Zinc Can Help Prevent Pneumonia In Over Sixties

Zinc is certainly an essential ingredient in your diet for fighting infection and something that I supplement with every winter to keep colds at bay and now my anecdotal experience has been medically validated.

That is probably a first, but a new report published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that zinc plays a very important role in health maintenance, particularly for the over 60s. Simin Nikbin Meydani, DVM, PhD of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Massachusetts studied over 600 people from 33 different nursing homes in the Boston area.

What they found was that those with healthy blood levels of zinc are 50 percent less likely to develop pneumonia than those with sub-par levels. The study was a follow-up to a previous one which found that people given 200 international units (IU) of vitamin E every day for one year are 20 percent less likely to develop upper respiratory infections, including common colds. But after a follow-up, the trial also revealed that a majority of those same participants had low levels of zinc in their blood. As we saw in the previous item, zinc is a necessary mineral for maintaining immune health, regulation of blood pressure and the mineralization of bone and as well as being essential For the eyes and prostate.

The study’s conclusion is that daily zinc intake can help nursing home residents who are susceptible to pneumonia as it can reduce the risk of developing pneumonia by about 50%. Plus – bearing in mind the previous item – not only did those participants have a higher risk of developing pneumonia when they did become sick, they did not recover as quickly and required a longer course of antibiotics.

Another factor to bear in mind is that they also found that those who were taking regular zinc supplements also had a 39% lower rate of deaths from all causes than a comparable group who were not taking supplements.

Food sources:

Best sources of zinc are the protein foods including beef, lamb, pork, crabmeat, turkey, chicken, lobster, oysters, clams and salmon. Other good sources are dairy products, yeast, peanuts, beans, and wholegrain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat bread, potato and yogurt. For vegetarians and vegans pumpkin seeds offer one of the most concentrated non-meat food sources of zinc.

If you have a good and varied diet then your body getting enough zinc, the RDA for adults is around 11 mg a day, but the actual amount your body can absorb may be as little as 15 to 40% but you can improve this if you are taking Vitamins C, E and B6 and minerals such as magnesium as they can increase zinc absorption in the body.

Antibiotics Are Now Wholly Ineffective –So What Can You Do?

If you’re lucky, your doctor will not prescribe you antibiotics unless they are absolutely vital in tackling your health problem. Why do I say lucky? Because over the past few years the evidence against the too free use of antibiotics has been growing and recently in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases was confirmation that they are becoming wholly ineffective as treatments for infection.

You may think well what has this to do with me, I never take antibiotics? Sadly you may never knowingly take them but you are certainly ingesting them on a regular basis as they are frequently used in feed for both animals and fish to prevent infection and once you eat them you are getting a dose too.

According to the report, even the most powerful antibiotics available are largely inadequate at tackling the emerging forms of new and powerful “super” bacteria. Professor Tim Walsh from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine’s Department of Infection, Immunity and Biochemistry investigated how common the NDM-1 producing antibiotic resistant bacteria are in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan and the importation of these bacteria into the UK via patients returning from these countries.

Professor Walsh has outlined how this new gene is changing the way infectious bacteria survive. The NDM 1 gene passes among bacteria like E. Coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and makes them resistant to antibiotics so that even carbapenems, the most powerful antibiotics available, are no match for these new bacteria.

Our reliance since the 1950s on the “magic bullet” school of medicine has led to massive overprescribing of antibiotics to treat infection and we have now reached the end of the road. The problem is that the bacteria evolved during the same period and have become resistant to most of the antibiotics. This means that in some cases more than double the amount of antibiotics is needed to fight a bacterial infection.

According to Professor Walsh there are no antibiotics in the pipeline that have activity against NDM 1-producing enterobacteriaceae and he posits that we have a bleak window of maybe ten years where we are going to have to use the antibiotics we have very wisely, but also grapple with the reality that we have nothing to treat these infections with.

If you are still wondering how important this could be then according to Dr. Livermore, director of the antibiotic resistance monitoring and reference laboratory at the U.K. Health Protection Agency, the entirety of modern medicine could collapse as a result of antibiotics becoming useless. “A lot of modern medicine would become impossible if we lost our ability to treat infections,” he stated.

Natural Solutions:

The simplest solution is to ensure that you never need to take antibiotics for infection and that means doing everything you can to support your body to fight infection naturally. This starts by supporting your immune system with a healthy diet, regular exercise and stress management and by boosting your immunity when needed with supplements including vitamins C and B, Zinc and Echinacea and maintaining a healthy gut with probiotics if necessary.

