. No. 1: Blow Your Nose Often -- and the Right Way It's important to blow your nose regularly when you have a cold rather than sniffling mucus back into your head. But when you blow hard, pressure can cause an earache. The best way to blow your nose: Press a finger over one nostril while you blow gently to clear the other. Wash your hands after blowing your nose. No. 2: Stay Rested Resting when you first come down with a cold or the flu helps your body direct its energy toward the immune battle. This battle taxes the body. So give it a little help by lying down under a blanket. No. 3: Gargle Gargling can moisten a sore throat and bring temporary relief. Try a teaspoon of salt dissolved in warm water, four times daily. To reduce the tickle in your throat, try an astringent gargle -- such as tea that contains tannin -- to tighten the membranes. Or use a thick, viscous gargle made with honey, popular in folk medicine. Steep one tablespoon of raspberry leaves or lemon juice in two cups of hot water; mix with one teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before gargling. Honey should never be given to children less than 1 year old. No. 4: Drink Hot Liquids Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, help prevent dehydration, and can soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat. No. 5: Take a Steamy Shower Steamy showers moisturize your nasal passages and relax you. If you're dizzy from the flu, run a steamy shower while you sit on a chair nearby and take a sponge bath. No. 6: Use a Salve Under Your Nose A small dab of mentholated salve under your nose can open breathing passages and help soothe the irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw. No. 7: Apply Hot or Cold Packs Around Your Congested Sinuses Either temperature may help you feel more comfortable. You can buy reusable hot or cold packs at a drugstore. Or make your own. Take a damp washcloth and heat it for 55 seconds in a microwave (test the temperature first to make sure it's right for you.) Or take a small bag of frozen peas to use as a cold pack. No. 8: Sleep With an Extra Pillow Under Your Head This will help with the drainage of nasal passages. If the angle is too awkward, try placing the pillows between the mattress and the box springs to create a more gradual slope. No. 9: Don't Fly Unless Necessary There's no point adding stress to your already stressed-out upper respiratory system, and that's what the change in air pressure will do. Flying with cold or flu congestion can hurt your eardrums as a result of pressure changes during takeoff and landing. If you must fly, use a decongestant and carry a nasal spray with you to use just before takeoff and landing. Chewing gum and swallowing frequently can also help relieve pressure. Remember, serious conditions can masquerade as the common cold and a mild infection can evolve into something more serious. If you have severe symptoms or are feeling sicker with each passing day, see a doctor.

Sugar can make you dumb, US scientists warn

WASHINGTON - Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brainpower, according to US scientists who published a study Tuesday showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats' memories. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup—a common ingredient in processed foods—as drinking water for six weeks. One group of rats was supplemented with brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids in the form of flaxseed oil and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), while the other group was not. Before the sugar drinks began, the rats were enrolled in a five-day training session in a complicated maze. After six weeks on the sweet solution, the rats were then placed back in the maze to see how they fared. "The DHA-deprived animals were slower, and their brains showed a decline in synaptic activity," said Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "Their brain cells had trouble signaling each other, disrupting the rats' ability to think clearly and recall the route they'd learned six weeks earlier." A closer look at the rat brains revealed that those who were not fed DHA supplements had also developed signs of resistance to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar and regulates brain function. "Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss," Gomez-Pinilla said. In other words, eating too much fructose could interfere with insulin's ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar, which is necessary for processing thoughts and emotions. "Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain, where insulin appears to disturb memory and learning," Gomez-Pinilla said. "Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new." High-fructose corn syrup is commonly found in soda, condiments, applesauce, baby food and other processed snacks. The average American consumes more than 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of high-fructose corn syrup per year, according to the US Department of Agriculture. While the study did not say what the equivalent might be for a human to consume as much high-fructose corn syrup as the rats did, researchers said it provides some evidence that metabolic syndrome can affect the mind as well as the body. "Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think," said Gomez-Pinilla. "Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain's ability to learn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage." The study appeared in the Journal of Physiology. –Agence France-Presse

Amazing Water Therapy

Drinking water on an empty stomach immediately after waking up every morning is said to be a therapy for a host of illnesses and ailments. The good thing about it is that it costs nothing, isn't too much trouble, and can't hurt you even if it doesn't help you. Compare that to pharmaceuticals. It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases: Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

Natural Cure for Acne

Acne is an inflammation of the skin that occurs when a sebaceous gland, located at the bottom of each hair follicle, becomes trapped with natural oils, causing bacterial buildup and inflammation.

Symptoms of acne include blackheads, whiteheads, and/or inflamed spots or elevations either on or under the skin.

