Probiotics have long been shown to build the immune system. I'm living proof of this. Some probiotic supplements might help you avoid seasonal and swine flu, and limit the severity of H1N1 flu symptoms. I believe the biggest factor in preventing the flu is balanced diet, exercise and avoiding a change in rapid body temperature. I know there is research that shows the being cold does not make you sick. Here is my therory, I think that rapid changes in body temperature weekens your immune system, thereby allowing viruses or bacteria, that are always present, to spread through your body. I never get sick in the summer, but I used to get a cold every winter. I'm indoors all the time, summer and winter, so the therory that you are in doors more in the winter is BS. In Phoenix my windows are closed year round and it gets cold here. It is Oct now and the temp dropped to 40 degrees last night for 80 in the day.
Probiotics are key ingredients in many popular yogurt brands. They have been shown to be useful in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and antibiotic diarrhea. New clinical evidence shows that certain probiotic supplements can boost our immune system's response to influenza and other viruses. Probiotics are an important adjunct to flu vaccines and may help people avoid influenza or reduce flu symptoms. I had to travel often and I seemed to be sick every time I traveled. My partner recommened iflora. This was 2 years ago and I have not a cold since then. My friend travels every week and has not had a cold in 5 years.
Overview Of Probiotics
There are some commonly practiced techniques to avoid the pathogens that cause illness -- hand washing, use of sanitizer gel, and cough/sneeze etiquette, for example. Probiotics supplements might provide the additional help families need this season as consumers, especially parents, look for natural ways to boost their immunity and stay healthy.
Probiotics are, in simple terms, friendly bacteria. The WebMD.com site says that probiotics help keep the intestinal flora in balance by reducing harmful bacteria. Probiotics can help relieve antibiotic-associated diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and other digestive maladies. Probiotics are normally part of the digestive system, so they are considered safe under usual circumstances.
Most people might be exposed to probiotics by their availability in yogurt, but MayoClinic.com says that probiotic supplements contain much more of the active ingredient, counted in the billions of CFU, or colony forming units, and therefore are potentially more beneficial than yogurt alone.
Which Probiotic Supplements Are The Best?
There are several dozen strains of probiotic currently available, so it can be confusing when picking one to take. My choice is iFlora by Nutri-Helath.
Yogurt is a good source but you need to eat it daily. Consumers should look for either Bacillus coagulans (BC-30) or Lactobacillus GG. These two have years of scholarly research behind them. These bacteria have the ability to survive the acidic environment of the stomach to make it to the lower GI tract.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Donald Trump, Nutrition Expert?
Does Donald Trump now think he’s a nutrition expert? Looks like The Donald’s next business venture is all about selling nutritional supplements and weight loss products. And he’s doing it through multilevel marketing (MLM). The new company is called The Trump Network and it’s officially being launched in November. He’s recruiting and “educating” distributors now to sell the so-called unique, cutting edge products that are described as “highly advanced, scientifically-proven health and wellness products, including customized testing and metabolic analysis, effective weight management solutions and vitamin and mineral supplements.” THE TRUMP NETWORK is a unique marketing opportunity, designed to make people healthier with customized vitamins and nutritional supplements, and to encourage individuals to become entrepreneurs and to take control of their financial well-being. The power of Trump’s name will likely make this nutritional Ponzi scheme a success for him but not many others. They’ll likely trust his nutrition advice, and the advice of the “trained” distributors, even if much of the information is not scientifically solid. I have no knowledge of what products he is selling and what the quality it is but I would have to imagine that he would not put his name on jun. He’s joining forces with a multilevel marketing company called Ideal Health that’s been around for 10+ years (and has had its share of FTC complaints). The “custom-made” nutritional supplements rely on what’s called a PrivaTest, which is an at-home urine test that claims to tell you what supplements your body needs every day. A urine analysis is not always a reliable measure of nutritional status and it certainly doesn’t do all the things that are described on Ideal Health’s web site. This misleading tactic for selling a customized nutritional supplement regimen was previously exposed in 2004. On the Trump Network site it says “thousands of The Trump Network’s consumers are convinced their Custom Essentials are boosting their cellular nutrition and giving them nutritional balance and optimal metabolic health. Join us.” The best thing to do is eat a balanced diet or go to your doctor for a physical exam. Schedule a consultation with a registered dietitian. That’s the best way to tell if your diet is inadequate in certain nutrients. And if your diet does fall short in nutrients, you certainly don’t need to buy over priced formulas, (Donald Trump Vitamins) These items can purchased for a lot less in any online drug store. If you want to lose weight, stick to real food and eat less. If you have no sef control use a appetite suppressor. This fad diet will cost you $1,325.00 to get started. That's seems expensive, just exercise, eat right and maybe take a diet pill to help you through the hard times.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Fight depression with the Mediterranean diet
People who followed the Mediterranean diet, an eating regimen that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and nuts, were less likely to develop depression in a Spanish study.
