Antibiotic linked to deaths; raising HDL may not help heart

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/healthyperspective/post/2012-05-17/z-pak-antibiotic-deaths-hdl-heart-disease-link-autism-sign-ipod-implant/695521/1

Your Days Are Numbered: The maths of death

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIuUJNcYprc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This is your brain on sugar: UCLA study shows high-fructose diet sabotages learning, memory

 

From: Coffey, John 

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/this-is-your-brain-on-sugar-ucla-233992.aspx

My concern is that the way the study is described, it doesn’t mention a control group that did not take sugar.   Maybe there was one but it was not mentioned in the article, which is a typical omission.   If there was not a control group for sugar, then the only thing they proved is that omega-3 fatty acids are good for learning.

 

http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/sugar-can-make-you-dumb-scientists-warn

The article quoted below implies that we should not eat more than 3 grams of

omega-3 fatty acids per day, which makes me wonder how much is in canola oil? 

   

From: Trout, Larry

I was about to say college students live on Fructose and Caffeine, but the first paragraph of the article already stole my joke…

Omega 3 risks…

 

Noncardiac health risks

 

In a letter published October 31, 2000,[89] the United States Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Office of Nutritional Products, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements noted that known or suspected risks of EPA and DHA consumed in excess of 3 grams per day may include the possibility of:

 

    Increased incidence of bleeding

    Hemorrhagic stroke

    Oxidation of omega-3 fatty acids, forming biologically active oxidation products

    Increased levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol or apoproteins associated with LDL cholesterol among diabetics and hyperlipidemics

    Reduced glycemic control among diabetics

 

Subsequent advice from the FDA and national counterparts have permitted health claims associated with heart health.

Cardiac risk

 

Persons with congestive heart failure, chronic recurrent angina pectoris, or evidence that their heart is receiving insufficient blood flow are advised to talk to their doctors before taking n−3 fatty acids.[90]

 

In a recent large study, n−3 fatty acids on top of standard heart failure therapy produced a small but statistically significant benefit in terms of mortality and hospitalization.[91] In congestive heart failure, cells that only barely receive enough blood flow become electrically hyperexcitable. This can lead to increased risk of irregular heartbeats, which, in turn, can cause sudden cardiac death. Certain n−3 fatty acids seem to stabilize the rhythm of the heart by effectively preventing these hyperexcitable cells from functioning, thereby reducing the likelihood of sudden cardiac death. For most people, this is beneficial and could account for most of the large reduction in the likelihood of sudden cardiac death. Nevertheless, for people with congestive heart failure, the heart is barely pumping blood well enough to keep them alive. In these patients, n−3 fatty acids may eliminate enough of these few pumping cells that the heart would no longer be able to pump sufficient blood to live, causing an increased, rather than decreased, risk of cardiac death.[90]

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid 

This is your brain on sugar: UCLA study shows high-fructose diet sabotages learning, memory

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/this-is-your-brain-on-sugar-ucla-233992.aspx

 

My concern is that the way the study is described, it doesn’t mention a control group that did not take sugar.   Maybe there was one but it was not mentioned in the article, which is a typical omission.   If there was not a control group for sugar, then the only thing they proved is that omega-3 fatty acids are good for learning.

 

http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/sugar-can-make-you-dumb-scientists-warn

Study: Yogurt Diet Key To Mouse 'Sexiness'

http://www.wcvb.com/r/31021731/detail.html

Is Joint Discomfort a Thing of the Past?

This is an advertisement, but interesting.

http://www.smarterlifestyles.com/2008/01/29/is-joint-pain-a-thing-of-the-past/?fc_id=18855&fc_app_id=3302

georgia-student-fighting-life-flesh-eating-infection

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/georgia-student-fighting-life-flesh-eating-infection/story?id=16311568#.T6q6oixYLNQ

High Fructose Corn Syrup Debate Gets Sticky - ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/m/blogEntry?id=16308838

Breast cancer classifying promises better therapies

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/view.bg?articleid=1061125651&srvc=business&position=recent

daily-physical-activity-protects-against-alzheimers-even-in-adults-over-80

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57415964-10391704/daily-physical-activity-protects-against-alzheimers-even-in-adults-over-80/

How much sugar is in Soda and other drinks?

http://www.sugarstacks.com/beverages.htmhttp://www.sugarstacks.com/beverages.htm

Fwd: dichotomy

From: <larry.r.trout

'FDA: Stop Giving Antibiotics to Animals'

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/252246/6/FDA-Stop-Giving-Antibiotics-to-Animals

'Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in ancient cave'

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20120412/antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-120412/

IS AMERICA'S FAVORITE FOOD REALLY 'EVIL'?

http://www.wnd.com/2012/04/is-americas-favorite-food-really-evil/?cat_orig=health

Snacking on Chocolate Linked to Low BMI

Previous studies suggest dark chocolate can lower blood pressure, bad cholesterol and even the risk of diabetes.

 

How could a treat filled with sugar and fat fight weight gain? It might be due to the high concentration of epicatechin, a flavonoid found in cocoa, tea, blueberries and grapes.

 

“Best is dark chocolate, and best is to keep it to about an ounce per day. That amounts to only about 150 calories — a lot less than any pastry they’d eat.”

 

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/03/26/snacking-on-chocolate-linked-to-low-bmi/

 

-          Note that the study from 2 years ago said that an ounce per day was counterproductive because of the sugar intake, and instead recommended half an ounce per day.  (Also note that a few dark chocolates are low in sugar but also are slightly bitter.)

-          I am wondering if it is better to eat blueberries, grapes and drink tea?

 

 

americans-may-be-much-fatter-than-we-think-study-says

http://healthland.time.com/2012/04/03/americans-may-be-much-fatter-than-we-think-study-says/?iid=gs-main-mostpop2

Fwd: Germs

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/bodys-defenses-made-mightier-microbes-study/story?id=15982444#.T2yvCCxYLNQ

Aspirin-a-wonder-drug-studies-show-it-may-prevent-cancer

From: Trout, Larry R

 

This study doesn’t appear to explain why aspirin helps, but just establishes a correlation.

I would assume the reduction of inflammation helps the body respond to cancer and heart disease.

 

From: Coffey, John R

 

One thing that troubles me about this is that I don’t think that we get cancer because we have an aspirin deficiency.  If I am correct, then I wonder what else is deficient in our diet that makes us need aspirin to keep us healthy?     

 

From: Robert

 

I started taking those baby aspirins 81mg about a year or more ago.

 

From: Coffey, John

 

http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/21/aspirin-a-wonder-drug-studies-show-it-may-prevent-cancer/

aspirin-a-wonder-drug-studies-show-it-may-prevent-cancer

http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/21/aspirin-a-wonder-drug-studies-show-it-may-prevent-cancer/

Coke, Pepsi changing their caramel

In other words, you have a reason to be nervous?   - John

From: Trout, Larry R

 

‘The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said at the time it was reviewing the group's petition but stressed that the drinks were still safe. An FDA spokesman said a person would have to drink "well over a thousand cans of soda a day to reach the doses administered in the studies that have shown links to cancer in rodents".’

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/09/us-coke-pepsi-idUSBRE82814V20120309

Coke, Pepsi changing their caramel

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-coke-pepsi-changing-their-caramel-20120309,0,6389104.story