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Food Allergy and Low Glycemic Support Group to Start in November
If you have food allergies or have been prescribed a low glycemic eating plan and struggle with your eating this new support group may be just the thing for you. Started by Jane Benoit, a longtime adherent to restricted diets, and sponsored by Green Mountain Natural Health, this group aims to help people on restricted diets be more successful.
Many people on restricted diets struggle with finding the right foods and making the right choices. Support groups can be very effective in helping people to make dietary and lifestyle changes. Join Jane and others to support one another and to share ideas to help conquer your dietary challenges.
The support group will meet on the second Tuesday of every month beginning on November 8. The group will meet at noon at Green Mountain Natural Health for one hour. Feel free to bring your lunch!
For information call Jane at 279-3376. |
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Natural Treatment of Acne
By Bernie Noe, ND
Acne is a common inflammatory skin disease that is thought to occur as a result of interactions between hormones, sebum, and bacteria. It begins at puberty and generally spontaneously resolves in early adulthood, although in some it persists throughout life.
Conventional treatment includes topical benzoyl peroxide and oral or topical vitamin A analogues and antibiotics.
Natural treatment of acne first and foremost focuses on identifying the underlying cause of the problem, which is most often food allergies and/or excess sugar and flour intake.
While most current medical texts deny there is a connection between diet and acne, numerous studies dating back to the 1930's and 40's have identified that food allergy and sensitivity is a major contributor to acne in some people. My personal experience from treating people with acne is that food allergies are a frequent contributor.
Food allergies occur when the immune system reacts to foods in the same way it would to a foreign bacteria. The most common allergens are dairy, gluten, and eggs. Other common allergens include beans, peanuts, corn, yeast, chocolate, and nightshades (potato, tomato, pepper, eggplant). The list of potentially allergic foods, however, includes pretty much everything a person eats. The more frequently a food is eaten, the more likely it is to be a food allergen.
While most people think of a food allergy as an immediate, severe reaction such as when someone eats a peanut or strawberry and can't breathe, this reaction is relatively rare compared to the much more common delayed allergic reaction. Delayed reactions can occur anywhere from a few minutes to a couple days after eating the allergic food. The reaction is generally much more insidious, such as acne, headache, skin rash, ear infection, asthma, irritable bowel, arthritis, runny nose, or other reaction. Most often people with delayed allergies don't realize they are allergic because of this and because they may be eating a variety of food allergens frequently.
The best way to determine if food allergies are a problem is either by a blood test or by following a food allergy elimination/challenge diet. In this diet potentially allergic foods are eliminated for a period of about two weeks and then are challenged one at a time to see if they provoke a headache or other symptom. While inexpensive and accurate, this can be a difficult and uncomfortable process to go through. For that reason, many people prefer the blood test. Blood tests are available to check up to 96 or more foods all at once and are covered by most health insurance plans.
Eating too much sugar, flour, and other high glycemic foods is another common cause of acne. The glycemic index is a measure of how much a food spikes the blood sugar. Added sugars (such as sugar, corn syrup, honey, and maple syrup), grains (such as bread, pasta, cereals, crackers, and rice), potatoes, and alcohol all spike the blood sugar and hence have a high glycemic index. Fruits, vegetables, and proteins (such as beans, nuts, soy, dairy, eggs, meat, fish, and poultry) generally have very little impact on blood sugar and hence have a low glycemic index. Even though fruit is quite sweet, it contains a different type of sugar than other foods and does not affect the blood sugar very much. Eliminating or severely restricting the high glycemic foods and eating lots of low glycemic foods can make a difference in many cases of acne in as little as a few weeks. Other symptoms commonly linked to eating too many high glycemic foods include hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), fatigue, depression, and weight gain.
While clinical trials examining diet and acne are limited, a 2007 study did find a significant improvement in acne in those following a low glycemic diet and another showed improvement of 84% of people with acne who restricted sugar intake. There is also additional evidence that the higher insulin levels that come with eating high glycemic foods affect hormone levels including androgens such as testosterone that aggravate acne. My personal experience is that many people with acne are helped by this dietary approach.
Another nutritional factor that can influence acne is a deficiency of omega 3 oils. These oils are anti-inflammatory, they boost immune function, and they are good for the skin, which make them a natural match for acne. They are found mostly in cold water fish, but can also be found in flax seeds. While humans evolved with a relatively high dietary intake of omega 3 oils because they are present in wild game and other wild foods, most people get very little of them in their diet today. For most people, fish oil, cod liver oil, or flax oil are the easiest ways to get these oils today.
