Nutrition Archives This section is compiled by Frank M. Painter, D.C.
Send all comments or additions to: Frankp@chiro.org
If there are terms in these articles you don't understand, you can get a definition from the Merriam Webster Medical Dictionary. If you want information about a specific disease, you can access the Merck Manual. You can also search Pub Med for more abstracts on this topic.
Welcome to the Archives for our older Nutritional articles. Please note that although these articles and abstracts discuss the relationship between nutritional status and disease, that this section of our website is not intended as a prescriptive recommendation for our readers.
The Cancer Prevention Diet
Cancer is a prominent killer of Americans--second only to heart disease--and responsible for more than a half million deaths yearly. The good news is that scientific validation for the protective power of food is accumulating. And empowering people to preserve their health through daily choices puts responsibility in patients' hands. There are more articles like this at the CANCER AND NUTRITION Page
A 1998 nationwide survey of 1,000 randomly selected consumers, commissioned by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) in Washington, D.C., found that 95 percent of Americans believe certain foods have health benefits that go beyond basic nutrition and may reduce the risk of disease, 92 percent believe they have control over their own health, and 78 percent can name a particular food or component and the health benefit associated with it. Broccoli, oranges and orange juice, carrots, fish and fish oil, garlic, green leafy vegetables, milk, and fiber were most often mentioned by consumers, in that order.
Evidence of Slowing of the Functional Decline
Arch Neurol 2002 (Oct); 59 (10): 1541–1550
Shults, et al., present the findings of a clinical trial that demonstrates that patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease, given coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation for 16 months, showed significantly less impairment than placebo-treated patients. The efficacy of treatment was readily apparent by the eighth month, and the study showed that patients given the highest dose of CoQ10 had the best overall results. There are many more articles like this in the CoenzymeQ10 Section.
Along with scurvy, pellagra and beri beri, rickets is usually assumed to be an extinct nutrient-deficiency disease. But rickets is back. Caused by a deficiency of vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption, rickets causes improper bone mineralization in children. In 1998 and 1999, S.R. Kreiter, M.D., of Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., studied 30 patients, ranging from 5 to 35 months old, with nutritional deficiency-induced rickets. All were African-American children who were breastfed for a year on average without taking supplemental vitamin D. Dark-skinned babies are at special risk because their skin makes less vitamin D from sunlight than light-colored skin. Kreiter determined that rickets has increased because more African-American mothers are breastfeeding, fewer babies are being given vitamin D supplements, and both mothers and babies are getting less sunlight than in the past.
Mary came to my practice complaining of weight gain, fatigue and severe bowel problems. She felt "toxic" and said, "Nothing in my body works right." She had gained 80 pounds over a five-year period. Her addictive and destructive eating patterns included sugary and fatty foods as well as starchy breads and pasta she believed were weight-loss foods. Chronic diarrhea forced her to the rest room after every meal. She also had a penchant for diet soft drinks: On a good day she drank eight cans, but her real quota was closer to 14. Her normal afternoon lows were relieved by a fresh can of diet cola. On many occasions she went home from her busy job as an engineer so exhausted she fell asleep by 6 p.m. More often than not, she'd wake in a few hours for a late meal.
A Cause of Chronic Pain and Other Degenerative Diseases?
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2002; 25 (2) Mar: 168-179 ~ FULL TEXT
We can no longer view different diseases as distinct biochemical entities. Nearly all degenerative diseases have the same underlying biochemical etiology, that is, a diet-induced proinflammatory state. Although specific diseases may require specific treatments, such as adjustments for hypomobile joints, Beta-blockers for hypertension, and chemotherapy for cancer, the treatment program must also include nutritional protocols to reduce the proinflammatory state.
Alternative medicine researchers meeting in Washington, D.C., Aug. 22-23, 2002 recommended independent certification and standardization of botanical products-by government or an independent organization-to ensure that consumers get what they pay for. The need for accreditation and closer scrutiny of botanical content "is very high, if not first" among recommendations issued by the scientists, said conference Co-chairman Eric Block of the State University of New York at Albany.
