Wish All of You A Very Happy & Great New Year
SBC Yahoo! Mail - tanch89@pacbell.net
Friday, December 31, 2004
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Food-aceuticals: Drink - and Eat - to Your Health
From my research into the wine that have been used for the healing of illness in the "I-Medicine Sutra". Wine especially Rice Wine have been used as the agent to mix with herbs. But it have to be kept for atleast 1-3months dependant on the weather conditions, room temperature & humilities...
As the appended news explain Red Wine & Grape Juice helps to blunt the artery-clogging. because of the antioxidant rich compounds in seeds & skins of grapes.
However, I would like to advise that when drinking red wine or grape juice , kindly drink DRY or low sugar content for your great health.
Flavonoids: What Makes Chocolate and Wine Good for You
The discovery of flavonoids and the bevy of heart-healthy benefits they possess has been a boon to wine and chocolate lovers.
The antioxidant-rich compounds found in the seeds and skins of plants, such as grapes, cocoa beans, and citrus fruits, first gained the attention of researchers in the early 1990s as a means of explaining the so-called French Paradox. Researchers proposed then that French people had lower rates of heart attacks because they drank moderate amounts of red wine with their meals.
Since then, more than 300 studies on grape flavonoids have shown that drinking red wine or grape juice may help blunt the artery-clogging effects of a fatty meal and reduce the risk of heart disease over the long-run.
Many of the same flavonoids in grape products are also found in varying concentrations in green and black tea as well as chocolate, but the bulk of research so far has been focused on grape flavonoids.
"It is exciting that different investigators dealing with grape products, whether it be red wine, de-alcoholized red wine, grape juice, or grape seed and skin extracts, they are all seeing some significant, potentially beneficial things," says John D. Folts, PhD, professor of medicine and nutritional science at the University of Wisconsin Medical School.
Folts says animals with high cholesterol will develop atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries in about six to nine months, a process in humans that takes 20 to 30 years. But several recent studies have shown that when these animals are given grape products, the artery-clogging process slows down.
"The suggestion is that the same thing would work in humans," says Folts. He says the early studies on tea and chocolate flavonoids are promising, but it's still too early to draw any definitive conclusions from them.
Researchers say flavonoids may help promote heart health in several ways, such as:
* Helping to prevent blood clots, which may trigger a heart attack or stroke.
* Preventing cholesterol from entering and damaging blood vessel walls.
* Improving the health of arteries, making them expand and contract more readily, helping them carry blood more effectively.
* Stimulating the production of nitric oxide, which may stall hardening of the arteries.
The "Good" Fat (Fatty Acids)
Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, professor of nutritional science and policy at Tufts University, says although the research is reasonably good in showing that drinking a moderate amount of wine, defined as one or two glasses per day for men and no more than one glass per day for women, is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, it is also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
"There is still some confusion over alcohol, and I think that's understandable because it has potentially good and bad effects," says Lichtenstein. "One should not start drinking if they don't already, and they have to really weigh the risks and benefits."
She says it's difficult to make a broad recommendation for drinking wine or other types of alcohol based on its potential health benefits because there are also some people who may be more likely to have substance abuse problems with alcohol.
Food-aceuticals: Drink - and Eat - to Your Health
As the appended news explain Red Wine & Grape Juice helps to blunt the artery-clogging. because of the antioxidant rich compounds in seeds & skins of grapes.
However, I would like to advise that when drinking red wine or grape juice , kindly drink DRY or low sugar content for your great health.
Flavonoids: What Makes Chocolate and Wine Good for You
The discovery of flavonoids and the bevy of heart-healthy benefits they possess has been a boon to wine and chocolate lovers.
The antioxidant-rich compounds found in the seeds and skins of plants, such as grapes, cocoa beans, and citrus fruits, first gained the attention of researchers in the early 1990s as a means of explaining the so-called French Paradox. Researchers proposed then that French people had lower rates of heart attacks because they drank moderate amounts of red wine with their meals.
Since then, more than 300 studies on grape flavonoids have shown that drinking red wine or grape juice may help blunt the artery-clogging effects of a fatty meal and reduce the risk of heart disease over the long-run.
Many of the same flavonoids in grape products are also found in varying concentrations in green and black tea as well as chocolate, but the bulk of research so far has been focused on grape flavonoids.
"It is exciting that different investigators dealing with grape products, whether it be red wine, de-alcoholized red wine, grape juice, or grape seed and skin extracts, they are all seeing some significant, potentially beneficial things," says John D. Folts, PhD, professor of medicine and nutritional science at the University of Wisconsin Medical School.
Folts says animals with high cholesterol will develop atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries in about six to nine months, a process in humans that takes 20 to 30 years. But several recent studies have shown that when these animals are given grape products, the artery-clogging process slows down.
"The suggestion is that the same thing would work in humans," says Folts. He says the early studies on tea and chocolate flavonoids are promising, but it's still too early to draw any definitive conclusions from them.
Researchers say flavonoids may help promote heart health in several ways, such as:
* Helping to prevent blood clots, which may trigger a heart attack or stroke.
* Preventing cholesterol from entering and damaging blood vessel walls.
* Improving the health of arteries, making them expand and contract more readily, helping them carry blood more effectively.
* Stimulating the production of nitric oxide, which may stall hardening of the arteries.
The "Good" Fat (Fatty Acids)
Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, professor of nutritional science and policy at Tufts University, says although the research is reasonably good in showing that drinking a moderate amount of wine, defined as one or two glasses per day for men and no more than one glass per day for women, is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, it is also associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
"There is still some confusion over alcohol, and I think that's understandable because it has potentially good and bad effects," says Lichtenstein. "One should not start drinking if they don't already, and they have to really weigh the risks and benefits."
She says it's difficult to make a broad recommendation for drinking wine or other types of alcohol based on its potential health benefits because there are also some people who may be more likely to have substance abuse problems with alcohol.
Food-aceuticals: Drink - and Eat - to Your Health
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Pineapple extract could help asthma patients - Dole Nutrition Institute
Pineapple is know for it rich content of vitamin C, fiber as well as enzyme. According to the "I-Medicine Sutra" the Character of Pineapple is more on the "Yin", it is used to clear the toxin of the stomach & Intestine of the body.
It is recommend that the pineapple juice only drink in the morning or afternoon. It is also a juice to lower cholesterol.
Pineapple extract could help asthma patients
15/09/2004 - The enzyme bromelain, extracted from the juice and stem of the pineapple plant, appears to reduce inflammation associated with asthma.
A study on mice found that the common supplement significantly reduced markers for lung inflammation, researchers told a meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians last weekend.
Dr Eric Secor, NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Connecticut Health Center, tested three groups of mice that were induced with acute asthma : a control group, and two groups treated with different doses of bromelain, either 2mg or 6mg per kg. The bromelain supplement was provided by US-based firm Vital Nutrients.
All mice were treated for eight days. The researcher found that bromelain significantly reduced the total white blood cell count, which increases with onset of asthma, compared to the control group.
The cell markers for inflammatory asthma – eosinophils – were reduced by more than 50 per cent following the supplement, which also appeared to more effective in a higher dose.
Other studies have demonstrated that bromelain significantly reduces inflammation and pain but Dr Secor said he was not aware of any human trials investigating bromelain’s action on asthma.
He also noted that he delivered the supplement to the mice by injection rather than orally but he has designed a pilot study for oral use in humans and will begin the submission process for IRB approval and funding early next year.
“We are hopeful that a well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trial will be able to properly assess bromelain's efficacy in the management of asthma,” he told NutraIngredients.com.
It could offer a breakthrough for the millions of people currently suffering from asthma. Asthma is the most common long term condition in the UK today, according to the National Asthma Campaign, and incidence of the disease is rising in all developed countries, thought by some to be triggered by modern lifestyles, including pollution and hygiene. Read More....
Dole Nutrition Institute
It is recommend that the pineapple juice only drink in the morning or afternoon. It is also a juice to lower cholesterol.
Pineapple extract could help asthma patients
15/09/2004 - The enzyme bromelain, extracted from the juice and stem of the pineapple plant, appears to reduce inflammation associated with asthma.
A study on mice found that the common supplement significantly reduced markers for lung inflammation, researchers told a meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians last weekend.
Dr Eric Secor, NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Connecticut Health Center, tested three groups of mice that were induced with acute asthma : a control group, and two groups treated with different doses of bromelain, either 2mg or 6mg per kg. The bromelain supplement was provided by US-based firm Vital Nutrients.
All mice were treated for eight days. The researcher found that bromelain significantly reduced the total white blood cell count, which increases with onset of asthma, compared to the control group.
The cell markers for inflammatory asthma – eosinophils – were reduced by more than 50 per cent following the supplement, which also appeared to more effective in a higher dose.
Other studies have demonstrated that bromelain significantly reduces inflammation and pain but Dr Secor said he was not aware of any human trials investigating bromelain’s action on asthma.
He also noted that he delivered the supplement to the mice by injection rather than orally but he has designed a pilot study for oral use in humans and will begin the submission process for IRB approval and funding early next year.
“We are hopeful that a well-designed, randomized, controlled clinical trial will be able to properly assess bromelain's efficacy in the management of asthma,” he told NutraIngredients.com.
It could offer a breakthrough for the millions of people currently suffering from asthma. Asthma is the most common long term condition in the UK today, according to the National Asthma Campaign, and incidence of the disease is rising in all developed countries, thought by some to be triggered by modern lifestyles, including pollution and hygiene. Read More....
Dole Nutrition Institute
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Over-the-counter cholesterol drug coming?
Although this is a good news for those who have high LDL (Bad) cholesterol. I don't encourage people to take any pills so as to prevent any long term side effect.
In reference to the chinese herbs sutra, the following Drinks would help to reduce the LDL cholesterol level:
Pamerlo Juice
Celery & carot Juice
Soy Drinks
Grapefruit Juice
Tomato Juice
Red Tea
Green Tea
Red Wine
Purple Grape Juice
Over-the-counter cholesterol drug coming?
By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY
Merck next month will make its second try for approval to sell cholesterol drug Mevacor without a prescription.
If the Food and Drug Administration approves, cholesterol drugs would become the third type of drug to switch from prescription to over-the counter status in the USA. Bristol-Myers Squibb said this month that it also intends to seek non-prescription status for cholesterol drug Pravachol.
Unlike the other two categories, allergy pills and stomach acid remedies, cholesterol-lowering drugs are aimed at a chronic condition that is without symptoms. Cholesterol drugs, the No. 1-selling category in the USA at $14 billion in sales last year, also raise the risk of liver, kidney and muscle problems.
The switch must be approved by the FDA. An advisory committee will consider Merck's application on Jan. 13-14. Nearly four years ago, an FDA advisory committee recommended against allowing Mevacor to be sold without a prescription. Members said then that they wanted more information about whether consumers would use the drug properly.
Merck says it now has a study showing that consumers can make those decisions. Mevacor, of a class of drugs called statins, went on the market in 1987 and is no longer under patent protection. Several companies sell a generic equivalent, known as lovastatin. Merck's other cholesterol drug, Zocor, whose patent expires in 2006, won the United Kingdom's approval in August for sales directly to consumers.
"For some people, it's a large shift in their thinking to having consumers treat themselves," says Ed Hemwall, vice president of Johnson & Johnson/Merck, a joint marketing venture.
But, he says, heart disease remains the nation's top killer — and many patients haven't sought treatment for cholesterol, one risk factor.
Still, some doctors are skeptical.
"I think it is a very bad idea," says Brian Strom, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Over-the-counter drugs are meant for short-term conditions that patients can diagnose themselves, he says. "High cholesterol has none of those things." Read More...
USATODAY.com - Over-the-counter cholesterol drug coming?
In reference to the chinese herbs sutra, the following Drinks would help to reduce the LDL cholesterol level:
Pamerlo Juice
Celery & carot Juice
Soy Drinks
Grapefruit Juice
Tomato Juice
Red Tea
Green Tea
Red Wine
Purple Grape Juice
Over-the-counter cholesterol drug coming?
By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY
Merck next month will make its second try for approval to sell cholesterol drug Mevacor without a prescription.
If the Food and Drug Administration approves, cholesterol drugs would become the third type of drug to switch from prescription to over-the counter status in the USA. Bristol-Myers Squibb said this month that it also intends to seek non-prescription status for cholesterol drug Pravachol.
Unlike the other two categories, allergy pills and stomach acid remedies, cholesterol-lowering drugs are aimed at a chronic condition that is without symptoms. Cholesterol drugs, the No. 1-selling category in the USA at $14 billion in sales last year, also raise the risk of liver, kidney and muscle problems.
The switch must be approved by the FDA. An advisory committee will consider Merck's application on Jan. 13-14. Nearly four years ago, an FDA advisory committee recommended against allowing Mevacor to be sold without a prescription. Members said then that they wanted more information about whether consumers would use the drug properly.
Merck says it now has a study showing that consumers can make those decisions. Mevacor, of a class of drugs called statins, went on the market in 1987 and is no longer under patent protection. Several companies sell a generic equivalent, known as lovastatin. Merck's other cholesterol drug, Zocor, whose patent expires in 2006, won the United Kingdom's approval in August for sales directly to consumers.
"For some people, it's a large shift in their thinking to having consumers treat themselves," says Ed Hemwall, vice president of Johnson & Johnson/Merck, a joint marketing venture.
But, he says, heart disease remains the nation's top killer — and many patients haven't sought treatment for cholesterol, one risk factor.
Still, some doctors are skeptical.
"I think it is a very bad idea," says Brian Strom, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Over-the-counter drugs are meant for short-term conditions that patients can diagnose themselves, he says. "High cholesterol has none of those things." Read More...
USATODAY.com - Over-the-counter cholesterol drug coming?
Melatonin - Study Casts Doubt On Its Effectiveness
My late father was a drinker till 73 years old, he usually drink XO then take sleeping pill for his insomnia problem. After he have the 4th time stroke in his life & heart attack, he have to gave up drinking & taking sleeping pill.
I did use Melatonin when I am doing about 6 round the world trips a year. Then later I found that it is not effective & my heart is weaken. Then I stop taking it there after. I am against of using pills to help to sleep.
Don't Drink
Alcohol or Spirits
Coffee
Strong Tea Especially those Tea with caffine
Don't Drink anything 1 hours before go to bed
Here is the advise for drinks that would help you to sleep
Pepper Mint
Tomato Juice
Warm Milk with Honey
Ginseng with Honey
I do have the Herbs tea that would help you to sleep better. You can write to me at my email address on this page.
Study Casts Doubt On Its Effectiveness
Remember back in the late 1990s, all the publicity about this new "wonder drug" called melatonin? It all started with the book "The Melatonin Miracle" by William Regelson, MD, and Walter Pierpaoli, MD.
At that time the claims were for everything from age reduction to increasing sexual prowess. It was said to be a sure cure for anything sleep related.
The truth? first, melatonin isn't a drug at all. It's a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland, a gland situated somewhere near the center of the brain. It does, to some extent, control our sleep patterns and there is a theory that it is related to anti-aging. Maybe because we age less if we're getting the proper rest. Sexual prowess? Very doubtful, unless it prevents us from dropping off to sleep at the wrong moment.
Melatonin can be purchased as a food supplement, and there is some evidence that it does help with certain sleep problems. However, according to a study test conducted by a University of Alberta research group, melatonin may not be as effective as once thought.
It may help people with primary sleep problems fall asleep a bit easier. This would include some types of insomnia. However, for secondary sleep disorders - those linked to underlying mental problems including psychoses, dementia, Parkinson's disease, etc., melatonin is of little or no help. Melatonin seemed to have little effect on those suffering from jet lag or on shift workers who had trouble sleeping.
Dr. Terry Klassen, who headed up the research group, said that further study would be needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of melatonin. Little is known about long serm side effects. However, he suggested, it might be more worthwhile to keep looking for other alternatives to treat sleep disorders. Read More...
Melatonin - Printer Friendly
I did use Melatonin when I am doing about 6 round the world trips a year. Then later I found that it is not effective & my heart is weaken. Then I stop taking it there after. I am against of using pills to help to sleep.
Don't Drink
Alcohol or Spirits
Coffee
Strong Tea Especially those Tea with caffine
Don't Drink anything 1 hours before go to bed
Here is the advise for drinks that would help you to sleep
Pepper Mint
Tomato Juice
Warm Milk with Honey
Ginseng with Honey
I do have the Herbs tea that would help you to sleep better. You can write to me at my email address on this page.
Study Casts Doubt On Its Effectiveness
Remember back in the late 1990s, all the publicity about this new "wonder drug" called melatonin? It all started with the book "The Melatonin Miracle" by William Regelson, MD, and Walter Pierpaoli, MD.
At that time the claims were for everything from age reduction to increasing sexual prowess. It was said to be a sure cure for anything sleep related.
The truth? first, melatonin isn't a drug at all. It's a naturally occurring hormone produced by the pineal gland, a gland situated somewhere near the center of the brain. It does, to some extent, control our sleep patterns and there is a theory that it is related to anti-aging. Maybe because we age less if we're getting the proper rest. Sexual prowess? Very doubtful, unless it prevents us from dropping off to sleep at the wrong moment.
Melatonin can be purchased as a food supplement, and there is some evidence that it does help with certain sleep problems. However, according to a study test conducted by a University of Alberta research group, melatonin may not be as effective as once thought.
