Monday, January 31, 2005

Researcher finds fluoride levels in tea can affect drinkers - Fluorosis??

The Tea Council of the USA, reacting to Whyte's study, said that "when consumed as part of a healthy diet, tea poses no health risks and likely even provides health benefits."

The statement above, I agreed in someway. You see those Chinese people have been drinking for over 6,000 years of tea, right from the start of the days to the time before going to bed.. Then most of these people they would have suffer from Fluorosis?? That would be unbelievable!!

So, it is more sensible to examing the contamination of Fluoride in the Water. The best things to do is to check with the city for these data.

Also, 2 Gallons of tea per day is over the limit. One also must understand the type of tea that you drink. If for healing purpose, once you have recover, then you should not drink it that regular anymore.

Therefore, for your great health please beware of these.

Researcher finds fluoride levels in tea can affect drinkers
By ALAN BAVLEY Kansas City Star

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Take it easy, tea drinkers.

A researcher at Washington University in St. Louis has found that some instant teas contain startlingly high concentrations of fluoride. When the tea is mixed with fluoridated tap water, the fluoride reaches levels that would set off alarms at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Brewed tea contains comparable amounts of fluoride, studies show.

"For someone drinking two or three glasses a day, I don't think it's a problem," said Michael Whyte, a professor at Washington University's School of Medicine. "But you can imagine somebody in Florida or Arizona drinking two or three quarts of tea a day."

That kind of imbibing caused big trouble for one of Whyte's patients.

The 52-year-old woman had a chronic backache. Her spine and hip bones were unusually thick.

Whyte determined she had fluorosis, a condition manifest by dense and dangerously brittle bones caused by excess fluoride consumption. But he couldn't figure out the source until his patient told him how much instant tea she had been drinking: 1 to 2 gallons a day. Double strength. Her entire adult life.

Whyte bought 10 kinds of instant tea, prepared it at regular strength and sent it to two labs. The fluoride ranged from 1 part per million to 6.5 parts per million. The EPA safety limit for drinking water is 4 parts per million, and the limit for bottled beverages is 1.4 parts per million to 2.4 parts per million.

Whyte wants to alert other doctors that they also may have patients with tea-induced fluorosis. "I reckon there's more cases of this," he said.

The Tea Council of the USA, reacting to Whyte's study, said that "when consumed as part of a healthy diet, tea poses no health risks and likely even provides health benefits."

Researcher finds fluoride levels in tea can affect drinkers

Sunday, January 30, 2005

Chamomile Tea May Have Medicinal Value

According to the "I-Medicaine Sutra" all herbs/ Plan have it medical value.

In the legend records, the God/ Guru of medicine "Sheng Long" Emperor, he have a beast beside him whenever, he travel, then the beast would taste the herbs 1st, before it is bought back for the people to use it for healing.

As the illness of human is classified as "Yin or Yang" & also the imbalance of the 5 abstract elements, there always is a mixture of applications in using Herbs. So that to achieve the balance.

For Your Geat Health , if you are using any herbs for remedy, please research or consult 1st.


Chamomile Tea May Have Medicinal Value

FRIDAY, Jan. 7 (HealthDayNews) -- Chamomile tea, long touted as a cure-all for the sick or the stressed, may relieve a wide range of health problems, including colds and menstrual cramps.

Elaine Holmes, a chemist with the Imperial College London, and her team used German chamomile, also called manzanilla, whose flowers and leaves are brewed as a flavorful tea. Fourteen volunteers each drank five cups of the tea daily for two weeks.

"There have been many studies on the effects of individual ingredients of chamomile in animal models, but there have been very few studies on the effect of chamomile on human metabolism so far," Holmes said.

Daily urine samples were collected and tested before, during and after the study. A significant increase was found in urinary levels of hippurate, a breakdown product of plant-based compounds known as phenolics. Some of those have been associated with increased antibacterial activity, and this might explain why the tea seems to fight infections associated with colds, the researchers said.

Drinking the tea was also linked with an increase in urinary levels of glycine, an amino acid that has been shown to relieve muscle spasms. That might be why the tea seems to ease menstrual cramps, the researchers said. Glycine also can act as a nerve relaxant, perhaps explaining the tea's sedative value, they added.

Holmes' group found that the levels of both hippurate and glycine remained elevated for up to two weeks after the subjects stopped drinking the tea, so the compounds might work their magic for some time. Oxford Natural Products, a pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and technology company, funded the study.

The report appears in the Jan. 26 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

In other research, scientists have found that tea may have anticancer properties and may help lower cholesterol, among other health benefits.

"Other types of tea may work as well," Holmes said. "We don't know as yet." The chamomile appears to be altering the gut microflora, which leads to an increase in urinary hippurate and glycine, she explained.

"One of the most interesting findings was that the effect of the chamomile tea lasted at least two weeks after the volunteers had stopped drinking the tea," she noted. Read More...

MSN Health & Fitness - Chamomile Tea May Have Medicinal Value

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Tea and Cancer Prevention

The following report is from the National cancer Institute.

You see, the tea for daily drinking & for healing is totally different when mixture & the compound is concern.

The use of Herbals Tea to heal would be dependant upon the organ of which part of the body is having cancer. there is no one single herbal tea can actually used to heal cancer.

According to the "I-Medicine Sutra", Like Tien Chi Gingen; Barley, Ling Ci Fungus, Milktwister; Huan Lian..etc. all have the detoxine & Antioxidants to heal cancer. But one must consult the expert before drinking it for healing.

One observations is that for these Chinese Herbs for healing , it work perfect in the initial stage of the illness only. If the later stage, my advise is to go for the western medical treatment, before it is too late.


Tea and Cancer Prevention

Key Points


* The antioxidants found in tea--called catechins--may selectively inhibit the growth of cancer (see Question 1).

* In laboratory studies using animals, catechins scavenged oxidants before cell damage occurred, reduced the number and size of tumors, and inhibited the growth of cancer cells (see Question 3).

* However, human studies have proven more contradictory, perhaps due to such factors as variances in diet, environments, and populations (see Question 4).

* NCI researchers are investigating the therapeutic and preventive use of tea catechins against a variety of cancers (see Question 5).


Tea drinking is an ancient tradition dating back 5,000 years in China and India. Long regarded in those cultures as an aid to good health, researchers now are studying tea for possible use in the prevention and treatment of a variety of cancers. Investigators are especially interested in the antioxidants-called catechins-found in tea. Despite promising early research in the laboratory, however, studies involving humans so far have been inconclusive.

1. What are antioxidants?

The human body constantly produces unstable molecules called oxidants, also commonly referred to as free radicals. To become stable, oxidants steal electrons from other molecules and, in the process, damage cell proteins and genetic material. This damage may leave the cell vulnerable to cancer. Antioxidants are substances that allow the human body to scavenge and seize oxidants. Like other antioxidants, the catechins found in tea selectively inhibit specific enzyme activities that lead to cancer. They may also target and repair DNA aberrations caused by oxidants (1).

2. What is the level of antioxidants found in tea?

All varieties of tea come from the leaves of a single evergreen plant, Camellia sinensis. All tea leaves are picked, rolled, dried, and heated. With the additional process of allowing the leaves to ferment and oxidize, black tea is produced. Possibly because it is less processed, green tea contains higher levels of antioxidants than black tea.

Although tea is consumed in a variety of ways and varies in its chemical makeup, one study showed steeping either green or black tea for about five minutes released over 80 percent of its catechins. Instant iced tea, on the other hand, contains negligible amounts of catechins (1).Read More...

National Cancer Institute - Tea and Cancer Prevention

Friday, January 28, 2005

Green tea extract boosts exercise endurance in animals

This is a very encouraging finding :

American Journal of Physiology, Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology (10.1152/ajpregu.00693.2004) that green tea extract appears to stimulate the use of fatty acids by the muscle, reducting carbohydrate use and allowing for longer exercise times.

It is certain that the applications would be in Natural Herb base suplement & some sport drinks.

The 6,000 years of Green Tea history is now confirmed by moderm research. However, the research done by the herbs Guru basically derive from thousands generation of physical test. It is the habits & routine in those years & days that Tea & Green Tea are serve throughout the day & even after dinner.


Green Tea Extract Boosts Exercise Endurance In Animals
28/01/2005 - Green tea extract could become a novel ingredient for the sports nutrition industry if new findings on animals can be confirmed in human tests.

A team from the Japanese healthcare company Kao has found that mice given green tea extract regularly over 10 weeks increased their endurance in exercise by up to 24 per cent.

They explain in an online edition of the American Journal of Physiology, Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology (10.1152/ajpregu.00693.2004) that green tea extract appears to stimulate the use of fatty acids by the muscle, reducting carbohydrate use and allowing for longer exercise times.

Green tea's effect on fatty acid uptake, speeding up fat breakdown, is also thought to be the reason why it helps weight loss, another area studied by the Kao researchers, and already targeted by supplement makers.

In the new experiments, on Balb/c mice swimming in an adjustable-current water pool, endurance exercise performance was boosted up to 24 per cent when the mice were given green tea extract at a dose of 0.5 per cent of their weight for 10 weeks.

It increased 8 per cent with a 0.2 per cent by-weight addition to food, showing that the effect was dose-dependant.

Like the weight loss category, the sports nutrition sector is growing rapidly, significantly outpacing growth in the more traditional vitamins and minerals categories. In the UK, second only to Germany in terms of size, sports drinks and supplements grew 37 per cent in 2002 to reach a retail value of £166 million in 2003, according to Mintel.