Acne may be worsened at adolescence, during the pre-menstrual and/or mid-menstrual cycle due to hormonal action, and when under stress, on contraceptives, eating a poor diet that causes an over acidic system, or taking prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Blackheads can form when the oil combines with skin pigments and gets trapped. Blackheads may suggest the need for better hygiene, or magnesium and vitamin A. Chronic, numerous whiteheads can also form during acne outbreaks, suggesting vitamin B1 deficiency or absorption problems. Consistent raised spots on the outside of the arms and sometimes even the thighs, resembling "chicken skin," may suggest need for magnesium, vitamin A, or essential fatty acids or the need to avoid foods that inhibit the absorption of these nutrients, such as trans-fatty acids found in margarine and hydrogenated oils, such as cottonseed oil and palm kernel oil.

Over-the-counter acne medications only seek to treat the symptoms without getting to the root of the problem. Some people have sensitivity to certain ingredients in the medication, and it can actually make their skin condition worse. Also, some medications actually lead to excessive skin dryness or photosensitivity.

The Natural Cures website will show you how you can treat your acne using natural remedies and without needing harmful pharmaceutical drugs.

Natural Cure for Candidiasis: Candida Yeast Overgrowth

Candidiasis, or Candida, refers to unhealthy overgrowth of the yeast, Candida albicans, within the body. For the purpose of simplicity, only the term Candida is going to be used throughout this document. Candida albicans is naturally-occurring yeast that is present in everyone. In healthy people, however, it is kept under control by the immune system and confined only to the lower intestine and the skin and, in women, the vagina. To a large degree, this confinement process is due to healthy and essential bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, such as acidophilus and bifidobacteria. When the population of healthy bacteria is disrupted, for instance when one takes antibiotics, Candida albicans starts to spread into other areas of the body once it is allowed to pass unchecked through the intestinal walls to the bloodstream. When this happens, Candida albicans begins to mutate into an unhealthy fungus that can infect a body's tissues and organs. The spread of Candida albicans into areas of the body where it does not belong is termed candidiasis, or candida.

An estimated 33 percent of all Americans are affected by candida and the numbers are growing; nonetheless, the disease remains overlooked by most conventional physicians. To make matters worse, its various symptoms can easily be mistaken for other disease conditions. By contrast, practitioners of natural cures and alternative medicine place great emphasis in helping their patients prevent and recover from candida. Natural cures for candida are generally far more effective and longer lasting than the antibiotic treatments typically offered by conventional medicine.

It has long been established that Candida albicans, as well as other strains of Candida, are able to spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract to the bloodstream, and also urine. This was vividly proven in 1969 when researchers had a test subject ingest Candida albicans. Previously, the subject had not been knowingly exposed to Candida albicans, nor did he have any detectable illness at the time of exposure. Within hours after he had orally consumed the dose of Candida albicans, the test subject came down with a wide range of disease symptoms, including fever and headache. In addition, the scientists who tested him found that colonies of Candida albicans had already spread to his blood and urine, proving that Candida albicans can indeed pass from the gastrointestinal tract to negatively affect other areas of the body. The scientists who conducted this test also warned that the use of antibiotics increased the permeability of the gastrointestinal tract, making it easier to trigger an outbreak of candida in people who use such drugs. Despite their conclusive findings, most conventional physicians disregard the potential severity of candida, and also dismiss claims that antibiotics can be a factor in its development.

Most conventional physicians also fail to realize how candida, when it is present in serious immune disorders such as AIDS, can lead to a form of blood poisoning known as septicemia that is caused by Candida albicans spreading rampantly throughout the bloodstream, and colonizing in the body's tissues and organs. In other less drastic, but more common cases of immune deficiency, Candida albicans can cause infection-fighting cells, such as T cells, to be destroyed, creating an environment for opportunistic infections. For these reasons, practitioners of alternative medicine regard candida as a potentially serious health threat and do all they can to ensure it is properly dealt with.

As Candida albicans spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract and colonizes in other areas of the body, it produces various toxins. These toxins can impair health by reducing the body's supply of white blood cells, which are needed by the immune system to properly fend off infectious bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens. Candida albicans toxins also inhibit the body's ability to manufacture antioxidants, including glutathione, an enzyme that is important for liver detoxification and cellular respiration. As a result of these negative effects caused by the unchecked spread of Candida albicans, symptoms of candida can manifest in many different ways, mimicking other disease conditions and negatively impacting many areas of your body.

There are natural cures for Candidiasis: Candida Yeast Overgrowth that do not involve the use of pharmaceutical drugs. They involve restoring the biochemical balance of the body, and making dietary and lifestyle changes designed to improve one's general health.

14 Natural Health Remedies for Children

Smart Health Solutions

Whether your child has a tummy ache, a stuffy nose, or a bug bite, doctors say that old-fashioned home remedies are often the best way to help him feel better fast. These time-tested treatments rarely have side effects, cost next to nothing, and use items you probably already have on hand. "Some, like ginger and chamomile, have even been confirmed by scientific studies to have healing effects," says Hilary McClafferty, MD, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics' provisional section for complementary, holistic, and integrative medicine.