Other nutritional supplements that can be effective in the treatment of acne include niacin (vitamin B3) and zinc. While vitamin A and vitamin B5 have also been effective in some studies, potential toxicity from these vitamins at the doses required to treat acne make these poor choices for the first line treatment of acne.
Both niacin and niacinamide (another form of niacin) can be effective in the treatment of acne when used orally or topically. In one study, topical niacinamide was more effective than the topical antibiotic clindamycin (82% response vs. 69%). In another study oral niacinamide combined with zinc, folate, and copper was as effective as oral antibiotics. Because oral niacin in high doses can cause liver inflammation in some people, it should only be used under the supervision of a physician. Niacinamide, however, does not have this effect nor does it cause the niacin flush that can occur with oral niacin.
Zinc deficiency is common in people with acne and multiple studies have shown results using oral zinc to treat acne. The response rate to zinc treatment has varied from 56-70% and has been comparable to oral antibiotics. Zinc should not be used with oral tetracycline since it can inhibit its absorption.
Finally, azelaic acid, a compound that naturally occurs in some foods, can be effective when used topically. Most studies have used a 20% cream and have generally found it to be comparable to oral and topical antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, and tretinoin.
Natural treatment of acne can be very effective and most often doesn't require the long term use of medication, natural or prescription. To find out which of the above treatments might be effective for you, to be tested for food allergies, or for other help with the treatment of acne, call the office to schedule an appointment. |
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Curable Cataracts
A cataract is a hazy area in the eye that clouds normal vision. As it thickens, it prevents the lens of the eye from focusing the light as it enters. This causes dull or blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and possible blindness, if it's not corrected. Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States. About 95 percent of patients have improved vision with this surgery.
Nearly 22 million Americans age 40 or older have cataract in their eyes, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). By age 80, more than half of the population will be affected with this condition. Research points to sunlight exposure as the one risk factor for cataracts that we can do something about - such as wearing sunglasses or avoiding mid-day sun.
AAO Recommendations
According to the AAO, everyone age 40 to 64 should have a complete medical eye exam every two to four years. Those over 65 should have an exam every one to two years. However, you should see an eye specialist immediately if you have:
- blurred vision
- light sensitivity
- frequent changes in eyeglass prescriptions
- double vision
- poor night vision
- fading or yellowing of colors that you see
To locate an eye doctor in your area, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology's website.
Sources: 1)Delacourt C, et al. Light exposure and the risk of age-related macular degeneration: the Pathologies Oculaires Liees a l'Age (POLA) study. Archives of Ophthalmology; 119(10):1463-8. 2)Delacourt C, et al. Light exposure and the risk of cortical, nuclear, and posterior subcapsular cataracts: the Pathologies Oculaires Liees a l'Age (POLA) study. Archives of Ophthalmology;118(3):385-92. ©Wellsource, Inc., used with permission |
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Exercise Your Brain - It Really Does Help
By doing the daily newspaper crossword puzzle, reading to your grandchildren, or yelling out the answers when watching Jeopardy, you might be protecting yourself from that most dreaded disease of the elderly: dementia.
It has long been believed that participation in leisure activities helps seniors avoid or postpone dementia. A new five-year study compared dementia risk in 469 seniors - all 75 or older and dementia-free at the beginning of the study - based on their participation in physical and cognitive activities.
About 10 percent of all seniors develop some form of dementia by the time they reach 70. The percentage increases rapidly in the 70s and 80s. Stopping or slowing dementia is an important medical and personal outcome.
Activities considered to be cognitive and showing a protective effect included reading, playing board games, playing a musical instrument, and dancing.
The Results
As reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, 124 seniors developed some form of dementia by the end of the five-year study. In about half of these cases, the type of dementia was Alzheimer's disease.
- Those participants in the top third of mental activity had a 63 percent lower risk of dementia than those in the lowest third of mental activity at the end of the study.
- Even one cognitive-type activity a week lowered risk by seven percent!
- Physical activity seemed not to have a protective effect for dementia, except for dancing. Physical activity does, however, greatly improve physical strength and functioning.
Use It or Lose It
The Use It or Lose It idea sounds like a cliché, but it seems to work for both physical and mental activities. Your quality of life can be maintained with activities that are relatively inexpensive and don't involve drugs or treatment. This does not preclude the need for medical care, but focuses on areas where individuals can take control of their activities and quality of life.
