Study finds low-calorie diet may actually be harmful for those with bowel diseases

Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Dietary protocols that limit calorie consumption could be a cause of decreased immune function in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), according to a recent study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. Researchers from Michigan State University (MSU) evaluated the effects of implementing a low-calorie diet on mice with IBD and found that, compared to mice on regular or high-calorie diets, the low-calorie group fared worse in overall immune function and mortality rates.

It is widely believed that high-calorie diets result in obesity, and that obesity lowers immune function and makes the body more prone to disease. While this may be partly true, at least for some people, the findings in the MSU study appear to contradict this theory. Not only did moderate obesity not appear to play a significant role in susceptibility to colitis and other IBDs in the study, but not getting enough calories was found to actually be a detriment to overall immune function.

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Smoking shisha, hookah for one hour the equivalent of smoking 100 cigarettes, claims WHO

by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) It is becoming all the rage among the younger generation in Western culture today, and has long been a popular social pastime in many Middle Eastern cultures. But the World Health Organization (WHO) now claims that smoking hookah, also known as shisha, for one hour is the equivalent of smoking 100 cigarettes, a claim that has no real basis in science.

Though it might not be beneficial per se, the health effects of smoking hookah have never really been studied in an objective, unbiased way. And since types of hookah tobacco vary in quality and content, as do the coals used to create smoke from this tobacco, it is difficult to truly ascertain how this popular new fad is affecting the lungs of the millions that now smoke it.

Even so, WHO has determined that hookah in general can be more dangerous than smoking cigarettes, despite the fact that hookah smoke passes through water where it is cooled and filtered prior to filling the lungs of smokers. And according to Professor Robert West, Director of Tobacco Studies at University College London, the smoke from tobacco itself, regardless of whether it comes from a cigarette or from hookah, can cause DNA damage, which in turn can lead to cancer.

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Sleep duration directly linked to heart disease risk

by: John Phillip

(NaturalNews) A startling number of people take a good night sleep for granted, despite the mounting body of evidence to support a restful sleep between six and eight hours every evening. In the past, studies have made a loose correlation between the numbers of hours of sleep each night and risk of diseases ranging from cancer to cardiovascular disease and dementia. Researchers from the University of Chicago are presenting the result of a study to the American College of Cardiology that explains a direct link between sleeping a minimum of six hours each night and dramatically increased risk of stroke, heart attack and congestive heart failure.

The study team found that individuals sleeping much more than eight hours each night had a significantly higher prevalence of chest pain or angina and coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart with blood and oxygen. The bottom line is simple: controlling the duration of restful sleep in a totally darkened room is a modifiable risk factor that can significantly reduce risk of heart diseases and related chronic illnesses.

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Holistic Health

The medicinal benefits of Jamaican Dogwood (Piscidia)

by: Lindsay Chimileski

(NaturalNews) Jamaica is known for its beautiful beaches, smiling people and sweet reggae music but the little island offers much more than just the typical tourist scene. The Caribbean climate enlivens the growth of lush jungles and rich vegetation. With the plants comes the medicine, so it no surprise that Jamaica has deep roots in bush medicine and herbal healing. One revered herb that comes to us from the Jamaican bush doctor is Piscidia erythrina, or Jamaican Dogwood.

Bush doctors used Piscidia for insomnia, pain, anxiety, nervous tension, acne, uterine disorders, hysteria and neuralgias like sciatica, toothaches, and migraines. Also, it was used as an external wash for any skin compliant. To cure a headache, crushed leaves are tied around the head so one can inhale the essence. For a sprain, the leaves are beaten and tied around the injury, as an anti-inflammatory.

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Foundation fights breast cancer with education focused on natural prevention

by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Most of what passes for breast cancer “awareness” in today’s society revolves around screenings, treatments, and other reactionary approaches that fail to teach women any preventive methods that will help them avoid developing the disease in the first place. But the Breast Cancer Natural Prevention Foundation (BCNPF) is taking a practical, new approach to the issue by empowering women to make certain dietary and lifestyle changes that have been proven to help thwart the onset of breast cancer.

Unlike the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which pushes cancer-causing mammograms and endless fundraising events for a “cure” that will never be found, BCNPF has made it a mission to teach women primarily how to avoid breast cancer by maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D. This simple, highly-effective, and inexpensive approach has been shown in numerous studies to disable the mechanisms that allow cancer cells to grow and thrive.