Of course, you should always call your pediatrician if your child's problem seems serious. But the next time your child has a minor ache or injury, you can find these smart solutions all throughout your house.

Honey and Lemon Juice for a Sore Throat

Lemon dries up congestion and honey provides a soothing coating, says Lane Johnson, MD, associate professor of clinical family and community medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. In fact, a recent study found that a spoonful of honey eased kids' coughs even better than cough medicine. Mix together a tablespoon of each, microwave for 20 seconds until warm (not hot), and have your child swallow the mixture a teaspoon at a time. Caution: Honey is not safe for babies under 1 year.

Chamomile Tea for Colic

Peter Rabbit's mother fed him soothing chamomile tea in Beatrix Potter's classic tale, and you can give it to your infant to relax her intestinal muscles and calm her down, says Dr. McClafferty, a pediatrician in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Steep tea for four to five minutes, let it cool to room temperature, and then put one to two ounces in a bottle. Don't give your baby more than four ounces a day so that she'll be sure to have plenty of room in her tummy for breast milk or formula.

Baking Soda for Bug Bites

"My nana used to make a baking-soda paste for me when I was a child, and when I tried it on my own kids, they said that it stopped the itching better than store-bought products," says Estelle Whitney, MD, an ob-gyn in private practice in Wilmington, Delaware. The alkaline baking soda helps counteract the acidic swelling, she explains. Mix a teaspoon of baking soda with just enough water to make a thick paste, smear it on the bites, and let it dry.

Cayenne Pepper for Nosebleeds

This spice helps blood clot, and it has been used medicinally in cultures around the world, says pediatrician Lillian Beard, MD, author of Salt in Your Sock and Other Tried-and-True Home Remedies. Keep your child's head upright and pinch his nostrils together for several minutes. Then sprinkle a pinch of ground cayenne pepper on a moistened cotton swab and dab inside the nose on the area of the bleeding. "It seems like it might sting but, surprisingly, it doesn't," says Dr. Beard.

Junk Drawer: Duct Tape for Warts

The gray fabric tape seems to irritate warts -- which can be surprisingly stubborn -- and inhibit their growth. Place a small piece on the skin over your child's wart, but not so tightly that it hurts, says Dr. Johnson. Change the tape whenever it starts to get icky; in about a month, the wart should be gone.

A Bubble Wand for Anxiety

Breathing slowly and deeply will help your child relax when she's feeling stressed, says Lonnie Zeltzer, MD, director of the pediatric pain program at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA and author of Conquering Your Child's Chronic Pain. Have your child blow long, slow streams of bubbles from the soapy wand.

A Bandanna for Headaches

Wrapping several ice cubes in a dish towel will help soothe your child's head pain (never place ice directly on his skin because it'll burn), but it'll be hard for him to hold it in place for long, says Dr. Beard. To keep the towel-wrapped ice from slipping, press it against his forehead or temples and secure it with a bandanna tied at the back of his neck.

A Sock for Tummy or Neck Pain

Instead of buying a heat wrap, make one by filling a sock with uncooked rice and tying it closed with a string, says Paula Gardiner, MD, a researcher in the department of family medicine at Boston University Medical Center. Microwave the sock for one minute or until warm, and place it wherever your child has pain. When it cools off, microwave it again.

Your Blow-Dryer for Swimmer's Ear

This painful inflammation of the outer ear traps liquid and possibly bacteria. If the area has become infected, your pediatrician will probably prescribe antibiotic drops. But for mild cases, you can try evaporating the trapped water by standing a foot away from your child and aiming the dryer -- on the warm (not hot) setting -- at her ear, says Dr. Beard.

Contact Lens Solution for Congestion

For a child over 6 months, fill a bulb syringe with preservative-free saline solution, raise her head, and gently squeeze solution into one nostril at a time, says Dr. McClafferty. (Do it in the bath or over the sink.) In fact, a recent study found that using a nasal wash with a seawater solution (not yet available in the U.S.) helped kids get over colds faster -- and made them less likely to get sick again.

Fresh Ginger Tea for Car Sickness

"Ginger stops the stomach contractions that tell your child's brain he feels nauseous," says Dr. McClafferty. For children ages 2 and older, add a teaspoon of shredded fresh ginger to four ounces of boiling water, and let it steep for four to five minutes. You can add a bit of honey to make it taste better. After it has cooled, have your child drink it a half hour before getting into the car.

Cucumber for Mild Swelling

If you go to a fancy spa, the facialist may use this salad staple to ease the puffiness around your eyes. That's because cool cucumber slices help soothe hot, swollen skin. You can place a slice anywhere your child has minor swelling, Dr. Beard suggests, and then simply replace it with another slice from the fridge after it becomes warm.

A Credit Card for a Bee Sting

If a bee or wasp stings your child, remove the stinger to prevent additional venom from entering the wound. In order to avoid squeezing the stinger, which can spread the venom, use the flat edge of a credit card to gently scrape across the area until the stinger comes out.