The Alzheimer's Association acknowledges that using your brain in new ways might reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease or other dementias. Here are some ways to put your brain to work:
- Play mind-challenging games, such as chess and backgammon
- Do jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and other word and number puzzles.
- Play a musical instrument, or learn to play a new one.
- Take a course in a subject new to you.
- Go to the theatre.
- Break your routine by taking a different route to the store or by changing your morning routine.
- Write your name with your opposite hand.
- Read a book, then discuss it with a friend.
- Pursue cultural activities, such as going to a museum or a concert.
- Keep up hobbies such as sewing and carpentry, or take up a new hobby.
- Cross train your brain with a variety of mental challenges.
Sources: 1)Verghese J, et al. Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. New England Journal of Medicine. 2)Healthy brain. Challenge yourself. Alzheimer's Society of Canada. 3)Brain health. Alzheimer's Association. ©Wellsource, Inc., used with permission
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The Research Says...
Vitamin D May Inhibit Liver Disease
A study has found that vitamin D therapy may help prevent liver cell fibrosis, the weaving together of which is the scarring that is the defining characteristic of cirrhosis of the liver. (Liver cirrhosis is caused by hepatitis, alcoholism or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD, the exact cause of which is not known.) Fibrosis, which is an accumulation of protein, including collagen, is a key symptom of the development of cirrhosis. Scientists found that the active form of vitamin D inhibited enzyme activity associated with fibrosis, and inhibited markers for fibrosis and collagen deposits. The success of vitamin D in a cell culture of liver cells was confirmed in test rats. Analysis of enzyme activity proved the anti-fibrosis effect was directly due to the vitamin D. The team suggested that vitamin D may have therapeutic value in preventing liver fibrosis in humans, but further study is required. This study was released August 4, 2011, but will not be published in print until a future issue of the journal, Gut. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/oNwVm8 with subscription or payment of an access fee.
Natural Bacterial Peptide Kills Food Bacteria
A scientist has discovered a naturally found lantibiotic that kills food-borne bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella, and listeria - but that is naturally occurring in a harmless bacterium, is non-toxic, is easily digested, does not produce allergic reactions, and discourages bacterial resistance to its specific strain. (A lantibiotic is a type of antibiotic that is made of amino acids, and is known as a peptide.) Unlike some other natural preservatives, it kills a much broader range of bacteria. In addition to being completely safe for use in food, it will work against bacteria in many food items, such as in meats, processed cheeses, egg and dairy products, canned foods, seafood, salad dressings, and fermented beverages. Its eventual use in foods - the University of Minnesota, home of the research, will now attempt to license the technology - may protect against the allergic reactions suspected with some artificial preservatives. Also, it is expected to decrease the number of outbreaks of salmonella, a food poisoning that has increased more dramatically than other food-borne illnesses. (Salmonella kills 28 percent of the 3000 Americans who die annually from food poisoning.) Details of the breakthrough study have not been published online or in print.
Vitamin D Deficiency Raises Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
A study has found that those with low vitamin D levels are 70 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome. Also, those with low levels of vitamin D were 2.63 times as likely to be obese in the abdomen; 26 percent more likely to have low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol; 22 percent more likely to have high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels; 46 percent more likely to have high or abnormal blood triglycerides; and 43 percent more likely to have high or abnormal blood pressure readings. The results of this research on Asian volunteers in Kuala Lumpur confirm similar findings regarding vitamin D deficiencies among non-Asian Westerners. This study was published in a supplement of the August 2011 issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health and is available now online at http://bit.ly/oGmSXa with subscription or access fee.
Curcumin May Help Alleviate Tendonitis
Researchers have found that curcumin, the compound that gives the curry spice turmeric its trademark yellow color, can suppress the biological signaling pathways involved in tendonitis that spark painful inflammation. (Aging and inflammatory diseases have increased, raising demand for anti-inflammatory treatments. Curcumin, or diferuloylmethane, is a naturally occurring polyphenol.) Although they stressed that curcumin is not a tendonitis cure, the researchers suggested that, after further study, the compound or altered versions of it could be a part of an effective tendonitis treatment program. If an anti-inflammatory treatment such as curcumin proved effective against tendonitis, it may also help treat other inflammatory disorders such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Crohn's disease, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, Alzheimer disease, psoriasis, and other pathologies. No negative side effects were noted in dosages as high as 12 grams a day. This study was published in the August 12, 2011 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/riXFwQ without fee.