Ingredients in Improving the Efficacy of
Standard Cancer Therapy
J Am Coll Nutr 1999 (Feb); 18 (1): 13–25
Numerous articles and several reviews have been published on the role of antioxidants, and diet and lifestyle modifications in cancer prevention. However, the potential role of these factors in the management of human cancer has been largely ignored.
For All Dietary Supplements
March 7, 2003 The Food and Drug Administration today took action to help consumers get accurately labeled and unadulterated dietary supplements. The proposed rule would, for the first time, establish standards to ensure that dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are not adulterated with contaminants or impurities, and are labeled to accurately to reflect the active ingredients and other ingredients in the product. You can also voice your support or opinions about this legislation at: Dockets Management Branch (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
“I'm sorry, but you have cancer.” These words from a doctor introduce fear into the heart of any patient. The good news is that supportive nutrition therapy can significantly increase cancer patients' quality and length of life and improve their chances for a complete remission. Better yet, a healthy lifestyle that includes a wholesome diet, sufficient exercise, positive attitude and toxin avoidance can prevent up to 90 percent of cancers.
and Deceptive Claims; FDA Seizes Seasilver Inventories
June 19, 2003 - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced coordinated actions against two companies - both charged with promoting the dietary supplement "Seasilver" with unsubstantiated medical claims. The agencies' actions against Seasilver USA, Inc. and Americaloe, Inc. are designed to halt the fraudulent marketing of Seasilver and to seize the available inventory of the product. Today's actions are the latest part of Operation Cure.All, an on-going coordinated effort among the FTC, the FDA, Health Canada, Canada's Competition Bureau, and state Attorneys General to crack down on unscrupulous marketers who prey on consumers with serious illnesses.
Recent studies reveal that blood donors exhibit lower rates of many diseases and experience better than average health. Additionally, the centuries-old practice of bloodletting is being revived as a treatment for disorders such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's.1 Why would blood reduction improve health parameters? In part, because blood removal helps to control circulating iron levels.
The vitamin wars are officially over. Record the date for posterity: June 19, 2002. That's when the American Medical Association published a radical new recommendation - most Americans should be taking vitamins. This article is based on the release of the article Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults, found just below.
Clinical Applications
JAMA 2002 (Jun 19); 287 (23): 3127-3129 ~ FULL TEXT
Reversing a long-standing anti-vitamin policy, the Journal of the American Medical Association just advised all adults to take at least one multivitamin pill each day. It now appears that people who get enough vitamins may be able to prevent such common chronic illnesses as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, according to Drs. Robert H. Fletcher and Kathleen M. Fairfield of Harvard University , who wrote the journal's new guidelines. The last time the journal prepared a comprehensive review of vitamins, about 20 years ago, it concluded that multivitamins were a waste of time and money. People could get all the nutrients they needed from their diet, it advised. Oh, the times they are 'a changing!
New England Journal of Medicine 1998 (Apr 9); 338 (15): 1060-1061
Since the mid-1970s, 25 percent of American adults have regularly consumed a multivitamin containing 400 µg of folic acid. The current evidence suggests that people who take such supplements and their children are healthier. This evidence raises the question of whether physicians and other health care professionals should recommend that all adults take a multivitamin daily.
on Cognitive Function in Elderly Subjects
Nutrition 2001 (Sep); 17 (9): 709–712
Cognitive functions improved after oral supplementation with modest amounts of vitamins and trace elements. This has considerable clinical and public health significance. We recommend that such a supplement be provided to all elderly subjects because it should significantly improve cognition and thus quality of life and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Such a nutritional approach may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Apr); 5 (2): 109–132 ~ FULL TEXT
Insulin resistance appears to be a common feature and a possible contributing factor to several frequent health problems, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovary disease, dyslipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, certain hormone-sensitive cancers, and obesity. The role of nutritional and botanical substances in the management of insulin resistance requires further elaboration; however, available information suggests some substances are capable of positively influencing insulin resistance. Minerals such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, chromium, and vanadium appear to have associations with insulin resistance or its management. Amino acids, including L-carnitine, taurine, and L-arginine, might also play a role in the reversal of insulin resistance.