A Stick of Gum for Indigestion

If your child is age 4 or older, have her chew some gum when she complains of a full stomach after a big meal. "The extra saliva she'll produce will neutralize the problematic excess stomach acid," says gastroenterologist Anil Minocha, MD, author of Natural Stomach Care.

Aspartame: 100 Times Sweeter Than Sugar, But is it Safe?

We Americans…we are always looking for the shortcut, the inside track, the one pill solution to every problem. We want world peace resolved in a 30-minute sitcom and expect complicated medical problems to be solved with a clever review of an MRI.

Equally unrealistic is our expectation that there exists some Promised Land of guilt-free, sugar-free candies and desserts that allow us to keep eating anything we want. In fact, we want this fantasy so badly that we are willing to overlook little things like brain tumors, seizures, joint problems, and even death.

Those and 92 other dangerous side effects come from a commonly used artificial sweetener with a sordid history of poor research, cover-ups and other nonsense. But that hasn’t stopped this toxic poison from invading thousands of different foods and beverages we eat every day.

What is Aspartame…

Back in 1965, while people were protesting the Vietnam War and rocking out to the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix, scientist James Schlatter tripped over one of today’s most commonly used and accepted chemical concoctions: aspartame.

While recrystallizing a chemical compound (aspartylphenylalanine-methyl-ester), some of the powder spilled and got onto Schlatter’s fingers. Not realizing his, he licked his fingers inadvertently and noticed the sweet taste.

Four years later, in 1969, the Journal of the American Chemical Society reported on aspartame, discussing the “accidental discovery of an organic compound with a profound sucrose (table sugar) like taste.”¹

Sugar-like taste is an understatement. Aspartame is 100 to 200 times sweeter than sugar, depending on concentration. But what, exactly, is this chemical sweetener?

A Sweet Mess…

Whether you are talking about the little yellow packets of Equal or NutraSweet, aspartame remains a laboratory creation. It is composed of three elements: aspartic acid (40 percent), phenylalanine (50 percent), and methanol (10 percent).

Both aspartic acid and phenylalamine are amino acids, which sounds good, right? Not really. See, aspartic acid is a known excitotoxin, meaning it overstimulates your nervous system.

Phenylalamine is the precursor to tyrosine, which is used to make excitatory neurotransmitters. (Notice a pattern here?) Excitatory transmitters energize you and speed up process in your body.

Now add in the methanol. Methanol is used to make formaldehyde, which is a colorless, poisonous gas. It is commonly used to make resin adhesives, paint, disinfectants, and embalming fluid. Ah, yeah. And if you drink it straight, you can go blind.

Mix them all together and this combination has been found to have potent excitatory effects on brain chemistry, often leading to a whole host of health problems, including headaches, dizziness, anxiety, and depression.

Clearly, the “is aspartame safe” question is a resounding NO. So how is it that aspartame is even legal? Tricky maneuvering seems to be the answer.

The Methanol-Laced Diet Soda…

In 1973, pharmaceutical giant G.D. Searle and Company petitioned the FDA for approval of aspartame as an artificial sweetener. They submitted study after study “proving” its safety. But there was one issue…the studies were “single dose” studies.

This means that they were able to show that using aspartame daily, even in high doses, was safe. The issue was, the duration of the studies. They were frequently short, perhaps one to three months. This point was not lost on FDA physicians.

In fact, a Dr. Martha M. Freeman from the FDA Division of Metabolic and Endocrine Drug Products is quoted as saying, “Although it was stated that studies were also performed with diketopiperazine [DKP] an impurity which results from acid hydrolysis of Aspartame, no data are provided on this product.” She goes on to say, “It is not feasible to extrapolate results of such single dose testing to the likely condition of use of Aspartame as an artificial sweetener.”²

A second researcher, Dr. Matalon, takes it even further and compares aspartame to cigarettes, positing, “Let us say cigarettes were invented today, and you give 20 people two packs a day and after six weeks, no one has cancer, would you safe that it was safe? That’s what they did with NutraSweet.

In 1974, Dr. J. Richard Crout, then acting director of the FDA Bureau of Drugs evaluated 113 studies submitted by G.D. Searle regarding aspartame. He concluded, “The information submitted for our review was limited to narrative clinical summaries and tabulated mean values of laboratory studies. No protocols, manufacturing controls information or preclinical data were provided. Such deficiencies in each area of required information precluded a scientific evaluation of the clinical safety of this product….”

Yet, aspartame was approved for use in dry goods on July 26, 1974. But only briefly. Dismayed by serious issues in 13 of the studies regarding genetic mutation, as well as outrage from a public-interest group and concerns from Dr. John Olney, a neuropathologist who had connected aspartame with brain lesions in mice, FDA commissioner Alexander Schmidt froze the approval.