It may help people with primary sleep problems fall asleep a bit easier. This would include some types of insomnia. However, for secondary sleep disorders - those linked to underlying mental problems including psychoses, dementia, Parkinson's disease, etc., melatonin is of little or no help. Melatonin seemed to have little effect on those suffering from jet lag or on shift workers who had trouble sleeping.
Dr. Terry Klassen, who headed up the research group, said that further study would be needed to determine the effectiveness and safety of melatonin. Little is known about long serm side effects. However, he suggested, it might be more worthwhile to keep looking for other alternatives to treat sleep disorders. Read More...
Melatonin - Printer Friendly
Monday, December 27, 2004
Diet Soda Could Soon Outsell Regular
My late Mom always stop us from drinking Cola & coloring drinks. She said that all these high sugar or sugar subsitute drinks would give rise not only Diabetics but also othe "Chi" related problem in the later age.
Now at the age of 50, I really understand her reason for her doing...I urge you all to restrain from drinking Cola or any type of Gassy drinks for your great health.
Diet Soda Could Soon Outsell Regular
Tue Dec 21,10:40 PM ET
By J.M. HIRSCH, Associated Press Writer
Still think the cola wars are about Coke vs. Pepsi? These days the carbonated beverage battleground is diet vs. regular, and it's looking increasingly as though the lightweight could flatten its full-calorie cousin.
Though the highly competitive $64 billion soft drink industry still is dominated by regular soda, sales of diet are surging and some industry analysts say low-cal eventually could take the lead.
That's because while regular soda sales have sagged, diet's share of the market has grown steadily since the mid-1990s. Bottled water, tea, sports and fruits drinks also are up, further siphoning regular soda sales.
In an obese nation obsessed with calories and carbs, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that people are switching to diet, and beverage companies are rushing to give them more choices.
In many ways the soft drink industry is better prepared than most others to capitalize on America's perpetual diet.
"There's no such thing as a no-calorie hamburger. There's no such thing as a no-calorie doughnut," said John Sicher, editor of Beverage Digest. "But the soft drink industry already has these huge powerful brands" of diet drinks.
Last year, regular soda accounted for nearly 73 percent of sales, but that was down nearly 2 percent from the year before, Sicher said. Meanwhile, diet was up more than 6 percent from 2002.
Sicher thinks that trend will continue and even accelerate enough that in a decade diet could outsell regular. He also thinks diet sales will spur overall growth in the soda industry, which slumped at less than 1 percent last year.
In fact, John Craven, editor of online beverage industry newsletter Bevnet.com, says soft drink consumption was down nearly 3 percent last year. If not for the growth in diet soda, that would have been closer to 10 percent.
Coca-Cola Co. spokesman Scott Williamson said Sicher makes sense assuming sales trends continue as they have. And last week Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., the world's largest bottler, told analysts that the diet category is one of the company's best chances for growth.
So what's behind diet's strong performance?
Calorie consciousness is a huge — and obvious — part of it. Prompted by a growing awareness of their growing waistlines, more people want low- and no-calorie soft drinks, said Sicher, who has followed the industry for 10 years.
That awareness also extends to retailers, who hope to attract dieters' business by giving more — and more prominent — space to low-cal beverages, said Dan Dillon, vice president of marketing for Coke's diet sodas.
Innovation has helped, too. Soda companies are churning out a stunning variety of new diet flavors. PepsiCo Inc. alone offers nearly a dozen low-calorie sodas, which account for more than a quarter of the company's business.
New sweeteners also have broadened the appeal — and definition — of diet sodas. Coke and Pepsi now offer soft drinks with a blend of sugar and no-calorie sweetener, claiming the taste is similar to regular but with half the calories.
Growth and greater appeal or not, not everyone is convinced diets will surpass regular. Harry Balzer of consumer research firm NPD Group says the numbers simply don't support that sort of abrupt turnaround.
Craven was uncertain, but noted that, "At the end of the day, the recession (of regular soda) can only go so far."
But even if the growth of diet soda doesn't go as far as Sicher predicts, at the moment it's the only segment of the soda industry that is growing, and that has forced companies to rethink how they handle it.
At Coke, Dillon says it has meant treating the diet varieties as separate entities. Gone is the model of diet beverages as knockoffs of regular flavors. Care for a Diet Coke with Lime? That's fine, but don't look for a regular version.
And consumers can expect plenty of new choices in the coming year, including the arrival of more reduced-calorie sugar-sweetener blend beverages, such as Coke's C2 and Pepsi Edge, Craven said.
For nutritionists, who continue to issue dire warnings about the obesity epidemic, a diet soda surge is good news. Though the soda industry discounts the link, a growing body of studies suggests soft drinks promote weight gain.
Last year, Americans drank 837 servings of soda, up from 645 in 1985, Sicher said. And those drinks account for 7 percent of their daily calories, said Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Read More...
Yahoo! News - Diet Soda Could Soon Outsell Regular
Now at the age of 50, I really understand her reason for her doing...I urge you all to restrain from drinking Cola or any type of Gassy drinks for your great health.
Diet Soda Could Soon Outsell Regular
Tue Dec 21,10:40 PM ET
By J.M. HIRSCH, Associated Press Writer
Still think the cola wars are about Coke vs. Pepsi? These days the carbonated beverage battleground is diet vs. regular, and it's looking increasingly as though the lightweight could flatten its full-calorie cousin.
Though the highly competitive $64 billion soft drink industry still is dominated by regular soda, sales of diet are surging and some industry analysts say low-cal eventually could take the lead.
That's because while regular soda sales have sagged, diet's share of the market has grown steadily since the mid-1990s. Bottled water, tea, sports and fruits drinks also are up, further siphoning regular soda sales.
In an obese nation obsessed with calories and carbs, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that people are switching to diet, and beverage companies are rushing to give them more choices.
In many ways the soft drink industry is better prepared than most others to capitalize on America's perpetual diet.
"There's no such thing as a no-calorie hamburger. There's no such thing as a no-calorie doughnut," said John Sicher, editor of Beverage Digest. "But the soft drink industry already has these huge powerful brands" of diet drinks.
Last year, regular soda accounted for nearly 73 percent of sales, but that was down nearly 2 percent from the year before, Sicher said. Meanwhile, diet was up more than 6 percent from 2002.
Sicher thinks that trend will continue and even accelerate enough that in a decade diet could outsell regular. He also thinks diet sales will spur overall growth in the soda industry, which slumped at less than 1 percent last year.
In fact, John Craven, editor of online beverage industry newsletter Bevnet.com, says soft drink consumption was down nearly 3 percent last year. If not for the growth in diet soda, that would have been closer to 10 percent.
Coca-Cola Co. spokesman Scott Williamson said Sicher makes sense assuming sales trends continue as they have. And last week Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., the world's largest bottler, told analysts that the diet category is one of the company's best chances for growth.
So what's behind diet's strong performance?
Calorie consciousness is a huge — and obvious — part of it. Prompted by a growing awareness of their growing waistlines, more people want low- and no-calorie soft drinks, said Sicher, who has followed the industry for 10 years.
That awareness also extends to retailers, who hope to attract dieters' business by giving more — and more prominent — space to low-cal beverages, said Dan Dillon, vice president of marketing for Coke's diet sodas.
Innovation has helped, too. Soda companies are churning out a stunning variety of new diet flavors. PepsiCo Inc. alone offers nearly a dozen low-calorie sodas, which account for more than a quarter of the company's business.
New sweeteners also have broadened the appeal — and definition — of diet sodas. Coke and Pepsi now offer soft drinks with a blend of sugar and no-calorie sweetener, claiming the taste is similar to regular but with half the calories.
Growth and greater appeal or not, not everyone is convinced diets will surpass regular. Harry Balzer of consumer research firm NPD Group says the numbers simply don't support that sort of abrupt turnaround.
Craven was uncertain, but noted that, "At the end of the day, the recession (of regular soda) can only go so far."
But even if the growth of diet soda doesn't go as far as Sicher predicts, at the moment it's the only segment of the soda industry that is growing, and that has forced companies to rethink how they handle it.
At Coke, Dillon says it has meant treating the diet varieties as separate entities. Gone is the model of diet beverages as knockoffs of regular flavors. Care for a Diet Coke with Lime? That's fine, but don't look for a regular version.
And consumers can expect plenty of new choices in the coming year, including the arrival of more reduced-calorie sugar-sweetener blend beverages, such as Coke's C2 and Pepsi Edge, Craven said.
For nutritionists, who continue to issue dire warnings about the obesity epidemic, a diet soda surge is good news. Though the soda industry discounts the link, a growing body of studies suggests soft drinks promote weight gain.
Last year, Americans drank 837 servings of soda, up from 645 in 1985, Sicher said. And those drinks account for 7 percent of their daily calories, said Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Read More...
Yahoo! News - Diet Soda Could Soon Outsell Regular
A Nutty Way to Improve Cholesterol in Diabetes - Trustworthy, Physician-Reviewed Information from WebMD
According to "I-Medicine Sutra" Walnuts is good for the Brain; Kidney; Bladder in our body, it have been used as a herbs to heal the disease of these organs.
For over 6,000 years these knowledge have passed on. There are Walnuts paste or congee for breakfast, Walnuts Drinks for refreashing, Walnuts as condiments.
My experience is that when I was having the Bladder & Kidney weakness, frequent to pass urine, my late mom make the Walnuts Milk with ginger as a drink for me for 3 months . It works.
A Nutty Way to Improve Cholesterol in Diabetes
Eating a Healthy Diet Including Walnuts May Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risks By Jennifer Warner
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Friday, December 03, 2004
WebMD Medical News
Dec. 3, 2004 -- Incorporating a handful of walnuts into a healthy diet may help people with type 2 diabetes improve their cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of heart disease, a new study suggests.
Researchers found including walnuts as part of a balanced, low-fat diet helped people with diabetes increase their "good" HDL cholesterol levels while lowering their "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.
But don't reach for the nut bowl just yet. Experts say merely adding walnuts to an already unhealthy diet won't necessarily undo the damage. Instead, they say it's important to substitute walnuts for other sources of fat in the diet in order to achieve the best results.
Walnuts contain an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, which is similar to the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, such as salmon. Previous studies have shown that alpha-linolenic acid has a number of heart-healthy effects, including improving cholesterol levels.
Researchers say this is one of the first studies to look at the effects of the fatty acids found in walnuts in people with type 2 diabetes.
Walnuts May Aid in Diabetes Management
In the study, which appears in the December issue of Diabetes Care, researchers looked at the effects of three different diets on cholesterol levels in older adults with type 2 diabetes.
Nearly 60 men and women were divided into three groups that followed three different diet plans: a low-fat diet, a modified-fat diet, or a modified-fat diet that included eight to 10 walnuts per day (30 grams). All of the diets were based on eating a variety of whole foods, such as cereals and breads, fruits and vegetables, lean meat, fish, and low-fat dairy products with no more than 30% of total calories from fat.
After six months of the diet, the results showed that the people who ate the modified-fat diet including walnuts experienced a bigger increase in "good" HDL cholesterol levels than those in the other two diets. People who ate walnuts as part of a balanced diet also experienced an average 10% reduction in "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.
Researchers say the study suggests that incorporating walnuts into a healthy diet may be an easy way for people with type 2 diabetes to get the right kinds of fats and fatty acids into their diet.
"Walnuts are an easy and convenient way of getting polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids into the diet. And they're particularly important for people with diabetes because they're a simple snack food, which is an integral component of managing the diet in diabetes," says researcher Linda Tapsell, PhD, of the University of Wollongong in Australia, in a news release. read More....
A Nutty Way to Improve Cholesterol in Diabetes - Trustworthy, Physician-Reviewed Information from WebMD
For over 6,000 years these knowledge have passed on. There are Walnuts paste or congee for breakfast, Walnuts Drinks for refreashing, Walnuts as condiments.
My experience is that when I was having the Bladder & Kidney weakness, frequent to pass urine, my late mom make the Walnuts Milk with ginger as a drink for me for 3 months . It works.
A Nutty Way to Improve Cholesterol in Diabetes
Eating a Healthy Diet Including Walnuts May Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risks By Jennifer Warner
Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Friday, December 03, 2004
WebMD Medical News
Dec. 3, 2004 -- Incorporating a handful of walnuts into a healthy diet may help people with type 2 diabetes improve their cholesterol levels and reduce their risk of heart disease, a new study suggests.
Researchers found including walnuts as part of a balanced, low-fat diet helped people with diabetes increase their "good" HDL cholesterol levels while lowering their "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.
But don't reach for the nut bowl just yet. Experts say merely adding walnuts to an already unhealthy diet won't necessarily undo the damage. Instead, they say it's important to substitute walnuts for other sources of fat in the diet in order to achieve the best results.
Walnuts contain an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, which is similar to the omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, such as salmon. Previous studies have shown that alpha-linolenic acid has a number of heart-healthy effects, including improving cholesterol levels.
Researchers say this is one of the first studies to look at the effects of the fatty acids found in walnuts in people with type 2 diabetes.
Walnuts May Aid in Diabetes Management
In the study, which appears in the December issue of Diabetes Care, researchers looked at the effects of three different diets on cholesterol levels in older adults with type 2 diabetes.
Nearly 60 men and women were divided into three groups that followed three different diet plans: a low-fat diet, a modified-fat diet, or a modified-fat diet that included eight to 10 walnuts per day (30 grams). All of the diets were based on eating a variety of whole foods, such as cereals and breads, fruits and vegetables, lean meat, fish, and low-fat dairy products with no more than 30% of total calories from fat.
After six months of the diet, the results showed that the people who ate the modified-fat diet including walnuts experienced a bigger increase in "good" HDL cholesterol levels than those in the other two diets. People who ate walnuts as part of a balanced diet also experienced an average 10% reduction in "bad" LDL cholesterol levels.
Researchers say the study suggests that incorporating walnuts into a healthy diet may be an easy way for people with type 2 diabetes to get the right kinds of fats and fatty acids into their diet.
"Walnuts are an easy and convenient way of getting polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids into the diet. And they're particularly important for people with diabetes because they're a simple snack food, which is an integral component of managing the diet in diabetes," says researcher Linda Tapsell, PhD, of the University of Wollongong in Australia, in a news release. read More....
A Nutty Way to Improve Cholesterol in Diabetes - Trustworthy, Physician-Reviewed Information from WebMD
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Holidays spark heartburn and heart attacks
Yes, the Heart Burn & Heart Attacks is closely related to what we drink & what eat.
This is exactly true for the old saying "We are what we eat, We are what we Drink!!"
Drinking of alcohols & spirits would certainly increase the chances of heart attack.
Therfore, please be mindful of what you drink not only the Alcohols & spirits but also those soup with high sodium & acid content soup.
Holidays spark heartburn and heart attacks
The Associated Press
For the tens of millions of heartburn sufferers, navigating the gluttonous dinner table during the holiday season can be especially tricky.
Heartburn tends to occur more frequently during the holidays because people feast more than they normally would. And the types of food they eat are decked with more calories and fat, which can slow digestion.
Take eggnog, the rich, creamy, liquor-laced drink that is often a staple at every family gathering and office party. Couple it with well-marbled meats, side dishes drizzling with rich sauces and lots of alcohol and you have the recipe for heartburn.
That doesn't mean you should swear off your favorite foods on Christmas Eve.
"You can make trade-offs that let you have the best of both worlds," said Pat Baird, a registered dietitian in Greenwich, Conn.
If you know ahead of time the party you're attending will feature heartburn-triggering foods, snack beforehand and graze at the party, but avoid the fat platters. If there is a dessert buffet, choose a sliver of something sweet instead of trying them all.
Alcohol tends to worsen heartburn, so if you must drink, think about diluting your wine or beer with water or club soda, Baird said.
More than 60 million American adults suffer from heartburn at least once a month. An irritating chest pain that starts at the breastbone and charges up the throat, heartburn can cause people to accidentally inhale regurgitated stomach acid.
Severe heartburn symptoms are sometimes confused with heart attacks, another holiday risk.
A study published in the journal Circulation earlier this month found that heart attacks and heart disease-related deaths tend to peak on Christmas, the day after, and New Year's Day. Researchers at the University of California at San Diego attributed the increase of cardiac deaths to people delaying medical treatment during the holidays.
People should make sure they know the difference between heartburn and heart attack symptoms and not automatically assume their chest pain is from overindulgence from food, said Dr. David Peura, chairman of the National Heartburn Alliance, who was not connected with the study.
Heartburn usually occurs after a meal. A heart attack is often activity-related. But if patients are unsure and their chest pain lasts for more than a few minutes, they should seek immediate medical attention.
The most common heartburn treatments are over-the-counter and prescription heartburn drugs. Pharmacies report a spike in the number of customers buying acid-blocking medications around the holidays, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association, which represents 25,000 independent pharmacies.
Brian Pinga, a 22-year-old student at the University of Buffalo, has been suffering frequent heartburn for two years. His normal diet is "bland" — meaning no spicy foods and little alcohol, coffee or chocolate.
But Pinga admits it is tough staying true to his diet over the holidays when he is surrounded by family and friends indulging in all sorts of sinful foods. Last New Year's Eve, Pinga got carried away, drank too much and felt a "stabbing" feeling in his chest from heartburn. Rea More...
USATODAY.com - Holidays spark heartburn and heart attacks
This is exactly true for the old saying "We are what we eat, We are what we Drink!!"