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The correct, easy way to make green smoothies for better health

by: Paul Fassa

(NaturalNews) During the 1960s and after, smoothies were presented as a healthy dairy alternative. They were made with milk, yogurt, or ice cream with some fruits and maybe even chocolate or peanut butter. These became popular as tasty items that offered the illusion of drinking something healthy.

Though healthier than cokes and other sodas, that outmoded type of smoothie can’t compare to the health benefits of today’s green smoothies. Homemade green smoothies require good water as its liquid base, fresh organic green leafy vegetables, and some organic fruit to create a creamy drink that’s full of easily digested fresh food nutrients.

Green smoothies are easier and quicker to make than juicing, but shouldn’t replace juicing entirely. They can both be used to complement each other. But for starters, making green smoothies might fit a tight budget since a decent blender is cheaper than an adequate juicer.

Green smoothies are often used as starters for going into a raw vegan diet, which is a diet that’s not for everyone. Vegans can easily incorporate green smoothies into their diet. But green smoothies and juicing will improve anyone’s health as long as processed foods and pharmaceuticals are avoided.

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Pet Health

Dealing with Whining Dogs

By: Dr. Nicholas Dodman

Dogs don’t have too many sounds in their vocabulary – there’s growling, barking, howling, whining … and that’s about it. The original function of these sounds was fairly straightforward – the growl being a warning; the bark, an exclamation; the howl, a long-distance communication; and whining, a care-soliciting call. But dogs can employ all of these sounds in different ways. Under different circumstances they use them to express a number of different desires and emotions.

It may not be surprising to learn that there are various types of growl,each implying a different level of threat (the mutter or grumble, the throat growl, and the belly growl, for example) or that barking serves more than one purpose – either beckoning, warning, or indicating arousal and excitement. It may not be quite as obvious, however, that whining can also be a flexible vocal tool.

Humble Beginnings

Young puppies whine to communicate with their moms. Whining by pups, like the crying of human infants, is a sound that is virtually irresistible, thus ensuring the pups’ proper care and attention. At first, whining is automatic, rather than planned, and is stimulated whenever the youngster is cold or hungry. The result: A visit from mom whenever one of her pups whines. She is then able to assess the need of the pup and to supply the missing ingredient. Soon, pups learn to whine with purpose.

The Next Step

Human families adopt pups at around 8 weeks of age. By this time they certainly have the whining game down to a tee, but now they must find out what effect it will have on their new caretakers. Newly adopted pups whine for the same basic reasons as before, but now there’s no mom to summon. Loneliness or boredom may precipitate their sorrowful whimpering and whining in vain hopes that she might reappear but, of course, she usually doesn’t. It’s the owner’s response to the pup’s whining that determines how things progress from this point onwards.

Owners reactions fall into three categories:

Those who ones who leave the pup to whimper unattended – the uninitiated or uncaring types

Those who approach the pup to make sure it’s all right and take any action that is necessary – the thoughtful types

Those who attend to the pup at every whine and whimper as if the pup was in mortal danger – the nurturers

Pups who wind up with uninitiated or uncaring owners eventually learn that whining is an ineffective strategy for dealing with their problems and may cease the behavior entirely. Pups mistreated in this way do not develop healthy bonds with their owners and often end up as quasi-autistic, social misfits with a tendency toward over-bonding later in life. In essence, lack of attention toward genuinely needy pups, leads to the production of overly needy, clingy adults.

Thoughtful owners, by virtue of their nature, do what is best for their pets. They are there when needed but do not allow themselves to be trained by the pup to follow his every wish and direction. The pup is never allowed to become cold or hungry and never lacks for attention when he really needs it. Pups raised this way become well-balanced adults that will whine for attention when attention is due but for the most part will be affectionate, independent, and respectful.

Nurturing owners try to answer their pup’s every whine and whimper. These owners are too easy, too nice, and fail to set limits. Pups catered to in such an attentive manner may become overly pushy adult dogs that expect their owners to jump to attention whenever summoned. Whining is a key method for such dogs to summon attention.

Whining For Attention

Some owners inadvertently condition whining in their dog as a result of consistently (or later intermittently) supplying their direct attention in the form of eye contact, praise or petting. To break this annoying habit, it is important to avoid giving the dog any whining-solicited attention. Sometimes using a neutral stimulus, like the sound of a duck call, to signal the imminent withdrawal of your attention (the opposite of the dog’s desired response) helps curtail the whining sooner than simply not responding to the dog’s demands.