He then ordered a task force to examine the safety of aspartame. In March 1976, the task force presented their findings. It didn’t look good for G.D. Searle and aspartame. The task force had major issues with the types and quality of studies Searle had performed.

Specifically, FDA Lead Investigator and Task Force Team Leader, Phillip Brodsky went so far as to say he had never seen anything as bad as G.D. Searle’s studies.

Seems clear cut, right? Wrong.

After a series of legal and political maneuverings that are confusing at best and unethical at worst, the FDA changed its position and, in March 1979, said that Searle’s aspartame studies could be considered.

Not that it mattered, because in 1980, the Public Board of Inquiry voted unanimously to reject aspartame until more studies were conducted regarding aspartame and brain tumors.

A few studies were conducted by Searle, and in January 1981, they reapplied for the approval of aspartame. On May 18, 1981, three of five scientists on the FDA approval panel raised issues with aspartame. They included concerns that the brain tumor data was “worrisome.” They also felt some of the data had been fabricated.²

At this point, they inexplicably brought in a toxicologist to weigh in, bringing the panel to a total of six members. After pressure to come to a resolution quickly, the panel was split three to three regarding the approval of aspartame.

Using this information, then FDA commissioner Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., overruled the Public Board of Inquiry and approved aspartame for use in dry goods on July 18, 1981. Two years later, it was also approved for use in carbonated drinks (i.e. diet soda).

Fast forward to 1996, when the FDA gave aspartame blanket approval as a “general purpose sweetener,”³ despite on-going concerns regarding its habitual, long-term use, and long list of side effects.

This is particularly odd when you consider that 75 percent of all adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA are due to aspartame!!!!⁴

Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, the FDA has been required to keep of list of reactions and related aspartame side effects…all 92 of them. They include:

• Death,
• Headaches and seizures,⁵
• Vision loss,
• Seizures,
• Hearing loss,
• Joint pain, and
• Breathing difficulties.

And these issues are mild compared to the other dangers of aspartame consumption. Turns out, many conditions are worsened or even brought on by aspartame, including cancer,⁶ brain tumors,⁷ Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Weight GAIN, Not Weight Loss…

But the aspartame dangers don’t end there. Evidence also suggests that aspartame doesn’t even do what it’s touted to do: aid in weight loss. In fact, it very likely may have the complete opposite effect!

And, according to the January 1997 issue of the International Journal of Obesity,aspartame and sucrose may in fact cause weight gain.⁸ Researchers divided 14 women into three groups. One group was given four aspartame-sweetened lemonades; one received four sucrose (or sugar) sweetened lemonade, and the third group received carbonated mineral water on three separate days.

Researchers found that the group that drank the aspartame-sweetened lemonade ate more calories in the two days that followed, as compared to those women in the regular lemonade and water groups. Additionally, the majority of those additional calories came from carbohydrates.

Interestingly, there was no difference in appetite ratings between the groups. In other words, while the “diet” lemonade didn’t increase calories during the day of consumption, it clearly led to greater intake of food, particularly carbohydrates, in the days that followed. So much for “diet.”

Step Away From the Packets…

So, what do you do? Do you trust the government’s flip-flopping on a chemical compound that has proven, documented health risks and concerns? One that doesn’t even deliver on the promise of having your cake and eating it too? Um, no way.

Two amino acids and formaldehyde do not a natural product make.

We say pass on the packets and the possible risk of aspartame poisoning and its toxic symptoms. For a sweet boost, opt for stevia instead.

This naturally sweet herb comes in both powdered and liquid forms and is the only sugar replacement that has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity rather than decrease it.⁹ Which means you can use it to sweeten anything your heart desires, without losing your soul.

References:

¹Mazur, RH et al. Structure-taste relationship of some dipeptides. J Am Chem Soc. 1969 May 7;91(10):2684-91.

²Constantine, A and Gordon, G. History of aspartame.http://www.wnho.net/history_of_aspartame.htm. Posted 2004 Mar 12.

³Kovacs, B. Artificial Sweeteners. www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=81475.

⁴Mercola, J. Aspartame Dangers and Side Effects. http://aspartame.mercola.com/.

⁵Humphries, P et al. Direct and indirect cellular effects of aspartame on the brain. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008;62:41-62.

⁶Soffritti, M et al. Life-span exposure to low doses of aspartame beginning during prenatal life increases cancer effects in rats. Environ Health Perspect. 2007 Sep;115(9):1293-7.

⁷Olney, JW et al. Increasing brain tumor rates: is there a link to aspartame? J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 1996 Nov;55(11):1115-23.

⁸Lavin, JH et al. The effect of sucrose- and aspartame-sweetened drinks on energy intake, hunger and food choice in female, moderately restrained eaters. Int J Obes. 1997 Jan;21(1):37-42.