Drinking of alcohols & spirits would certainly increase the chances of heart attack.
Therfore, please be mindful of what you drink not only the Alcohols & spirits but also those soup with high sodium & acid content soup.
Holidays spark heartburn and heart attacks
The Associated Press
For the tens of millions of heartburn sufferers, navigating the gluttonous dinner table during the holiday season can be especially tricky.
Heartburn tends to occur more frequently during the holidays because people feast more than they normally would. And the types of food they eat are decked with more calories and fat, which can slow digestion.
Take eggnog, the rich, creamy, liquor-laced drink that is often a staple at every family gathering and office party. Couple it with well-marbled meats, side dishes drizzling with rich sauces and lots of alcohol and you have the recipe for heartburn.
That doesn't mean you should swear off your favorite foods on Christmas Eve.
"You can make trade-offs that let you have the best of both worlds," said Pat Baird, a registered dietitian in Greenwich, Conn.
If you know ahead of time the party you're attending will feature heartburn-triggering foods, snack beforehand and graze at the party, but avoid the fat platters. If there is a dessert buffet, choose a sliver of something sweet instead of trying them all.
Alcohol tends to worsen heartburn, so if you must drink, think about diluting your wine or beer with water or club soda, Baird said.
More than 60 million American adults suffer from heartburn at least once a month. An irritating chest pain that starts at the breastbone and charges up the throat, heartburn can cause people to accidentally inhale regurgitated stomach acid.
Severe heartburn symptoms are sometimes confused with heart attacks, another holiday risk.
A study published in the journal Circulation earlier this month found that heart attacks and heart disease-related deaths tend to peak on Christmas, the day after, and New Year's Day. Researchers at the University of California at San Diego attributed the increase of cardiac deaths to people delaying medical treatment during the holidays.
People should make sure they know the difference between heartburn and heart attack symptoms and not automatically assume their chest pain is from overindulgence from food, said Dr. David Peura, chairman of the National Heartburn Alliance, who was not connected with the study.
Heartburn usually occurs after a meal. A heart attack is often activity-related. But if patients are unsure and their chest pain lasts for more than a few minutes, they should seek immediate medical attention.
The most common heartburn treatments are over-the-counter and prescription heartburn drugs. Pharmacies report a spike in the number of customers buying acid-blocking medications around the holidays, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association, which represents 25,000 independent pharmacies.
Brian Pinga, a 22-year-old student at the University of Buffalo, has been suffering frequent heartburn for two years. His normal diet is "bland" — meaning no spicy foods and little alcohol, coffee or chocolate.
But Pinga admits it is tough staying true to his diet over the holidays when he is surrounded by family and friends indulging in all sorts of sinful foods. Last New Year's Eve, Pinga got carried away, drank too much and felt a "stabbing" feeling in his chest from heartburn. Rea More...
USATODAY.com - Holidays spark heartburn and heart attacks
Saturday, December 25, 2004
SoyBean Isoflavones
SoyBean have been used as the mother's milk supplement in China for at least 5,000 years. Soy drinks have been very popular in Taiwan, Thailand, South East Asia & now in Amercia.
Soy food is rich in proteins, the appended is the short write up I found. Would keep you updates...
Soybean Isoflavones
Description
Soy is a unique dietary source of the isoflavones, such as genistein and daidzein. It has been part of the Southeast Asian diet for nearly five millennia, whereas consumption of soy in the Western World has been limited until the 20th century. Heavy consumption of soy in Southeast Asian people is associated with reduction in the rates of certain cancers and cardiovascular disease, and the troublesome side effects that may accompany with menopause. Recent experimental evidence suggests that isoflavones in soy, which has been scientifically analyzed since the 80’s, are responsible for the beneficial effects.
SoyBean Isoflavones
Soy food is rich in proteins, the appended is the short write up I found. Would keep you updates...
Soybean Isoflavones
Description
Soy is a unique dietary source of the isoflavones, such as genistein and daidzein. It has been part of the Southeast Asian diet for nearly five millennia, whereas consumption of soy in the Western World has been limited until the 20th century. Heavy consumption of soy in Southeast Asian people is associated with reduction in the rates of certain cancers and cardiovascular disease, and the troublesome side effects that may accompany with menopause. Recent experimental evidence suggests that isoflavones in soy, which has been scientifically analyzed since the 80’s, are responsible for the beneficial effects.
SoyBean Isoflavones
Water agency seeks state loan - The Sacramento Bee
Tax payer's money is used for the good cause for these kind of Water Treatment project. Action must be swift & prompt, so that time & money is not lost.
Water agency seeks state loan
By Art Campos -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 23, 2004
The Placer County Water Agency will seek a low-interest state loan of $9 million to help expand and upgrade its Auburn Water Treatment Plant.
Agency directors authorized the administrative staff members last week to apply for the loan from the California Safe Drinking Water Act revolving fund.
Brian Martin, PCWA director of technical services, said the loan, if approved, would pay for one-third of the estimated $26.3 million project.
The remainder would be financed by water-connection charges to developers and new customers and through water bill charges for state-and federally mandated programs, Martin said.
The treatment plant, which operates at a capacity of 6 million gallons of water a day, is on six acres next to the agency's business center on Ferguson Road.Read More...
Water agency seeks state loan - The Sacramento Bee
Water agency seeks state loan
By Art Campos -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, December 23, 2004
The Placer County Water Agency will seek a low-interest state loan of $9 million to help expand and upgrade its Auburn Water Treatment Plant.
Agency directors authorized the administrative staff members last week to apply for the loan from the California Safe Drinking Water Act revolving fund.
Brian Martin, PCWA director of technical services, said the loan, if approved, would pay for one-third of the estimated $26.3 million project.
The remainder would be financed by water-connection charges to developers and new customers and through water bill charges for state-and federally mandated programs, Martin said.
The treatment plant, which operates at a capacity of 6 million gallons of water a day, is on six acres next to the agency's business center on Ferguson Road.Read More...
Water agency seeks state loan - The Sacramento Bee
Friday, December 24, 2004
Asian Style Shrimp Soup recipe by AICR
Although the caption is sated as soup for Summer. But the Asian soup is good for any occassion. However, there are different soup for different season, that is highly depend on the herbs & vegetable that used.
My recommendation for this soup recipes is that add more Ginger & Onion, 1 can of Chicken broth is enough otherwise it would be too salty.
An Asian Soup for Summer
FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Since at least the third century B.C., the Chinese have appreciated a bowl of soup at almost anytime of day, from breakfast to a late-night snack. Other Asian countries have followed suit. Many Asian soups are light and easy to prepare, and are therefore perfect in hot weather.
A hot, but light, summer soup can make a satisfying meal anywhere in the world. Using fresh basil, mint and cilantro from the summer garden makes it even easier to make and better to eat.
A clear broth enlivened with the flavors of fresh herbs, colorful carrots and a few simply-prepared shrimp makes a good summer meal.
Shrimp is America’s favorite shellfish. There are hundreds of species from both warm and cold water. They come in many colors and sizes but all change color - to pink or red - when cooked because of a heat-caused chemical reaction. Shrimp are sold according to size. When buying shrimp, keep in mind that they should smell like the sea, not like ammonia.
Deveining shrimp is usually a matter of personal preference. The bigger the shrimp, the more likely the intestinal vein will contain grit and need to be removed.
Shrimp are not as high in cholesterol as was once thought. More importantly, the amount of the total fat is extremely low in shellfish. Shrimp are low in total saturated fat (the kind of fat that raises blood cholesterol) and calories.
The following recipe calls for lemon grass, an important flavoring in Thai cooking and now commonly available at supermarkets. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass (do not use dried versions), use the zest of a lemon.
Asian-Style Shrimp Soup - Makes 6 servings. Read More...
Cooking: Meat & Seafood - Asian Style Shrimp Soup recipe by AICR - Pioneer Thinking
My recommendation for this soup recipes is that add more Ginger & Onion, 1 can of Chicken broth is enough otherwise it would be too salty.
An Asian Soup for Summer
FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Since at least the third century B.C., the Chinese have appreciated a bowl of soup at almost anytime of day, from breakfast to a late-night snack. Other Asian countries have followed suit. Many Asian soups are light and easy to prepare, and are therefore perfect in hot weather.
A hot, but light, summer soup can make a satisfying meal anywhere in the world. Using fresh basil, mint and cilantro from the summer garden makes it even easier to make and better to eat.
A clear broth enlivened with the flavors of fresh herbs, colorful carrots and a few simply-prepared shrimp makes a good summer meal.
Shrimp is America’s favorite shellfish. There are hundreds of species from both warm and cold water. They come in many colors and sizes but all change color - to pink or red - when cooked because of a heat-caused chemical reaction. Shrimp are sold according to size. When buying shrimp, keep in mind that they should smell like the sea, not like ammonia.
Deveining shrimp is usually a matter of personal preference. The bigger the shrimp, the more likely the intestinal vein will contain grit and need to be removed.
Shrimp are not as high in cholesterol as was once thought. More importantly, the amount of the total fat is extremely low in shellfish. Shrimp are low in total saturated fat (the kind of fat that raises blood cholesterol) and calories.
The following recipe calls for lemon grass, an important flavoring in Thai cooking and now commonly available at supermarkets. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass (do not use dried versions), use the zest of a lemon.
Asian-Style Shrimp Soup - Makes 6 servings. Read More...
Cooking: Meat & Seafood - Asian Style Shrimp Soup recipe by AICR - Pioneer Thinking
Healthy Drinks
According to the Chinese Herbs Sutra, every herbs have 5 astract elements. that is metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth as well as the character of Ying & Yang.
Drinking of in-appropriate herbs drink's may cause sickness & upset. therefore, when drinking herbs drinks 1st consult the expert or check on the internet. You can also write to me for advise.
Healthy Drinks
BY KAREN COLLINS, M.S., R.D., C.D.N
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Choosing a drink has never been so complicated. "New age" waters, teas and juices - with added vitamins, herbs, or other "healthy" ingredients - are now a billion-dollar business. Although some of these new beverages may be simply a flavorful way to increase consumption of liquids, others may not be appropriate for everyone. Some added ingredients may cause health problems, while others are in amounts so small they may have a negligible effect.
Many of these new beverages are simply water or tea with added flavorings like fruit essence, lemongrass, or ginger. They are promoted on the premise that most Americans don't drink enough water, and that people will drink more of flavored drinks than plain water. Studies suggest that this may often be true. If a flavored water or tea helps you drink more, it could be a great choice.
Before selecting any of these drinks, consider whether you want them to add or limit your calorie intake. If you're trying to control your weight, an extra 250 to 375 calories may be counter-productive. On the other hand, people who don't need to lose weight might benefit from extra calories shortly before, during, or after high-energy exercise.
Some drinks are fortified with vitamins or minerals. For example, juices with added calcium may help people who don't or can't consume dairy products and would benefit from this fortification. On the other hand, B vitamins don't need to be added to a drink since most of us consume adequate amounts. Added vitamins or minerals can help make up for what is lacking in some people's diets, but for those who meet recommended amounts through diet or supplements, significant additions to drinks may be useless or even harmful.
Many drinks contain herbals - like echinacea, guarana, ginkgo biloba, or kava - that supposedly help energize, calm, or promote well-being in other ways. But the effectiveness of many of these herbs is either questionable or still under study. For example, echinacea is currently thought to help the immune system fight some illnesses in the short term, but continued long-term use is believed to actually depress the immune system.
In some cases, herbal ingredients that seem likely to have possible health benefits are added in amounts too small to have any real effect. Drinks containing St. John's Wort usually provide 250 milligrams (mg) per 20-ounce bottle, but studies show that 900 to 1,500 mg a day are needed to create mood-enhancing effects. The low levels found in most drinks might reduce the chance of consuming too much of this herb, but it also means consumers are paying extra for something they aren't getting in any significant amount.
People assume that any new drink on the market must be safe. But some added ingredients, if present in significant amounts, may pose health dangers for certain people. Warnings have recently been issued about kava as a possible cause of liver damage. Kava should be avoided by anyone who drinks alcohol daily or takes medicines that could affect the liver. St. John's Wort and ginkgo biloba can interact with medications. Guarana and some kinds of ginseng can raise blood pressure.
Don't be misled by new marketing ploys. Before buying a pricey "health" beverage, check what and how much added ingredients it contains, and how it relates to your needs.
_______________________________________
Author:
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday-Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within 48 hours. AICR is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $62 million for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR's Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
"This study, yet again, highlights the need for Congress to revisit the way dietary supplements are regulated in the U.S.," said co-author David Eisenberg, MD, the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the HMS Division of Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies. "Our first priority must be the safety of the public. Over-the-counter herbs and supplements with high levels of heavy metals are simply dangerous," he said.
Ayurvedic medicine originated in India more than 2,000 years ago and relies heavily on herbal medicine products. In India, an estimated 80% of the population uses Ayurveda. In the United States, Ayurvedic remedies have increased in popularity and are available from South Asian markets, Ayurvedic practitioners, health food stores, and on the Internet. Several recent reports of Ayurvedic medicine users developing life-threatening lead toxicity prompted the current study.
The researchers tested 70 HMPs at the New England Regional Environmental Protection Agency Laboratory and found 14 (20 percent) contained lead, mercury, and/or arsenic. Each of the 14, if taken as recommended by the manufacturers, could result in heavy metal intakes above regulatory standards. Several of the HMPs, such as Mahayograj Guggulu and Navratna Rasa, could result in lead and arsenic intakes of 1,000 - 10,000 times greater than the regulatory standards. Half of the HMPs containing potentially toxic heavy metals were recommended by the manufacturers for use in infants and children. Eleven different manufacturers produced one or more HMPs containing heavy metals. Eighty percent of the 30 stores sold at least one HMP which contained significant amounts of heavy metals.
"Users of Ayurvedic medicines manufactured in South Asia may be at risk for heavy metal toxicity," said Saper, the lead author of the study and Director of Integrative Medicine in the Family Medicine Department at BUSM. "While the exact extent of Ayurvedic HMP use in the U.S. and abroad is unknown, the numbers of individuals at potential risk are substantial. Domestic and international public health and community organizations should issue advisories to current or previous users of Ayurvedic HMPs manufactured in South Asia to consult their physicians about screening for heavy metal toxicity." Read More...
Researchers Find High Levels Of Potentially Toxic Heavy Metals In Herbal Medicine Products
Drinking of in-appropriate herbs drink's may cause sickness & upset. therefore, when drinking herbs drinks 1st consult the expert or check on the internet. You can also write to me for advise.
Healthy Drinks
BY KAREN COLLINS, M.S., R.D., C.D.N
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH
Choosing a drink has never been so complicated. "New age" waters, teas and juices - with added vitamins, herbs, or other "healthy" ingredients - are now a billion-dollar business. Although some of these new beverages may be simply a flavorful way to increase consumption of liquids, others may not be appropriate for everyone. Some added ingredients may cause health problems, while others are in amounts so small they may have a negligible effect.
Many of these new beverages are simply water or tea with added flavorings like fruit essence, lemongrass, or ginger. They are promoted on the premise that most Americans don't drink enough water, and that people will drink more of flavored drinks than plain water. Studies suggest that this may often be true. If a flavored water or tea helps you drink more, it could be a great choice.
Before selecting any of these drinks, consider whether you want them to add or limit your calorie intake. If you're trying to control your weight, an extra 250 to 375 calories may be counter-productive. On the other hand, people who don't need to lose weight might benefit from extra calories shortly before, during, or after high-energy exercise.
Some drinks are fortified with vitamins or minerals. For example, juices with added calcium may help people who don't or can't consume dairy products and would benefit from this fortification. On the other hand, B vitamins don't need to be added to a drink since most of us consume adequate amounts. Added vitamins or minerals can help make up for what is lacking in some people's diets, but for those who meet recommended amounts through diet or supplements, significant additions to drinks may be useless or even harmful.
Many drinks contain herbals - like echinacea, guarana, ginkgo biloba, or kava - that supposedly help energize, calm, or promote well-being in other ways. But the effectiveness of many of these herbs is either questionable or still under study. For example, echinacea is currently thought to help the immune system fight some illnesses in the short term, but continued long-term use is believed to actually depress the immune system.
In some cases, herbal ingredients that seem likely to have possible health benefits are added in amounts too small to have any real effect. Drinks containing St. John's Wort usually provide 250 milligrams (mg) per 20-ounce bottle, but studies show that 900 to 1,500 mg a day are needed to create mood-enhancing effects. The low levels found in most drinks might reduce the chance of consuming too much of this herb, but it also means consumers are paying extra for something they aren't getting in any significant amount.
People assume that any new drink on the market must be safe. But some added ingredients, if present in significant amounts, may pose health dangers for certain people. Warnings have recently been issued about kava as a possible cause of liver damage. Kava should be avoided by anyone who drinks alcohol daily or takes medicines that could affect the liver. St. John's Wort and ginkgo biloba can interact with medications. Guarana and some kinds of ginseng can raise blood pressure.
Don't be misled by new marketing ploys. Before buying a pricey "health" beverage, check what and how much added ingredients it contains, and how it relates to your needs.
_______________________________________
Author:
The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday-Friday. This free service allows you to ask questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. A registered dietitian will return your call, usually within 48 hours. AICR is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $62 million for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR's Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.