Our skin naturally produces bacterial fighting proteins but we disturb the natural balance. of microorganisms on the skin through the use of antibiotic creams. These affect the body’s ability to fight the bacteria and can even lead to more skin infections, but in most cases, you only need to wash the wound with an anti-bacterial soap.

We already have natural antibiotics in your body in the form of the live bacteria in our intestines to help with digestion and keep us healthy. These bacteria also fight invading bacteria, but they are destroyed when we take antibiotics so all we have to do is provide the optimum conditions for our body to fight infection and heal itself.

You can also help keep yourself healthy with some essential ingredients from your kitchen such as garlic and Manuka honey, both of which are natural antibiotics that can kill bacteria. If you want to have something topical to apply to a skin infection then try grapefruit seed extract which tastes disgusting but is certainly an effective disinfectant for the skin and used internally kills bacteria such as Strep, Staph and Salmonella. Another old favourite is tea tree oil which contains antiseptic compounds that act as skin disinfectants and is used in the treatment of ringworm, fungal infections of the toenails, yeast infections, bad breath and acne.

A new product that I came across recently is a Natural Antiseptic Gel from Grandmas Vine that harnesses the powerful curative properties of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiseptic, cider vinegar. I have been using it to treat a persistent patch of dry eczema and it is proving effective at relieving the itching and clearing up the outbreak.

If A Friend Smokes, An E Cigarette May Be The Perfect Gift

Your first instinct for a present to give to a tobacco smoker may be a lifetime supply of mints, mouth wash or even a continuous bottle of perfume or cologne as  a result of the smell they always have on them from smoking. It is unpleasant to say the least and the sad thing is that they often cannot even smell it themselves, but you can bet everyone else that doesn’t smoke can.

Hopefully, they wouldn’t be offended by your choice of gift, but there is another way to both help them eliminate that tobacco smell and give them a better choice. So many tobacco smokers have already discovered the advantages of buying a digital cigarette as e cigarettes produce no smell at all and that is just their first advantage.

By giving a smoker an e cigarette you will be supporting them to eliminate the thousands of chemical substances and the tar they they inhale from the smoke of the tobacco everyday.  E cigarettes use a nicotine solution that creates a vapor and has a tobacco or menthol flavor by using a battery to gently heat it. There is no smoke because there is no fire to burn anything. 

When you give an electronic cigarette starter kit to a tobacco smoker as a present, they will have everything they need and can start using it straightaway. Look for a kit that comes with two batteries, two atomizers, and an assortment of chargers so that the e cigarette can be used anywhere. You could throw in a bottle of e liquid for them too and that way they can refill the filters that go with the kit when they run out!

Giving a tobacco smoker an e cigarette starter kit as a present will have them thanking you because once they realise they can still get the same nicotine satisfaction they got from tobacco, plus all of the other benefits outlined here which include the money they will save on buying cigarettes, they may well be even more grateful to you than they originally thought!

The Benefits Of Eating A Raw Food Diet

So I guess by reading this article, you may be asking what are the benefits to eating a raw food diet ? Well, the benefits of eating more raw foods are numerous and once you understand them you’ll probably wonder why you haven’t eaten more raw in the past. You’ll also think twice about eating dead cooked foods ever again.

Raw Foods Give You More Energy

I can’t tell you of one person I know that follows a raw food diet that doesn’t have more energy than the average person . I know that when I transitioned away from eating a diet made up of breads, dairy, and cooked foods, and adopted more of a raw foods diet, my energy went through the roof. And I’m not talking about the quick surge you would get from an espresso but alternatively long-lasting energy that enables you to do more with less.
An example, eating raw foods will allow your body to sleep less and have far more energy than you’ve ever felt before . When I’m eating at least 80% raw, I can easily function on just 4-5 hours of sleep. I literally bounce out of bed and don’t require any naps throughout the day. Oh yeah, did I mention that I workout every single day as well? Sometimes, even twice!

Energizing Enzymes
When following a raw food diet, there are several reasons why it will give you more energy . First, raw foods are rich in food enzymes. Enzymes are compulsory for every single reaction in the body. Unfortunately, our bodies only have a finite number of these enzymes, so when we run out, we run out of life! To add to this, when you heat foods above 118 degrees fahrenheit, you destruct the food enzymes that are naturally present in all raw foods. Therefore, if you eat a predominantly cooked foods diet, you’re not getting enough food enzymes, which means that your body will have to produce and use more of its own to digest and metabolize your foods.

The less energy you will have for activities if your body requires more energy to divert towards digestion . You will feel more lethargic and tired as your body is trying to breakdown “dead” foods and figure out what to do with them.