Piperine Boosts Bioavailability of Resveratrol
A study has found that piperine, a natural extract of black pepper, increases the bioavailability of resveratrol, a beneficial phenol largely unavailable to the body due to its low ability to reach the bloodstream. (Bioavailability is the amount of a substance that reaches the blood. Resveratrol is found in red grape skin and in knotweed; it has numerous healthful - and some suggest anti-aging - benefits but its effectiveness is limited by its very low bioavailability. Piperine has been found in previous studies to increase the bioavailability of some compounds; it boosts curcumin bioavailability in humans by 2000 percent. It may help stimulate pigment production of in patients with the pigment-destroying disease vitiligo.) Mice were given resveratrol with and without piperine. Those receiving piperine showed a 229 percent increase in exposure to resveratrol, and a 1544 percent increase in resveratrol blood levels. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism by which piperine may be raising resveratrol bioavailability, and to test its effectiveness in humans. This study was published in the August 2011 issue of the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, and is available online now at http://bit.ly/px7amw with subscription or fee.
Even Women Who Supplement Have Sub-Optimal Levels of Vitamin D
New research reports that - although 80 percent of pregnant women tested take supplements - 65 percent did not have blood levels of vitamin D recommended by the Canadian Paediatric Society for pregnant and breastfeeding women; and 24 percent did not have vitamin D levels recommended by Health Canada (the equivalent of the US FDA) for women of all ages, pregnant or not. (Newborns with low levels of vitamin D have increased risk of type 1 diabetes, asthma and low bone mass in later life. Low levels increase the risk of preeclampsia, a sudden onset of high blood pressure during pregnancy and a leading cause of maternal death.) This study shows that, no matter what recommended intake a woman follows, there is a substantial chance her blood will show insufficient vitamin D levels. Further research is needed to determine the optimum intake levels for pregnant women, and this must account for dietary levels, sunlight exposure, needs during pregnancy, and supplements. This study was just published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, but we are not permitted to reprint details; the full text is not available to non-subscribers, even by access fee.
Resveratrol Study Review Finds Anti-Aging, Anti-Cancer Benefit
A study has reviewed previous research on resveratrol and determined that it has benefits against aging, inflammation, cancer, and free radicals. (Resveratrol is an antibiotic polyphenol produced by plants as a defense against microorganisms.) Although the evidence on humans is weak compared to evidence on cells, enzymes, and animals, the review did find that resveratrol prevents the growth of some cancers in mice, inhibits enzymes that cause inflammation, shrinks tumors and increases blood flow, thus reducing cardiovascular diseases. It also extends the life of obese animals. Some evidence also shows that resveratrol could one day be used to help regulate insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients. Resveratrol is easily tolerated but has low bioavailability; it is found in trace quantities in red grapes and peanuts, and in supplements. The study was published in the August, 2011 issue of the Molecular Nutrition & Food research and is available online now at http://bit.ly/kG4aWy with subscription or access fee.
Extract of Whole Ginger Has Anti-Cancer Effects
For the first time, scientists have studied the anti-cancer effects of whole ginger, in contrast to its constituents, and shown it halts some cancers, and shrinks prostate cancer by as much as 60 percent. The research team suggests a possible synergistic anti-cancer effect of several ginger compounds, potentially including one or more chemicals that are found only in very small amounts, the importance of which might have been ignored. The study included both cancer cells and mice, and the chemical used came from a single batch of ginger freeze-dried over several weeks. Breast and cervical cancers all stopped growing in the presence of extract of whole ginger, but a spectrum of prostate cancer cells showed a process of cancer cell death. The amount of whole ginger that a human would have to consume to reproduce these anti-cancer benefits would be three and a half ounces daily; although this is a significant amount, it may yet prove an effective cancer treatment because the study found no toxic side effects. This just-released study will appear in a future issue of the British Journal of Nutrition, but is available online now at http://bit.ly/nH6umL without charge.
Levels of Vitamin C Linked to Lower Blood Pressure
A study has concluded that a higher intake of fruits and vegetables, for which a greater blood concentration of vitamin C was used as an indicator, decreases the risk of developing high blood pressure by up to 22 percent for those in the top quarter of vitamin C levels. The large epidemiological study adjusted for numerous potentially confounding factors, such as age, sex, body mass, alcohol consumption, smoking, blood pressure medications, and even vitamin C supplementation. In other words, the link between higher vitamin C levels and reduced blood pressure risk was found whether the subjects took supplements or not, so long as the vitamin C concentrations were high. Only the systolic blood pressure reading (the number on the top) was included in the study. This research will not be published until the September 2011 issue of the journal Hypertension, but it is available online now at http://bit.ly/qZlsRX with subscription or access fee.