⁹Lailerd, N et al. Effects of stevioside on glucose transport activity in insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant rat skeletal muscle. Metab. Clin. Exp. 2004 Jan;53(1):101-7.

Coconut Oil: A Nutrient Powerhouse and Metabolism Booster

Imagine you are walking the beach on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii.  All around you, people are surfing, hiking, jogging, swimming and paddleboarding.

Suddenly it becomes obvious which of your fellow sand dwellers are tourists and which are locals.  Not only do the locals have a glow about their skin and trim figures, but they also seem to be oozing with abundant health and energy to spare!  Plus, there isn’t a sniffle, cough, runny nose or apparent headache in sight.

What on earth can their secret be?  Is it the sun?  The stress-free life?  The salt air?  Those things may play a role, but the real secret lies within the world’s largest seed.

Coconut: A Nutrient Powerhouse…

The Malaysian and Polynesian cultures have revered the coconut for centuries.

Not only has this largest-known seed yielded food and water for hundreds of thousands of people, it also contains nearly all of the essential nutrients your body needs for optimal health.

In addition to a whole host of amino acids, coconut is also a great source of the minerals potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese, as well as vitamin C and riboflavin (vitamin B2).

Coconut oil contains all of these nutrients and more.  It also contains 90 percent saturated fat, which puts it right smack in the middle of the great fat debate.

The Saturated Oil Debate…

Coconut oil is extracted from the dried flesh of the coconut.  It is also a source of plant-based saturated fat, the very fat doctors and nutritionists alike have been telling us to avoid like the plague.

While it’s true that coconut oil is 90 percent saturated fat, 45 percent of that fat is lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid that converts in your body to monolaurin.

Monolaurin is the actual compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immune system.  It is also known to promote normal brain development and contribute to healthy bones, as well as protect against viruses and bacteria.³

Despite these purported health benefits, many opponents of coconut oil point to the high concentration of saturated fats as a reason to avoid it.

While there may be an argument to avoid saturated fats coming from animals that have been raised using conventional feedlots and fed an unnatural diet of corn and soy, the fat in coconut oil is actually a medium-chain triglyceride.  These fats are more easily digested than other fats and are quickly metabolized, giving you a great source of energy.

Also, your body uses medium-chain triglycerides differently than other fats.  Most fats are stored in your body’s cells.  But the fat in coconut oil goes directly to your liver, where it is converted into energy.

In layman’s terms, that bacon and cheese omelet you ate most likely sits around in your cells waiting to be burned up or stored as fat for later.  However, coconut oil gets shipped directly to your liver, where it is put to work to help you get up and get going.

Back to Those Benefits…

Let’s take a closer look at the supposed health benefits.

Coconut appears to be anti-just-about-everything:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-pyretic (it reduces fever)
• Anti-fungal
• Anti-bacterial

A pharmacological study¹ of virgin coconut oil found that it reduced inflammation in rats.  The same study also found that when researchers induced hyperthermia (excess heat) in the rats, the coconut oil helped to reduce fever (anti-pyretic) and ease pain in the affected rats.

Researchers concluded: “The results…suggest anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic properties of virgin coconut oil.”

In other words, it reduced inflammation, eased pain, and reduced fever.  That’s not bad…for rats.  However, we would love to see this type of study tested in humans.

On the antifungal front, researchers studied the effect of coconut oil on Candida (the fungus common to yeast infections), as compared to fluconazole, a common antifungal drug.²

Fifty-two different isolates of Candida were obtained from clinical specimens.  Of these, Candida albicans was the most common isolate used.  This is important, as this form is the common cause of diaper rash, vaginitis, thrush, and yeast infections.

All isolates were tested to see how susceptible they were to both virgin coconut oil and the antifungal drug.  Researchers found that Candida albicans had the highest susceptibility to coconut oil when the coconut oil had a 1:4 dilution, as compared to fluconazole, which needed a 1:2 dilution to be as effective.

Translation: They needed less coconut oil, compared to the drug, to fend off the fungus.

In simpler terms, the coconut oil worked better (in a smaller quantity) than the drug.  Once again, nature beats man’s inventions.

When it comes to antibacterial properties, one study in particular found that virgin coconut oil helped to treat skin infections.³

Researchers performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 26 people who had atopic dermatitis, a skin condition that often includes painfully dry skin that is highly susceptible to a nasty bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus.

Researchers had half the group use virgin coconut oil twice a day for four weeks at two noninfected sites.  The other group used virgin olive oil, also applying it twice a day for four weeks.

When the study started, 20 of the 26 participants tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus.

At the end of the study period, only one of the virgin coconut oil users (5 percent) tested positive for the bacteria, as compared to six users (50 percent) in the olive oil group.  The coconut oil also relieved the users’ dry skin.

Researchers concluded that coconut oil might be useful for treating bacteria, fungi, and viruses.  While we agree, we’d like to see this type of gold standard study repeated with a larger participant pool, as well as with a variety of bacteria strain, just to be sure.