"This study, yet again, highlights the need for Congress to revisit the way dietary supplements are regulated in the U.S.," said co-author David Eisenberg, MD, the Bernard Osher Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the HMS Division of Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies. "Our first priority must be the safety of the public. Over-the-counter herbs and supplements with high levels of heavy metals are simply dangerous," he said.
Ayurvedic medicine originated in India more than 2,000 years ago and relies heavily on herbal medicine products. In India, an estimated 80% of the population uses Ayurveda. In the United States, Ayurvedic remedies have increased in popularity and are available from South Asian markets, Ayurvedic practitioners, health food stores, and on the Internet. Several recent reports of Ayurvedic medicine users developing life-threatening lead toxicity prompted the current study.
The researchers tested 70 HMPs at the New England Regional Environmental Protection Agency Laboratory and found 14 (20 percent) contained lead, mercury, and/or arsenic. Each of the 14, if taken as recommended by the manufacturers, could result in heavy metal intakes above regulatory standards. Several of the HMPs, such as Mahayograj Guggulu and Navratna Rasa, could result in lead and arsenic intakes of 1,000 - 10,000 times greater than the regulatory standards. Half of the HMPs containing potentially toxic heavy metals were recommended by the manufacturers for use in infants and children. Eleven different manufacturers produced one or more HMPs containing heavy metals. Eighty percent of the 30 stores sold at least one HMP which contained significant amounts of heavy metals.
"Users of Ayurvedic medicines manufactured in South Asia may be at risk for heavy metal toxicity," said Saper, the lead author of the study and Director of Integrative Medicine in the Family Medicine Department at BUSM. "While the exact extent of Ayurvedic HMP use in the U.S. and abroad is unknown, the numbers of individuals at potential risk are substantial. Domestic and international public health and community organizations should issue advisories to current or previous users of Ayurvedic HMPs manufactured in South Asia to consult their physicians about screening for heavy metal toxicity." Read More...
Researchers Find High Levels Of Potentially Toxic Heavy Metals In Herbal Medicine Products
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Why heart attacks run in families: Genetics
My late mom 1st heart attack was at 45, my late sister Irene have her 1st heart attack at 45 too. According to my own research, heart attack is related to the family gene or DNA. It can happen at young age too, my friend Anna she is a princess of a country in Asia, she have her heart attack at 20th years old.
Before, the nano-tech can alter the formular of our DNA or Genes, the best things to do is to prevent it, on the issues of Drinks,
I would like to recommend that the do & don't.
Don't Drink
Coffee
Strong Red Tea
Alcohol
Cola
Drink
Filtered Water
Green Tea
Herbs Tea
One little glass of red wine before going to Bed
Why heart attacks run in families: Genetics
By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY
For years, the Steffensen family of Buffalo Center, Iowa, blamed heaping helpings of what they call "good old Iowa farm cooking" for a more distressing family tradition: heart attacks.
Don Steffensen's heart nearly quit while he was duck hunting with friends when he was 62. When his doctors learned that he and eight of his 11 siblings had heart problems, they recruited the family for a landmark genetic analysis. Their two-year study shifted some of the blame for the family's misfortune from meat, potatoes and gravy to a faulty gene.
"They're hard-wired to have a heart attack," says Eric Topol of the Cleveland Clinic, who led the team that identified the abnormality.
The good news is that more healthful living can literally change a person's genetic destiny by staving off a gene's ill effects for years, maybe even decades.
"Everyone right now is pretty doggone glad we did it, I can tell you," Steffensen says of the family's participation in the research. "It enlightened us. It wasn't just the food."
The Cleveland Clinic study is just one of several worldwide devoted to teasing out why heart attacks run in families and how to prevent them. Geneticists at the Icelandic company deCode, for instance, have identified a different genetic cause of heart attacks that may be remedied with a drug now in human trials.
Unlike the Steffensen study, which aimed to identify a gene in one family that may be implicated in heart attacks in the general population, Icelandic researchers carried out a painstaking genetic analysis of a large population. They used hundreds of heart attack patients and family members in Iceland to look for any genes that might be related to heart attacks.
The analysis, made possible by the company's countrywide access to genetic information, identified the FLAP gene, which appears to double a person's heart disease risk.
"The genetic factors we're working on are dramatically different than the ones Eric Topol is working on," says deCode CEO Kari Stefansson. "We're working on heart attacks as a public health problem."
It would be a mistake to pin all the blame for heart disease on genetics, Topol cautions.
Unlike so-called single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia, heart attacks result from a mix of genetic factors and behaviors. No medicine can counter the long-term cumulative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and a high-salt, high-fat diet. That's why doctors place so much emphasis on eliminating risk factors and controlling diabetes.
For the Steffensens and others like them, the benefit of knowing that they are vulnerable to heart attacks comes not from having a medicine that can lower their risk, but from a test result that permits them to be proactive and live a heart-healthy life.
"We might not be able to eliminate the risk, but we should be able to forestall it," Topol says. "We can change natural history."
For Steffensen's son, Mark, 38, who has a high-pressure job in New York's financial district and is the father of two young children, it's a comforting notion. He eats healthful food and exercises.
Knowing that his two children, Zoe, 4, and Ian, 1½, may share Dad's genetic susceptibility, Steffensen has all but eliminated visits to McDonald's —"Sure, we go once in a while. It's a treat for the kids" — and has begun to think about prevention.
"Will I have my kids tested?" he says. "The answer to that is yes."
Steffensens' genes studied
The Cleveland Clinic's foray into the heart disease genetics, a project called Gene Quest, began in the mid-'90s. Don Steffensen volunteered in 2002. During one of his routine visits for advanced cardiac care, his wife overheard doctors talking about their genetic research. "My wife said, 'You'd better talk to them about getting into this thing,' " Steffensen says. Read More....
USATODAY.com - Why heart attacks run in families: Genetics
Before, the nano-tech can alter the formular of our DNA or Genes, the best things to do is to prevent it, on the issues of Drinks,
I would like to recommend that the do & don't.
Don't Drink
Coffee
Strong Red Tea
Alcohol
Cola
Drink
Filtered Water
Green Tea
Herbs Tea
One little glass of red wine before going to Bed
Why heart attacks run in families: Genetics
By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY
For years, the Steffensen family of Buffalo Center, Iowa, blamed heaping helpings of what they call "good old Iowa farm cooking" for a more distressing family tradition: heart attacks.
Don Steffensen's heart nearly quit while he was duck hunting with friends when he was 62. When his doctors learned that he and eight of his 11 siblings had heart problems, they recruited the family for a landmark genetic analysis. Their two-year study shifted some of the blame for the family's misfortune from meat, potatoes and gravy to a faulty gene.
"They're hard-wired to have a heart attack," says Eric Topol of the Cleveland Clinic, who led the team that identified the abnormality.
The good news is that more healthful living can literally change a person's genetic destiny by staving off a gene's ill effects for years, maybe even decades.
"Everyone right now is pretty doggone glad we did it, I can tell you," Steffensen says of the family's participation in the research. "It enlightened us. It wasn't just the food."
The Cleveland Clinic study is just one of several worldwide devoted to teasing out why heart attacks run in families and how to prevent them. Geneticists at the Icelandic company deCode, for instance, have identified a different genetic cause of heart attacks that may be remedied with a drug now in human trials.
Unlike the Steffensen study, which aimed to identify a gene in one family that may be implicated in heart attacks in the general population, Icelandic researchers carried out a painstaking genetic analysis of a large population. They used hundreds of heart attack patients and family members in Iceland to look for any genes that might be related to heart attacks.
The analysis, made possible by the company's countrywide access to genetic information, identified the FLAP gene, which appears to double a person's heart disease risk.
"The genetic factors we're working on are dramatically different than the ones Eric Topol is working on," says deCode CEO Kari Stefansson. "We're working on heart attacks as a public health problem."
It would be a mistake to pin all the blame for heart disease on genetics, Topol cautions.
Unlike so-called single-gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia, heart attacks result from a mix of genetic factors and behaviors. No medicine can counter the long-term cumulative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and a high-salt, high-fat diet. That's why doctors place so much emphasis on eliminating risk factors and controlling diabetes.
For the Steffensens and others like them, the benefit of knowing that they are vulnerable to heart attacks comes not from having a medicine that can lower their risk, but from a test result that permits them to be proactive and live a heart-healthy life.
"We might not be able to eliminate the risk, but we should be able to forestall it," Topol says. "We can change natural history."
For Steffensen's son, Mark, 38, who has a high-pressure job in New York's financial district and is the father of two young children, it's a comforting notion. He eats healthful food and exercises.
Knowing that his two children, Zoe, 4, and Ian, 1½, may share Dad's genetic susceptibility, Steffensen has all but eliminated visits to McDonald's —"Sure, we go once in a while. It's a treat for the kids" — and has begun to think about prevention.
"Will I have my kids tested?" he says. "The answer to that is yes."
Steffensens' genes studied
The Cleveland Clinic's foray into the heart disease genetics, a project called Gene Quest, began in the mid-'90s. Don Steffensen volunteered in 2002. During one of his routine visits for advanced cardiac care, his wife overheard doctors talking about their genetic research. "My wife said, 'You'd better talk to them about getting into this thing,' " Steffensen says. Read More....
USATODAY.com - Why heart attacks run in families: Genetics
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Moderate drinking, without food, could impact blood pressure
MY research is based from the drinking habbits of my late father. He is a drinker, he can drink a bottle of XO a night. He always advise us that don't drink before meal, otherwise you can get drunk.
He can be very much emotional, when he drink before meal, this show that his blood pressure is up. at 45, he have his 1st stroke.
You see high blood & stroke are inter-related sickness. So please beware of indulge in Drinking.
Moderate drinking, without food, could impact blood pressure
21/12/2004 - Drinking alcohol, even only lightly, outside of mealtimes could be a significant risk factor in developing high blood pressure, claim US researchers.
Their findings casts new light on an increasing body of evidence that suggests moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, could benefit heart health.
"The research points out that drinking without food may counteract any benefit to the cardiovascular system associated with moderate alcohol consumption," said lead researcher Saverio Stranges, at the University of Buffalo.
Nearly one in three annual global deaths, about 16.7 million, result from various forms of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure is believed to be a contributory factor.
A string of studies suggest that the powerful antioxidant resveratrol found in red wine, could protect against the blood clots and possibly high cholesterol levels, both associated with heart conditions.
Targeting a burgeoning market, the food industry continues to roll out food products designed to tackle heart health. Set to grow 7.6 per cent in the UK market alone, according to Datamonitor, these foods are slated to achieve sales of £145 million in the UK by 2007. This is second only to gut health in terms of purpose categories.
The latest findings from Buffalo University, say the researchers, confirmed results from a previous study conducted in Italy by some of the same investigators, as well as showing for the first time that even light to moderate alcohol intake outside of meals puts drinkers at risk for hypertension.
Hypertension was defined by systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater, or by the fact that an individual was taking medication for high blood pressure.
Findings were based on blood pressure readings and self-reported alcohol consumption patterns from a randomly selected sample of 2,609 white men and women between the ages of 35 and 80 - all participants were free of other cardiovascular diseases.
Participants provided data on their alcohol consumption during the past 30 days. Questions covered how often they drank during that time period, when they drank (weekdays versus weekends), how much they drank (drinks per day) and if they drank with meals, with snacks or without food. They also reported whether they drank mostly beer, wine or spirits. Read More....
Moderate drinking, without food, could impact blood pressure
He can be very much emotional, when he drink before meal, this show that his blood pressure is up. at 45, he have his 1st stroke.
You see high blood & stroke are inter-related sickness. So please beware of indulge in Drinking.
Moderate drinking, without food, could impact blood pressure
21/12/2004 - Drinking alcohol, even only lightly, outside of mealtimes could be a significant risk factor in developing high blood pressure, claim US researchers.
Their findings casts new light on an increasing body of evidence that suggests moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, could benefit heart health.
"The research points out that drinking without food may counteract any benefit to the cardiovascular system associated with moderate alcohol consumption," said lead researcher Saverio Stranges, at the University of Buffalo.
Nearly one in three annual global deaths, about 16.7 million, result from various forms of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure is believed to be a contributory factor.
A string of studies suggest that the powerful antioxidant resveratrol found in red wine, could protect against the blood clots and possibly high cholesterol levels, both associated with heart conditions.
Targeting a burgeoning market, the food industry continues to roll out food products designed to tackle heart health. Set to grow 7.6 per cent in the UK market alone, according to Datamonitor, these foods are slated to achieve sales of £145 million in the UK by 2007. This is second only to gut health in terms of purpose categories.
The latest findings from Buffalo University, say the researchers, confirmed results from a previous study conducted in Italy by some of the same investigators, as well as showing for the first time that even light to moderate alcohol intake outside of meals puts drinkers at risk for hypertension.
Hypertension was defined by systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater, or by the fact that an individual was taking medication for high blood pressure.
Findings were based on blood pressure readings and self-reported alcohol consumption patterns from a randomly selected sample of 2,609 white men and women between the ages of 35 and 80 - all participants were free of other cardiovascular diseases.
Participants provided data on their alcohol consumption during the past 30 days. Questions covered how often they drank during that time period, when they drank (weekdays versus weekends), how much they drank (drinks per day) and if they drank with meals, with snacks or without food. They also reported whether they drank mostly beer, wine or spirits. Read More....
Moderate drinking, without food, could impact blood pressure
Monday, December 20, 2004
Local Water Officials Say Policy Holds Desalination Hostage
A diffences between $253 per acre-foot & $97 per acre-foot deal is more than 2 times. I just wonder, why these people cannot sit down & do the maths, & think more for the people. After all it is the people money.
We need to be more compationate love to people. especially on the Drinking Water issue be more considerate.
Local water officials say policy holds desalination hostage
By: GIG CONAUGHTON - Staff Writer
San Diego County water officials say their dream of turning seawater into a critical supply of drinking water is being undermined by Southern California's main water supplier, which is threatening to cut off financial help over a long-standing rate dispute.
But the Metropolitan Water District says it's just protecting its financial stability ---- which, if jeopardized, would threaten the drinking-water supplies of all of Southern California.
Metropolitan board members, in a squeaky-close vote last week, approved a new policy that would ban water agencies from taking Metropolitan subsidies ---- including one San Diego County wants to cut the cost of a proposed desalination plant ---- unless the agencies promise never to challenge Metropolitan's rate system in court or the Legislature.
Meanwhile, leaders of the San Diego County Water Authority, the agency that supplies nearly all the water county residents use each year, say that any threat to local desalination plans endangers the county's future water supply.
Drought, environmental concerns and political disputes are putting caps on how much water Southern California can get from its traditional sources, the Colorado River and Northern California. Because of that, the Water Authority's board has said its main focus in coming years should be finding ways to tap the sea for drinking water.
But Water Authority officials have also said seawater desalination would be too expensive without the Metropolitan subsidy ---- money that would reduce the cost of every acre-foot of water a desalination plant produced by $250. An acre-foot is roughly enough water to sustain the household needs of eight people for a year. Water Authority officials expect the subsidy would reduce the cost of water the plant produced from $800 to $650 per acre-foot at a plant proposed to be built by a private company in Carlsbad.
Killing desalination plans?
After the Metropolitan vote last week, Water Authority board member Keith Lewinger said the new policy means Water Authority board members must decide quickly if they want to pursue desalination if they can't have Metropolitan's subsidy.
Bud Pocklington, one of the Water Authority's three delegates to the Metropolitan board, said that desalination was too important not to pursue.
"Desal has to go forward whether we get support or not," he said. "It's too critical for us to stop it."
But Lewinger wasn't as sure.
"Can we afford to pay an extra $250 per acre-foot for (what will amount) to one-sixth of our water supply?" he asked. "I don't know the answer to that."
Pursuing desalination without the subsidy could raise water rates. Not pursuing desalination could leave San Diego County with less water than it needs, officials say.
Last week's vote, meanwhile, left Water Authority leaders saying the subsidy policy was unconstitutional and hoping to derail it before it takes effect in April.
They also restated their belief that the policy change was a blatant ploy to hold the county's desalination hopes hostage over a continuing dispute related to renting Metropolitan pipelines for the Water Authority's historic Imperial Valley water transfer ---- an issue the Water Authority has taken to court before.
"I think this was aimed directly at San Diego (County)," Bud Pocklington, one of the Water Authority's three representatives to the Metropolitan board, said. "I think we're the only ones who have sued them over the last 10 years."
Metropolitan leaders, meanwhile, denied that the policy change was "all about" San Diego County. They said the move was simply about the financial stability of Southern California's main water supplier.
"We're telling you, you can't have your cake and eat it too," spokesman Adan Ortega said.
The conflict
The Water Authority desperately wants a Metropolitan subsidy for desalination, because desalinated water costs much more than the imported water that San Diego County has historically relied upon.
But just as desperately, the Water Authority wants to retain its legal right to challenge Metropolitan's rates.
That's because of the Water Authority's historic deal in 2003 to buy up to 65 billion of gallons of water a year from Imperial Valley farmers.
The Water Authority needs to rent Metropolitan pipelines to ship that water to San Diego County.
And the Water Authority has maintained for years that Metropolitan overcharges for that rental agreement.
The Water Authority has already unsuccessfully challenged the rates in court, but the agency has expressed interest in challenging them again.