But while sports nutrition has been characterized by innovation and become known as one of the most dynamic segments of the nutraceuticals industry, annual growth in the US market - the world's biggest is slowing - and manufacturers are under pressure to develop novel products with new ingredients.

The Kao researchers claim that green tea extract may be one such opportunity, although results have to be confirmed in human trials.

Nor do they yet not understand the precise molecular mechanism by which green tea stimulates fatty acid metabolism, although the researchers suggest the antioxidant properties of tea catechins may play a role.

They note that in a second part of the study, looking at one of the most potent antioxidant components in green tea (EGCG) fed to mice on its own, they found evidence to show that EGCG has at least some role to play in the overall effects of the green tea extract.

"However, because the effects of EGCG appear weak compared with those of green tea extract, we cannot rule out a possible contribution from other components of green tea,” said lead researcher Takatoshi Murase.

He added: “Although long-term intake of green tea extract enhanced endurance capacity, no marked effects were observed after a single dose, suggesting that some biochemical changes induced by habitual green tea extract intake, such as up-regulation of muscular beta-oxidation, contributed to the improvement in endurance capacity."

The study found that plasma NEFA (non-esterified fatty acid) measured immediately after exercise slightly, but significantly, increased in mice fed the tea catechins. Though they conceded that the effect of plasma fatty acid level on endurance capacity is controversial, the researchers said that increased supply of circulating fatty acids would "induce the uptake of fatty acids, and thereby stimulate lipid metabolism in muscle."

Indeed, lab results showed that muscular beta-oxidation was higher in green tea extract-fed mice than controls, suggesting that the supplement enhanced the capacity of muscle to catabolise lipids and use fatty acids as an energy source.

Taken together the experimental results "suggest that habitual exercise and the intake of green tea extract enhance fatty acid availability, catabolism and utilization in muscle, and this is accompanied by a reduction in carbohydrate use, which together result in prolonged swimming times to exhaustion."

The Kao researchers also controlled for possible influences of caffeine by reducing the amount in supplements, and possible weight-fat changes that might affect buoyancy. ....
Green tea extract boosts exercise endurance in animals

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Herbal Extract To Prevent Hangover Symptoms

This discovery of using Peel of Cactus claim to the world 1st only supplement.

It could be very encouraging news for those that suffer from hangover symptoms.

My late father during his young age, also suffer from hangover symptom, as he is a heavy drinker. What my mom does was using hot tower to put on his forehead, & then serve him a big glass of warm Ti Kuan Yin Tea. Then in the Morning when My dad is up, she would serve him a glass of Ti Kuan Yin Tea or the Ginseng Tea.

Anyway, this is the age old formular for few thousand years. Alternatively one can during a big glass of Lemon with warm water. that will work as well.

The key is still the same word, "Preventions is Better Then Cure". Drink only a little glass of Red Wine for your great Health.


World’s First and Only Herbal Extract, Clinically Proven to Prevent Hangover Symptoms, Offers Unique Investment Opportunity

Nutrimark, LLC is poised for dramatic growth. The company is the distributor of the only herbal extract clinically proven to prevent hangover symptoms, with results of the study peer-reviewed and published in a journal of the American Medical Association.1

(PRWEB) January 27, 2005 -- The patented extract, called Tex-OE™, is derived from the skin of the fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) by a patented process. For the purpose of preventing hangover symptoms, it can only be found in the product, distributed by Nutrimark, known as HPF Hangover Prevention Formula™.

When the news of the new patented herbal extract with the proven ability to prevent hangover symptoms hit major U.S. wire services, and was broadcast worldwide, sales of HPF Hangover Prevention Formula have taken off at Nutrimark’s websites and the company’s 24/7 call center. Now, to meet widespread requests from customers to offer HPF at retail stores, Nutrimark is formulating plans to market its products at retail stores across the country. In addition, the company is planning a nationwide advertising and marketing campaign to drive sales to stores carrying HPF and other Nutrimark products2. To accomplish its expansion goals, the company is currently raising capital by offering qualified investors membership units in Nutrimark, LLC.

Nutrimark’s CEO, Gerald J. Stefanko, an award-winning advertising and marketing professional with wide-ranging experience at national and international advertising and marketing firms commented. “HPF Hangover Prevention Formula is rumbling on the launch pad with all systems go. The brand, with its proprietary extract, is rapidly gaining awareness throughout the world via the media’s pickup of the patented Prickly Pear extract’s published report in the American Medical Association journal. And, as a result of HPF’s amazing effectiveness, word-of-mouth continues to promote the sales of HPF among family and friends. Nutrimark is now looking to build the capital necessary to maintain a promotional presence with persistence in the markeplace.” The company also plans to continue with an intense PR program which has already begun to build brand awareness through the placement of stories on HPF Hangover Prevention Formula and other products in national general interest and health magazines as well as reports on television, radio and newspaper stories across the country.

Nutrimark is in the process of raising its first round of investment capital. The proceeds will be used to market its product nationally and internationally. Anyone interested in finding out more about the company should contact Mr. Stefanko directly.

Mr. Stefanko, also suggests, “it is very likely that today the alcohol hangover is the most omnipresent and frequently recurring affliction in the world. In the United States alone 109 million people enjoy drinking alcohol. This presents an idea of the huge potential for sales of this product alone”.

1 An article in the June 28, 2004 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association, presents a medical peer review of a published manuscript of clinical research performed, by a noted alcohol research team, on the role of a new patented herbal extract, Tex-OE™ in preventing symptoms from the alcohol hangover. The clinical study, performed by the same distinguished medical research team, that published a comprehensive report entitled The Alcohol Hangover, presented in the Annals of Internal Medicine in July, 2000, was performed among 55 graduate medical students at Tulane University. In the double-blind, randomized placebo study conducted at typical-style college barbecue parties on campus at Tulane, the patented extract, Tex-OE, derived by a special process from the skin of the fruit of a specific type of cactus, was found to be the first product ever deemed to be “statistically significant” at preventing hangover symptoms when taken before ingesting alcohol. The published study indicates that the subjects who took the supplement (versus a placebo) were half as likely to suffer severe hangover symptoms.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Tearooms Offer a Healthy Buzz!!

Yes, there is no deny that all tea have its value in Antioxidants & also used to detoxify waste in our body. Otherwise, for over 6,000 years of history, the Chinese ancestors' & physicians, herbalists have been producing their research & study on Teas. The tea trade is actually control by the emperor in those days.

One thing from my research into "I-Medicine Sutra" all Tea have it "Yin & Yang". The effect of the Teas would also depends on the soil that grown the Teas. For example , certain people cannot drink Chysanthemum Tea, after drinking it, one would have the gas build up in their stamach.

However, someone may have drinking Oolong or Ti Kuan Yin, as these 2 tea are classified "Han-Lian" (Cooling), that would affect the heart health.

When I return to Asia in early 80's, I like to drink the green tea from "Chow Chou". Then each time after I drank this green tea, I have a stomach upset.

Therefore, one cannot over drinks one tea. Or ignorance about the type of teas your body accept. The best things is to consult the Tea Specialist &
Chinese Physician.

Therefore,, for your great Health please follow the above advise.

Tearooms Offer a Healthy Buzz

Oodles of antioxidants are contained in green tea, black tea, even oolong tea.
By Jeanie Lerche Davis WebMD Feature Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

Read the tea leaves, caffeine lovers. Tea is gaining ground over coffee. Tearooms are popping up everywhere. Even Starbucks is bucking up its tea menu.

The health benefits of tea are one compelling reason: Green and black teas have 10 times the antioxidants found in fruits and veggies, by one estimate.

For jaded coffee drinkers, tea also offers new sensory frontiers, with its roots in Chinese, Japanese, Indian, African, and South American cultures.

When you sip a chai tea latte, for example, you're enjoying a beverage born in India. "All over India, on almost every street corner, vendors sell chai tea," says Joe Simrany, president of the Tea Council of the U.S.A.

"The traditional tea lover won't like chai tea that much," he tells WebMD. "The spices -- ginger, cardamom -- overpower the taste of the black tea. But for American coffee consumers, it's perfect."

In the U.S., elegant tea salons, tearooms, and take-out tea shops are popping up everywhere, says Simrany. "Four years ago, we had one-quarter the tea salons we have today. Even coffee shops are selling more tea."

People find tranquility in tearooms, says Dominique Tanton, manager of the Dushanbe Teahouse, an exquisite traditional Persian teahouse in Boulder, Colo.

"Coffee shops are for the quick caffeine buzz before work or while you're frantically studying for a test," she tells WebMD. "A tearoom is for slowing down, relaxing, admiring the surroundings."

Small Wonder

Studies of humans, animals, and Petri dish experiments show that black and green tea is highly beneficial to our health, says 82-year-old John Weisburger, PhD, senior researcher at the Institute for Cancer Prevention in Valhalla, N.Y.

"I've published over 500 papers, including a hell of a lot on tea," says Weisburger, who drinks 10 cups daily. "I was the first American researcher to show that tea modifies the metabolism to detoxify harmful chemicals."

Green tea, black tea, oolong tea -- they all come from the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis; the leaves are simply processed differently, explains Weisburger. Green tea leaves are not fermented; they are withered and steamed. Black tea and oolong tea leaves undergo crushing and fermenting processes.

All teas from the Camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants -- meaning they scavenge for cell-damaging free radicals and detoxify them, says Weisburger.

"Astounding" aptly describes tea's antioxidant power: "Whether it's green or black, tea has about 8 to 10 times the polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables," he says.

While herbal teas may also contain antioxidants, less is known about them, Weisburger adds.

"In my lab, we found that green and black tea had identical amounts of polyphenols," he tells WebMD. "We found that both types of tea blocked DNA damage associated with tobacco and other toxic chemicals. In animal studies, tea-drinking rats have less cancer."