Heart and Weight Benefits Too…

Advocates of coconut oil also point to its cardio-protective and fat-burning properties, as well as its antibacterial benefits, etc.

According to a population study⁴ of about 2,500 people from the Polynesian islands of Tokelau and Pukapuka, high coconut oil intake has no effect on cholesterol levels.

Investigators tracked folks who consumed a high-fat diet derived primarily from coconuts — every meal contained coconut in one form or another.  The researchers reported that the participants’ overall health was very good, and that vascular disease was uncommon.

In fact, even though these people were consuming high amounts of saturated fat in the form of coconut oil, they did not seem to have high cholesterol.  Coronary heart disease, colon cancer, and other bowel disorders were rare as well.

The lead researcher, Dr. Ian Prior, concluded that there was no evidence that high saturated fat intake from coconut oil had a harmful effect.

This conclusion seems right, and then some.  Not only does the coconut oil appear to not hurt, it also seems to be beneficial when it comes to gastrointestinal health.  However, that cannot be stated conclusively without evaluating the participants’ entire diet.

Interestingly, when it comes to weight loss, it appears that coconut oil’s medium-chain triglycerides are the very reason it is effective.

It turns out that when you eat coconut oil, your body uses it more quickly rather than storing it as body fat.  In this way, those medium-chain triglycerides are thermogenic—meaning that they actually speed up your metabolism, burning more calories and giving you more energy.

For example, according to several online sources, farmers from the 1940s wanted to fatten up their livestock, so they gave them coconut oil.  However, the animals became leaner and more active.

This is quite intriguing, but cannot be attributed to any credible source, but we did discover a human study that seems to back this up.

In a study of people in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, where coconut is a staple food, researchers found that their metabolic rate was an average of 25 percent higher than people in the U.S.

However, like the farmers/livestock example, we cannot substantiate this commonly cited study either.  Both appear to be perpetuated by the same author, who never cites the studies he is pulling from.

Though the mechanism of action of medium-chain triglycerides and fat-burning makes sense physiologically, we were ready to dismiss the connection between coconut oil and weight loss due to a lack of clinical evidence.  Then we came across several studies which included a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study from Brazil⁵.

Researchers tested the effects of coconut oil on 40 women between the ages of 20 to 40, with clinical abdominal obesity (waist circumference of more than 88 cm).  Half of the group received a daily dose of either soybean oil or coconut oil for 12 weeks.  Both of the groups were instructed to follow a balanced, low-calorie diet and to walk for 50 minutes each day.

At the end of the study period, those taking the coconut oil had a statistically greater loss of waist circumference that those taking the soybean oil.  The coconut oil users also had a statistically higher level of HDL (good) cholesterol and a lower LDL/HDL ratio than the soybean oil group.

Both groups enjoyed a decrease in their body mass index (BMI).

So, those using the coconut oil lost weight, lost inches around their waist, increased their levels of good cholesterol, and improved their bad to good cholesterol ratio.  Not bad for a big seed!

Using Coconut Oil…

At the very least, it is clear that coconut is not bad for you and that there is a significant difference between the saturated fat in coconuts and the saturated fat in animals.

Also, there appears to be strong evidence that coconuts are an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory food.  Plus, the research behind its heart and weight benefits seems well founded.  Therefore, we support the use of coconut oil…for health as well as taste.

As it turns out, coconut oil is also a great option for cooking due to its high smoking point (350°F for unrefined and 450°F for refined).  This is a culinary way of saying that you can sauté and bake with coconut oil and not worry about it turning into a trans-fat before your eyes.  Plus, coconut oil is very stable.  It has a two-year shelf life and won’t turn rancid, even in warm temperatures.

So give coconut oil a try.  Just be sure to choose organic, virgin coconut oil that is unrefined, unbleached, made without heat processing or chemicals, and is non-GMO.

We are sure that after a few days with this outstanding oil, you’ll be loco for coconut, too!

References:

¹Intahphuak, S, et al.  “Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil.” Pharm Biol.  2010 Feb. 48(2):151-7.

²Ogbolu, DO, et al.  “In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria.” J Med Food.  2007 Jun. 10(2)384-7.

³Verall-Rowell, VM, et al.  “Novel actibacterial and emollient effects of coconut and virgin olive oils in adult atopic dermatitis.” Dermatitis.  2008 Nov-Dec.19(6):308-15.

⁴Prior IA, et al.  “Cholesterol, coconuts and diet in Polynesian atolls—a natural experiment; the Pukapuka and Toklau island studies.” Am J Clin Nutr 1981. 34:1552-61.

⁵Assuncao, ML, et al.  “Effects of dietary coconut oil on the biochemical and antrhopometric profiles of women presenting abdominal obesity.” Lipids.  2009 Jul. 44(7):593-601.