Vitamin D Protects Against More Aggressive Colon Cancers
Researchers have found that cholecalciferol, or vitamin D3, acts on a specific biological pathway that results in a protective effect against more aggressive forms of colon cancer. Evidence that vitamin D inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells is not new, but this study found that vitamin D slows down the action of beta-catenin, a key protein in the carcinogenic transformation process that can cause colon cancers to develop as the more aggressive type. The study was conducted on mice and also on human colon cancer cells. The scientists reported that treatment with vitamin D in the initial stages of colon cancer could prevent development of aggressive cancers and save lives, but they stressed that this would not be useful in the advanced stages. Vitamin D is available from some foods such as oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, and tuna), from direct sunlight on exposed skin, and from supplement pills or cod liver oil. The sole vegan source is UV-irradiated mushrooms. This study was just published electronically in the online journal PLoS, and the full text is now available at http://bit.ly/mYUAJ0 without cost.
Saffron Anti-Cancer Benefit Confirmed and Mechanism Explained
New research has both confirmed previously observed benefits of the spice saffron against hepatocellular cancer, and determined that the mechanism for this effect is its ability to stop the proliferation of cells and to initiate apoptosis, a process of cell death. (Hepatocellular cancer, or HCC, is liver cancer, which is the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide; it is linked with chronic hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, alcohol abuse, and environmental toxins such as tobacco smoke. Prior studies have shown saffron to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties.) Rats were given 75, or 150, or 300mg per kilogram of body weight per day (mg/kg/day). Saffron reduced the incidence and number of liver cancer nodules in the groups with the lower doses, but furnished the 300 mg/kg/day rats with complete protection against HCC. Analysis showed this effect stemmed from blocking HCC cell proliferation, and from prompting these cancer cells to self-destruct. Saffron also decreased liver inflammation. This study will be published in the September 2011 issue of the journal Hepatology, but is available online now at http://bit.ly/qEOvHs where it can be read with either subscription or access fee.
Antenatal Vitamin B12 Deficiency Increases Insulin Resistance
Researchers have found that deficiency of vitamin B12 during pregnancy raises the risk of children developing insulin resistance by the time they reach 6-8 years of age, although pre-birth supplements of zinc, iron, and folate had no significant effect on later insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was measured in the children by means of fasting tests of glucose and insulin. This study of the offspring of 1132 mothers was released online on August 24, 2011, but will not be published until the October 2011 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/nITIGb to subscribers and those who pay the access fee.
Magnesium Intake Linked to Reduced Risk of Diabetes
A meta-study looked at different levels of magnesium intake and concluded that for every 100 mg increment in daily magnesium intake among overweight people, there was a 14 percent reduced risk of developing diabetes type 2. There was no significant reduction in diabetes risk among normal-weight individuals. The research included 13 prior studies, including a total of 536,318 individuals. The relationship between diabetes and magnesium results was not affected by other factors, such as geographic location, sex, or family history of diabetes. This study will not be published until the September 2011 issue of the journal Diabetes Care, but was posted online early at http://bit.ly/oEYgOy where it can be read by subscribers and those who pay a fee.
Flame Retardants Linked to Lower-Birth-Weight Babies
Researchers have found a link between polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), compounds in flame retardants commonly found in the home, and reduced baby weight at birth. (PBDE use began increasing after fire safety standards tightened in the 70s, but were phased out in 2004; they persist on foam furniture, baby products and carpet padding.) The scientists noted that very few of the babies in the study weighed less than 2500 grams, or 5.5 pounds, which is the definition of a low-birth-weight baby, a definition that carries greater health risks; however, the weights of babies from homes containing higher levels of flame retardant were generally lower than the weights of babies born to mothers from homes containing lower levels of retardant chemicals. For every tenfold increase in levels of PBDE in the blood of the mother, there was a 115-gram decrease in birth-weight of babies. (For comparison, smoking during pregnancy results in a 150- to 250-gram decrease in birth-weight.) This study was released August 30, 2011 but will not be published until a future issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. However, it is accessible online now at http://bit.ly/qbr2Wf with subscription or fee.
©2011 ChooseNewsDaily, used with permission |
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