Look at the world's big tea-drinkers, like Japan and China. "They have much less heart disease and don't have certain cancers that we in the western world suffer," says Weisburger.

However, be careful about doctoring-up your tea, says Weisburger. One study found that adding too much milk to can greatly reduce tea's health benefits.

The Evidence on Tea

"The scientific evidence about tea is evolving and I think it's compelling," Jeffrey Blumberg, PhD, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy of Tufts University, tells WebMD.

Tea is a great example of the past decade's research of antioxidants, he says. "There is a pretty consistent body of evidence suggesting there is a benefit to tea. Tea is a very rich source of a specific kind of antioxidant -- flavonoids," says Blumberg.
Tearooms Offer a Healthy Buzz

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Day of Remembrance of My Belove Dad

The Luna Day of Remembrance


Today is The Luna Day of Remembrance for my late Dad

His merits of Upbringing & shares…Love….is always in MY heart.

Just Praying for his Rebirth at the Higher Plane!!!!!


Peace Peace Peace!!!!!!!!!

Monday, January 24, 2005

Green Tea Weight Loss Benefits Showing Results

There is no deny that Green Tea have the Antioxidant & Detoxification Value of our body.

The common Herbs used by most weight loss tea have mix of "Ma Huang" & Evening Primrose ..

One must understand about the balance of 5 abstrate elemnets & the roots of the issue of why weight gain.

Most Herbs according to the "I-Medical Sutra" have the "Yin" Or "Yang", some herbs would be conflicting with other food or Herbs one taking later.

But most important is for one to read up the knowledge about herbs, & consult the books, internet & consultant prior to taking it for your Great health is Concern.

Green Tea Weight Loss Benefits Showing Results


WARP 9's Green Tea Polyphenols Making Headlines with Consumer Weight Loss

Neptune NJ (PRWEB) January 23, 2005 -- Green tea extract has been the focus of several weight loss studies recently. In addition to its healthful benefit of strong antioxidant activity and its ability to burn more calories, green tea is now being studied for another weight loss benefit, reducing appetite.

One new product containing green tea is called WARP 9, manufactured by DynaPure Nutrition (www.dynapurenutrition.com), which has been the focus of weight loss headlines recently. Green tea extract is one of the nine main ingredients in the patent pending WARP 9 formula which contains derivatives that have been shown to reduce appetite by decreasing a hormone called leptin and increasing a chemical neurotransmitter called noradrenaline.

Leptin is a protein produced by fats that appear to play an important role in how the body manages fat storage through brain signals. DynaPure Nutrition's formulator of WARP 9 Pete Maletto explained, "Years ago it was thought by scientists that lower leptin levels would increase appetite. Current research has now found that it does just the opposite and decreases appetite. There is clear evidence that green tea's polyphenols (EGCG) are a factor in depressing leptin as well as affecting other hormone levels important in regulating appetite. This complements the many ingredients in WARP 9 that decrease appetite through other important biochemical signals such as noradrenaline which can also facilitate healthy weight loss."

Green tea is now holding promise in many areas of weight loss. Besides affecting leptin levels, green tea also increases noradrenaline levels. Noradrenaline is a chemical neurotransmitter in the nervous system that plays a major role in activation of brown fat tissue (BAT), which is the only metabolically active fat in the human body. Activation of brown fat by increased noradrenaline levels is significant because it burns calories from the white fat located around our waistline, hips and thighs.

"Increasing noradrenaline is just another one of the important weight loss advancements in WARP 9. We can expect green tea to make an impact, but it's important to include other natural ingredients that also increase noradrenaline so that WARP 9 can provide even greater weight loss benefits for the consumer" Maletto said.

PRESS RELEASE: Green Tea Weight Loss Benefits Showing Results

Sunday, January 23, 2005

White Tea - More Antioxidants??

I have travel to the various tea country in Asia & also UK.

My late grand father used to have tea plantations in Fuqian, China.

From my understanding, in the traditional classification of Tea, is by the Color of the roasted Tea. All Tea have to be roasted 1st before fermentations.

And the tea are classified as Flower Tea, Leaves Tea, Roots Tea, ... It was not classified by the Color of The Tea Drinks nor the leaves.

Then when the end of the "Chin Dynasty" the British have brought into China the Ceylon Tea, which is known as Red Tea.

According to the Chinese physician rport, Red Tea is more on the "Cold-Chi". Too much Red Tea would affect the kidney & urinate system of our body.

As on the "White Tea", most is refer to Flower Tea like Rose, Chrysanthemum, Honey Sucker...

In the "I-Medicine Sutra", each type of Herbs would have it healing or Remedy for illness.

I will share more on my research on the White Tea when I found more info....


White Tea
Sean Paajanen,Your Guide to Coffee / Tea - About.com

I'm sure you've heard of black and green tea, but white?
Black tea has been fully fermented during processing, and green has not been fermented at all. Oolong teas are somewhere in the middle. So what is 'white tea'?

Well, just like those other teas, white tea come from the Camellia sinensis plant. But the leaves are picked and harvested before the leaves open fully, when the buds are still covered by fine white hair. Hence the name. White tea is scarcer than the other traditional teas, and quite a bit more expensive.

White tea is similar to green tea, in that it's undergone very little processing and no fermentation. But there is a noticable difference in taste. Most green teas have a distinctive 'grassy' taste to them, but white tea does not. The flavour is described as light, and sweet. You should steep white tea in water that is below the boiling point.

If you are drinking tea for your health, you may want to consider white teas. There is also considerably less caffeine in white tea than the other varieties (15mg per serving, compared to 40mg for black tea, and 20mg for green). Some studies have also shown that white tea contains more active cancer-fighting antioxidants than green tea.

As with all teas, there are many varieties of white tea, with poetic names such as: white peony, golden moon, silver needle and white cloud. White teas are produced mostly in China and Japan, but the Darjeeling region of India also produces some fine white teas.
White Tea - Printer Friendly

Saturday, January 22, 2005

Sports drink improves footballers' stamina

Although, the soft drinks companies are pushing hard into the Sport drinks or energy drinks segement. There are normally would have the additives added.

I don't encourage any person to drink any artificial Energy Enhacement drinks. One must realized that any action would have the reaction later.

From my research, the best to maintence a person energy level is to Drink natural Fruits Juice, or Herbal Drinks Like the old Wild Gingsen Tea.

So for your Great Health, be mindful on what you drink.

Sports drink improves footballers' stamina
01/21/2005 - Drinking a carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink helped soccer players maintain their stamina, a small study found.

Brazilian researchers found that players who took small amounts of a sports drink every 15 minutes during a 75-minute soccer game lost less body mass and completed more sprints than players who drank no fluids during play.

The carbohodyrate group drank a 6 per cent carbohydrate-electrolyte solution.

The researchers from the University of Sao Paulo conclude in the December issue of the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (3, pp198-202) that this “indicates that supplementation with a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink during a soccer match is beneficial in helping to prevent deterioration in performance".

The findings support the growing sports beverage industry, much of which is made up of carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. Sports drink improves footballers' stamina

Friday, January 21, 2005

Heart Disease & Stroke

My late father is a fan of Strong taste food, he like food gourmet, he is a drinker , he can drink a bottle of XO a night, I still can remember he smoke 2 packs of cigarate a day. His life style did not change much till he was having 3rd time of stroke in his life.

The he begin to stop Smoking, Stop drinking Alcohols', drink soup that have less salt, he also take less sugar or no sugar. He stop eating Deep fried food. He live till 81 years old. 3 years before he departed, he always advise people not to goes through what he experienced in life.

Hence, remember, for your great health do take care of what you drink.


Heart Disease

The UK has one of the highest rates of death from heart disease in the world - one British adult dies from the disease every three minutes - and stroke is the country's third biggest killer, claiming 70,000 lives each year.

Heart attacks occur when blood flow is blocked, often by a blood clot, while strokes are caused either by blocked or burst blood vessels in the brain. A range of other conditions, including heart failure, when blood is not pumped properly around the body, and congenital heart defects can also cause long term problems, and even death, for sufferers.


HEART DISEASE

The heart pumps blood around the body carrying oxygen and other nutrients to the areas that need it. When this process is interrupted, or does not work properly, serious illness and even death can result.
The risk of heart disease is greater for people with poor diet, who smoke and do not exercise, and men are more likely to suffer from it than women.
A range of tests and treatments, including drugs, heart bypass surgery and transplants, exist to alleviate symptoms or save the lives of sufferers.


STROKE

There are two types of stroke - those caused by blood clots in the brain and those that occur when blood vessels burst. In both cases, the brain is starved of oxygen, damaging or killing cells.
Sufferers are often left with difficulty talking, walking and performing other basic tasks. The chance of suffering a stroke is cut by eating healthily, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol. People at risk of stroke are often treated with aspirin.
After a stroke, various drug treatments are available and rehabilitation is commonly used to improve patients' speech and movement.


BBC News | Health | Heart Disease

BBC News | Health | Heart Disease: "STROKE

Thursday, January 20, 2005

Perchlorate - Threat to Children from Rocket Fuel Contamination

Just imagine, in another 10 years from now, our children may be 90% having some degree of learning disabilities & attention deficit disorder.

We might be at our old age. But who is to be blame for not taking action to protect our Drinking water yesteryear??

Can you live or die in peace for not putting a united front to stand for the people to set & enforce highest standard in Drinking Water??

These certainly is not only Californian's concern, these should be a concern for the whole Nation. For our Great Health for our children wellness,
we need to act now not later.