Anxious Whining

Some dogs whine when no one is around because they are stressed by their owner’s absence. Such whining may be a component of the separation anxiety syndrome. These dogs whine when separated from their owner by a barrier (e.g. door) or sometimes even when the owner is asleep. Though the vocalization may arise almost subconsciously, and may be out of earshot of the nearest human being, it signals a wish to be reunited with the owner.

Excited Whining

Sometimes dogs whine, not as a message to some other creature, but in anticipation of some event. A dog that has chased a squirrel up a tree may find the object of his desire suddenly inaccessible and may whine until his prey disappears from view.

Pain-induced Whining

Anyone who has witnessed any number of dogs recovering from surgery or following trauma will probably have noticed whining in this context. Whining at such time is reflexive and automatic. Alleviating postoperative hypothermia and pain goes a long way toward reducing this type of whining, even in a semi-conscious animal.

Learned Whining

Dogs sometimes learn that whining produces a favored response from the owner. If whining gets the owner to produce a Frisbee, for example, and this is what the dog wants, then he will whine to get it. This is similar to attention seeking but a little more specific and contrived. It’s more of a communication – directing the owner what to do. This behavior derives from “cause and effect” learning where the effect is positive.

If the dog’s ball rolls under a couch, the dog doesn’t whine and the owner may fail to notice the dog’s dilemma. The result: No reinforcement of the whining.

If the dog whines in frustration at the out-of-reach ball and this causes the owner to free the ball: The dog learns that whining can work to its advantage.

Whining of this type can be used to signal many desires, if it is paired with a secondary cue. For example, a dog that is whining and pointing toward an out-of-reach food treat is signaling that he wants the treat.

Treatment

Make sure the dog receives plenty of exercise and feed him a healthy non-performance diet.
Ensure clear communication between the owner and the dog (click and treat is best).
Click and reward when the whining has stopped (wait 3 seconds).
Ignore whining for superfluous attention.

Conclusion

All dogs whine but some are more whiney than others. Whining can be almost automatic and may arise in response to certain adverse circumstances or situations, or can be used as a communication device to obtain attention or to achieve some goal. Only excessive, problematic whining requires attention. In some respects, whining in dogs is like crying in children and can be employed in a similar way. If a new puppy cries at night, he should be given some attention, so he knows he can still solicit “maternal attention.” However, whining or crying at night should not be rewarded with food, exuberant petting, or picking the pup up, otherwise bad habits can be created. Your presence for a few minutes is quite enough to let the pup know that you hear him, that you are there and that you care.

Cat soothing crying baby to sleep – too cute!

Our cat Stewie helps put our new baby Connar to sleep… cutest bit is right at the end

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Positivity In Mind and Body

20 WORDS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Tony Robbins- The difference Between a Winner and a Loser

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Summary

This research investigated the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing, characterised by recurrent arousal from sleep and intermittent hypoxemia, and poor cognition and cognitive impairment in older adults. This study involved 298 women initially without dementia, and sleep-disordered breathing was defined as their having an apnea-hypopnea index of 15 or more events per hour of sleep. Results concerning the association between sleep-disordered breathing and the risks of mild cognitive impairment or dementia were adjusted for age, race, body mass index, education level, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, medications used and baseline cognitive scores.

Compared with 193 women without sleep-disordered breathing, the 105 women with sleep-disordered breathing were more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia.  A high proportion of sleep time spent in apnea or hypopnea and having raised oxygen desaturation (both measures of disordered breathing) were associated with higher risk of mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Sleep fragmentation and sleep duration alone were not associated with risk of developing cognitive impairment.

The researchers concluded that persons (older women, in this study) with sleep-disordered breathing have an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment. This relationship appears to be related primarily to measures of hypoxia.

Full Text Link (Access requires an Athens password or journal subscription).

Reference

Yaffe, K. Laffan, AM. [and] Harrison, SL. [et al] (2011). Sleep-disordered breathing, hypoxia, and risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia in older women. JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association, August 10^th 2011, Vol.306(6), pp.613-9. (Click here to view the PubMed abstract).

Note: There is an associated commentary article in the same issue of JAMA:

Full Text Link (Access requires an Athens password or journal subscription).

