High-Protein Diet for Weight Loss may Not Improve Insulin Sensitivity

People who are on a diet regimen consume a high-protein diet to stave off hunger and prevent loss of muscle tissue that often comes with weight loss. But a new study claims that a high-protein diet eliminates an important health benefit of weight loss, which is an improvement in insulin sensitivity (critical to reduce the risk of diabetes).

The study was conducted by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study involved 34 obese postmenopausal women. 

‘Postmenopausal women who followed a diet containing recommended daily intake of protein experienced improvements in insulin sensitivity.’

 "We found that women who lost weight eating a high-protein diet didn't experience any improvements in insulin sensitivity," said principal investigator Bettina Mittendorfer, PhD, a professor of medicine. "However, women who lost weight while eating less protein were significantly more sensitive to insulin at the conclusion of the study. That's important because in many overweight and obese people, insulin does not effectively control blood-sugar levels, and eventually the result is type 2 diabetes."

Insulin sensitivity is a marker of metabolic health, which improves with weight loss. The researchers found that women who lost weight while consuming less protein experienced a 25 to 30 percent improvement in their sensitivity to insulin. 

Thirty-four postmenopausal women who participated in the study were 50 to 65 years of age. The BMI (Body Mass Index) of all the participants were at least 30, which indicates significant obesity, but none had diabetes. 

The study period was for 28 weeks. The participants were randomly divided into three groups. Women in the control group were asked to maintain their weight. In another group, women ate a weight-loss diet that included the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein - 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. 

The third group has women who ate a weight loss diet, but they consumed more protein (1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight). 

"We provided all of the meals, and all the women ate the same base diet," Mittendorfer explained. "The only thing we modified was protein content, with very minimal changes in the amount of fat or carbohydrates. We wanted to hone in on the effects of protein on weight loss."

The research focused on protein intake of postmenopausal women because it is believed that a high-protein diet can help preserve lean tissue, while they lose fat. 

"When you lose weight, about two-thirds of it tends to be fat tissue, and the other third is lean tissue," Mittendorfer said. "The women who ate more protein did tend to lose a little bit less lean tissue, but the total difference was only about a pound. We question whether there's a significant clinical benefit to such a small difference."

The researchers found that women who ate the daily recommended amount of protein experienced benefits in metabolism, led by a 25 to 30 percent improvement in their insulin sensitivity. 

Improvements in insulin sensitivity lowered the risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, women on the high-protein diet did not experience those improvements. 

"Changing the protein content has very big effects," Mittendorfer said. "It's not that the metabolic benefits of weight loss were diminished -- they were completely abolished in women who consumed high-protein diets, even though they lost the same, substantial amounts of weight as women who ate the diet that was lower in protein."

The researchers are not clear as to why insulin sensitivity did not improve in the group that had a high-protein diet. Mittendorfer said that it's not known whether the same results would occur in men or women already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 

The findings of the study are published in the journal Cell Reports. 

DHA supplementation improves cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairmen

Results from a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease support the cognitive benefits of DHA, which have been consistently demonstrated with doses of 900 mg/day or greater. The study, which took place in Tianjin, China, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 240 (219 completed) Chinese individuals aged 65 and older with mild cognitive impairment. The participants received either 2g/day of DHA or a corn oil placebo for 12 months and specific measures of cognitive function were measured at baseline, six months and 12 months.

The study results showed that there was a significant difference in the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in the DHA group versus placebo, with IQ in the DHA group measuring 10% higher than the placebo group. Additionally, there were statistically significant increases in two IQ sub-tests (Information and Digit Span). The Information and Digit Span Subdomains are considered indicators of long-term and short-term memory, respectively. The findings suggest that DHA supplementation of 2g/day for 12 months in MCI subjects can significantly improve cognitive function.

While additional larger longer-term studies are needed to confirm the results, this paper adds to the body of science supporting DHA omega-3s and their role in supporting cognitive function.