So the food enzymes apparent in raw foods are a big reason why it boosts your energy . They are the spark plugs and are intricately related to the next property that make raw foods so energy-boosting.

Life Force

When raw foods are left intact, they are also known as living foods . They are named “living” because they carry an incredible amount of life force.

Now, since every living being has an aura or energy field illuminating from their body, which foods do you think would enhance yours? Cooked foods that are dead or high energy raw foods ? I think we both know the answer.

As I like to say, “eat alive and you will thrive”.

Weight Loss and Beautiful Skin

The other highly sought-after quality of a raw foods diet is its ability to help you lose weight and beautify your skin . Almost all raw foodists have reported losing weight they could never lose. At the same time, they notice an instant improvement in their skin. They look younger and have a natural glow that comes about because of the “living” nature of raw foods, their abundance of enzymes, and of course the plethora of nutrients that are ingested when eating more fruits and vegetables.

You will find it easier to lose weight on a raw food diet because your getting more nutrients and, therefore, your body won’t crave “dead” foods. Second, the enzymes help to breakdown the foods you are eating and excess energy and fat stores in your body. Third, raw foods are water-rich, which helps you feel more satiated, as well as hydrated.

Many of these reasons also help us explain why living foods make you look younger and beautify your skin. Enzymes, life force, water, and high quality nutrients all play a role in natural skin care.

We could talk about the benefits of a raw food diet for hours but the only to truly understand them is to experience them for yourself. So why not take action today and enjoy the health, the body, and the vitality that you deserve!

Unknown Facts About Lowering Cholesterol Revealed By The Experts

You don’t know how much poison you swallow day in and out. Much of it won’t kill you right away, but it is accumulating over time, you could just drop dead one day and that would be the end of it, so you need to start to reduce high cholesterol right now. That’s the way it works with cholesterol.You don’t want to die young, do you? Well, that is exactly what is going to happen to you if you don’t do something about all that cholesterol in your system immediately. Talk to a doctor and take some action to get it under control. They should be able to work something out for you that will help to lower your cholesterol.

Folks make a big deal out of lowering cholesterol, and they are right to do so. Do you want to die, or don’t you? If you don’t, then you want to lower your cholesterol, and you can do that by paying attention to this article and taking action.

Increase your fiber! This is an important piece of information that I have to give a lot of Americans today that can help in reducing high cholesterol, because too many people don’t even have a clue about it. Increase your intake of fiber foods and check out the dietary alternatives you have available.With a healthy diet, you can lower your cholesterol to more acceptable and healthy levels. A detox diet, I know, could actually do the magic. Why don’t you try a detox diet and focus on eating only fruit and vegetables, and drinking water for a week.

Fiber is roughage, and is a kind of food that is good for you. In consuming roughage you get to get rid of cholesterol in your system. Your cholesterol levels aren’t going anywhere but up as long as you continue to eat all that junk food. The only way to do it is to lay off the grease and eat more healthy foods.

The level of cholesterol in your system is bound to affect you whether you like it or not. Besides the fact that it makes you susceptible to a lot of illnesses, it can actually end up killing you by blocking your blood vessels. That’s why you have to lower it.Your system can only take so much cholesterol before it shuts down and tries to reboot. The problem is that rebooting a human being is not that easy; oftentimes the fellow winds up dead. So instead of letting you body try to restart itself, why not restart on a diet that will lower your cholesterol levels but not bring you down.

Information About Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy and Insomnia

Sleep is the body’s unplugged time, time to rest and regenerate ; but when anomalies such as sleep apnea narcolepsy and insomnia meddle with this necessary recess, there may be medical and psychological repercussions.
 
As if having only one of these sleeping disorders would not be damaging enough to the system, it is possible for folks to have all of these conditions simultaneously. Often, folk are unaware of precisely what’s wrong in their lives.
 
Sleep apnea
 
A condition in which a sleeping individual frequently stops and starts to respire across the night is known as sleep apnea. There are two sorts of apnea, the most typical being called obstructive and the other being central sleep apnea. Folk who experience this condition have no realisation of the breathing interruptions, only understanding that they feel fatigued much of the time. Waking with a sore throat, dry throat and headache are regular grumbles, as is having an issue staying asleep. Central sleep apnea is a threatening condition that is less common which is due to coronary disease and stroke.
 
Narcolepsy
 
The thought that narcolepsy is caused by other sleeping disorders like sleep apnea is a myth. Although the exact cause isn’t known, the brain chemical called hypocretin is found in significantly lower levels in those with narcolepsy. There are also many other contributory factors to the condition such as genetics, stress or environmental problems that are believed to play part in it. When subjected to this disorder, people can enter into REM sleep all of a sudden without first experiencing NREM sleep, which is normally the kick off point of sleep. This condition can affect someone physically, psychologically and socially.
 