Threat to Children from Rocket Fuel Contamination
Report Urges State to Issue Strong Cleanup Standard for Perchlorate in Drinking Water

LOS ANGELES—Perchlorate poses a significant risk to unborn babies and newborn infants at levels higher than one part per billion (1 ppb) according to a report released today. This release comes on the eve of the publication of a National Academy of Sciences report to assess the impact of perchlorate on health.

A new report by Environment California Research & Policy Center, entitled Perchlorate and Children's Health: The Case for a Strong Cleanup Standard for Rocket Fuel in Drinking Water documents the specific impacts of perchlorate exposure on children and calls upon the California Department of Health Services to set a strong standard of one part per billion (1 ppb) that will ensure substantial cleanup of contamination. Perchlorate is the major component of solid rocket propellant and currently contaminates more than 350 California drinking water sources, including the Colorado River.

"Kids and rocket fuel don't mix," exclaimed Sujatha Jahagirdar, Environment California Research & Policy Center Clean Water Advocate and co-author of the report. "State officials should act aggressively to protect California's most vulnerable citizens from this contamination."

The State of California is currently working to release a drinking water standard for perchlorate in drinking water. An initial health recommendation issued by the state suggests that regulators may be moving toward a standard of six parts per billion (6 ppb), a level six times weaker than both a safety threshold adopted in Massachusetts and a health recommendation released by researchers at the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Specific health impacts of perchlorate on children can range from learning disabilities to attention deficit disorder. Perchlorate interferes with the thyroid gland's ability to produce enough hormone. Without enough thyroid hormone, children can be born with neurological and behavioral problems. Learning-disabled students increased 65 percent faster than the general school population from 1985 to 1999. Perchlorate exposure could be contributing to this trend in combination with exposure to a variety of other chemicals polluting the environment, such as toxic flame-retardants, lead, mercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Medicine once used perchlorate to reduce hyper-enlarged thyroids,' cited Richard Saxon, M.D. and former president of Physicians for Social Reponsibility, Los Angeles. "That practice was stopped once perchlorate treatments were linked to incidents of aplastic anemia. Once can therefore image what this powerful endocrine-disrupting chemical can do to women and children suffering from poor thyroid health."

The health impacts of perchlorate on children are particularly significant given the breadth of exposure to the chemical in California. In addition to highlighting pollution levels of four to six parts per billion in the Colorado River, authors also identified perchlorate levels in local wells and other drinking water sources. Levels of contamination in source water range up to twelve parts per billion (12 ppb) in Pasadena and thirteen parts per billion (13 ppb) in Corona.

"We hope that state and federal policy-makers, including the National Academy of Sciences, take the task of protecting our children seriously," concluded Penny Newman of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice. "Any cleanup standard should protect kids from learning disabilities and other lifelong problems. Anything less is unacceptable."



Penny Newman, Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice
Jonathan Parfrey, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Environment California

Wednesday, January 19, 2005


Me & My Only Pearl Posted by Hello

Daily Drink Improves Thinking in Older Women -Study

My late Grandma live up to 99 years old, she ate lots of vege, I mean green vege & fish & Seaweeds, As she live in the island in China, the vege are imported from the mainland. It is very costly. I am told that she drink red wine at dinner & also a glass of Red Wine prior to bed.

When I met her in China, she already 91 years old that is 1989. Then her memory is very sharp, she is very alert & very accurate in her maths.

last year, the China News reported that , there is a old lady her age is 120, she is a drinker, as her dad is the wine brewer. She is very good in her memory & thinking too. These is really a interesting research.

Daily Drink Improves Thinking in Older Women -Study


BOSTON (Reuters) - Women who enjoy a drink of beer or wine daily have sharper minds into old age than women who abstain, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

The report, based on a study of nearly 12,500 nurses, adds to the apparent benefits of light to moderate drinking, which can also prevent heart disease and stroke.

"Our study suggests that moderate consumption might provide older women some cognitive benefits," said Dr. Francine Grodstein of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School (news - web sites) in Boston, who worked on the study.

Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine (news - web sites), Grodstein and colleagues said they found that drinkers aged 70 to 81 were 20 percent less likely to experience a decline in their thinking skills over a two-year period than women who did not drink at all.

On average, the women who quaffed a beer or a glass of wine each day tended to have the mental agility of someone a year and a half younger than abstainers.

Drinking more than one glass of beer or wine didn't produce a greater benefit, the researchers said. However, few of the nurses in the study were heavy drinkers.

And it didn't seem to matter whether the women drank wine or beer, according to the team, led by Dr. Meir Stampfer, also of Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Moderate alcohol consumption -- about a 12-ounce (0.35 liters) beer or a six-ounce (0.18 liters) glass of wine -- is already known to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

The Stampfer team speculated that the same effects that ward off cardiovascular conditions may also keep the blood vessels in the brain healthier, preventing small strokes that might impair thinking skills.

The researchers used the ongoing Nurses' Health Study, in which the women filled out questionnaires about drinking habits and took a telephone survey designed to assess thinking skills.

Whether alcohol produces long-term benefits is not known.

In an editorial in the Journal, Dr. Denis Evans and Dr. Julia Bienias of the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, cautioned that the findings are not conclusive.

It may simply be, they said, "that older persons who are in good cognitive and physical health may be more likely than less healthy peers to indulge in low-to-moderate alcohol consumption as part of their social activities."
Yahoo! News - Daily Drink Improves Thinking in Older Women -Study

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Folic Acid May Prevent High Blood Pressure

The following report said orange juice, Green Vege have folic acid...From My research into high Blood pressure. Most would also have the tendancy of having high cholesterol. & the artery problem. Therefore, folic acid is act as the cleansing agent.

The juice beside Orange are cranberry; Pineapple, Citrus, Grapefruit.. But a word of caution. Too much of acid would not be good for your stomach & Liver.

Folic Acid May Prevent High Blood Pressure
1 hour, 54 minutes ago

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Folic acid supplements, widely used by women to prevent birth defects, also may fight hypertension in women, perhaps because they relax blood vessels, researchers said on Tuesday.


Folic acid occurs naturally in substances such as orange juice and leafy green vegetables and is added to some products, but only high-dose supplements seem to affect blood pressure, the report said.

"This is the first major study to show an association between folate intake and prevention of high blood pressure," said John Forman, a physician and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston who led the study.

"While the findings are encouraging, we are not yet ready to recommend that women start increasing their folate intake until more research is conducted," he added.

The study, published in this week's Journal of the American Medical Association (news - web sites), was based on data from thousands of nurses whose health histories were tracked for years.

Among 93,803 women aged 27 to 44, those who consumed at least 1,000 micrograms a day of total folate -- in foods and supplements -- had a 46 percent decreased risk of hypertension compared with those who consumed less than 200 micrograms a day, the study found.

In a second group of 62,260 women aged 43 to 70, those with a high total folate intake had an 18 percent reduced risk of hypertension, it added.

None of those studied had a history of high blood pressure when the study started. It also was not known if the supplement would help men.

For women in the study who did not use any folic acid supplements, getting the substance from foods alone failed to lower the risk of high blood pressure, the study found.

Folic acid supplements of at least 400 micrograms per day are recommended for women before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects, severe fetal growth problems afflicting the brain and spinal cord that often result in stillbirths.

Forman said the substance may help women reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure because of it relaxes blood vessels and eases blood flow.
Yahoo! News - Folic Acid May Prevent High Blood Pressure
Myself & Only Daugther Posted by Hello

Monday, January 17, 2005

Naked Chocolate - Good for You Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

When I was living in Malaysia, I have the opportunity to taste the Raw Cocoa at the plantation.

The original color of the raw fruits of Cocoa out of the shell is white color. It taste a little Sour. The Cocoa seed after roasted then become Black or Dark Brown.

It is interesting that the appended report said once the Chocolate is processed it looses most of its goodies.

My experience of drinking Chocolate drinks with Milk do help me to sleep better & feel more happy. Howver, if I over taking it I used to have soar throat & constipation.

Therfore, please for your great health don't over drink the Cocoa drinks.

Naked Chocolate — Good for You Beyond Your Wildest Dreams


Raw chocolate is not only delicious, luxurious, decadent and tasty, it is also good for you. Quintessence, the most established raw food restaurant in America has created a number of desserts for Valentine's Day as an example of how good raw cocoa can really be.

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 16, 2005 -- Undeniably, Valentine’s Day is a time for chocolate. And with all of chocolate’s sexy attributes, it’s no wonder that it keeps lovebirds coming back for more. But naked chocolate is something more than sexy and plain healthy—it’s good for you beyond your wildest dreams!

There lies a huge difference in traditional, processed chocolate and chocolate in its pure form: the cacao bean. Once the chocolate is processed, it loses all of its beneficial properties.

Consumers flipped when they found out that chocolate is actually good for you. But did you also know…
· Cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times what is found in green tea*
· Eat up! Raw chocolate has higher antioxidant levels per 100 grams than most of the fruits and veggies we consume, including all berries, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and prunes!
· Raw chocolate literally stimulates the happy, sexy hormones in the brain: anandamide (bliss chemical), arginine (nature's Viagra), serotonin (the anti-stress chemical), tryptophan (anti-depressant), and phenyl ethylamine (heightens focus).
· Cacao is guaranteed to get your blood flowing! It contains high levels of magnesium, which is needed for good heart performance and lowers blood pressure.
Read More....
Naked Chocolate - Good for You Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

Sunday, January 16, 2005

Kids' Diets Have Too Much Added Sugar

I used to have big fight with my ex-wife over the serving of high sugar drinks to my only daugther.