to Assist with the Adaptation to Stress
Alternative Medicine Review 1999 (Aug); 4 (4): 249–265 ~ FULL TEXT
Prolonged stress, whether a result of mental/emotional upset or due to physical factors such as malnutrition, surgery, chemical exposure, excessive exercise, sleep deprivation, or a host of other environmental causes, results in predictable systemic effects. The systemic effects of stress include increased levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, a decline in certain aspects of immune system function such as natural killer cell cytotoxicity or secretory-IgA levels, and a disruption of gastrointestinal microflora balance. These systemic changes might be a substantial contributor to many of the stress-associated declines in health. Based on human and animal research, it appears a variety of nutritional and botanical substances - such as adaptogenic herbs, specific vitamins including ascorbic acid, vitamins B1 and B6, the coenzyme forms of vitamin B5 (pantethine) and B12 (methylcobalamin), the amino acid tyrosine, and other nutrients such as lipoic acid, phosphatidylserine, and plant sterol/sterolin combinations - may allow individuals to sustain an adaptive response and minimize some of the systemic effects of stress.
A Review of Their Immune-Modulating Properties
Alternative Medicine Review 1999 (Jun); 4 (3): 170–177 ~ FULL TEXT
Beta-sitosterol (BSS) and its glycoside (BSSG) are sterol molecules which are synthesized by plants. In animals, BSS and BSSG have been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, anti-pyretic, and immune-modulating activity. You also might enjoy this more recent 2001 Monograph.
Alternative Medicine Review 1998 (Jun); 3 (3): 187–198 ~ FULL TEXT
The human body is exposed to a wide array of xenobiotics in one's lifetime, from food components to environmental toxins to pharmaceuticals, and has developed complex enzymatic mechanisms to detoxify these substances. These mechanisms exhibit significant individual variability, and are affected by environment, lifestyle, and genetic influences. The scientific literature suggests an association between impaired detoxification and certain diseases, including cancer, Parkinson's disease, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue/immune dysfunction syndrome.
Supplements Which Support Brain Function
High on the aging populations' list of fears is losing one's mental faculties. Certain types of mental decline result from exposure to toxins and to both endogenous and exogenous oxidizing agents—all of which appear to contribute to brain inflammation, scarring and cognitive impairment.
Often when a woman becomes pregnant, or is trying to get pregnant, she develops a new perspective on her health. For most this means a new or renewed interest in nutrition and healthy food choices. Some women are afraid their diet is insufficient and worry it might affect their baby. Others simply want to do everything in their power to have an easy pregnancy and a normal infant. All are valid concerns. They are also opportunities for you to discuss the reasons to supplement, even for those already eating healthfully.
Environmental Research 2000 (Oct); 84 (2):170-185
Food consumption is an important route of human exposure to pesticides and industrial pollutants. Average dietary exposures to 37 pollutants were calculated for the whole United States population and for children under age 12 years by combining contaminant data with food consumption data and summing across food types.
in Chronic Disease
Alternative Medicine Review 1998 (Apr); 3 (2): 90-100 ~ FULL TEXT
A large body of medical literature has indicated that hidden food allergy is a frequent cause of a wide range of physical and mental conditions. Hidden allergies can be "unmasked" by means of an elimination diet, followed by individual food challenges. Although the concept of hidden food allergy remains controversial, the evidence strongly suggests that identification and avoidance of allergenic foods can relieve a number of common and difficult-to-treat medical problems.
Is Likely To Be a Major Cause of Cancer
Mutat Res 2001 (Apr 18); 475 (1-2): 7–20
Common micronutrient deficiencies are likely to damage DNA by the same mechanism as radiation and many chemicals, appear to be orders of magnitude more important, and should be compared for perspective. Remedying micronutrient deficiencies should lead to a major improvement in health and an increase in longevity at low cost.