In last-minute negotiations to complete the Imperial Valley transfer, the Water Authority agreed to pay Metropolitan's full rental rate of $253 per acre-foot of water rather than the $97 per acre-foot deal it wanted.
With the transfer deal set to run as long as 75 years, a successful challenge to Metropolitan's rate structure could save the Water Authority, and local ratepayers, nearly $2 billion.
Short-sighted
But Metropolitan's leaders say challenging the massive agency's rate structure would threaten its financial stability ---- which could destabilize Southern California's water supply.
Metropolitan was created by the state Legislature in 1928 to build and operate the Colorado River Aqueduct and bring water to desertlike Southern California. It supplies drinking water to more than 18 million Southern Californians by selling Colorado River and Northern California water to 26 cities and water districts in six counties. Its board is comprised of representatives from all those member agencies. Read More....
.: Print Version :.
We need to be more compationate love to people. especially on the Drinking Water issue be more considerate.
Local water officials say policy holds desalination hostage
By: GIG CONAUGHTON - Staff Writer
San Diego County water officials say their dream of turning seawater into a critical supply of drinking water is being undermined by Southern California's main water supplier, which is threatening to cut off financial help over a long-standing rate dispute.
But the Metropolitan Water District says it's just protecting its financial stability ---- which, if jeopardized, would threaten the drinking-water supplies of all of Southern California.
Metropolitan board members, in a squeaky-close vote last week, approved a new policy that would ban water agencies from taking Metropolitan subsidies ---- including one San Diego County wants to cut the cost of a proposed desalination plant ---- unless the agencies promise never to challenge Metropolitan's rate system in court or the Legislature.
Meanwhile, leaders of the San Diego County Water Authority, the agency that supplies nearly all the water county residents use each year, say that any threat to local desalination plans endangers the county's future water supply.
Drought, environmental concerns and political disputes are putting caps on how much water Southern California can get from its traditional sources, the Colorado River and Northern California. Because of that, the Water Authority's board has said its main focus in coming years should be finding ways to tap the sea for drinking water.
But Water Authority officials have also said seawater desalination would be too expensive without the Metropolitan subsidy ---- money that would reduce the cost of every acre-foot of water a desalination plant produced by $250. An acre-foot is roughly enough water to sustain the household needs of eight people for a year. Water Authority officials expect the subsidy would reduce the cost of water the plant produced from $800 to $650 per acre-foot at a plant proposed to be built by a private company in Carlsbad.
Killing desalination plans?
After the Metropolitan vote last week, Water Authority board member Keith Lewinger said the new policy means Water Authority board members must decide quickly if they want to pursue desalination if they can't have Metropolitan's subsidy.
Bud Pocklington, one of the Water Authority's three delegates to the Metropolitan board, said that desalination was too important not to pursue.
"Desal has to go forward whether we get support or not," he said. "It's too critical for us to stop it."
But Lewinger wasn't as sure.
"Can we afford to pay an extra $250 per acre-foot for (what will amount) to one-sixth of our water supply?" he asked. "I don't know the answer to that."
Pursuing desalination without the subsidy could raise water rates. Not pursuing desalination could leave San Diego County with less water than it needs, officials say.
Last week's vote, meanwhile, left Water Authority leaders saying the subsidy policy was unconstitutional and hoping to derail it before it takes effect in April.
They also restated their belief that the policy change was a blatant ploy to hold the county's desalination hopes hostage over a continuing dispute related to renting Metropolitan pipelines for the Water Authority's historic Imperial Valley water transfer ---- an issue the Water Authority has taken to court before.
"I think this was aimed directly at San Diego (County)," Bud Pocklington, one of the Water Authority's three representatives to the Metropolitan board, said. "I think we're the only ones who have sued them over the last 10 years."
Metropolitan leaders, meanwhile, denied that the policy change was "all about" San Diego County. They said the move was simply about the financial stability of Southern California's main water supplier.
"We're telling you, you can't have your cake and eat it too," spokesman Adan Ortega said.
The conflict
The Water Authority desperately wants a Metropolitan subsidy for desalination, because desalinated water costs much more than the imported water that San Diego County has historically relied upon.
But just as desperately, the Water Authority wants to retain its legal right to challenge Metropolitan's rates.
That's because of the Water Authority's historic deal in 2003 to buy up to 65 billion of gallons of water a year from Imperial Valley farmers.
The Water Authority needs to rent Metropolitan pipelines to ship that water to San Diego County.
And the Water Authority has maintained for years that Metropolitan overcharges for that rental agreement.
The Water Authority has already unsuccessfully challenged the rates in court, but the agency has expressed interest in challenging them again.
In last-minute negotiations to complete the Imperial Valley transfer, the Water Authority agreed to pay Metropolitan's full rental rate of $253 per acre-foot of water rather than the $97 per acre-foot deal it wanted.
With the transfer deal set to run as long as 75 years, a successful challenge to Metropolitan's rate structure could save the Water Authority, and local ratepayers, nearly $2 billion.
Short-sighted
But Metropolitan's leaders say challenging the massive agency's rate structure would threaten its financial stability ---- which could destabilize Southern California's water supply.
Metropolitan was created by the state Legislature in 1928 to build and operate the Colorado River Aqueduct and bring water to desertlike Southern California. It supplies drinking water to more than 18 million Southern Californians by selling Colorado River and Northern California water to 26 cities and water districts in six counties. Its board is comprised of representatives from all those member agencies. Read More....
.: Print Version :.
Drink and drug use high in teens - BBC NEWS | Health |
When I was living in Wales & London, I do observe that the teens drinking habits is alarming. In my view, Parents & education both home & school education is important to put these teens to the right path.
My ex in Malaysia start her drinking habits at 14 years old, today she is having bad health at 41 years old. Just imagine, if she is going to live till 70. You can visualised that she would be bed ridden from 45 years old onward.
I did what I can for her to stop drinking for the 6 years that she was with me. But she never take my advise. That is what happening to her today.
If you cannot change your teens drinking habbits then get someone who can assist them.
Give your loving Kindness to all...
Drink and drug use high in teens
Britain's teenagers are among the heaviest drinkers and drug-users in Europe, research has found.
A survey of 15 and 16 year-olds found 26% of boys and 29% of girls in the UK had indulged in binge drinking at least three times in the previous month.
And 42% of boys and 35% of girls admitted they had tried illegal drugs at least once.
The survey, by the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), focused on 35 countries.
I know raising teenagers can be extremely tough, but my concern is that vast numbers of British parents seem to have just given up trying.
Professor Martin Plant
The research, based on 2,000 young people in the UK, confirmed that the problem of excessive drinking now seems worst among girls.
When the survey was last carried out in 1999, binge drinking was more common among boys (33%) than girls (27%).
For the purposes of the study, binge drinking was classed as having more than five alcoholic drinks in a row.
The research also found that 23% of boys and 16% of girls had used cannabis in the last 30 days.
Nearly one in 10 teenagers said they had used illegal drugs other than cannabis.
Researcher Professor Martin Plant, of the University of West of England, said teenagers in the UK were among the most likely to abuse alcohol and drugs - and to suffer the health effects.
He said: "One of the big problems is that vast numbers of young people who engage in these behaviours believe that they are completely invulnerable.
"They don't have any concept that there is a real risk here, but sadly these risks are not simply things that come along much later in life, these things afflict young people, and increasingly young people."
Poor parenting
Professor Plant said many parents did not know where their teenage children went in their spare time, and did not try to impose any kind of restrictions on their behaviour.
"I know raising teenagers can be extremely tough, but my concern is that vast numbers of British parents seem to have just given up trying."
He said teenagers had more money than in the past, and a greater choice of establishments in which to drink. Measures had also increased in size.
Geethika Jayatilaka, of Alcohol Concern, said: "Low pricing, a lack of standardised proof of age schemes and poor enforcement makes it easy for unscrupulous retailers to sell to underage kids.
"This needs to change if we are to turn the tide in the longer term on problem drinking in young people."
Paul Burstow, Liberal Democrat health spokesman, called the report "deeply worrying".
"It adds to the growing body of evidence that teenage binge drinking in Britain is out of control. The number of children turning up in hospital because of alcohol is shocking.
"The government's alcohol strategy fails to get to grips with the binge culture, which is putting the lives and health of so many teenagers at risk."Read More...
BBC NEWS | Health | Drink and drug use high in teens
My ex in Malaysia start her drinking habits at 14 years old, today she is having bad health at 41 years old. Just imagine, if she is going to live till 70. You can visualised that she would be bed ridden from 45 years old onward.
I did what I can for her to stop drinking for the 6 years that she was with me. But she never take my advise. That is what happening to her today.
If you cannot change your teens drinking habbits then get someone who can assist them.
Give your loving Kindness to all...
Drink and drug use high in teens
Britain's teenagers are among the heaviest drinkers and drug-users in Europe, research has found.
A survey of 15 and 16 year-olds found 26% of boys and 29% of girls in the UK had indulged in binge drinking at least three times in the previous month.
And 42% of boys and 35% of girls admitted they had tried illegal drugs at least once.
The survey, by the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), focused on 35 countries.
I know raising teenagers can be extremely tough, but my concern is that vast numbers of British parents seem to have just given up trying.
Professor Martin Plant
The research, based on 2,000 young people in the UK, confirmed that the problem of excessive drinking now seems worst among girls.
When the survey was last carried out in 1999, binge drinking was more common among boys (33%) than girls (27%).
For the purposes of the study, binge drinking was classed as having more than five alcoholic drinks in a row.
The research also found that 23% of boys and 16% of girls had used cannabis in the last 30 days.
Nearly one in 10 teenagers said they had used illegal drugs other than cannabis.
Researcher Professor Martin Plant, of the University of West of England, said teenagers in the UK were among the most likely to abuse alcohol and drugs - and to suffer the health effects.
He said: "One of the big problems is that vast numbers of young people who engage in these behaviours believe that they are completely invulnerable.
"They don't have any concept that there is a real risk here, but sadly these risks are not simply things that come along much later in life, these things afflict young people, and increasingly young people."
Poor parenting
Professor Plant said many parents did not know where their teenage children went in their spare time, and did not try to impose any kind of restrictions on their behaviour.
"I know raising teenagers can be extremely tough, but my concern is that vast numbers of British parents seem to have just given up trying."
He said teenagers had more money than in the past, and a greater choice of establishments in which to drink. Measures had also increased in size.
Geethika Jayatilaka, of Alcohol Concern, said: "Low pricing, a lack of standardised proof of age schemes and poor enforcement makes it easy for unscrupulous retailers to sell to underage kids.
"This needs to change if we are to turn the tide in the longer term on problem drinking in young people."
Paul Burstow, Liberal Democrat health spokesman, called the report "deeply worrying".
"It adds to the growing body of evidence that teenage binge drinking in Britain is out of control. The number of children turning up in hospital because of alcohol is shocking.
"The government's alcohol strategy fails to get to grips with the binge culture, which is putting the lives and health of so many teenagers at risk."Read More...
BBC NEWS | Health | Drink and drug use high in teens
FDA issues ginseng warning
Ginseng have been used by Chinese for over 3,000 years as the herbs to improve the "Chi" or stamina of a person. There is many variety of Ginseng, from wild gingsen to cultured ginseng, according to my research Ginseng from Russia, Chit Lin, Korean,
Wisconsin ..all have different application. You would keep inform on the detail in my future article..
FDA issues ginseng warning
20/12/2004 - The FDA last week demanded the seizure of imported ginseng in New Jersey and issued a national warning.
The government body asked the district court for New Jersey to issue a seizure warrant that had been imported and held for sale by FCC Products, a company based in Livingston, N.J.
Although the FDA acknowledged that the exact amount and scope of distribution was “probably small in scope”, but nevertheless issued a nationwide warning to supplement manufacturers who may have used this product.
The body explained that the bulk and blended ginseng products held at FCC Products were adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they contain pesticide chemical residues that are unsafe.
“The pesticide chemical residues, procymidone and quintozene, are deemed unsafe because there has been no tolerance established for residues of procymidone and quintozene in ginseng,” said the FDA.
The chemicals were found during an inspection of the company, which uses the ginseng to blend into supplements. Ginseng is lauded for its apparent energy boosting properties. Read More...
FDA issues ginseng warning
Wisconsin ..all have different application. You would keep inform on the detail in my future article..
FDA issues ginseng warning
20/12/2004 - The FDA last week demanded the seizure of imported ginseng in New Jersey and issued a national warning.
The government body asked the district court for New Jersey to issue a seizure warrant that had been imported and held for sale by FCC Products, a company based in Livingston, N.J.
Although the FDA acknowledged that the exact amount and scope of distribution was “probably small in scope”, but nevertheless issued a nationwide warning to supplement manufacturers who may have used this product.
The body explained that the bulk and blended ginseng products held at FCC Products were adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they contain pesticide chemical residues that are unsafe.
“The pesticide chemical residues, procymidone and quintozene, are deemed unsafe because there has been no tolerance established for residues of procymidone and quintozene in ginseng,” said the FDA.
The chemicals were found during an inspection of the company, which uses the ginseng to blend into supplements. Ginseng is lauded for its apparent energy boosting properties. Read More...
FDA issues ginseng warning
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Neighbors sue CSX for $500M over creosote -- Southwest Florida's Information Leader
When problem arised, the best way is to work out a solutions for the cure & also to compensate the damages & losses, fighting in court just cost more money & losses to people. The gain is still is the lawyer's that attending court session.
Neighbors sue CSX for $500M over creosote
People in the town of Hull say a former railroad work area is making them sick and may be polluting the water.
By Tom Bayles
DeSoto County residents in the tiny hamlet of Hull call it "The Pit."
The fenced-off piece of land owned by CSX Transportation is where the company used to weatherproof railroad ties by soaking them in the preservative creosote.
The company stopped using the cancer-causing chemical 50 years ago in Hull, but two state environmental agencies have determined that the pit's legacy includes poisoned soil and a threat to the region's drinking water supply.
On Thursday, eight Hull residents filed a $500 million lawsuit against the railroad giant, claiming their health problems are due to creosote exposure, and CSX is responsible.
"There seems to be an inordinate amount of cancer in the community," said David Carlton, a Punta Gorda attorney representing the residents. "It's generation after generation of cancer out there."
Misty Skipper, a spokeswoman for Jacksonville-based CSX, said her company was unaware the lawsuit was filed until a news conference announcing the action Thursday morning.
"We're in the process of reviewing the lawsuit," Skipper said. "We may make additional comment once we've had a chance to review the case."
One of the eight plaintiffs, Wayne Wilson, says he suffers from chronic stomach problems. Wilson first became suspicious a few years ago when a fence went up between his property and that owned by CSX. Read More...
heraldtribune.com: Southwest Florida's Information Leader
Neighbors sue CSX for $500M over creosote
People in the town of Hull say a former railroad work area is making them sick and may be polluting the water.
By Tom Bayles
DeSoto County residents in the tiny hamlet of Hull call it "The Pit."
The fenced-off piece of land owned by CSX Transportation is where the company used to weatherproof railroad ties by soaking them in the preservative creosote.
The company stopped using the cancer-causing chemical 50 years ago in Hull, but two state environmental agencies have determined that the pit's legacy includes poisoned soil and a threat to the region's drinking water supply.
On Thursday, eight Hull residents filed a $500 million lawsuit against the railroad giant, claiming their health problems are due to creosote exposure, and CSX is responsible.
"There seems to be an inordinate amount of cancer in the community," said David Carlton, a Punta Gorda attorney representing the residents. "It's generation after generation of cancer out there."
Misty Skipper, a spokeswoman for Jacksonville-based CSX, said her company was unaware the lawsuit was filed until a news conference announcing the action Thursday morning.
"We're in the process of reviewing the lawsuit," Skipper said. "We may make additional comment once we've had a chance to review the case."
One of the eight plaintiffs, Wayne Wilson, says he suffers from chronic stomach problems. Wilson first became suspicious a few years ago when a fence went up between his property and that owned by CSX. Read More...
heraldtribune.com: Southwest Florida's Information Leader
Teen girls drinking more, AMA warns
My advise is that don't drink for your great health, I have research into few cases of teenager's some 30 years ago, today most of these middle age now are full of illness.
Therefore, I urge the teenager's don't drink alcohol.
Teen girls drinking more, AMA warns
Doctors group says alcohol firms attract girls with sweet drinks
By Gayle Worland, Tribune staff reporter. The Associated Press contributed to this report December 17, 2004
Jennifer Werstein, 18, has been to enough parties to know the routine: When guys head out to buy alcohol, they ask the other guests, "What do you want us to bring back?"
"And the major response from the girls is, `Get us some of those chick drinks,'" Werstein said.
On Thursday, the Chicago-based American Medical Association publicly blamed the promotion of such "chick drinks"--sweet, fruity alcoholic beverages the AMA refers to as "alcopops"--for increased drinking by teenage girls.
The AMA released a report that said an Internet poll of 741 teens found that the average age for girls to try their first alcoholic drink is 13. By age 18, 1 in 3 had tried alcopops, the report said.
To change such behavior, the association suggests that the medical community focus on changing the social environment that encourages, even enables, teens to drink.
In the past, "a lot of the effort went to telling youths not to drink and punishing them if they did," said Dr. Richard Yoast, director of the AMA Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. "That effort was only marginally successful."