Now , my daugther is 21, she start to be aware of the relationship of Fats & sugar & obesity. Last year when she visited me, she want me to bring her to doctor advise. I am glad the doctor she goes to advise her the same as I do.

Well, when we love our kids, there is always must love them in the right ways. Our parents may be not as good awareness compare with us about
those effect of extra sweet candy, suagr drinks... But it is our duty to share the knowledge with them. So they know the reason.

You see, many things like illness would not taken place after the body antibody is low. for exemple, my friend in Malaysia, she never follow my advise not to drink soft drink & sweet drinks, she got diebetic at the age of 28 years old. She is now suffering from pain & her loss of vision.

So if you love your Kids & yourself, do think of their Great health. Less sugar.

Kids' Diets Have Too Much Added SugarKids' Diets Have Too Much Added Sugar

Healthier Foods Often Lose Out to Sugary Ones in Children's Diets

By Miranda Hitti WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Thursday, January 13, 2005

The diets of children in this country contains too much added sugar, a new study shows.

Many American kids consume too much added sugar almost as soon as they start eating solid food. They're also not getting enough calcium and other nutrients, since sugary foods often edge out healthier fare, researchers say.

The long-term consequences could include a greater risk of obesity, heart disease, and dental cavities. Food habits adopted in childhood can be hard to change.

Just ask Sibylle Kranz, PhD, RD. She's a registered dietitian and assistant professor of nutrition sciences at Pennsylvania State University, and she's got the sugary scoop on the country's littlest eaters.

Kranz and colleagues tracked added sugar intake in 2- and 5-year-olds. The data came from children's food surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the 1990s. The surveys detailed what more than 5,400 children ate over two days.

The researchers focused on added sugar categories. Sugar is an ingredient added to many foods during processing or preparing. The study also included sugars eaten separately, such as candy or those added at the table, including syrup, and brown and white table sugar.

The researchers looked at main food sources of added sugar in preschool children including cookies, soft drinks, candy, and juices.

They didn't include the natural types of sugars, such as fructose found in foods like fruit, or galactose, a type of sugar found in milk products.

Sweet Tooth Statistics

Added sugar saturated the kids' diets.

On average, added sugar intake was 14 teaspoons per day for kids aged 2-3 and about 17 teaspoons per day for those aged 4-5. The highest level of added sugar for the younger kids was 23 teaspoons per day and more than 26 teaspoons per day for the older kids.

Sugar added up to more than one quarter of the total daily calories for 11% of the children aged 2-3 and 12% for the 4- and 5-year-olds.

Fruit drinks, high-fat desserts, and regular soft drinks were the most common sources of added sugar. They accounted for half of added sugar noted in the surveys.

Healthier Foods Sidelined

All that added sugar apparently pushed more nutritious foods off kids' plates. The more added sugar in a kid's diet, the less likely the diet contained grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy.

"Children with the highest level of added sugar intake had the lowest consumption of most nutrients and servings of grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy," say the researchers in the Jan. issue of The Journal of Pediatrics.

The kids who got most of their calories from added sugars, consumed significantly fewer calories from protein and fat, ate less fiber, and fell short on many nutrients. For instance, calcium intake was too low in 40% of the youngest kids and about 70% of the older children consuming the most added sugar.

Even those who ate the least added sugar (less than 10% of daily calories) often didn't get enough calcium.

Sugar Recommendations Questioned

Current added sugar guidelines might be too liberal, say the researchers. They note that the National Academy of Sciences recommends getting no more than 25% of daily calories from added sugar. That could be too much for preschoolers, say the researchers, calling for long-term studies.

Stricter limits come from the USDA's Food Pyramid and World Health Organization. The USDA recommends capping added sugar at 6%-10% of daily calories. The World Health Organization advises getting less than 10% of daily calories from added sugar.

Want to limit kids' added sugar intake? Look beyond the cookie jar. Lemonade, 10% fruit juices, ice cream, pies, cakes, soft drinks, and sweetened cereals were also popular sources in the study.

ISP - Modem Failure

Due to the failure of the ISP modem , Yesterday & today I am unable to post.

I shall resume posting as soon as these fault are overcome.

Friday, January 14, 2005

Milk Minerals

Ther is no dispute that Milk contain many Vitamin & Minerals. My research into the Insomnia & Constipation lead to further confirmation of what the "I-Medicine Sutra" remedy recommendation.

Drinking of warm milk with a tea spoon of honey would help those who have insomnia to sleep better.

Also for thos who have suffer from constipation for sometime would lead to colon cancer. & in the early stage of constipation. One can drink the cold milk or bitter melon juice 1st thing in the morning that would heal the constipation.

Milk Minerals

Minerals play a valuable role in the human body. The importance of minerals for bone health is mostly known and widely described.
But more and more evidence is coming available on the importance of minerals on the prevention of colon cancer, the role in weight management and regulation of blood pressure.

Milk mineral complexes are an excellent source of minerals, they comprise all minerals present in milk like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc in concentrated form. Being more than just calcium is one of the major benefits of milk minerals complexes, next to the natural, dairy appearance.

A European market study performed in 2001 has proven that consumers recognise the natural, dairy appearance as an important attribute and prefer milk minerals over chemical calcium forms. Above that, a significant number of consumers who are currently not using calcium enriched products, would even reconsider the use of these products, when they were enriched with milk calcium.

Milk minerals are already widely used and have a broad applicability. The use of milk minerals in dairy products like milk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks, ice cream and cheeses maintains the dairy origin of these products. Milk minerals can also be easily applied in bakery and confectionery products. Also for calcium supplements milk minerals are the excellent calcium source.

Milk minerals provide you the opportunity for a new generation of enriched products. The knowledge of the role of minerals in the body is growing. Milk mineral complexes comprise the range of minerals present in milk, like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and zinc in concentrated form.
Milk Minerals

Thursday, January 13, 2005

U.S. Diet Guide Puts Emphasis on Weight Loss - Drinking Milk

There are mix report about one should drink whole milk or Low fat Milk.

However, from my research & experience. drinking of whole milk would get me putting on extra LB.

Therefore , in my opinion for your great health it is better to drink Low fat Milk for weight watcher & all.

U.S. Diet Guide Puts Emphasis on Weight Loss
By MARIAN BURROS

WASHINGTON Jan. 12 - The federal government issued new dietary guidelines for Americans on Wednesday, and for the first time since the recommendations were introduced in 1980, they emphasize weight loss as well as healthy eating and cardiovascular health.

The guidelines, which follow several years of reports that Americans are fatter than ever, recommend eating many more fruits and vegetables, more low-fat milk, more whole grains and increasing exercise to as much as an hour and a half a day. But some critics question whether they will make any difference in an increasingly fat America.

In announcing the guidelines Wednesday, Ann M. Veneman, the agriculture secretary, and Tommy Thompson, the secretary of health and human services, sounded more like diet gurus than cabinet members. Ms. Veneman said that Americans spent $42 billion a year on diet and health books, indicating the nation's desire to slim down. Mr. Thompson characterized the guidelines as the government's version of a diet book.

"Tonight eat only half the dessert," Mr. Thompson said. "And then go out and walk around the block. And if you are going to watch television get down and do 10 push-ups and 5 sit-ups."

The food industry has already begun to offer more products with whole grains, fewer calories and smaller sizes.

Even critics of government nutrition policies applauded many of the changes, including recommendations that Americans eat less added sugars and less trans fats. But some said they were disappointed that no limits were set for the amount of those substances people should eat.

For example, the guidelines recommend that consumers limit trans fat, partly hydrogenated vegetable oils that have been found to be worse for the body than even saturated fat. But while the advisory committee report that was the basis for guidelines capped intake of trans fat at 1 percent of total calories, that limit was not included in the recommendations.

That was a clear victory for food manufacturers who rely on hydrogenated oils for a variety of processed foods, and who lobbied against the numeric limit. While many companies are eliminating trans fats from their products, the Agriculture Department has estimated that they are in 40 percent of processed foods.

The guidelines were a matter of intense lobbying by industry and advocacy groups over the past year.

The advisory committee, which recommended more dairy products, cited a report, partly financed by the dairy industry, that found that low-fat dairy products helped people lose weight.

After lobbying by the sugar industry, the Department of Health and Human Services helped persuade the World Health Organization in 2003 to eliminate a recommendation that sugar account for no more than 10 percent of calories.

But the final recommendation on sugar in the guidelines is actually a bit stronger than the one in the advisory committee report, which said only to choose carbohydrates wisely. The new guidelines say people should consume foods and beverages with little added sugars.

Dr. Richard Adamson, the vice president of scientific and technical affairs for the American Beverage Association, a trade group, said in an interview Wednesday that there was no proof that people gained weight because they consumed added sugar or lost weight when they cut back. Dr. Adamson said he objected to the guidelines' assertion that studies indicated that beverages with sugar and other caloric sweeteners made people gain weight.

But Dr. Kelly Brownell, director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders and a prominent food industry critic, said that over all, he was pleased. "These guidelines are a clear step ahead of where previous ones were," Dr. Brownell said. "The issues on weight control are more specific than in the past, specifically with exercise and the suggestions on limiting added sugars and caloric sweeteners and things like soft drinks."

Still, he said, specific guidelines for sugars and trans fats would have been better.

Among the changes in the guidelines is a call for whole grains to make up half the grains in people's diets, at least three ounces every day. The daily servings of fruits and vegetables rose to nine, from five. The guidelines recommend three cups of low-fat or fat-free dairy products a day, up from two cups.

Saturated fat and cholesterol recommendations remain the same: 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and less than 300 milligrams a day of cholesterol. But while the government previously recommended that fat account for no more than 30 percent of total calories, the current recommendation is a range of from 20 percent to 35 percent.