Nutritional Supplements in Prostate Disease
J Urol 2002 (Jul); 168 (1): 150–154
Canadian researchers decided to "determine the analytical accuracy and reliability of commonly used nutritional supplements for prostate disease by comparing the amounts of active ingredients of several brands of vitamin E, vitamin D, selenium, lycopene and saw palmetto." What they found was that "commonly used nutritional supplements for prostate disease vary widely in measured dose. Saw palmetto demonstrated tremendous variability with some samples containing virtually no active ingredients." Buyers need to feel secure that their supplement supplier (I use Shaklee) are reputable, and deliver what the lable promises.
somnifera (Ashwagandha): A Review
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Aug); 5 (4): 334-346 ~ FULL TEXT
Studies indicate ashwagandha possesses anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antistress, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, hemopoetic, and rejuvenating properties. It also appears to exert a positive influence on the endocrine, cardiopulmonary, and central nervous systems. The mechanisms of action for these properties are not fully understood. Toxicity studies reveal that ashwagandha appears to be a safe compound.
Any beneficial effect derived from natural remedies such as vitamins, minerals and herbs is often discounted as being nothing more than the consumer's belief that they will work. With an air of authority, skeptics claim that natural medicine is quackery, effective only because of the placebo effect.
In 1955, Henry K. Beecher, M.D., was the first to report on the so-called placebo effect. Beecher claimed that about 35 percent of the time, patients who took a pill containing no active ingredients experienced an improvement in their condition.
In 1997, researchers at the Institute for Applied Theory and Methodologies in Health Care, in Frieburg, Germany, decided to look into Beecher's theory. Reporting in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, they scrutinized the 15 different clinical studies cited by Beecher. Here is what they found.
Are all the nutrients required to sustain life and health available in our foods and supplements? Despite food fortification, important nutrients may still be missing.
Here is a two-part article on the increasing caffeine consumption by children and youths in the U.S. that appeared in the San Mateo County Times on October 26 and 28, 1998, and probably in other ANG Newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was written by Dr. Ron Eisenberg and Dr. Virgil Williams, staff physicians at Highland General Hospital in Oakland, California, who apparently write other medical related columns for the newspaper group.
Journal of Chiropractic Humanities 2001
This Adobe Acrobat article (188 KB) reviews the responses of a cross-section of the profession (n=200) about their use of, and beliefs in the use of nutritional interventions in chiropractic practice.
Download The Adobe PDF Acrobat Reader for Free
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Aug); 5 (4): 372-375 ~ FULL TEXT
Green tea is produced from steaming fresh leaves at high temperatures, thereby inactivating the oxidizing enzymes and leaving the polyphenol content intact. The polyphenols found in tea are more commonly known as flavanols or catechins. Green tea polyphenols have demonstrated significant antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, thermogenic, probiotic, and antimicrobial properties in numerous human, animal, and in vitro studies.
Alternative Medicine Review 1998 (Aug); 3 (4): 302-305 ~ FULL TEXT
Bromelain has potent anti-inflammatory characteristics, and has been shown to decrease aggregation of blood platelets. It is an effective fibrinolytic agent in vitro and in vivo; however, its effect is more evident in purified fibrinogen solutions than in plasma.
Malate for the Prevention of Osteoporosis
Alternative Medicine Review 1999 (Apr); 4 (2): 74-85 ~ FULL TEXT
Meta-analyses of calcium and bone mass studies demonstrate supplementation of 500 to 1500 mg calcium daily improves bone mass in adolescents, young adults, older men, and postmenopausal women. Calcium citrate malate has high bioavailability and thus has been the subject of calcium studies in these populations.
David Seaman,DC, MS, DACBN
Part I: Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies = Radiation Damage?
Hair Mineral Analysis: Point/Counterpoint
JAMA 2001 (Jan 3); 285 (1): 67–72
Theoretically, hair mineral analysis should be a great way to assess nutrient levels in a noninvasive manner. In an often-quoted 1985 study, the reliability of this procedure was so poor that the author recommended government agencies step in and protect the public. The authors of this current study felt that this diagnostic technique deserved another look after 15 years. One of the authors donated samples of her untreated brown hair, taken from several areas of the parietal and occipital regions of her head. The samples were then combined, mixed, weighed and sent to six major laboratories for analysis. Because the results from 6 different labs were so radically different, it is evident that this form of testing should not be relied upon until this testing industry is standardized and "normals" have been agreed upon.