Insomnia
 
Sleep needs vary from person to person, but everybody wishes some quantity of sleep. When an individual has difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, it may be insomnia. It can be due to a range of different reasons ; a medical condition, particular drugs, stress, depression, alcohol consumption or too much caffeine. Insomnia can come from lengthy periods of bad sleeping habits and also from simple ageing.
 
Everyone knows how vital restive sleep is to the health ; however, knowing it and achieving it can be fully different matters. When a sleeping problem like sleep apnea narcolepsy or sleeplessness interferes with ordinary daily activities, it may be time to consult your doctor before further medical or mental conditions happen.      

The Significance of Acupuncture on Infertility

For centuries that have passed, this art and often considered as health practice called acupuncture has been a common practice in Asian countries. This defines the magnificence as well as complexity of pinning fine needles in various vital points of the body for different purposes like relieving pain and treats some health ailments. The basic effect of acupuncture on infertility is to regulate the person’s blood pressure by proper stimulation of the central nervous system. It greatly encourages the production and release of endorphins that play a vital part of inhibiting the pain and neurohormones and neurotransmitters in making the body heal on its own.

Acupuncture on infertility is also considered as one of the effective treatments on different infertility concerns specifically imbalances on hormones. The levels of hormones are leveled accordingly through increasing blood flow on different vital organs as it regulates the body system. Moreover it also helps enhance the vital functions of the ovaries as well as follicles. The endometrium is generally responsible for thickening the uterus lining which benefits from acupuncture because of increased blood flow. A particular infertility treatment like IVF or In Vitro Fertilization is also greatly aided in elevating its success rate. In fact, a number of specialists now offer acupuncture as an element that’s part of IVF treatment. This becomes more noticeable on the improvements made in the process of transferring the embryo that leads to more success in pregnancy. Another particular concern in infertility that can be treated with acupuncture as well is that of having spasmed tubes. It’s done by making these spasmed tubes into de-spasmed ones. Moreover, there are also many other infertility issues that can be effectively cured by acupuncture like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, increased follicle stimulating hormone, repeated miscarriage, idiopathic infertility, luteal phase defect, hyperprolactinemia, and also sperm DNA fragmentation.

The body has the capacity to heal itself naturally and acupuncture also enhances this ability. In this case, the more you undergo acupuncture, the healthier it is. In the case of women who are about to take IVF treatments or donor egg transfer, they are often treated with acupuncture for three to four months before going through the said processes. Acupuncture is recommended for women before and after they undergo embryo transfer. This is for the purpose of enhancing the the therapeutic effect as well as the different infertility cures. Basically, fertility treatments are often stressful for the involved person. And what is considered the best remedy for this is acupuncture. Because of the fact that acupuncture has many ways to add in the treatment of infertility, it is advisable for couples who suffer from this kind of concern to give every possible option a shot.

Acupuncture also has accompanied risks but is very minimal. Nevertheless, miscarriage can take place as acupuncture is not done properly on a pregnant woman. This makes it important to make sure that acupuncture is only done by a certified acupuncturist who is very well capable and specializes in the said therapy. Electro-acupuncture which is considered a more advanced type is used to prevent pain during labor. Hospitalization needs can be significantly reduced which prevents a person to spend much.

Above everything, recent studies have disclosed that the right blend of herbal medicine, acupuncture, and traditional medical help serve as the right formula for infertility treatment. In many cases, acupuncture and herbal medicines are considered to be more effective with the help of traditional medical treatments.

How Probiotic Barley Can Improve Your Health

In order to be fully healthy you need to pay attention to your digestive system and that means paying attention to your diet. As very few of us — and I certainly include myself here — have a perfect diet all, or even some, of the time then helping your body with a course of probiotics can make a huge difference to your health.

There are certainly plenty of varieties of probiotics available from pills, powders and capsules to flavoured drinks and most of these contain freeze dried bacteria. Unfortunately, this process deactivates the bacteria and can damage or kill many of these delicate microorganisms. When looking for probiotic supplements always go for a live version and one I have just tried is Symprove which contains four varieties of live, activated probiotic bacteria.