Reference

Canessa, N. Ferini-Strambi, L. (2011). Sleep-disordered breathing and cognitive decline in older adults. JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association, August 10^th 2011, Vol.306(6), pp.654-5. (Click here to view the PubMed record).

“Apparently you can leave your heart in San Francisco, but your foreskin is going home with you.”

-Lewis Black on The Daily Show Nov.16, 2010

Age-old Circumcision Debate Heats Up in San Francisco
The 7,000 signatures required to put a question on the ballot in San Francisco have been obtained for a proposal to outlaw male circumcisions. A fine of $1000 or a year in jail would be levied against anyone circumcising a male under 18 years of age. A group called Bay Area Intactivists (check out their website at www.sfmgmbill.org -”mgm” stands for “male genital mutilation”) has been campaigning for the bill for years.

The debate, of course, has been going on for decades (see “The Rape of the Phallus” published in 1965). (1) The Cons have called it “unnecessary surgery”, “a needless expense”, a waste of excellent tissue for grafting if the person gets a serious burn in the future, and “something that diminishes sexual sensitivity for the male”. That last one is a particularly hard one to prove or disprove, or even get public testimony on. The Pros say it reduces the occurrence of penile cancer (a study done in Bowery bums), reduces risk of urinary tract infection in males in the first year of life, reduces HIV infection in African males, and may reduce the spread of HPV (a cause of venereal warts and cervical cancer) to females. Up until this point no one has opposed it as a form of genital mutilation.

Given the religious and cultural traditions of male circumcision (Jews and Muslims consider it a religious event, not a medical one. Australian Aborigines have practiced it probably the longest) and the non-compelling medical evidence of its benefits despite low risks, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association neither recommend nor advise against male circumcision. A reflection of this lack of compelling medical evidence either way is the family of one of my pediatric colleagues. Half of his sons are circumcised, and half are not. None of them are Jewish or Muslim, and they all seem to be doing very well in life, and love.

Screening for Autism in the Pediatric Office
Of 800 toddlers screened for autism in a Utah pediatric office 10 children “had significant signs of autism”. This is close to the CDC estimated occurrence rate of 1 in a 100.(2) 192 (24%) kids had “positive results for autism” on the 23 question paper checklist, MCAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers), completed by a parent. Only 47 (25%) of these were deemed “still positive” after a 6 question, structured telephone interview, and they were asked to return for an in-person evaluation. Of the 30 who returned, 10 of them “remained positive for significant signs of autism”.   

The messages here are: 1) ask your pediatrician for the MCAT questionnaire if s/he hasn’t offered it by age 18 months, 2) obviously don’t panic if s/he asks for more information since the MCAT is designed to be very sensitive and has lots of “false positives”, and 3) remember, the sooner that educational and behavioral resources are supplied to the child who shows significant signs of autism, the better the outcome. 

Autism is the biggest unspoken fear of new parents and has replaced fear of SIDS.
At least, that is my impression in my pediatric practice. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) occurrence has dropped dramatically in the U.S. from a level of 1.53 deaths per 1000 live births in 1980 to the current rate of 0.51 per live births. Since the cause (or causes) of SIDS is still unclear, the reason for this great reduction in risk is also unclear. Most people credit the extensive campaign of the American Academy of Pediatrics to get parents to put their infants to sleep on their backs, “Back To Sleep”, started in 1990 on the basis of studies done in Australia. Unfortunately, SIDS remains the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. under 1 year of age, and the American SIDS Institute is striving to reduce the occurrence rate this year to 0.25 per 1000. The Institute of Medicine has found no association between SIDS and vaccinations.

Most kids who avoid certain foods because they are allergic are NOT ALLERGIC TO THAT FOOD.
The “gold standard” for diagnosing a food allergy is an “oral challenge”; you give the food to the child to eat and see if an allergic reaction occurs in a medically controlled setting. 93% of  food oral challenges were NEGATIVE in 44 children who were avoiding 111 foods because of non-threatening allergic reactions (eczema, atopic dermatitis, hivesalso) AND also had positive allergy skin tests or blood tests.  Only 23% of the children who were avoiding peanuts were truly allergic to peanuts. Milk allergy was the most common over-diagnosis with only 13% of the children who were  told that they were milk-allergic based on blood or skin tests actually were. Children who had had life-threatening allergic reactions to food previously were excluded from the study. (3)