According to the Internet poll conducted this fall, girls drank more of every kind of alcohol than boys--beer, wine, alcopops and hard liquor--among teens who had consumed alcohol in the last six months.
One in 5 girls who tried alcopops "have thrown up, or passed out, from drinking," according to the report, funded by the AMA and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
"The percentage of girls who drink is on the rise faster than boys," said AMA President-elect J. Edward Hill.
Girls are attracted to the sweet taste of alcopops, "but the key to [the beverage companies'] success, we think, is their aggressive advertising," Hill said.
Along with beverages marketed as "hard lemonade" or "hard cola," alcopops include bottled drinks such as Seagram's Peach Fuzzy Navel, a flavored cooler labeled with pictures of ripe peaches and a beach scene with a lone female figure in a swimsuit strolling along a stretch of sand. The label on a bottle of Bartles & Jaymes' Strawberry Delight also depicts an inviting tropical setting, along with a portrait of ripe berries.
The Washington-based Beer Institute, an industry-trade group, responded to the AMA report with a statement that "flavored alcohol beverages are not new products in the marketplace, and marketing for these products is directed at adults."
The Beer Institute also pointed to two recent statements by the Federal Trade Commission that the agency has found no evidence that the drinks, also known as flavored malt beverages, are targeted at an underage market.
Sales of alcopops could be flat or even declining, market trackers say. Sales of Smirnoff Ice were down 32 percent over last year, and sales of Mike's Hard Lemonade had fallen 15 percent, according to Information Resources Inc.
Still, there are "tons of teenage girls who try those fruity drinks," said Tully Bertorelli, 16, a junior at Walter Payton College Prep in Chicago.
"Basically, kids are tricked," he said. "You see these beach pictures, like, `If you drink this, you'll probably have a party like this paradise party.'"
Werstein, who lives in Des Plaines and attends Kendall College in Chicago, said underage drinkers are attracted to both the image and the taste of chick drinks.
"Even guys," she said.
Many ads she's seen refer to the drinks as "refreshing or lemony," she said.
"I guess to some younger people, [the taste of] beer doesn't sound so refreshing," she said. Read More...
Chicago Tribune: Teen girls drinking more, AMA warns
Therefore, I urge the teenager's don't drink alcohol.
Teen girls drinking more, AMA warns
Doctors group says alcohol firms attract girls with sweet drinks
By Gayle Worland, Tribune staff reporter. The Associated Press contributed to this report December 17, 2004
Jennifer Werstein, 18, has been to enough parties to know the routine: When guys head out to buy alcohol, they ask the other guests, "What do you want us to bring back?"
"And the major response from the girls is, `Get us some of those chick drinks,'" Werstein said.
On Thursday, the Chicago-based American Medical Association publicly blamed the promotion of such "chick drinks"--sweet, fruity alcoholic beverages the AMA refers to as "alcopops"--for increased drinking by teenage girls.
The AMA released a report that said an Internet poll of 741 teens found that the average age for girls to try their first alcoholic drink is 13. By age 18, 1 in 3 had tried alcopops, the report said.
To change such behavior, the association suggests that the medical community focus on changing the social environment that encourages, even enables, teens to drink.
In the past, "a lot of the effort went to telling youths not to drink and punishing them if they did," said Dr. Richard Yoast, director of the AMA Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. "That effort was only marginally successful."
According to the Internet poll conducted this fall, girls drank more of every kind of alcohol than boys--beer, wine, alcopops and hard liquor--among teens who had consumed alcohol in the last six months.
One in 5 girls who tried alcopops "have thrown up, or passed out, from drinking," according to the report, funded by the AMA and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
"The percentage of girls who drink is on the rise faster than boys," said AMA President-elect J. Edward Hill.
Girls are attracted to the sweet taste of alcopops, "but the key to [the beverage companies'] success, we think, is their aggressive advertising," Hill said.
Along with beverages marketed as "hard lemonade" or "hard cola," alcopops include bottled drinks such as Seagram's Peach Fuzzy Navel, a flavored cooler labeled with pictures of ripe peaches and a beach scene with a lone female figure in a swimsuit strolling along a stretch of sand. The label on a bottle of Bartles & Jaymes' Strawberry Delight also depicts an inviting tropical setting, along with a portrait of ripe berries.
The Washington-based Beer Institute, an industry-trade group, responded to the AMA report with a statement that "flavored alcohol beverages are not new products in the marketplace, and marketing for these products is directed at adults."
The Beer Institute also pointed to two recent statements by the Federal Trade Commission that the agency has found no evidence that the drinks, also known as flavored malt beverages, are targeted at an underage market.
Sales of alcopops could be flat or even declining, market trackers say. Sales of Smirnoff Ice were down 32 percent over last year, and sales of Mike's Hard Lemonade had fallen 15 percent, according to Information Resources Inc.
Still, there are "tons of teenage girls who try those fruity drinks," said Tully Bertorelli, 16, a junior at Walter Payton College Prep in Chicago.
"Basically, kids are tricked," he said. "You see these beach pictures, like, `If you drink this, you'll probably have a party like this paradise party.'"
Werstein, who lives in Des Plaines and attends Kendall College in Chicago, said underage drinkers are attracted to both the image and the taste of chick drinks.
"Even guys," she said.
Many ads she's seen refer to the drinks as "refreshing or lemony," she said.
"I guess to some younger people, [the taste of] beer doesn't sound so refreshing," she said. Read More...
Chicago Tribune: Teen girls drinking more, AMA warns
Panel wants flu shots for age 50 and up -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Prevention is Better than cure!!
The best way to prevent Flu, is keep warm, drink warm water, Drink Green Tea,
Chrysanthemum & Honey Sucker Tea,
Ginger & Onion Tea
Avoid meat & fish if you got the flu. No oilly food.
Panel wants flu shots for age 50 and up
By LOUISE CHU ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
ATLANTA -- Worried that tens of thousands of doses may go to waste, a federal advisory panel wants the government to ease restrictions on the nation's supply of flu vaccine.
The panel recommended Friday that the shots be made available to everyone 50 and older.
The U.S. supply of flu vaccine was cut in half earlier this year when a Liverpool, England, factory was shut down because of contamination.
In response, the government recommended in October that healthy adults delay or skip a flu shot this season to save vaccine for the estimated 98 million people in the country who need it most - the elderly, infants or those with chronic conditions.
Those people are at highest risk of severe complications or death from the flu, which kills on average 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000 each year in the country.
But more than four out of five states report having sufficient supplies of flu shots, and at least six states have reported a surplus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
One reason is that many of the elderly or chronically ill people who were given top priority for flu vaccinations did not even try to obtain a shot because they figured they would not be able to get one. Also, the flu season has been mild so far.
A flu shot is only good for the flu season it is made for, and any excess must be disposed of at the end of the season, which can run through April.Read More...
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The best way to prevent Flu, is keep warm, drink warm water, Drink Green Tea,
Chrysanthemum & Honey Sucker Tea,
Ginger & Onion Tea
Avoid meat & fish if you got the flu. No oilly food.
Panel wants flu shots for age 50 and up
By LOUISE CHU ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
ATLANTA -- Worried that tens of thousands of doses may go to waste, a federal advisory panel wants the government to ease restrictions on the nation's supply of flu vaccine.
The panel recommended Friday that the shots be made available to everyone 50 and older.
The U.S. supply of flu vaccine was cut in half earlier this year when a Liverpool, England, factory was shut down because of contamination.
In response, the government recommended in October that healthy adults delay or skip a flu shot this season to save vaccine for the estimated 98 million people in the country who need it most - the elderly, infants or those with chronic conditions.
Those people are at highest risk of severe complications or death from the flu, which kills on average 36,000 people and hospitalizes 200,000 each year in the country.
But more than four out of five states report having sufficient supplies of flu shots, and at least six states have reported a surplus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
One reason is that many of the elderly or chronically ill people who were given top priority for flu vaccinations did not even try to obtain a shot because they figured they would not be able to get one. Also, the flu season has been mild so far.
A flu shot is only good for the flu season it is made for, and any excess must be disposed of at the end of the season, which can run through April.Read More...
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Friday, December 17, 2004
Polymeals - the Recipe for a Longer Life? - Health News Article | Reuters.com
My research & recommendation on the Drinks for Good Heart Health is:-
Drink 8 glass of Purified Water
Drink Green Tea With Meal's
Drink a little glass of Red Wine before go to bed
Polymeals - the Recipe for a Longer Life?
Fri Dec 17, 2004 04:47 AM ET By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - If you enjoy good food and don't like the idea of taking pills to reduce the risks of heart attack or stroke, it could be time to try the Polymeal.
Foods ranging from wine to fish and fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, so Dr Oscar Franco, a public health expert at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, decided to combine them in one meal.
If people over 50 years old consumed roughly the daily equivalent of the Polymeal, the researchers calculated, they could slash the odds of suffering from heart disease, one of the world's biggest killers, by 76 percent.
"The message of our paper is that a healthy lifestyle and a good balanced diet is a good alternative to prevent cardiovascular disease," Franco said in an interview.
He and his team searched scientific literature to find foods that have a proven protective effect against cardiovascular disease and then used a mathematical model to determine how much the combined effects of the individual ingredients would reduce the risk of the illness. The results are reported in the British Medical Journal
The Polymeal consists of wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruit and vegetables, garlic and almonds. The ingredients should be taken daily, apart from fish which could be eaten about four times a week, as part of a balanced diet.
Wine and chocolate must be consumed in moderation.
The scientists said the results of eating the Polymeal would be most dramatic for men, whom they estimated would live 6.6 years longer in total than their counterparts not eating the meal. They would also delay the onset of heart disease by 9 years. Read More...
Health News Article | Reuters.com
Drink 8 glass of Purified Water
Drink Green Tea With Meal's
Drink a little glass of Red Wine before go to bed
Polymeals - the Recipe for a Longer Life?
Fri Dec 17, 2004 04:47 AM ET By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - If you enjoy good food and don't like the idea of taking pills to reduce the risks of heart attack or stroke, it could be time to try the Polymeal.
Foods ranging from wine to fish and fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, so Dr Oscar Franco, a public health expert at the Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands, decided to combine them in one meal.
If people over 50 years old consumed roughly the daily equivalent of the Polymeal, the researchers calculated, they could slash the odds of suffering from heart disease, one of the world's biggest killers, by 76 percent.
"The message of our paper is that a healthy lifestyle and a good balanced diet is a good alternative to prevent cardiovascular disease," Franco said in an interview.
He and his team searched scientific literature to find foods that have a proven protective effect against cardiovascular disease and then used a mathematical model to determine how much the combined effects of the individual ingredients would reduce the risk of the illness. The results are reported in the British Medical Journal
The Polymeal consists of wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruit and vegetables, garlic and almonds. The ingredients should be taken daily, apart from fish which could be eaten about four times a week, as part of a balanced diet.
Wine and chocolate must be consumed in moderation.
The scientists said the results of eating the Polymeal would be most dramatic for men, whom they estimated would live 6.6 years longer in total than their counterparts not eating the meal. They would also delay the onset of heart disease by 9 years. Read More...
Health News Article | Reuters.com
Ancient Chinese Consumed fermented Drinks
It is interesting to know that Chinese Fermented drinks date back to 7,000 to 9,000 years B.C.. I know that the inventor of Wine is "Du Kang". In the old days the brewer's always worship him as the God of Wine, Li Pai of Tang Dynasty is know as the Saint of Wine.
Ancient Chinese Consumed Fermented Drinks
Tue Dec 7,11:51 AM ET
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Chinese were consuming fermented beverages — possibly wine — as long as 9,000 years ago, according to scientists who used modern techniques to peer back through the mists of time.
Early evidence of beer and wine had been traced to the ancient Middle East. But the new discovery indicates that the Chinese may have been making their drinks even earlier.
"Fermented beverages are central to a lot of our religions, social relations, medicine, in many cultures around the world," said Patrick E. McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
These drinks "have played key roles in the development of human culture and technology, contributing to the advance and intensification of agriculture, horticulture and food-processing technologies," he reported.
The discovery, by a team of researchers led by McGovern, is being published online in this week's early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
McGovern's team collected pieces of 16 pottery vessels at Jiahu, an early new stone age village in China's Henan province. This is the same site where archaeologists have found the earliest evidence of musical instruments, including an ancient flute.
The ceramics were dated to about 7,000 B.C. — 9,000 years ago — and the scientists analyzed residue that had collected inside the pots.
The results showed chemicals that matched residues from modern rice and rice wine, grape wine, grape tannins and ancient and modern herbs. There were also indications of hawthorn fruit.
It is interesting to know that Chinese Wine is 7000-9000 years B.C. From the history , I was told that "Du Kang" is the inventor of Wine of China. Every brewer's worship him in their home or factory. I would keep you all posted once I find more information..
"The most straightforward interpretation of these data is that the Jiahu vessels contained a consistently processed beverage made from rice, honey and a fruit," the team concluded.
The team also reported on an analysis of 3,000-year-old liquid found in sealed bronze vessels from the Chinese city of Anyang.
These vessels contained rice and millet wines, they found, flavored with herbs and flowers. Read More...
Yahoo! News - Ancient Chinese Consumed Fermented Drinks
Ancient Chinese Consumed Fermented Drinks
Tue Dec 7,11:51 AM ET
By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Chinese were consuming fermented beverages — possibly wine — as long as 9,000 years ago, according to scientists who used modern techniques to peer back through the mists of time.
Early evidence of beer and wine had been traced to the ancient Middle East. But the new discovery indicates that the Chinese may have been making their drinks even earlier.
"Fermented beverages are central to a lot of our religions, social relations, medicine, in many cultures around the world," said Patrick E. McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
These drinks "have played key roles in the development of human culture and technology, contributing to the advance and intensification of agriculture, horticulture and food-processing technologies," he reported.
The discovery, by a team of researchers led by McGovern, is being published online in this week's early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.
McGovern's team collected pieces of 16 pottery vessels at Jiahu, an early new stone age village in China's Henan province. This is the same site where archaeologists have found the earliest evidence of musical instruments, including an ancient flute.
The ceramics were dated to about 7,000 B.C. — 9,000 years ago — and the scientists analyzed residue that had collected inside the pots.
The results showed chemicals that matched residues from modern rice and rice wine, grape wine, grape tannins and ancient and modern herbs. There were also indications of hawthorn fruit.
It is interesting to know that Chinese Wine is 7000-9000 years B.C. From the history , I was told that "Du Kang" is the inventor of Wine of China. Every brewer's worship him in their home or factory. I would keep you all posted once I find more information..
"The most straightforward interpretation of these data is that the Jiahu vessels contained a consistently processed beverage made from rice, honey and a fruit," the team concluded.
The team also reported on an analysis of 3,000-year-old liquid found in sealed bronze vessels from the Chinese city of Anyang.
These vessels contained rice and millet wines, they found, flavored with herbs and flowers. Read More...
Yahoo! News - Ancient Chinese Consumed Fermented Drinks
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Some Herbal Remedies Could Be Dangerous
I would like to called upon FDA to make a sampling test on those herbal products from oversea & local to check for contaminations.
As there are too many corporations importing & producing herbal base supplements or Drinks here.
Some Herbal Remedies Could Be Dangerous
Tue Dec 14, 8:43 PM ET
CHICAGO - Dangerous levels of lead, mercury and arsenic have been found in some herbal remedies from India that are sold in the United States, researchers are warning.
Levels high enough to cause poisoning were detected in 14 of 70 ayurvedic medicine products made in south Asia and bought in Boston-area stores, according to a study by Dr. Robert Saper and colleagues at Harvard Medical School (news - web sites). Saper is now at Boston University.
The study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association (news - web sites).
Some ayurvedic products use heavy metals combined with herbs, and are sold at some U.S. health food stores and Indian grocery stores as remedies for ailments such as arthritis and diabetes.
The researchers did not examine whether people who used the products studied had become ill, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) said in July that from 2000 to 2003, it received reports of 12 adults in five states who developed lead poisoning after using ayurvedic products.
About 80 percent of the population in India uses ayurvedic products, and a U.S. health survey in 2000 estimated that 750,000 American adults also had used them, the study said.
"The number of individuals at potential risk is substantial," the study authors said.
The authors recommended mandatory U.S. testing of all imported dietary supplements for toxic metals.
Current or previous users should see their doctors about heavy metal screening, and doctors treating patients for unexplained poisoning should consider ayurvedic products a possible source, the researchers said. Lead poisoning can cause abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches and irritability. Read More....
Yahoo! News - Some Herbal Remedies Could Be Dangerous
As there are too many corporations importing & producing herbal base supplements or Drinks here.
Some Herbal Remedies Could Be Dangerous
Tue Dec 14, 8:43 PM ET
CHICAGO - Dangerous levels of lead, mercury and arsenic have been found in some herbal remedies from India that are sold in the United States, researchers are warning.
Levels high enough to cause poisoning were detected in 14 of 70 ayurvedic medicine products made in south Asia and bought in Boston-area stores, according to a study by Dr. Robert Saper and colleagues at Harvard Medical School (news - web sites). Saper is now at Boston University.
The study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association (news - web sites).
Some ayurvedic products use heavy metals combined with herbs, and are sold at some U.S. health food stores and Indian grocery stores as remedies for ailments such as arthritis and diabetes.