"We are speaking of a relative reduction in risk of 42 percent to 51 percent," said study co-author Dr. Miguel A. Martinez-Gonzalez, chair of preventive medicine at the University of Navarra. "This is a strong association."
The Mediterranean diet usually is recommended to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. This study, reported in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, is one of only a few to assess its effect on mental function.
The Spanish researchers followed more than 10,000 healthy adults who filled out questionnaires between 1999 and 2005. All were free of depression when the trial started. Their adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured by looking at nine components, such as low intake of meat, moderate intake of alcohol and dairy products, and high intake of fruits, nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish.
After an average follow-up of 4.4 years, the overall incidence of depression for those who most followed the diet was 30 percent lower than for those who most ignored the dietary rules. Even lower rates of depression were associated with intake of specific elements of the Mediterranean diet, such as fruits, vegetables and olive oil.
There are several possible explanations for the reported protective effect, Martinez-Gonzales said. The Mediterranean diet improves the function of the endothelium, the delicate inner lining of blood vessels, which is involved in the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule that is responsible for the growth and function of nerve cells, he said. "Dysfunction of BDNF is thought to be responsible for some depression cases," Martinez-Gonzalez said.
In addition, olive oil improves the binding of serotonin to its receptors "and serotonin is a key neurotransmitter in depression," he said. "In fact, Prozac acts by increasing the availability of serotonin in the brain."
And the omega-3 fatty acids found in some fish might help improve the function of the central nervous system, Martinez-Gonzalez said. "All these mechanisms may lead to an improved brain function and a greater resilience to better face the frustrations of every day, to control stress, and so on," he said.
But Martinez-Gonzalez does not recommend that people diagnosed with depression try to treat it by adopting this diet. "The Mediterranean diet might be ideal for the prevention of depression, but not for its treatment," he said. "For those patients who already have depression, the best thing they can do is to seek the proper medical treatment by a psychiatrist."
"It's not surprising to see these results," said Dr. David Mischoulon, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "They are what we would have expected to see on the basis of previous information. There is a very large body of work in the psychiatric literature saying that components of the Mediterranean diet when looked at separately have such an effect."
Mischoulon agreed that he would not recommend the diet as a treatment for existing depression. "A person in an episode of depression needs more direct and more targeted intervention," he said.
But the study adds one more reason for adopting the Mediterranean diet, Mischoulon said. "If you have a family history of depression and you are concerned about it, a diet like this probably would be a good place to start," he said.
"We are speaking of a relative reduction in risk of 42 percent to 51 percent," said study co-author Dr. Miguel A. Martinez-Gonzalez, chair of preventive medicine at the University of Navarra. "This is a strong association."
The Mediterranean diet usually is recommended to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular problems. This study, reported in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, is one of only a few to assess its effect on mental function.
The Spanish researchers followed more than 10,000 healthy adults who filled out questionnaires between 1999 and 2005. All were free of depression when the trial started. Their adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured by looking at nine components, such as low intake of meat, moderate intake of alcohol and dairy products, and high intake of fruits, nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish.
After an average follow-up of 4.4 years, the overall incidence of depression for those who most followed the diet was 30 percent lower than for those who most ignored the dietary rules. Even lower rates of depression were associated with intake of specific elements of the Mediterranean diet, such as fruits, vegetables and olive oil.
There are several possible explanations for the reported protective effect, Martinez-Gonzales said. The Mediterranean diet improves the function of the endothelium, the delicate inner lining of blood vessels, which is involved in the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a molecule that is responsible for the growth and function of nerve cells, he said. "Dysfunction of BDNF is thought to be responsible for some depression cases," Martinez-Gonzalez said.
In addition, olive oil improves the binding of serotonin to its receptors "and serotonin is a key neurotransmitter in depression," he said. "In fact, Prozac acts by increasing the availability of serotonin in the brain."
And the omega-3 fatty acids found in some fish might help improve the function of the central nervous system, Martinez-Gonzalez said. "All these mechanisms may lead to an improved brain function and a greater resilience to better face the frustrations of every day, to control stress, and so on," he said.
But Martinez-Gonzalez does not recommend that people diagnosed with depression try to treat it by adopting this diet. "The Mediterranean diet might be ideal for the prevention of depression, but not for its treatment," he said. "For those patients who already have depression, the best thing they can do is to seek the proper medical treatment by a psychiatrist."
"It's not surprising to see these results," said Dr. David Mischoulon, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "They are what we would have expected to see on the basis of previous information. There is a very large body of work in the psychiatric literature saying that components of the Mediterranean diet when looked at separately have such an effect."