Maximum levels of sodium have been reduced from 2,400 milligrams a day to 2,300, which is about one teaspoon a day.

Previously, the government recommended a half hour of exercise a day. The new guidelines say that is a minimum and that 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous exercise is needed to keep from gaining weight. Sixty to 90 minutes are needed to lose weight. Activities could include walking, bicycling and hiking.

The biggest question is what impact these guidelines will have. They will be used to recreate or replace the food pyramid, the government's graphic depiction of a proper diet. The new version is expected in a month or two.

But whether consumers will use, or even be aware of, the guidelines remains to be seen.

"I don't think many people read them or understand them," Dr. Brownell said, "because the government puts very little muscle into marketing them. If you ask 10 people on the street do they know about this or previous guidelines no one will know anything, but if you ask them what candy melts in your mouth not in your hand, 9 out of 10 will know."

Federal school lunch programs, and other federal food programs, must abide by the guidelines. But Ellen Haas, a former Agriculture Department official, said about 30 percent of the government subsidized lunches at school did not follow government guidelines and were high in fat, salt and sugar.

At the moment the two agencies responsible for the guidelines, the Agriculture Department and the Department of Health and Human Services, have earmarked no money for promotion. Nor have they begun developing partnerships with private industry to disseminate the information in the guidelines. Read More....
The New York Times > Health > U.S. Diet Guide Puts Emphasis on Weight Loss

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Vitamin warning for liver lovers -- Herbs Drinks for Remedy

My late mom learn many basic herbs that are good for remedy from her father. I begin to take interest into the natural remedy & herbs in 1986.

As I read from the "I-Medical Sutra" the Liver is "Wood" abstract element, & the taste associate with it is Sour, too much Sour food would produce more wrinkle on the skin, the organ reflect the health of Liver is the Eye. Too much fried food would cause the vision & the Liver "heat" problem.

The Herbs drink that can brew as a tea for remedy is Chrysanthemum, Jujubee Seed, Rose, Cassiae Torae Semen.

So, please take note of these for your Great Health.

Vitamin warning for liver lovers
People should limit eating liver to once a week and be careful about other sources of vitamin A, say food experts.

Too much is toxic and increases the risk of bone fractures, according to advisers to the Food Standards Agency.

Combining supplements with vitamin A-rich foods such as liver is particularly risky, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition says.

Post-menopausal women and older people at highest risk of fractures should not have more than 1.5mg per day, it says.

Safe limits

The draft recommendations reinforce current advice that pregnant women and women trying to conceive should avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A and avoid eating liver or liver by-products because of the risk of harm to any unborn child.

It may be advisable for some population groups to limit their vitamin A intakes.
Professor Peter Aggett of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

Preformed vitamin A, called retinol, is found only in foods of animal origin and is particularly plentiful in liver.

Plant foods, such as carrots and spinach, contain compounds that are converted to vitamin A in the body, but it is unlikely that these levels can become toxic.

At recommended levels, retinol is good for the immune system and eyesight.

The advisory committee will produce a full report on vitamin A in the summer.

Committee member Professor Peter Aggett said: "The report will be reviewed in light of any comments received or new research and we will then present our final conclusions to the Food Standards Agency.

"Our initial conclusions are that although there is insufficient evidence on the relationship between vitamin A and bone health to warrant a change in advice to all consumers, it may be advisable for some population groups to limit their vitamin A intakes."

People should be able to get all the vitamin A they need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

Vitamin A is fat-soluble, which means you don't need it every day because any of the vitamin your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use.

The committee said consideration should also be given to reducing the levels of retinol in vitamin A supplements.

Dietary supplements can contain 30-100% more retinol than the amount stated on the label. Read More...
BBC NEWS | Health | Vitamin warning for liver lovers

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Coca-Cola targets rural China

Coca-Cola always is a corporation that I look upon in knowing their success in Marketin Sales & distributions. My late Dad is both the distributor of the 2 Cola corporation then.

My late mom because of the influence of her adopted father, who is a self made Chinese physician. Who will not alllow us to drink Cola. After studying & Research to the origin of life in "I-Medical Sutra", I then realized that the origination of life is from the "Chi" or Gas.

As the Cola containing the sugar & caffeine which in the long run is more harmful for our live. Therfore, please for your great health tried not to during cola or any high sugar & soft drink that may cause your health concern.

Coca-Cola targets rural China
05/01/2005 - Coca-Cola has confirmed that construction has begun on a new bottling plant in the Zhangquiu City near Jinan, capital of Shandong Province in east China. The move is part of a trend whereby large food and drink companies are increasingly setting up distribution and manufacturing operations in more rural areas.

An agreement was signed to begin construction of the plant with local government authorities to construct what will be the company’s 29th bottling facility in the country on 29 December.

Although Shandong Province borders the more prosperous and economically advanced Shanghai Province, it has remained relatively undeveloped. With a population of 90 million, capital city Jinan only has a population of 2.5 million, an indication of just how rural this predominanly agricultural province is. But the company beleives that investing in such areas is the was forward.

The move ties in with an earlier announcement by Coca-Cola’s China president Paul Etchells that the company was aiming to increase its penetration in less developed and rural areas of China.

Currently the company has over 600 dealers operating throughout the country, but distribution has concentrated on the key industrialised regions in the north-east and south of the country.

As market penetration reaches saturation point in many of the key provinces, such as Guandong and Shanghai Province, established company’s such as Coca-Cola are now finding that in order to maintain market growth they are having to increase their reach in rural areas.

With GDP growth continuing to increase in excess of 8 per cent, the prosperity that was once confined to the larger urban areas is now starting to filter back into the countryside. This has occurred as many ‘itinerant’ city workers return to the country, bringing with them the necessary capital to set up their own businesses or invest in existing smaller family businesses.
Coca-Cola targets rural China

Monday, January 10, 2005

Milk Minerals -- Prevention of High Blood & Colon Cancer

Our body need the mineral such as Calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and Zinc & many other minerals.. as well.

Our mom Milk is the original of the elements that we need during the baby time, next is the Cow Milk & sheeep milk & horse milk, in Mongolia, Sheep & horse milk are used to supplement the requirement.

In the "I-Medical Sutra", Milk is classified under "Yin" more than "Yang" & have the most balance form of 5 abstract elements of the human body & "Chi". However, one cannot over drink it & also not drinking it. It is recommend that Milk should be drink warm.

Drinking of Milk would sooth the bowel, thus reduce the tendancy of Colon Cancer. From my research finding, the Blood cells need Calcium to transport it, therefore, it also help to prevent High Blood Pressure.

It is also reminded that Milk shall not Drink or mix with Apple, Orange. As those fruits have some fruit acid would have the chemical reactions. It may not be good for our health in the long run.

Milk Minerals

Minerals play a valuable role in the human body. The importance of minerals for bone health is mostly known and widely described.
But more and more evidence is coming available on the importance of minerals on the prevention of colon cancer, the role in weight management and regulation of blood pressure.

Milk mineral complexes are an excellent source of minerals, they comprise all minerals present in milk like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc in concentrated form. Being more than just calcium is one of the major benefits of milk minerals complexes, next to the natural, dairy appearance.

A European market study performed in 2001 has proven that consumers recognise the natural, dairy appearance as an important attribute and prefer milk minerals over chemical calcium forms. Above that, a significant number of consumers who are currently not using calcium enriched products, would even reconsider the use of these products, when they were enriched with milk calcium.

Milk minerals are already widely used and have a brought applicability. The use of milk minerals in dairy products like milk, yoghurt, yoghurt drinks, ice cream and cheeses maintains the dairy origin of these products. Milk minerals can also be easily applied in bakery and confectionery products. Also for calcium supplements milk minerals are the excellent calcium source.

Milk minerals provide you the opportunity for a new generation of enriched products. The knowledge of the role of minerals in the body is growing. Milk mineral complexes comprise the range of minerals present in milk, like calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and zinc in concentrated form.
Milk Minerals

Saturday, January 08, 2005

Vitamin C passed onto infants may protect against allergies

Yes, it is medical proved that Vitamin C is high in Antioxidants. According to my research, the fruits that have high Vitamin C includes:

Lime,
Limon,
Grape Fruits
Pamelo
Pamogranade
Cranberry
Carrot
etc.

You see, the mother body is actually taking up the filtration works, before it is passed to the baby.

Anyway, according to the "I-Medical Sutra" the Fruits are more on the "Yin" or "Cooling" effect of the body. To much of Fruits Juice may also cause the other effects to the baby in the long run.

There for the great health of the mother & bady & individual, drink of juices must not be too little or too much.




Vitamin C passed onto infants may protect against allergies
03/01/2005 - Mothers who eat plenty of foods rich in vitamin C during breastfeeding could reduce the chances of their children developing allergies, report Finnish researchers.

A higher concentration of vitamin C in breast milk was associated with a reduced risk of atopy in a group of 34 infants, they report in the January 2005 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (59, pp123-128).

Vitamin E had no relationship with the condition, in contrast with previous research showing some benefit against allergies.

The researchers recruited mothers with atopic disease at the end of gestation and assessed their sensitization to allergy. Four-day food records and breast milk samples were collected when the infants were one month old.

Only dietary intake of vitamin C but not vitamin supplements was shown to influence the concentration of vitamin C in breast milk.

Higher levels of the vitamin, as well as the antioxidant beta-carotene and trace mineral selenium, were associated with a lower risk of asthma in a large study by Cornell researchers published earlier this year.