The researchers did not examine whether people who used the products studied had become ill, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) said in July that from 2000 to 2003, it received reports of 12 adults in five states who developed lead poisoning after using ayurvedic products.
About 80 percent of the population in India uses ayurvedic products, and a U.S. health survey in 2000 estimated that 750,000 American adults also had used them, the study said.
"The number of individuals at potential risk is substantial," the study authors said.
The authors recommended mandatory U.S. testing of all imported dietary supplements for toxic metals.
Current or previous users should see their doctors about heavy metal screening, and doctors treating patients for unexplained poisoning should consider ayurvedic products a possible source, the researchers said. Lead poisoning can cause abdominal pain, fatigue, headaches and irritability. Read More....
Yahoo! News - Some Herbal Remedies Could Be Dangerous
Another way U.S. immigrants are assimilated: Weight gain
My research is that the reason why immigrant put on weight is that they eat more junk food & Drinks in US than in their native country. If you check the label of process food or manufactured food & drinks in the super market, you would found that the Sodium, Fats, Sugar contents are excessive. Thworst things is after taking meals, they wash down with cola..
Another way U.S. immigrants are assimilated: Weight gain
By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
Bad news for new Americans: A study published today shows that simply moving to the USA packs on the pounds.
"The longer you live here, the more likely you are to be obese," says Mita Sanghavi Goel, a doctor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and lead author on the study.
The study published in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association examined obesity rates among immigrants and native-born Americans. It found that living in the USA for more than 15 years was associated with a 1.39 increase in body mass index, a scientific measure for weight.
The National Institutes of Health defines a normal-weight BMI as 18.5 to 24.9.
At least three previous studies have found similar increases by comparing immigrants with their children born in the USA. But this is the first study that examines the weight gain among immigrants over an extended time.
This is a new facet of the nation's obesity problem. Government data show that about 65% of Americans are either overweight or obese. Experts fear an explosion of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other illnesses associated with obesity.Read More...
USATODAY.com - Another way U.S. immigrants are assimilated: Weight gain
Another way U.S. immigrants are assimilated: Weight gain
By Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY
Bad news for new Americans: A study published today shows that simply moving to the USA packs on the pounds.
"The longer you live here, the more likely you are to be obese," says Mita Sanghavi Goel, a doctor at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and lead author on the study.
The study published in today's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association examined obesity rates among immigrants and native-born Americans. It found that living in the USA for more than 15 years was associated with a 1.39 increase in body mass index, a scientific measure for weight.
The National Institutes of Health defines a normal-weight BMI as 18.5 to 24.9.
At least three previous studies have found similar increases by comparing immigrants with their children born in the USA. But this is the first study that examines the weight gain among immigrants over an extended time.
This is a new facet of the nation's obesity problem. Government data show that about 65% of Americans are either overweight or obese. Experts fear an explosion of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other illnesses associated with obesity.Read More...
USATODAY.com - Another way U.S. immigrants are assimilated: Weight gain
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Canadian Fed Hires IBM To Devlop System to Detect Disease, Bioterrorism On Water- National Post
As a computer Technologist, I am certain that Computer Systems & the interface plus sensor's shall be able to accurately pin down the issues mentioned. But human element still is very importance in the on going monitoring & control.
Health agency hires IBM to develop system to detect disease, bioterrorism
Steve Lambert Canadian Press
Monday, December 13, 2004
WINNIPEG (CP) - Federal health officials have turned to IBM to help develop a computerized early-warning system to detect outbreaks of infectious disease and bioterrorist attacks.
The Public Health Agency of Canada hopes the system, being developed as a pilot project in Winnipeg, will make it easier to contain outbreaks such as the one that left thousands of residents sick in North Battleford, Saskatchewan in 2001.
"This is really cutting-edge stuff," Dr. Amin Kabani, a senior medical adviser with Health Canada, said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"If we find that this is successful and it adds significant value, then our recommendation certainly would be (to make it) a Canadian-wide enterprise."
IBM Canada Ltd will be paid $887,000 to develop a system that will instantly collect data from hospital emergency rooms, laboratories, pharmacies and other health-related facilities in Winnipeg.
The system would alert health officials to a sudden rise in the number of emergency room visitors who exhibit symptoms of a particular infectious disease.
It would also alert officials to any jump in the sale of particular types of over-the-counter medication that might be used to combat gastrointestinal or other diseases, said Kabani. Read More...
National Post
Health agency hires IBM to develop system to detect disease, bioterrorism
Steve Lambert Canadian Press
Monday, December 13, 2004
WINNIPEG (CP) - Federal health officials have turned to IBM to help develop a computerized early-warning system to detect outbreaks of infectious disease and bioterrorist attacks.
The Public Health Agency of Canada hopes the system, being developed as a pilot project in Winnipeg, will make it easier to contain outbreaks such as the one that left thousands of residents sick in North Battleford, Saskatchewan in 2001.
"This is really cutting-edge stuff," Dr. Amin Kabani, a senior medical adviser with Health Canada, said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"If we find that this is successful and it adds significant value, then our recommendation certainly would be (to make it) a Canadian-wide enterprise."
IBM Canada Ltd will be paid $887,000 to develop a system that will instantly collect data from hospital emergency rooms, laboratories, pharmacies and other health-related facilities in Winnipeg.
The system would alert health officials to a sudden rise in the number of emergency room visitors who exhibit symptoms of a particular infectious disease.
It would also alert officials to any jump in the sale of particular types of over-the-counter medication that might be used to combat gastrointestinal or other diseases, said Kabani. Read More...
National Post
Cranberry juice not to be drunk alongside warfarin
In the Chinese Herbs dictionary, the re is conflict of Herbs because of the 5 elements, I will share my research..
Cranberry juice not to be drunk alongside warfarin
08/12/2004 - Patients taking the blood-thinning drug warfarin should avoid all cranberry-based products, according to new advice from the UK’s Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), after it reviewed evidence of several interactions.
Cranberry juice has been found in recent research to have benefits on heart health, with a recent trial showing that a cranberry extract reduced stroke outcome. It is therefore increasingly prescribed for patients after a heart attack or heart surgery.
However, the flavonoids in the fruit are known to inhibit cytochrome P450 activity, the enzymes used to break down warfarin. They have previously been found to interact with many other drugs too.
The UK’s medicines authority last year warned users of this possible interaction but last month it issued new ‘formal’ advice for patients taking warfarin.
The safety committee says it has received a total of 12 reports of suspected interactions involving warfarin and cranberry juice.
It added that: “It is not possible to define a safe quantity or brand of cranberry juice, therefore patients taking warfarin should be advised to avoid this drink unless the health benefits are considered to outweigh any risks.Read More....
Cranberry juice not to be drunk alongside warfarin
Cranberry juice not to be drunk alongside warfarin
08/12/2004 - Patients taking the blood-thinning drug warfarin should avoid all cranberry-based products, according to new advice from the UK’s Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), after it reviewed evidence of several interactions.
Cranberry juice has been found in recent research to have benefits on heart health, with a recent trial showing that a cranberry extract reduced stroke outcome. It is therefore increasingly prescribed for patients after a heart attack or heart surgery.
However, the flavonoids in the fruit are known to inhibit cytochrome P450 activity, the enzymes used to break down warfarin. They have previously been found to interact with many other drugs too.
The UK’s medicines authority last year warned users of this possible interaction but last month it issued new ‘formal’ advice for patients taking warfarin.
The safety committee says it has received a total of 12 reports of suspected interactions involving warfarin and cranberry juice.
It added that: “It is not possible to define a safe quantity or brand of cranberry juice, therefore patients taking warfarin should be advised to avoid this drink unless the health benefits are considered to outweigh any risks.Read More....
Cranberry juice not to be drunk alongside warfarin
Monday, December 13, 2004
Cranberries get thumbs-up from UK dentists
According to the Chinese Herbs dictionary; Cranberries is good for the prostate health, it also help to clean the blood. This report is worth reading..
Cranberries get thumbs-up from UK dentists
13/12/2004 - Cranberries have been given a major promotion in the UK as a leading dental charity advises they could help prevent a host of oral health problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
The British Dental Health Foundation, which offers impartial dental advice to the public, is basing the advice on findings from the University of Rochester that showed cranberry juice stops harmful bacteria from sticking to the teeth.
This prevents the formation of plaque responsible for tooth decay and gum disease.
The fruits are already consumed for their benefits on heart health and for urinary tract health. France has recently approved the health claim that cranberries can ‘help reduce the adhesion of certain E.coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls’.
But oral health is a newer application area for marketers of the fruit. Other research from the University of Illinois at Chicago has suggested that cranberry juice may benefit oral health by interfering with viability, growth, and biofilm formation of oral pathogens.
However, the Foundation warned that the findings, presented at the Cranberry Institute's Cranberry Health Research Symposium in late October, should be treated with a degree of caution and that due to its acidity, cranberry juice should be limited to mealtimes.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, commented: “With the number of cranberry containing toothpastes and flosses on the market increasing, it seems that oral health companies are taking advantage of the benefits of cranberries."
”However, it is important to also be aware of the negatives. Cranberry juice is naturally very acidic. Every time you drink something acidic the enamel on your teeth is softened temporarily.Read More...
Cranberries get thumbs-up from UK dentists
Cranberries get thumbs-up from UK dentists
13/12/2004 - Cranberries have been given a major promotion in the UK as a leading dental charity advises they could help prevent a host of oral health problems, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
The British Dental Health Foundation, which offers impartial dental advice to the public, is basing the advice on findings from the University of Rochester that showed cranberry juice stops harmful bacteria from sticking to the teeth.
This prevents the formation of plaque responsible for tooth decay and gum disease.
The fruits are already consumed for their benefits on heart health and for urinary tract health. France has recently approved the health claim that cranberries can ‘help reduce the adhesion of certain E.coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls’.
But oral health is a newer application area for marketers of the fruit. Other research from the University of Illinois at Chicago has suggested that cranberry juice may benefit oral health by interfering with viability, growth, and biofilm formation of oral pathogens.
However, the Foundation warned that the findings, presented at the Cranberry Institute's Cranberry Health Research Symposium in late October, should be treated with a degree of caution and that due to its acidity, cranberry juice should be limited to mealtimes.
Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, commented: “With the number of cranberry containing toothpastes and flosses on the market increasing, it seems that oral health companies are taking advantage of the benefits of cranberries."
”However, it is important to also be aware of the negatives. Cranberry juice is naturally very acidic. Every time you drink something acidic the enamel on your teeth is softened temporarily.Read More...
Cranberries get thumbs-up from UK dentists
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Red wine compound may protect heart
In my last week post, I did said about the advantage of Red Wine, based on passed on experience. It is found that Red Wine would improve the blood circulations & Capillary blood flows...Based on this report, it give more finding..
Red wine compound may protect heart
08/12/2004 - A key compound in red wine could have a direct beneficial effect on heart cells, report researchers from the US, building on a raft of science that suggests this popular beverage could play a role in preventing heart disease.
US scientists suggest the potent antioxidant resveratrol may have a protective effect on the heart by limiting the effects of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.
“Overactive cardiac fibroblasts cause fibrosis of the heart tissue, which then loses its ability to efficiently pump blood,” said Joshua Bomser, a study co-author and an assistant professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University.
This latest study will provide food formulators with more ammunition to tackle the growing market for heart health positioned food products.
With nearly one in three global deaths, about 16.7 million, resulting from various forms of cardiovascular disease, the food industry is rolling out a growing number of food products designed to tackle this market.
And ingredients spearing the market cover a wide range. Tea, for example, the second most consumed beverage in the world is believed to lower cholesterol levels and protect against heart attacks.
While resveratrol is already known for helping to prevent blood clots and also possibly reducing cholesterol, this is the first time that scientists have studied the compound's direct impact on heart cells, say the researchers whose findings are published online at the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology. Read More...
Red wine compound may protect heart
Red wine compound may protect heart
08/12/2004 - A key compound in red wine could have a direct beneficial effect on heart cells, report researchers from the US, building on a raft of science that suggests this popular beverage could play a role in preventing heart disease.
US scientists suggest the potent antioxidant resveratrol may have a protective effect on the heart by limiting the effects of a condition called cardiac fibrosis.
“Overactive cardiac fibroblasts cause fibrosis of the heart tissue, which then loses its ability to efficiently pump blood,” said Joshua Bomser, a study co-author and an assistant professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University.
This latest study will provide food formulators with more ammunition to tackle the growing market for heart health positioned food products.
With nearly one in three global deaths, about 16.7 million, resulting from various forms of cardiovascular disease, the food industry is rolling out a growing number of food products designed to tackle this market.
And ingredients spearing the market cover a wide range. Tea, for example, the second most consumed beverage in the world is believed to lower cholesterol levels and protect against heart attacks.
While resveratrol is already known for helping to prevent blood clots and also possibly reducing cholesterol, this is the first time that scientists have studied the compound's direct impact on heart cells, say the researchers whose findings are published online at the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology. Read More...
Red wine compound may protect heart
Dover- MTBE Found In Drinking Water?? - www.newszap.com
The safest thing to do is make sure that you select a Drinking Water system at home or in the office that is NSF certified.
Leak to fuel additive ban?; Substance blamed for contaminating Dover wells
By Tom Eldred, Delaware State News
DOVER - Confirmation of private wells in south Dover being contaminated with MTBE has again raised the question of whether the controversial gasoline additive should be banned in Delaware.
The Delaware State News reported Wednesday that at least 21 private wells southeast of U.S. 13 in Dover are polluted with MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) because of a gasoline leak at a nearby service station.
Meanwhile, a second station in the same neighborhood has been identified as the possible source of another leak.
Officials from the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control fear both emissions could be forming individual 'plumes'' of pollution flowing underground toward Moores Lake.
According to the Delaware Division of Public Health, there are about 141,000 private well owners in Delaware, or 18 percent of residents.
MTBE is a chemical that is added to gasoline to increase octane and help reduce harmful emissions from vehicle exhausts. Use began in the 1970s to replace lead in gasoline and increased in the 1990s as a method to meet oxygenate mandates in the federal Clean Air Act.
Because MTBE dissolves quickly in water and takes longer to break down than other chemicals, it can easily invade wells and other sources of drinking water.
When concentrations reach higher-than-accepted levels, MTBE can cause water to have a bitter taste like turpentine. Tests have shown that extremely high levels cause cancer in rodents.
Rep. Richard C. Cathcart, R-Middletown, has been trying for years to prohibit the use of MTBE in Delaware because of repeated gasoline spills and leaks from fuel storage tanks.
He's been the prime sponsor of House Bill 249, which seeks to ban MTBE from all gasoline sold or distributed in Delaware.
The measure passed the state House of Representatives in 2002 and 2004 but failed to make it to the full Senate for a vote.
'We definitely plan to re-introduce this legislation during the next session,'' Rep. Cathcart said Wednesday.
'Three or four years ago Artesian Water Co. had a problem when one of their wells became contaminated from a Superfund site. I started looking into it. MTBE moves very quickly. It's a very volatile chemical and possible carcinogen. It's also very expensive and difficult to remove from the aquifer.''
Rep. Cathcart said he was surprised HB 249 bogged down in the Senate.
'I have no clue why it stalled,'' he said. 'I don't know of any lobbying interest that's opposing it. We're certainly not the first state to ban it.''
At least 18 states have already passed legislation prohibiting the use of MTBE." Read More...
www.newszap.com:
Leak to fuel additive ban?; Substance blamed for contaminating Dover wells
By Tom Eldred, Delaware State News
DOVER - Confirmation of private wells in south Dover being contaminated with MTBE has again raised the question of whether the controversial gasoline additive should be banned in Delaware.
The Delaware State News reported Wednesday that at least 21 private wells southeast of U.S. 13 in Dover are polluted with MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) because of a gasoline leak at a nearby service station.
Meanwhile, a second station in the same neighborhood has been identified as the possible source of another leak.
Officials from the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control fear both emissions could be forming individual 'plumes'' of pollution flowing underground toward Moores Lake.
According to the Delaware Division of Public Health, there are about 141,000 private well owners in Delaware, or 18 percent of residents.
MTBE is a chemical that is added to gasoline to increase octane and help reduce harmful emissions from vehicle exhausts. Use began in the 1970s to replace lead in gasoline and increased in the 1990s as a method to meet oxygenate mandates in the federal Clean Air Act.
Because MTBE dissolves quickly in water and takes longer to break down than other chemicals, it can easily invade wells and other sources of drinking water.
When concentrations reach higher-than-accepted levels, MTBE can cause water to have a bitter taste like turpentine. Tests have shown that extremely high levels cause cancer in rodents.
Rep. Richard C. Cathcart, R-Middletown, has been trying for years to prohibit the use of MTBE in Delaware because of repeated gasoline spills and leaks from fuel storage tanks.
He's been the prime sponsor of House Bill 249, which seeks to ban MTBE from all gasoline sold or distributed in Delaware.
The measure passed the state House of Representatives in 2002 and 2004 but failed to make it to the full Senate for a vote.
'We definitely plan to re-introduce this legislation during the next session,'' Rep. Cathcart said Wednesday.
'Three or four years ago Artesian Water Co. had a problem when one of their wells became contaminated from a Superfund site. I started looking into it. MTBE moves very quickly. It's a very volatile chemical and possible carcinogen. It's also very expensive and difficult to remove from the aquifer.''
Rep. Cathcart said he was surprised HB 249 bogged down in the Senate.