Dr. David L. Watts ~ Trace Elements, Inc.
TEI would like to make the point that a limited study such as this is, in the author's own terms, a "small evaluation of interlaboratory agreement", cannot and should not be represented as a final, rigorous and decisive condemnation of an entire industry. To the contrary, this study simply shows that there is some variation among the labs in measured results, as can be expected. The authors violated scientific standards when they compared test results and reference ranges for laboratories utilizing different methodologies. Another critical flaw with the authors study is that it does not reveal which labs are correct and which labs are wrong, since the authors did not utilize a specific standard or reference laboratory. Furthermore, scientific error is also quite evident in the handling and analysis of the data, which can only guarantee that the authors conclusions will be highly questionable.
END Point/Counterpoint
Within the context of nutrition and natural health, phytochemical refers only to plant chemicals that humans eat and use medicinally. The bioactive phytochemicals in these plants have significant positive effects on human metabolism. They also stimulate the senses, and are responsible for the color of blueberries, the aroma of cloves, the texture of mushrooms, and the taste of peppermint.
Of the 4 million cancer patients being treated in America today, hardly any are offered any scientifically guided nutrition therapy beyond being told to "just eat good foods." Most patients I work with arrive with a complete lack of nutritional advice. I believe many cancer patients would have a major improvement in their outcome if they controlled the supply of cancer's preferred fuel, glucose.
for Physically Active People
Amer Jour of Clin Nutrition 2000; 72 (2) Aug 1 (suppl): 503S-674S
This is a collection of FULL TEXT articles from the NIH workshop - “The Role of Dietary Supplements for Physically Active People”.
Phytochemicals are a group of nutritive components found in herbs, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and spices. Animal foods contain a similar group of disease-preventing nutrients--the term zoochemical has been suggested for them. Phytochemicals and zoochemicals--unlike carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals--are not considered essential for life and have therefore been assigned quasi-nutrient status. Several disease-preventive benefits have been proposed for phytochemicals and zoochemicals.
We all learned in grade school that calcium is a key nutrient. But our very familiarity with calcium may prevent us from fully appreciating how life depends upon this ion necessary for processes ranging from setting the body's biological cycle to movement. Calcium is the conduit for most cellular communication. Nerves and muscles depend on electrical impulses controlled by calcium switches. Perhaps because a steady supply of the element is so critical, the body has evolved a skeletal structure that stores extra calcium and doles it out when needed.
General Nutrition Centers, a leading seller of vitamins and dietary supplements, will offer refunds and pay Florida $1 million to settle allegations that some vitamins it sold lacked potency because they were too old.
Treatment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Alternative Medicine Review 2001 (Oct); 6 (5): 460-471 ~ FULL TEXT
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder without a known cure. Conventional medicine typically approaches the disease with a treatment plan that includes the use of corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), antimalarial drugs, and chemotherapeutic agents. The results vary and safety is questionable. Conservative treatment methods, such as the use of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids, have been shown to have an impact on the activity of the disease.
Assimilation and Elimination
Alternative Medicine Review 2001 (Oct); 6 (5): 488-499 ~ FULL TEXT
This study was undertaken to assess the impact of three months of targeted nutritional therapy for migraine on health-related quality of life. The study is also intended to lend support to a theory that migraine is caused by an underlying dysfunction involving assimilation or elimination mechanisms.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and related conditions have long been known to have a significant impact on the quality of life for many women. The symptoms resulting from hormonal alterations that occur during this time are universally known and have been discussed in medical writings since the time of Hippocrates.
Oxidative Stress and Dietary Modifications
Alternative Medicine Review 2001 (Oct); 6 (5): 450-459 ~ FULL TEXT
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness characterized by persistent and relapsing fatigue, often accompanied by numerous symptoms involving various body systems. The etiology of CFS remains unclear; however, a number of recent studies have shown oxidative stress may be involved in its pathogenesis. The role of oxidative stress in CFS is an important area for current and future research as it suggests the use of antioxidants in the management of CFS.