Physical Education Classes Can Boost School Performance

Physical education (Phys. Ed. or P.E.) is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning. Different schools may have different physical education programs and may incorporate various forms of activities such as drills and exercises, sports, stress-reduction techniques such as yoga and deep-breathing, health and nutrition lessons. However, in some schools, budgetary cuts have affected physical education classes, paring them down from three lessons a week to one or two.

Study author Ericsson Ingegerd of Malmo University led some Swedish researchers to follow more up than 200 schoolchildren, from first through third grade, for nine years. They divided the children into two groups. One group of children was assigned to an intervention group that received physical education five days a week. In addition, they had extra training in motor-physical skills such as balance and coordination. The other group of children was assigned to a control group that engaged in usual levels of physical education.

The study showed that students in the intervention group achieved better grades that made them eligible to advance to upper-secondary school, compared to the students in the control group.

This difference was more evident among boys in the intervention group who had significantly higher grades in Language (Swedish), English, Math, Physical Education and Health than those in the control group.

The researchers concluded that daily time-tabled physical education and adapted motor skills training not only improves the children’s motor skills but also enhances their school achievement.

Source:

Preidt, R. Physical Education Is Good for Kids’ Grades, Study Finds. MSN.

Health Benefits of Bitter Melon

If there was a vegetable that was found in places like Asia and South America that could help with diabetes, would you believe it?

Balsam pear aka Bitter melon may be just the vegetable. It is found in Asia, South America and Africa. It is a tropical veggie that gets its name from its bitter taste. They look like a light green cucumber and are very wrinkled. Inside an immature fruit you will find it to be white. As the fruit begins to ripen, it begins to have a red appearance. The seeds are very bitter and are better left out when cooking it. The longer the bitter melon ripens, the more bitter it becomes until it is inedible.

Health Benefits

Bitter melon has been used for centuries in Asian medicine. Its strong bitter taste means it can be used for digestion issues but can worsen other ailments such as ulcers.

Besides digestion, bitter melon was also used to treat psoriasis, cancer and diabetes.

The most significant health benefit has to do with diabetes. Bitter melon has been shown to help with blood sugars levels. The plant produces a bovine like insulin that can be injected into diabetics. The studies that have been done have shown that this plant insulin works just like its bovine counterpart with added advantages. It’s important to note that this benefit come from the juice of unripened fruit.

Some people are not able to take bovine insulin due to an unfavorable reaction to it. In these cases, the bitter melon can be given as a replacement.

Also, for those who are concerned with introducing an animal product into their bodies, this would be a great alternative. Vegetarians will be able to use the balsam pear insulin with no worries.

There have also been studies done that show benefits to people carrying the HIV virus. The bitter melon has been shown to help with negative reactions to HIV medications.

This vegetable also carries with it a number of vitamins and minerals. It is loaded with calcium and iron along with more beta carotene then broccoli. It has tons of potassium and vitamins A, C, B1 and B3. Oh, and let’s not forget the fiber.

Other uses for Bitter melon

You will find balsam pear used in many Asian dishes. It is usually not found with other vegetables because of its intense bitter taste. However, in China it is used in many stir fry dishes.

In Indian cuisine you will sometimes find bitter melon with potatoes. The potatoes help balance the bitterness along with the yogurt that accompanies the dish.

The seeds are usually discarded when cooking because they carry an extra dose of bitterness.

Of course, if you want to enjoy the benefits of bitter melon, you can buy bitter melon supplements.

**Please, before taking any supplement to help treat a disease or ailment, contact your doctor to make sure the treatment is appropriate for your condition.

How to Get Rid of Bruises Naturally

Why is it that the largest bruises always seem to appear when you don’t expect it? Maybe it’s just me but I always end up thinking to myself “how the heck did I end up with that?”

Anyway, some years ago my mum ended up with a huge big bruise and decided to try out some lavender essential oil to get rid of it. So she put some drops of lavender onto a cotton pad and taped it over the bruise. The problem was that the cotton pad wasn’t big enough to cover the entire bruise so when it was taken off, there was a surprising result….

The covered area was yellow whereas the exposed area was still black/blue.

I wish I had a photo to show you, it looked amazing. No one could try and say it was just a “placebo effect”!

None of the bruises I’ve had recently are big enough to reproduce this experiment however if I do get one I’ll make sure I take a photo as proof.

Lavender oil isn’t the only natural remedy you can try, here are some other suggestions:

• When the bruise appears, apply fennel, helichrysum or hyssop essential oils to the skin.
• Arnica gel, a homeopathic remedy, is said to be one of the best ways to get rid of a bruise.
• When the bruise has turned yellow, rosemary oil is said to help by increasing circulation.
• Eat foods rich in vitamin C.
• Bromelain (a digestive enzyme found in pineapples) breaks down proteins that trap fluids in the tissues after an injury.

Has anyone else successfully treated bruises using natural remedies?