'I have no clue why it stalled,'' he said. 'I don't know of any lobbying interest that's opposing it. We're certainly not the first state to ban it.''
At least 18 states have already passed legislation prohibiting the use of MTBE." Read More...
www.newszap.com:
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Test Shows Who Needs Chemo for Cancer - Yahoo! News -
In my opinion, Chemo should only be use as the last resort. Take herbal drinks & Alkaline water to clean out the acidic conditions of the body...
Test Shows Who Needs Chemo for Cancer
Sat Dec 11, 8:05 AM ET By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new genetic test can tell doctors which breast cancer patients need to undergo the discomfort of chemotherapy -- and suggests many women don't need to, researchers said on Friday.
Almost half of U.S. women diagnosed with a specific form of breast cancer -- estrogen-dependent cancer that has not yet spread -- can skip the chemo, the results suggest. That means about 25,000, mostly older women a year, according to the National Cancer Institute (news - web sites), which helped sponsor the study.
'The test has the potential to change medical practice by sparing thousands of women each year from the harmful short- and long-term side effects associated with chemotherapy,' said Dr. JoAnne Zujewski of the NCI's Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program.
The study results, released early by the New England Journal of Medicine (news - web sites) and also at the San Antonio Breast Cancer (news - web sites) Symposium, are based on a study of gene activity in the breast cancer tumors.
Dr. Soonmyung Paik and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere used tissue samples from women enrolled in past clinical trials of the cancer drug tamoxifen, which blocks the effect of estrogen on breast cancer cells.
About 80 percent of breast cancer patients have the kind of cancer that responds to hormone-based therapy like tamoxifen, and the drug has been shown to reduce the cancer's spread.
But the question has been who can safely get away with just surgery and either tamoxifen or newer, hormone-based drugs called aromatase inhibitors.
Paik's team used samples from 668 patients who got surgery and tamoxifen but not chemotherapy, and looked at 16 different cancer-related genes to see which ones were active." Read More...
Yahoo! News - Test Shows Who Needs Chemo for Cancer
Test Shows Who Needs Chemo for Cancer
Sat Dec 11, 8:05 AM ET By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A new genetic test can tell doctors which breast cancer patients need to undergo the discomfort of chemotherapy -- and suggests many women don't need to, researchers said on Friday.
Almost half of U.S. women diagnosed with a specific form of breast cancer -- estrogen-dependent cancer that has not yet spread -- can skip the chemo, the results suggest. That means about 25,000, mostly older women a year, according to the National Cancer Institute (news - web sites), which helped sponsor the study.
'The test has the potential to change medical practice by sparing thousands of women each year from the harmful short- and long-term side effects associated with chemotherapy,' said Dr. JoAnne Zujewski of the NCI's Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program.
The study results, released early by the New England Journal of Medicine (news - web sites) and also at the San Antonio Breast Cancer (news - web sites) Symposium, are based on a study of gene activity in the breast cancer tumors.
Dr. Soonmyung Paik and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere used tissue samples from women enrolled in past clinical trials of the cancer drug tamoxifen, which blocks the effect of estrogen on breast cancer cells.
About 80 percent of breast cancer patients have the kind of cancer that responds to hormone-based therapy like tamoxifen, and the drug has been shown to reduce the cancer's spread.
But the question has been who can safely get away with just surgery and either tamoxifen or newer, hormone-based drugs called aromatase inhibitors.
Paik's team used samples from 668 patients who got surgery and tamoxifen but not chemotherapy, and looked at 16 different cancer-related genes to see which ones were active." Read More...
Yahoo! News - Test Shows Who Needs Chemo for Cancer
Friday, December 10, 2004
Problems At Water Facility Cause People To Boil Water - WSOCTV.com - Charlotte News -
in fact boiling of water is practise in Asia for long time. You see our body inner temperature is at boiling point, however, our external body iis much cooler. According to the "Chi" theory, if one take cold water into the body, that would cause the conflict of "Chi" thus caused the illness in the future. Boiling of water before one drink should be encourage.
Problems At Water Facility Cause People To Boil Water
POSTED: 11:44 pm EST December 8, 2004
Gastonia, NC -- 80,000 people in six towns were told Wednesday to boil their water for at least two minutes before drinking it to protect themselves from possible contamination.
WSOC-TV
An electrical problem at a water facility in Gastonia forced the city to notify its customers in Gastonia, Lowell, McAdenville, Ranlo, Cramerton and Clover.
A city official said water processed at the time of the electrical problem may have too much turbidity, or particles suspended in the water.
The water could make some people sick, especially elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.
WSOCTV.com - Charlotte News - Problems At Water Facility Cause People To Boil Water
Problems At Water Facility Cause People To Boil Water
POSTED: 11:44 pm EST December 8, 2004
Gastonia, NC -- 80,000 people in six towns were told Wednesday to boil their water for at least two minutes before drinking it to protect themselves from possible contamination.
WSOC-TV
An electrical problem at a water facility in Gastonia forced the city to notify its customers in Gastonia, Lowell, McAdenville, Ranlo, Cramerton and Clover.
A city official said water processed at the time of the electrical problem may have too much turbidity, or particles suspended in the water.
The water could make some people sick, especially elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.
WSOCTV.com - Charlotte News - Problems At Water Facility Cause People To Boil Water
Memory games influence food choice?
Certainly, Memory of good food affect one choice of Food, but the most important thing to do is to discipline the type of food that to be consume, eat more health food, Oat meal, Whole grain bread, eat 5 Natural color fruit's...
Memory games influence food choice?
10/12/2004 - Fundamental research from the US sheds light on how the memory of a food can influence the eating habits of consumers, and how food makers could ultimately tackle false beliefs about a food product.
Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus suggests there may be ways, and limits, to influencing eating habits.
“We discovered that food is a surprisingly easy target for memory manipulation,” writes Loftus, in the February issue of Social Cognition.
Loftus' research team conducted two experiments using a series of questionnaires and false feedback to convince people that, as children, they had become sick after eating hard-boiled eggs or pickles.
The idea that techniques to influence consumers could be duplicated by the food industry, working in the €3.24 trillion global processed food market, is ambitious.
But despite this Loftus claims her work suggests ‘that false memories can influence future behaviour, even swaying fundamental decisions about what to eat.’
Demonstrating the popular appeal of snacks, in particular crisps, Loftus convinced people they had become sick from eating potato crisps as children. Although the participants ‘believed’ the falsehood, they did not alter their behaviour for this snack item.
"Now we're speculating that avoidance may only occur if the food item is novel," comments Loftus."For instance, it worked with strawberry ice cream," she added. Read More....
Memory games influence food choice?
Memory games influence food choice?
10/12/2004 - Fundamental research from the US sheds light on how the memory of a food can influence the eating habits of consumers, and how food makers could ultimately tackle false beliefs about a food product.
Psychologist Elizabeth Loftus suggests there may be ways, and limits, to influencing eating habits.
“We discovered that food is a surprisingly easy target for memory manipulation,” writes Loftus, in the February issue of Social Cognition.
Loftus' research team conducted two experiments using a series of questionnaires and false feedback to convince people that, as children, they had become sick after eating hard-boiled eggs or pickles.
The idea that techniques to influence consumers could be duplicated by the food industry, working in the €3.24 trillion global processed food market, is ambitious.
But despite this Loftus claims her work suggests ‘that false memories can influence future behaviour, even swaying fundamental decisions about what to eat.’
Demonstrating the popular appeal of snacks, in particular crisps, Loftus convinced people they had become sick from eating potato crisps as children. Although the participants ‘believed’ the falsehood, they did not alter their behaviour for this snack item.
"Now we're speculating that avoidance may only occur if the food item is novel," comments Loftus."For instance, it worked with strawberry ice cream," she added. Read More....
Memory games influence food choice?
US aims to fight diabetes
Preventions is Always better than having it then fighting it. On health drinks is concern, start the education wjile the kids are young, teach them not to drink Cola, drink fruit's juice, Drink purified or Filtered Water....
US aims to fight diabetes
09/12/2004 - The US health department yesterday announced a national action plan to stem the rising tide of diabetes, providing supplement manufacturers with plenty of marketing opportunities.
The HHS is describing the initiative as a “step-by-step guide to activities and resources against a disease that affects more than 18 million Americans”.
"The most effective way to bring this problem under control is for government, business, health care providers, schools, communities and the media, as well as people with diabetes and their families to work together," said HHS secretary Tommy Thompson.
The diabetes action plan focuses on specific, attainable action steps such as reducing fat consumption, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and getting screened for diabetes.
The HHS is putting a certain emphasis on the role of the food industry, suggesting the need, for example, for healthy food in vending machines and cafeterias.
The global incidence of the risk factors that cause diabetes, collectively known as the ‘metabolic syndrome’, is soaring. The clinical conditions linked to the metabolic syndrome are obesity, type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood fats and raised blood pressure. Each of these conditions is a risk-factor for the metabolic syndrome in its own right, but if individuals have more than one of these conditions the risk is multiplied.
In most cases, development of the metabolic syndrome is caused by eating too much of the wrong kind of foods and taking too little exercise.
Further research into the impact of diet on these risk factors could however help supplement and functional food makers offer products designed to reduce risk for some of the thousands forecast to develop the disease. Read More...
US aims to fight diabetes
US aims to fight diabetes
09/12/2004 - The US health department yesterday announced a national action plan to stem the rising tide of diabetes, providing supplement manufacturers with plenty of marketing opportunities.
The HHS is describing the initiative as a “step-by-step guide to activities and resources against a disease that affects more than 18 million Americans”.
"The most effective way to bring this problem under control is for government, business, health care providers, schools, communities and the media, as well as people with diabetes and their families to work together," said HHS secretary Tommy Thompson.
The diabetes action plan focuses on specific, attainable action steps such as reducing fat consumption, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and getting screened for diabetes.
The HHS is putting a certain emphasis on the role of the food industry, suggesting the need, for example, for healthy food in vending machines and cafeterias.
The global incidence of the risk factors that cause diabetes, collectively known as the ‘metabolic syndrome’, is soaring. The clinical conditions linked to the metabolic syndrome are obesity, type 2 diabetes, abnormal blood fats and raised blood pressure. Each of these conditions is a risk-factor for the metabolic syndrome in its own right, but if individuals have more than one of these conditions the risk is multiplied.
In most cases, development of the metabolic syndrome is caused by eating too much of the wrong kind of foods and taking too little exercise.
Further research into the impact of diet on these risk factors could however help supplement and functional food makers offer products designed to reduce risk for some of the thousands forecast to develop the disease. Read More...
US aims to fight diabetes
First strawberry map to lead to better flavour?
I can envision that Nano-Tech would be employed to improve the yield of crops & fruits.Based on my observation of DNA alterations on Soya beans & the after effects on consumer's especially in Asia, I am against the DNA alterations on fruits, beans..
First strawberry map to lead to better flavour?
09/12/2004 - Breakthrough science for the popular fruit ingredient, the strawberry, as UK scientists construct the world’s first molecular map for the wild strawberry, opening up opportunities to create market leading varieties with improved flavours.
The wild strawberry (Fragaria) map built by researchers at East Malling Research (EMR) and the University of Reading in the UK should lead to greater efficiencies in strawberry breeding.
“It will provide a foundation for the development of a map for the genetically complex commercial strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa), ultimately achieved through the integration of molecular techniques like marker assisted selection,” report the scientists.
Strawberries are commonly used by food makers in a range of products, as a flavour for milk based yoghurts and drinks to the manufacture of confectionery items and pie and pastry fillings.
And good flavour in strawberry fruit is an attribute, gaining increasing importance in the production of strawberries. It is possible that the flavour of modern strawberry varieties has been sacrificed to an extent as a result of intensive production, and the tendency towards optimising yields, fruit shape and colour, and breeding resistance to pests and diseases.
So far 67 DNA markers and 23 genes controlling characteristics of potential commercial importance have been located on the wild strawberry map, that could provide a framework for the design of improved flavour profiles.
“The two species also differ widely in traits potentially important for strawberry breeding, for example, fruit size, runnering, everbearing, plant architecture and aromatic composition (flavour),” say the scientists. Read More....
First strawberry map to lead to better flavour?
First strawberry map to lead to better flavour?
09/12/2004 - Breakthrough science for the popular fruit ingredient, the strawberry, as UK scientists construct the world’s first molecular map for the wild strawberry, opening up opportunities to create market leading varieties with improved flavours.
The wild strawberry (Fragaria) map built by researchers at East Malling Research (EMR) and the University of Reading in the UK should lead to greater efficiencies in strawberry breeding.
“It will provide a foundation for the development of a map for the genetically complex commercial strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa), ultimately achieved through the integration of molecular techniques like marker assisted selection,” report the scientists.
Strawberries are commonly used by food makers in a range of products, as a flavour for milk based yoghurts and drinks to the manufacture of confectionery items and pie and pastry fillings.
And good flavour in strawberry fruit is an attribute, gaining increasing importance in the production of strawberries. It is possible that the flavour of modern strawberry varieties has been sacrificed to an extent as a result of intensive production, and the tendency towards optimising yields, fruit shape and colour, and breeding resistance to pests and diseases.
So far 67 DNA markers and 23 genes controlling characteristics of potential commercial importance have been located on the wild strawberry map, that could provide a framework for the design of improved flavour profiles.
“The two species also differ widely in traits potentially important for strawberry breeding, for example, fruit size, runnering, everbearing, plant architecture and aromatic composition (flavour),” say the scientists. Read More....
First strawberry map to lead to better flavour?
Thursday, December 09, 2004
African-Americans need to up calcium intake
While this news is reporting about the African-American, But my observation is that Asian - American also need to take the calcium supplement. If you are using R.O. Filter system, it is likely that you are also taking out most of the trace minerals in cluding calcium in your drinking water. I will give you some advise on the the water filter or purifier system.. Write me at CharlieBrown8989@gmail.com.
African-Americans need to up calcium intake
08/12/2004 - The majority of African-Americans should be increasing their intake of calcium in order to reduce the risk of contracting a number of serious diseases according to a study published this week.
A huge 89 percent of African Americans are not consuming the daily recommended amount of calcium, says the National Medical Association (NMA) in a consensus report on dairy nutrients published in the Journal of the National Medical Association.
The report suggests that African Americans should include three to four servings of low-fat dairy products daily to reduce the risk of conditions and diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and colon cancer, which disproportionately affect this population.
“New information shows a clear, beneficial relationship between a healthy diet with three to four daily servings of lowfat dairy products and the reduction of obesity and hypertension, as well as risk reduction for several diseases that affect African Americans, including heart disease and colon cancer,” said Winston Price, president of the NMA.
The vast majority of African Americans get only about half of the daily recommended amount of calcium and only half eat one or more servings of dairy a day. Of particular concern, 83 percent of African-American children (aged 2-17) are not getting enough calcium, according to the report.
The researchers have also included unpublished data from the African American Lactose Intolerance Understanding Study (AALIUS) that suggests fewer African-Americans are lactose intolerant than generally believed and this is therefore not a reason for them to avoid dairy products.
Data from the AALIUS shows that more than 75 percent of African Americans do not consider themselves to be lactose intolerant, and that 85 percent said if they knew they could avoid symptoms, they would add more milk and dairy products to their diets.
“Concerns about lactose intolerance often prevent African Americans from eating dairy products, however the good news is that lactose intolerance doesn’t mean dairy intolerance,” said Wilma Wooten, chair of the NMA consensus committee regarding this issue.Read More...
African-Americans need to up calcium intake
African-Americans need to up calcium intake
08/12/2004 - The majority of African-Americans should be increasing their intake of calcium in order to reduce the risk of contracting a number of serious diseases according to a study published this week.
A huge 89 percent of African Americans are not consuming the daily recommended amount of calcium, says the National Medical Association (NMA) in a consensus report on dairy nutrients published in the Journal of the National Medical Association.
The report suggests that African Americans should include three to four servings of low-fat dairy products daily to reduce the risk of conditions and diseases such as high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and colon cancer, which disproportionately affect this population.
“New information shows a clear, beneficial relationship between a healthy diet with three to four daily servings of lowfat dairy products and the reduction of obesity and hypertension, as well as risk reduction for several diseases that affect African Americans, including heart disease and colon cancer,” said Winston Price, president of the NMA.
The vast majority of African Americans get only about half of the daily recommended amount of calcium and only half eat one or more servings of dairy a day. Of particular concern, 83 percent of African-American children (aged 2-17) are not getting enough calcium, according to the report.
The researchers have also included unpublished data from the African American Lactose Intolerance Understanding Study (AALIUS) that suggests fewer African-Americans are lactose intolerant than generally believed and this is therefore not a reason for them to avoid dairy products.
Data from the AALIUS shows that more than 75 percent of African Americans do not consider themselves to be lactose intolerant, and that 85 percent said if they knew they could avoid symptoms, they would add more milk and dairy products to their diets.
“Concerns about lactose intolerance often prevent African Americans from eating dairy products, however the good news is that lactose intolerance doesn’t mean dairy intolerance,” said Wilma Wooten, chair of the NMA consensus committee regarding this issue.Read More...
African-Americans need to up calcium intake
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 -- According to a study to appear in the Dec. 15, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), one of five Ayurvedic herbal medical products (HMPs), produced in South Asia and available in Boston area stores, contains potentially harmful levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic.
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