Mischoulon agreed that he would not recommend the diet as a treatment for existing depression. "A person in an episode of depression needs more direct and more targeted intervention," he said.
But the study adds one more reason for adopting the Mediterranean diet, Mischoulon said. "If you have a family history of depression and you are concerned about it, a diet like this probably would be a good place to start," he said.
BodyBuilding.com Sells Supplements That Contain Steroids
BodyBuilding.com Sells Supplements That Contain Steroids, Court Papers Say
Published: September 25, 2009
A nutrition company owned by the same company that owns the Atlanta Braves is selling steroids over the Internet, according to allegations in court papers unsealed Thursday.
The nutrition company, BodyBuilding.com, is selling dietary supplements that contain steroids and designer steroids, including a substance found in the raid on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative in 2003, the court papers said.
Federal authorities unsealed a search warrant on Thursday after agents raided the headquarters and a warehouse of BodyBuilding.com in the Boise, Idaho, area. In 2008, Liberty Media purchased a controlling stake in BodyBuilding.com for over $100 million. Liberty Media bought the Braves from Time Warner in 2007. Among the other businesses in which Liberty Media has interests are QVC, Ticketmaster and DirectTV.
The raid was part of an ongoing effort by the Food and Drug Administration to target companies that are selling steroids as dietary supplements. Unlike drug makers, which must demonstrate that a drug is safe and effective before the agency approves it for sale to the public, dietary supplements are a largely self-regulating industry.
According to the documents, 26 of 31 products purchased by the Food and Drug Administration as part of the investigation tested positive for at least one steroid. Among the steroids found in the products were Madol, Tren, Superdrol, androstenedione, and Turinabol.
Federal agents uncovered Madol in 2003 when they searched a storage facility tied to Balco. In 1998, Mark McGwire said he used androstenedione when he broke the single season home run record. The federal government classified androstenedione as a controlled substance in 2005.
In July, the F.D.A. warned consumers not to use body-building products that are sold as nutritional supplements because they might contain steroids or steroidlike substances. The warning came in response to increased reports of medical problems in men — specifically acute liver injury and kidney failure — who had used supplements. Several days before the warning, federal agents in San Francisco executed search warrants at locations tied to American Cellular Labs that were said to be selling dietary supplements — including Mass Xtreme and Tren Xtreme — that contained steroids.
The F.D.A.’s investigations of supplements have caught the attention of members of Congress. Senator Arlen Specter, Democrat of Pennsylvania, has called a hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs titled “Body Building Products and Hidden Steroids: Enforcement Barriers.”
Published: September 25, 2009
A nutrition company owned by the same company that owns the Atlanta Braves is selling steroids over the Internet, according to allegations in court papers unsealed Thursday.
The nutrition company, BodyBuilding.com, is selling dietary supplements that contain steroids and designer steroids, including a substance found in the raid on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative in 2003, the court papers said.
Federal authorities unsealed a search warrant on Thursday after agents raided the headquarters and a warehouse of BodyBuilding.com in the Boise, Idaho, area. In 2008, Liberty Media purchased a controlling stake in BodyBuilding.com for over $100 million. Liberty Media bought the Braves from Time Warner in 2007. Among the other businesses in which Liberty Media has interests are QVC, Ticketmaster and DirectTV.
The raid was part of an ongoing effort by the Food and Drug Administration to target companies that are selling steroids as dietary supplements. Unlike drug makers, which must demonstrate that a drug is safe and effective before the agency approves it for sale to the public, dietary supplements are a largely self-regulating industry.
According to the documents, 26 of 31 products purchased by the Food and Drug Administration as part of the investigation tested positive for at least one steroid. Among the steroids found in the products were Madol, Tren, Superdrol, androstenedione, and Turinabol.
Federal agents uncovered Madol in 2003 when they searched a storage facility tied to Balco. In 1998, Mark McGwire said he used androstenedione when he broke the single season home run record. The federal government classified androstenedione as a controlled substance in 2005.
In July, the F.D.A. warned consumers not to use body-building products that are sold as nutritional supplements because they might contain steroids or steroidlike substances. The warning came in response to increased reports of medical problems in men — specifically acute liver injury and kidney failure — who had used supplements. Several days before the warning, federal agents in San Francisco executed search warrants at locations tied to American Cellular Labs that were said to be selling dietary supplements — including Mass Xtreme and Tren Xtreme — that contained steroids.
The F.D.A.’s investigations of supplements have caught the attention of members of Congress. Senator Arlen Specter, Democrat of Pennsylvania, has called a hearing on Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs titled “Body Building Products and Hidden Steroids: Enforcement Barriers.”
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