This was followed by a report from a team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore showing that children with asthma tended to have lower blood levels of vitamin C than children with healthy lungs. Read More....
Vitamin C passed onto infants may protect against allergies

Friday, January 07, 2005

Red Wine May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk

All men must beware of the Prostate Cancer. This is a great news for men.

However, from my research & reading, the Cancer in any organ in our body it is due to the conflict of the "Yin-Yang" as well as the health of cells.

The prostate health in fact is related to Kidney that is the source of "Water" therefore, it is important to take care of one health on Kidney.

As mentioned, the Taste that associate with Kidney is Salt, too much salt & fats woul caused the Kidney stone, as well as having the Cancer in Kidney & its related "Water" discharge systems, such as Prostate.

Rememebr too much of Wine would cause the Liver to get sick. So everything must be in middle & balance for your great health.

Red Wine May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk
Fri Jan 7, 3:05 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The results of a new study add to accumulating evidence that consumption of red wine may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in middle-aged men.

Dr. Janet L. Stanford, from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and colleagues studied data from 753 newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients between 40 and 64 years of age, and from a comparison group of 703 matched "controls" to assess the association between alcohol consumption and prostate cancer.

The men with and without prostate cancer completed in-person interviews about lifetime alcohol consumption and other risk factors for prostate cancer.

No clear associations were observed between the risk of prostate cancer and overall alcohol consumption, the team reports in published in the International Journal of Cancer.

However, "each additional glass of red wine consumed per week showed a statistically significant 6% decrease in relative risk" of prostate cancer, they report.

Alcohol alters the balance of hormones, Stanford's group notes, and it "contains chemical substances such as flavonoids (red wine), which may alter tumor cell growth."

They say the findings "highlight the need for further research on the biological effects of polyphenol rich foods and beverages," which includes red wine.

SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer January 1, 2005.
Yahoo! News - Red Wine May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk

Did you know milk is milk?

This is a site that I found with regards to Milk Is Milk. I am putting up here for all to share.

Anyway, in the "I-Medical Sutra" Cow Milk, Human Milk, Soy Milk have it "Yin & Yang" Characteristic too.

There are difference applications of using Milk for Healing. Milk also have the conflicting element.

For example, whenever, I have fever in my childhood day, my mom would use Condense Milk for me to drink, no rice water, no fish, no meat. in the first 3 days of the flu & fever, She may even add ginger into the Milk sometime.

Will keep posted later....

Did you know milk is milk?: "Milk is Milk

Some Milk Labels are Misleading
Some milk labels raise concern for consumers. Other labels actually mislead consumers or prey on their fears, implying that one milk is superior to another because of what it does not contain. The simple truth is that there really is no difference. Milk is Milk.

'No Hormones'
All milk produced by cows contains hormones as part of the normal biology of reproduction and lactation. There is no such thing as hormone-free milk.

'No Pesticides'
There are no pesticides added to any milk or dairy products.

'No Antibiotics'
Antibiotics are never added to milk. All milk is tested to ensure that antibiotics used to treat cows are not present in milk.

All Milk is Produced the Same Way - By Cows
Abundant and high quality milk production results from the daily management of well-fed healthy dairy cows. Some dairy producers may use a variety of technologies, but the milk remains the same nutritious product, providing vitamins, minerals, protein and calcium.

All Milk is Continuously Tested for Purity, Safety and Quality
Milk is tested numerous times before it reaches the dairy case to ensure that it meets or exceeds government standards and requirements for safety, purity and quality. These tests begin at the farm and continue throughout the processing of the milk.

Milk Labels CAN be Confusing
Federal definitions and government standards require certain information on the milk label. This helps consumers make informed choices about the food they buy.

If ingredients are added to the milk, the law requires that they be listed. One example is the addition of active cultures to make 'acidophilus cultured milk.' Another is Vitamin D, a hormone, which has been added for decades to improve the health benefits of milk.

Labels describe processing techniques which somehow change the milk. Labels will always list whether milk has been pasteurized and homogenized. Other processing steps may also be used. One example is removing water to make evaporated milk.

The simple truth is, Milk is Milk.

-- Reviewed and approved by the American Council on Science and Health.
Dr. Ruth Kava, Director of Nutrition."

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Drinking in a new year

I can understand why these days why people getting problem with their health. That is because people are buying or rather drinking based on their impulse & the genuise of advertisement.

My recommendations is for your great health, one should drink 100% Juice, Herbs Tea, Filtered Water, before bed drink a glass of
red wine.

Drinking in a new year
Syrah, screw caps and emphasis on quality among 2005 predictions
Bill Daley, Tribune food and wine reporter
January 5, 2005

Ask Chicago wine professionals to give their forecast for 2005 and you'll get their informed opinions, personal prejudices and lucky guesses. Here's what they think will be happening in the coming year:

The next hot wine

Syrah has caught the eye of a number of Chicago-area wine pros.

Bill Hoyne, wine consultant at DiCarlo's Armanetti in Willowbrook, expects syrah from California's Central Coast to take on more prominence while the thirst will continue for Australian shiraz.

Ask Sterling Pratt, wine director of Schaefer's in Skokie, about syrah and he offers a tip recently picked up from a supplier: Argentina could be the next big source.

"Growers in Argentina arbitrarily picked malbec to hang their hats on. They picked the wrong one, they should have picked syrah," he said. "If Argentina has got the climate for it, I'll be excited to see what will come out of it."

Virtual wines

A worldwide glut of grapes has meant more than good wine at even better (cheap) prices. The glut has allowed would-be winemakers to get along without their "own" juice. All they need is their own labels, said Rodney Alex, owner of Taste. Expect more "virtual" wineries coming to market, he added.

Jason Given, manager of Randolph Wine Cellars, said this trend will translate into more good wines at bargain prices, often with a catchy logo or slogan to hook customers.

Quality counts

Younger consumers are stepping up when it comes to wine, said Barbara Insel, managing director of research for MKF Group, a wine-industry consulting firm based in St. Helena, Calif. These so-called "Millennials" really like their wine.

Chicago wine sellers agree.

"Instead of two bottles of Yellow Tail, they're buying one bottle of a nicer syrah," Alex said.

Over at Que Syrah Fine Wines, Shebnem Ince said her customers also are buying more expensive wines.

"People aren't buying the $12 stuff," she said. "I sold out of two cases of Caymus at $70 a pop."

Put a cork in it -- not

Alex expects screw caps will continue to shed their declasse image and appear on more and more bottles in place of corks.

Terrific terroirs

Pratt of Schaefer's expects terroir, or microclimates, and appellations to grow increasingly more important in the California wine world. He also said Spain will enjoy an "explosion of interest."

Kafka believes South America, particularly Argentina, will become the new Australia in terms of good, affordable wines.

Italy, both north and south, continues to excite interest, according to Ince. Look for southern Italian wines from Puglia or Sicily, she said, and northern Italian wines from Friuli-Venezia Giulia or Alto Adige.

Women power

"I'm seeing less of the stuffy male collector ... the older guy who is really snooty about it," said Ince of her wine-shop customers. "I'm seeing a lot more women making the wine purchasing decisions for their families."

What that means, she said, is the female customers will actually accept help.

"They're much more open," Ince said. "It's just like directions. A man won't ask for directions but women aren't stupid. They just come in and ask and get helped right away."

Experimenting

"It's just a fun time," Given said. "The wine industry is at a stage where it's a . . . buyer's market. There are a lot of great opportunities."

Size matters

Wines are increasingly being bottled in sizes other than the standard 750-milliliter.

Expect to see more "quartinos" or 250-milliliter bottles (basically one-third of a regular bottle) on shelves and restaurant wine lists, and "mezzeliters," 500-milliliter bottles (two-thirds of a bottle).

Ince thinks bottles bigger than 750-milliliter also will find their niche, especially at large dinner parties. The bigger the bottle, the slower the aging process in general; that can be important when looking to appreciate older vintages.

Of course, the biggest question of 2005 is too early to call now or even 12 months from now: Will the 2005 vintage be prune juice or some divine elixir? You just know the wineries and their publicists will be hopeful, but it's up to you, the consumer, to decide. Read More....

Chicago Tribune: Drinking in a new year

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Energy Drinks Build Their Buzz

The Success of Business is look upon an opportunity & capitalised on it. Be it cola, juice, herbs Tea, Soup & now energy drinks; all share the common on the successful Marketing; Sales & Channel to the People.

So, beware of the specification of the each of the drink's that you choose for yourself or the family. Always ensure that no harmful additives or Chemical's is added.

I don't particularly endorse any energy drink's, as my late mom have passed on, use the natural herbs or fruits to drinks for your great health.

Energy Drinks Build Their Buzz
With the beverage industry's giants still on the sidelines, startups are doing whatever it takes to grab market share
How do you convince teens to buy your highly caffeinated, $2-a-can soft drink, when hundreds of other brands are jockeying for shelf space? Skip normal TV ads, for starters. In a field continually littered with new entries, each trying to out-extreme the other, small energy-drink companies are pursuing increasingly audacious marketing tactics.

Bridge jumping, a rocket launch, and even skydiving without parachutes have become the norm in this guerrilla-marketing street fight -- all in the attempt to garner attention and enough of a following to dominate a niche within a niche. A game of one-upmanship has broken out, which extends even to the brand names (Go Fast! recently lost its exclamatory supremacy to newcomer Crunk!!!).

Without a dominating presence by either Coca-Cola (KO ) or Pepsi (PEP ), makers of so-called energy drinks -- lightly carbonated beverages often loaded with caffeine and herbal extracts -- are all hoping they can become the next major brand. So far, only one leader has emerged: Austria-based Red Bull, a private company with roughly 60% market share and at least $150 million in annual revenue, according to Information Resources, a Chicago-based retail research firm.