It comes from barley and you drink it on an empty stomach and of course is free from lactose, artificial sweeteners colours or flavours so is a good supplement for those who are lactose intolerant or have allergies. To be honest, I didn’t find the taste particularly pleasant and is slightly sharp so I downed mine in fruit juice which helped with the taste. Because the probiotic bacteria are active in the drink they go to work within 20 minutes (unlike freeze-dried products which can take several hours to start multiplying) and its liquid form means it does not trigger the same release of stomach acid as other products do as you digest them. Each small serving gives you over 10 billion live, activated probiotic bacteria which will help to rebalance your digestive system, which is the foundation of good health.

Personally, I always take probiotics before and during any period away from home where a strange environment, and exposure to a greater number of health hazards, can make you more predisposed to illness such as when you are away on holiday. People have also reported that probiotics are very helpful for those who suffer from IBS, IBD, and other gastrointestinal conditions. If you want to know more, or where to buy Symprove, visit their website at www.symprove.com

Weight Loss and Help For Diabetes – the Fibre Solution

Simply increasing the amount of fermentable carbohydrates found in foods such as asparagus, garlic, chicory and Jerusalem artichokes could be used to aid weight loss and prevent Type 2 diabetes according to new research currently being funded by leading health charity Diabetes UK.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 per cent of all those diagnosed with diabetes and, if left untreated, can lead to serious health complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputation. It’s also estimated that there are up to half a million people with undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes in the UK, which can remain undetected for 10 years or more. This means that around half of the population who are diagnosed and begin treatment for Type 2 diabetes may already have diabetes-related complications.

Sustained weight loss can delay and even prevent Type 2 diabetes and research in recent years has suggested that certain foods are particularly good at stabilizing blood glucose levels. Fermentable carbohydrates are one such example and, unlike most of our dietary carbohydrates, are fermented by bacteria in the colon rather than absorbed in the small intestine. As a result these carbohydrates cause the release of gut hormones that could reduce appetite and enhance insulin sensitivity, which could lead to improved blood glucose control and weight loss.

The research is being carried out by the Nutrition and Research Group at Imperial College, London, where dietitian Nicola Guess has been awarded a three-year Fellowship to investigate the role fermentable carbohydrates could play in Type 2 diabetes prevention. The carbohydrate will be given to participants as a daily supplement during three periods of investigation, each examining different mechanisms involved in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

Risk Factors for Type 2 diabetes

The risk factors for Type 2 diabetes include being overweight, more than 40 years old, being of Black or South Asian origin and having a family history of the condition. It is also increasingly becoming more common in children, adolescents and young people of all ethnicities. There is also a more specific risk for women who contract diabetes as adults as research has shown that they are more vulnerable to both ovarian and bowel cancer.

If any of those risk factors apply to you, then some simple dietary adjustments could make all the difference and if you would like more help with diabetes information the Diabetes UK Careline (0845 120 2960) offers information and support on any aspect of managing the condition. The line is a low cost number and opens Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm or visit www.diabetes.org.uk

Well Cooked Meat Can Raise Cancer Risk By Up T0 500%

As we are probably in the last few weeks of the barbecue season I hope this warning doesn’t come too late. If your answer to the question ‘how do you like your steak?’ is to say ‘extremely well done’ then for your health’s sake you might want to turn down the heat a little. The link between charring meat by frying, barbecuing or otherwise heavily cooking it and cancer has been made before but a new study from the University of Texas has just confirmed it.

Researchers there have found that people who eat well-done meat double their risk of developing bladder cancer when compared to people who eat meat on the rarer end of the spectrum. The reason? This type of cooking can lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals in the meat, due primarily to the heterocyclic amines (HCAs) that form when meat is cooked at very high heat.

There are three different HCA chemicals formed during high-heat cooking that, collectively, raise your cancer risk by more than 250 percent. And that astonishing figure is just for the average person; if you are already genetically predisposed to developing cancer then the risk is nearly doubled to almost 500 percent.

As I said, the link between cancer and very well cooked meat has already been made and the U.S. National Cancer Institute has identified a total of 17 different HCAs. Prior research has already established that these chemicals, which are produced when meat is charred, increase pancreatic cancer risk but now it appears that they contribute to bladder cancer as well.

The good news is that the study team made very clear in its report that meat itself is not necessarily the culprit in increasing cancer risk, but rather the intense cooking methods by which it is prepared. If you are patting yourself on the back because you don’t eat red meat I regret to inform you that chicken, pork and even fish cooked heavily may also form cancer-causing HCAs. This is a blow to me as one of my favourite meals is to marinade and then dry fry salmon steaks in a redhot nonstick pan until the surface is crispy — ah well, another favourite food hits ‘the occasional treats’ list!

So if you are addicted to the barbecue or grill then the best advice is to keep meat away from direct flames as this will help to reduce the development of HCAs and lower the risk of developing cancer.

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