ACA Journal of Chiropractic November 1990
Research from rheumatology and orthopedic clinics from Europe on the ability to reverse osteoarthritis has been accumulating for the last 25 years. Based on these results, this article will describe a nutritional program, that in conjunction with standard therapies used for osteoarthritis, can actually reverse the course of osteoarthritis.
Report of a Clinical Pilot Study
J Clin Pathol 2001 (Jan); 54(1): 54–62
Regular calcium supplementation does not raise the product of calcium and oxalate in urine and the proportion of oxalate to calcium is reduced. Increased oral calcium, in association with a reduction of the relative proportion absorbed, may be pertinent to the prevention of calcium oxalate rich stones.
Defense Systems in Healthy Human Beings
J Nutr Biochem 2001; 12 (7) Jul: 388–395
Oxidative damage involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetics. The antioxidant defense system plays an important role in protecting body from oxidative damage. Numerous studies have been shown that a single vitamin or mineral supplementation has the beneficial effect on the antioxidant defense system.
Treatment of Osteoarthritis
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1997; 20(6); 400-404
The rationales for using NSAIDs in the treatment of osteoarthritis is controversial and openly contested. Given the detrimental effects of NSAIDs on joints and other organs, their use should be discouraged and their classification as a first choice conservative treatment should be abolished. A truly effective and conservative approach to the treatment of osteoarthritis should include chiropractic manipulation, essential nutrient supplementation, exogenous administration of glucosamine sulfate and rehabilitative stretches and exercises to maintain joint function.
Chemical compounds ubiquitous in our food, air, and water are now found in every person's body. The bioaccumulation of these compounds can lead to a variety of metabolic and systemic dysfunctions, and in some cases outright disease states. I hope you will enjoy these 4 Full-Text articles from the Alternative Medicine Review.
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Feb); 5 (1): 52–63 ~ FULL TEXT
Chemical compounds ubiquitous in our food, air, and water are now found in every person. The bioaccumulation of these compounds in some individuals can lead to a variety of metabolic and systemic dysfunctions, and in some cases outright disease states. The systems most affected by these xenobiotic compounds include the immune, neurological, and endocrine systems.
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Apr); 5 (2): 133–143 ~ FULL TEXT
L Chemicals known as solvents are part of a broad class of chemicals called volatile organic compounds. These compounds are used in a variety of settings, are ubiquitous, and off-gas readily into the atmosphere. Asa result of their overuse, they can be found in detectable level virtually all samples of both indoor and outdoor air. Certain of these compounds are detectable in adipose samples of all U.S. residents
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Jun); 5 (3): 209–223 ~ FULL TEXT
Mercury is ubiquitous in the environment, and in our mouths in the form of "silver" amalgams. Once introduced to the body through food or vapor, mercury is rapidly absorbed and accumulates in several tissues, leading to increased oxidative damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell death. Mercury primarily affects neurological tissue, resulting in numerous neurological symptoms, and also affects the kidneys and the immune system.
Alternative Medicine Review 2000 (Oct); 5 (5): 432–447 ~ FULL TEXT
Although the use of pesticides has doubled every ten years since 1945, pest damage to crops is more prevalent now than it was then. Many pests are now pesticide resistant due to the ubiquitous presence of pesticides in our environment. Chlorinated pesticide residues are present in the air, soil, and water, with a concomitant presence in humans. Organophosphate and carbamate pesticides - the compounds comprising the bulk of current pesticide use - are carried around the globe on air currents.
It looks like sugar, tastes like sugar, even feels like sugar. But it has virtually no calories, doesn't rot your teeth, and, unlike saccharin, has not been proven to cause cancer. The advertisements say it's as natural as a glass of milk and a banana. I always say if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
at Increased Risk: a Randomized Trial
Supplementation with vitamins C and E may be beneficial in the prevention of pre-eclampsia in women at increased risk of the disease.