MOVING TARGET. Inspired by the success of Red Bull, which began as a startup itself 18 years ago, more than 1,000 smaller players have entered the market, according to BevNET, a Boston-based beverage-industry trade Web site that reviews new products.

All the newcomers are trying to steal the spotlight, staging publicity stunts that are as jaw-dropping as they are risky, financially and otherwise. For many, clever marketing remains as much -- more, in some cases -- of a focus as the nuts and bolts of actually manufacturing and distributing the product.

The target market for energy drinks is mostly male teenagers and twentysomethings, a notoriously fickle bunch. So unlike the cola market, where Coke and Pepsi push their offerings to all soda-drinkers, most of the smaller power-drink players have decided that their best hope of gaining traction is by appealing to very specialized market segments.

"Right now there's an ability to get a toehold more quickly if you can build loyalty with a niche of the market," says Kelly O'Keefe, CEO of beverage marketer Emergence, based in Edmonton, Atlanta. "The margins are high enough that you can make money on a small run of the product."

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. Drinks have been aimed at consumers interested in extreme sports (Red Bull, Go Fast!), video games (Bawls Guarana, which sponsors gaming tournaments and encourages players to pull all-nighters), hip-hop (Crunk!!!, Pimp Juice, and DefCon 3), and even marijuana, courtesy of Merrilville (Ind.)-based brand Bong Water.

But even the tiniest of subniches have seen several competitors rise up, forcing companies to prove that their particular brands are "authentic" and "not corporate," says Go Fast! founder Troy Widgery, a former professional skydiver. That means one-upping the competition. Go Fast! sponsors an annual jumping event at a bridge in Colorado, so Red Bull struck back last June, backing a jumper who parachuted off France's Millau Bridge, the tallest in the world.

Not to be outdone, Go Fast! is now funding the development of a winged jumpsuit that will allow the wearer to glide out of a plane without a parachute. The company also funded construction of the first unmanned civilian rocket designed to be launched into space, which took off in May, 2004.

MR. RELEVANT. In the so-called Wing Suit Mission, project leader Jeb Corliss plans to land on his stomach, skidding to a halt after hitting the ground with a forward speed of over 80 miles per hour. "The guys at Pepsi haven't even been near a plane with the door off," says Widgery of Go Fast!, who adds, "same with Red Bull."

Within the hip-hop niche, rappers Nelly (Pimp Juice) and Fat Joe (Stinger) and megamogul Russell Simmons (DefCon 3) have built brands around their own, larger-than-life personalities. Jon Crecy, vice-president for sales and marketing at Crunk!!!, says each celebrity brand is out to prove it's "hipper" and "edgier" than the others. And of course, he claims his Crunk!!! label, promoted by rap star Lil Jon, reigns supreme.

"Let's face it, you can't get more relevant to a consumer than Lil Jon," Crecy says. "His music is rowdier, and he's got more energy." Thus far, Lil Jon appears to have at least mastered the art of cross promotion -- the bombastic performer named his latest album Crunk Juice and carries a bejeweled grail filled with the concoction to award shows and other public events (see "Lil Jon Crunks Up the Volume").

"That makes my drink and my brand bigger than any of those other drink brands," Lil Jon says. "I'm more of an integral part in the brand." Crunk!!! is primarily owned by liquor importer Sidney Frank, who started Grey Goose (until he sold the brand to Bacardi), and holds the U.S. licenses for Jagermeister and Corazon tequila.

GETTING THE DRINKS OUT. But edgy marketing means little in the beverage industry without solid distribution. "None of these companies will be able to go [nationwide] overnight," says John Craven, editor-in-chief of BevNet.com. A company that wants to sell its product in all 50 states needs between 250 and 300 distributors, he says.

Building those relationships remains a challenge for small companies: Go Fast! currently has about 25 distributors, and Crunk!!!, which started less than a year ago, has only six, mostly in the South and New York.

While Coke's KMX and Pepsi's SoBe Adrenaline Rush lag behind Red Bull, with market shares in the low single digits, that could change very quickly. "If you were to look 10 years back at bottled water, you wouldn't see [Coke-owned] Dasani and [Pepsi-owned] Aquafina" on the Top 10 list, says Emergence's Kelly O'Keefe. "There's still a lot of shaking out to be done." Read More....
Energy Drinks Build Their Buzz

Diet programs don't tip scale toward keeping weight off

When Dieting is concern. My late mom always dicipline the family with the Rule of Less Salt, Less Sugar in Soup & Drinks.

She always ensure that in the mid noon the family must drink atleast a glass of Barley Drinks, Ool Long or Ti Kuan Yin..otherwise, she would also server tea like Jasmine, Chyrisenthemum, Honey Sucker..

Drinks of herbs tea's or water is one of the way to clean out the toxin like Cholesteral & waste in our body.

The best way to be in control is still back to nature.

Diet programs don't tip scale toward keeping weight off
By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY

People can lose weight on popular diet programs, including Weight Watchers and Atkins, but many find it impossible to stick to them, a new study shows.

A new study found that rougly half of Atkins dieters stay on the diet long-term. Weight Watchers did slightly better with 65%.

In the study, only about half of participants stuck with Atkins and about 65% with Weight Watchers for a year.

Those who stayed with their programs lost and kept off about 10 to 20 pounds after one year and improved heart disease risk factors. This confirms research that shows committed dieters usually shed 5% to 10% of their starting weight and improve their health.

For the latest study, scientists at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston recruited 160 overweight and obese adults, ages 22 to 72, who had high cholesterol, high blood sugar or high blood pressure.

The dieters were assigned to one of four popular programs: Weight Watchers (trims calories), Atkins (slashes carbs), the Zone (limits calories) and the Ornish diet (drastically cuts fat).

Participants agreed to follow their programs to the best of their abilities for the first two months as well as attend group classes and study cookbooks. For the next 10 months, they were encouraged to follow the diets to whatever extent they wanted.

Some adhered to their diets closely; others less so. Some dropped out. Weight and heart disease risk factors were measured at two, six and 12 months.

Findings in today's Journal of the American Medical Association:

•At the end of one year, about 50% had dropped out of the Ornish and Atkins plans; 35% had abandoned Weight Watchers and the Zone. About 25% stuck very closely to the four diets for a full year.

•At one year, about 25% of participants in each group had sustained a weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds.

•About 10% of participants lost and kept off 10% of their initial weight.

•For each group, at least one person had lost 30 to 60 pounds at one year.

•In general, dieters lost half their desired weight in the first three months.

•Those who had the greatest weight loss had the best improvements in cholesterol.

•A 5% weight loss resulted in 10% improvement in heart disease risk factors.

•Those who followed the Ornish diet lowered their LDL (bad) cholesterol the most.

•Those who followed the other three plans had the biggest increases in HDL (good) cholesterol.

The idea that one diet fits all is outdated, says Michael Dansinger, director of obesity research for the Atherosclerosis Research Laboratory at the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston.

Many different strategies work, but you need to be matched up with the right one for you, he says.

"To find one that's best for you, try dating the diets as if you are looking for a lifelong partner," he says. "You may have to kiss a few frogs along the way, but once you find the one you can live with forever, stand by your plan." Read More...
USATODAY.com - Diet programs don't tip scale toward keeping weight off

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

USATODAY.com - Study: Diuretics a net plus for elderly

You see the soup that served in the restaurant or fast food chains & those manufactured food today are very high sodium contents.

I would like to advise that be it eat in & eat out when you order soup, please ensure that lower the sodium, for the package soup, you need to add more water to dilute it before you drink.

Also if you have experience sudden pinky face..then that is a sign of the high blood. Be sure not to drink spirits or wines, otherwise your may get stroke or heart attack. For your great health please beware of these.. Take care what you drink.

Study: Diuretics a net plus for elderly
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Diuretics, pills used by millions of elderly people to lower high blood pressure, clearly reduce the long-term risk of death from heart attacks and strokes, according to a study that could ease fears that the medication's risks outweigh its benefits.

Diuretics, which work by removing fluid from the body, have been used for decades. But doctors have realized in the past few years that the drugs raise the risk of developing diabetes, which itself can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

As a result, some doctors were afraid that diuretics' risks would cancel out their benefits.

The first long-term study to examine the question found that while diuretics do raise the risk of diabetes, the rate of death from heart attacks or strokes was still nearly 15% lower in patients getting a diuretic compared to those who were given dummy pills.

"This is the most conclusive information we're likely to have, at least for some time," said Dr. Jeffrey Cutler, senior scientific adviser at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a sponsor of the study. "I think this will further reassure physicians."

National guidelines list diuretics as a first-line treatment for high blood pressure. Nevertheless, some doctors have avoided prescribing diuretics since research linked them to diabetes.

The new study, published in the January issue of the American Journal of Cardiology, was partly funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation of Plainsboro, N.J. It was led by Dr. John Kostis, director of the Cardiovascular Institute at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J.

The researchers looked at chlorthalidone, a member of the most common class of diuretics.

Kostis and colleagues at University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston followed 4,732 patients with high blood pressure for an average of more than 14 years. At the end of that period, 19% of patients given diuretics were dead from cardiovascular causes, compared with 22% of those who got dummy pills.

When the study began, about 17% of patients in each group had diabetes. During the four years that followed, an additional 13% of patients on diuretics and 9% of patients on dummy pills developed diabetes.

Among patients who developed diabetes, there was a 32% lower risk of cardiovascular death in the diuretics group. Read More....
USATODAY.com - Study: Diuretics a net plus for elderly



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