Caffeine can reduce sleep time in children, just like in “real people”.
A study of 228 children from age 5 to 12 years showed that increased caffeine consumption during the day slightly reduced their total sleep time at night. Not surprising, but what was interesting to me was that the average cola beverage consumed per day was 12 oz. for 5-7 year olds and 24 oz. for 8-12 year olds. Reassuringly, the average sleep duration for 5-7 year olds was 9.5 hours and  8.7 hours for the 8-12 year olds. (4)

But what about getting the child to actually go to sleep?
A study of over 500 New Zealand healthy 7 year olds  showed that on average they took about 26 minutes to fall asleep. The range of this “sleep latency” was 13 to 42 minutes. The 10% of these children whose parents had identified as “having difficulty falling asleep” had a much longer average sleep latency of 41 minutes. Increased physical activity during the day and sleeping longer during the night were associated with shorter sleep latencies. Each hour of sedentary time during the day added about 3 minutes to the duration of sleep latency. There was NO association between duration of TV exposure and length of sleep latency. (5)

Are those adolescents really asleep?
An estimated 75% of teens own cellphones. Since 54% of the teens use their phones for texting and about 25% log on to social media sites more than 10 times a day, cell phone use “under the covers” at night might be contributing to teen sleep deprivation(6) . An amazing  86% of 14 year olds take their cell phones to bed (7). Reminds me of the “old days” of reading magazines under the covers at night with a flashlight (note to younger readers: a flashlight is a silent tubular device without a screen that requires batteries).

References:

1. JAMA vol.193, 1965 pg. 123
2. Pediatrics 2011 May 127:866
3. J Pediatric 2011 Apr;158:578
4. J Pediatric 2011 Mar 158:508
5. Arch Dis Child 2009 Sep: 94:686
6. Pediatrics 2011 Apr; 127:800
7. Robin D’Antona, EdD, BU School of Medicine Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Conference, Mar 25, 2011

Sleep Duration is Important to Your Longevity!

We are all trying to move ahead in today’s fast paced world, looking for more work hours, and taking on second jobs just to keep up. Society pressures us into stressful lifestyles that don’t leave a lot of time for us to rest. Sleep is something most of us don’t really think about. We just go to bed and sleep as much as we can for the next day. This can actually be harming our bodies. Sleep is the body’s natural restoration period, the time when it rejuvenates and repairs itself. Lack of sleep (Sleep deprivation) diminishes our cellular energy by not allowing any downtime for the body to recuperate.

According to recent scientific research, “People who get less than six hours sleep per night have an increased risk of dying prematurely.” The findings of the study were published in the Sleep Journal.

Lack of sleep has been shown to affect the body’s immune function, hormone secretion, and physical and mental stamina. Scientists have performed sleep studies and determined that losing sleep can also cause weight gain. Decreased sleep creates a spike in ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, and a reduction in leptin, which signals satiety. This makes your body think it is hungry when it actually just needs more sleep.

The effects of losing sleep on our bodily systems leads to increased stress. This added stress over time causes our body’s to work harder and our cells to burn out faster, resulting in earlier mortality. At the same time, stress can affect our health and our sleep in diverse ways. It is important to create a relaxation time before going to bed so your body and mind can wind down. Laying down fully relaxed will help you fall asleep faster as well as relieve your mind of extra worry that may cause you to have bad dreams or abnormal sleep cycles.

Although Lack of Sleep is a semi-voluntary action by most people, others suffer from certain sleeping disorders that make it nearly impossible for them to get the recommended amount of sleep they need. Sleeping disorders such as Insomnia cause difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep through the night. Sleep apnea causes  disturbed sleep where your mind thinks it’s asleep and your body generates stress signals and difficulty breathing which wakes you up all night long. Narcolepsy can cause excessive sleep at random intervals. This does not allow your body to fully rest as it is confused with sleep cycles and wake cycles.

There are many natural products that can help with the effects sleep disorders. Valerian root can help your body relax and become more susceptible to sleep. Melatonin can help your mind become calm and stop racing thoughts that can cause sleep terrors and unwanted sleep stress. So if you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep you may want to try a natural sleep aid before getting on prescription sleep medicines that can have adverse side effects.

American Nutrition offers High Quality Natural Sleep Aids to Support Healthy Sleep Duration.

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