Food processing has only been around for about the last 80 years or so. The industry found out that the more enzymes they could remove from the food, the longer it lasted. If that meant that they were also removing most or all of the nutrition from the food, hey, too bad. They weren't in the health business; this was the Shelf-Life business.
In order to evaluate scientific merit of chromium picolinate, we collaborated on a study with researchers at the University of Texas at Austin. Despite claims of fat burning and weight loss, it yielded none of these effects in overweight women. Additionally, in a direct comparison against chromium nicotinate, the picolinate source was less effective in supporting the action of insulin.
Although vitamin C has long been considered the premier antioxidant, studies linking the vitamin to increased survival rates have been inconclusive. However, a major study conducted by researchers at Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine in the U.K. and published in Lancet offers evidence that vitamin C saves lives.
As each of us gets older, the faculty that most notably deteriorates is our vision. One optical problem receiving increasing attention today is "macular degeneration," an eye disease affecting the central part of the retina. Recent research suggests that carotenoids, particularly Lutein and Zeaxanthin, seem to reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration. You might also enjoy a similar article (called Second Sight) which discusses the impact antioxidants and carotenoids have on preventing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Retained Than Synthetic
Researchers have long known that natural vitamin E, milligram for milligram, is about 36 percent more potent than the synthetic form of the vitamin. In fact, the "international unit," or IU, standard was developed to compensate for these differences. But two new studies using different groups of people - not laboratory animals - have found that natural vitamin E is utilized twice as efficiently as the synthetic form.
US food manufacturers said on Thursday that there was no need for the federal government to require additional information on food labels about the sugar content of food.
New government statistics show fresh fruit and vegetables are not as good for us as they were 60 years ago
Michael Janson, M.D.
For decades people have believed that eating a balanced diet provided all the nutrients they needed. It's simply not true. This erroneous belief is largely based on government pronouncements that the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the bottom line in nutrient requirements. Although a huge amount of work went into developing these dietary guidelines, they don't tell the whole story. The RDAs were developed with one thought in mind: Determine the lowest level of a nutrient that will prevent a specific deficiency disease.
In this interview with Dr. Daniel Redwood, Dr. Candace Pert discusses the two areas of research about which she is now most passionate: the possible role of vaccines in causing autism, and her work on Peptide T, which she believes may herald a major breakthrough in AIDS treatment. She also articulates her vision for the Institute for New Medicine, which she founded in affiliation with the Georgetown University School of Medicine to fund further research on alternative paradigm medicine.
New information offers some evidence that J.I. Rodale was right on when he began writing about the connection between healthy soil and healthy people more than 50 years ago. Government reports on the levels of vitamins and minerals in fresh food in the 1990s and from several decades ago reveal significant declines in calcium and iron in a variety of raw fruits and vegetables. Each comparison also noted declines in other nutrients as well, including vitamins A and C, and potassium.
A Survey of Primary Care Practitioners
New England Journal of Medicine 1996 (Apr 11); 334 (15)
In 1981, a study of the role of primary care physicians concluded that there was a lack of consensus about many of the surgeon general's recommendations for health promotion and that most primary care physicians felt unprepared for this role and unable to change patients' behavior. Since physicians are in a unique position to influence the behavior of patients, attaining national goals for health promotion requires their enthusiastic agreement and active participation. We sought to examine the extent to which primary care physicians practicing in Massachusetts in 1994 agreed with the recommendations of the surgeon general for the year 2000 and the extent to which they considered themselves prepared and able to change patients' health-related behavior. We compared the responses of the 1981 and 1994 samples in order to assess the extent to which the responses of today's primary care practitioners differed from those of their counterparts 13 years earlier.
Arch Fam Med. 2000 (Mar); 9 (3): 258-262 ~ FULL TEXT
Consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements is a common behavior in the United States. We recommend that physicians and health professionals include questions about the use of dietary supplements when obtaining a medical history from their patients, that all dietary supplements clearly list ingredients and known contraindications to use, and that all those planning to use supplements first have their dietary practices and lifestyle evaluated by a health professional.
Controversy over genetically-modified (GM) food is reaching ever-greater heights. We brought the two opposing sides of the GM argument together in a head-to-head confrontation. Dr Ian Taylor is the Scientific Political Adviser for Greenpeace, and Clive Rainbird is Biotechnology communications Manager for manufacturers AgrEvo.
According to a new study published in the February 2000 issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2000; 6:7-17) vitamins may be helpful in deterring violent and anti-social behavior among children with disruptive behaviors who may be suffering from nutritional deficiencies.
The human body is continually protecting itself from the outside world. To shield itself from harmful environmental stimuli, the body employs its cells, biochemicals, organs and tissues. The complex interaction of these physiological systems produces immunity. Some of these systems have dual roles: The digestive system, for example, not only extracts and absorbs nutrients from foods but also destroys pathogenic organisms that may be present in foods. Other immune system components are more focused: White blood cells are specifically designed to destroy invading organisms.
May Be Just What the Doctor Ordered
Time Magazine 1999; (June 7) 153 (22): 68-69
Dolores Pilcher, 67, a retired nurse living in Mount Airy, N.C., knows her risk of heart disease only too well. Both her father and an aunt died of heart attacks when they were still pretty young, and her cholesterol level has soared over the past few years. So when she heard that scientists were trying to determine if drinking a soy-protein milk shake every day could lower cholesterol levels, she volunteered to take part in the experiment. To Pilcher's delight, the total amount of cholesterol in her blood fell from 245 mg/dl to 205 mg/dl and the level of LDL, or "bad cholesterol," fell from 170 mg/dl to 130 mg/dl. Now that the study is over, she still sprinkles soy powder on her cereal every morning, with the same salutary results.
But Research Shows that You Can't Stint on Essential Nutrients
Time Magazine 1999; (June 7) 153 (22): 84
When the first food pyramid--an easy-to-digest graphical hierarchy of what we should be eating--was introduced in 1992, it seemed broad enough to cover everyone. Since then, however, variations have proliferated: pyramids just for children, for vegetarians, Southerners, Native Americans, Italians, Chinese, Indians, Mexicans and so on. Dietitians have created for us a virtual Nile Valley of nutrition.
Companies who claim to make nutrients for consumers, based upon their own individual requirements are often frauds. Many of these companies request a urine sample as the basis for determining what your patient's individual nutritional requirements are. The supplement for your patient is then "created", based on deficiencies found in the urine sample.
Products containing blue-green algae may contain toxins harmful to the liver, because of microcystin levels which exceed those considered safe for daily consumption by both Health Canada and the World Health Organization.
Thanks to Tim O'Shea, D.C. for his permission to reprint this article exclusively at Chiro.Org
Thanks to the American Chiropractic Association's Council On Family Practice for their permission to reprint this article exclusively at Chiro.Org! You can review many other articles on Chiropractic and Asthma in the Research Section.
A Medical Opinion
NEJM 1998 (Sep 17); 339 (02): 839–841
It's clear from the tone of this NEJM article that organized medicine is running scared...and is not reading the literature closely...this page is filled with the sort of studies that they claim haven't been done. But I agree that manufacturers should be regulated to assure the public that they are actually getting what the bottle claims it contains. See also: St. John's Wort Fails Potency Tests
Response to the NEJM article by Dr. Andrew Weil, Nutritionist
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Less than one third of American women of reproductive age are taking the recommended amount of folic acid in the form of a daily supplement, according to a report issued Thursday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
The vegetarian food pyramid, an alternative to the US Food Guide Pyramid, emphasizes a well-balanced vegetarian daily diet based on grains and other plant foods but also includes egg whites and dairy products. Studies link this ovo-lacto diet with much lower rates of certain cancers, obesity, and in some cases, osteoporosis.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- December 8, 1997 -- An estrogen derived from plants was shown in clinical trials to prevent osteoporosis at half the dose of the animal-based estrogen normally prescribed by physicians -- and with fewer side effects -- according to a new study
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