Source:Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

CAN AN ALKALINE DIET SUCCESSFULLY TREAT CANCER? SIGNS YOUR BODY IS TOO ACIDIC & WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

It never ceases to amaze me how often conventional doctors fail to address the correlation between food and cancer prevention and treatment. Your diet can not only cause cancer, but it could also prevent or cure you from cancer. Meat, dairy, refined sugar, and processed foods are all known to increase one’s risk of cancer, and all of these are considered acid-forming foods. Cancer is a systemic, metabolic disease that forms as a result of nutrient deficiencies, high amounts of toxins, and usually a pH level that’s too low, meaning the body is too acidic. In order to neutralize the constant acid generation, we need to supply the body with more alkaline foods. An alkaline diet may be your best defence against cancer.

The Relationship Between Blood pH and Cancer

Our pH is measured on a scale ranging from 0-14 with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. In order to transport oxygen throughout the body, our blood needs to maintain a pH level of approximately 7.35. Even though our bodies store excess alkaline reserves to buffer acids, if you’re eating a conventional diet filled with pesticides and processed foods, your reserve has likely depleted.

As Keiichi Morishita explains in his book Hidden Truth of Cancer, as your blood pH becomes too acidic, your body will move the acidic substances from the blood to your cells, allowing the blood to return to a pH level of 7.35. As a result, these cells will become too acidic and in some cases, die. The cells that survive become abnormal cells that cannot correspond with your brain or DNA memory code, typically referred to as “malignant” cells, which will continuously grow. These are cancerous  

While lowering cancer cell pH (increasing acidity) is effective against cancer cell mitosis in the lab, increasing acid levels in the live body of a cancer patient puts stress on normal cells and causes a lot of pain.  So the proposed alkaline therapy for people is a “high pH therapy” and has been developed to normalize the intracellular pH of the cancer patient’s body through elimination of latent acidosis, while increasing the pH of cancer cells to a range above 7.5.  According to published research, it is at that pH they revert to a normal cellular apoptosis cycle (programmed cell death).  

Ideally, this approach begins with an alkaline diet.  There is general agreement amongst natural healers and medical professionals that changing a cancer patient’s diet is extremely helpful when someone is confronted with a cancer diagnosis.

The principles of pH therapy are very simple, according to many.  The metabolism of cancer cells does have a very narrow pH tolerance for cellular proliferation ( between 6.5 and 7.5). If you can interfere with cancer cell metabolism by either lowering or raising the internal cancer cell pH, you can theoretically stop cancer progression.  

Regardless of whether or not you actually have cancer, an alkaline diet is optimal for your bodily health. In general, the 80/20 rule is believed to be ideal: 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic.

What an Alkaline Diet Looks Like

As the Journal of Environmental and Public Health explains, foods can be categorized as either alkaline or acidic according to their “potential renal acid loads” (PRALs). For example, fruits, vegetables, juices, and other alkaline rich foods have negative PRALs; however, grains, meats, dairy products, fish, and other acidic foods have higher PRALs. To maintain ideal pH, your diet should be comprised of organic leafy greens, herbs and spices, root vegetables, onions, garlic, leek and chives, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbages, beans, lentils, peas, and nuts and seeds, combined with minimal gluten-free grains such as rice.

Here are some suggestions to help you improve your alkalinity:

1. Check your pH regularly
2. Drink more water (alkaline water, if possible)
3. Remove acidic foods
4. Convert to a vegan or more plant-based diet
5. Replace a traditional lunch with a large green salad
6. Use lettuce leaves and collard greens as wraps
7. Don’t consume processed foods
8. Eliminate soda, sugars, and coffee, and replace them with herbal tea, herbal coffee, and green drinks
9. Replace dairy milk with non-dairy milks such as coconut, hemp, or almond milk
10. Add green juices and smoothies to your diet 

The following diagram highlights which foods are considered acidic or alkaline:

Why Removing Dairy, Meat, and Sugar From Your Diet is Crucial for Cancer Prevention and Treatment

It’s no secret that eliminating meat and dairy products — both of which are categorized as acidic foods — reduces your risk of cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has published multiple studies on the relationship between diet and cancer prevention, one of which determined that red meat and processed meat consumption increase cancer risk  . Another study compared the blood from those who maintain a vegan diet to those who follow a standard American diet and concluded that a vegan diet was more effective at stopping cancer cell growth  . Studies have also shown that dairy products can increase one’s risk of developing prostate cancer by 30-50%  .The China Study, performed by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, proved that casein, the main protein in dairy products, is a known carcinogen.

Cancer literally feeds off of animal protein and sugar, and numerous studies have demonstrated the link between sugar consumption and cancer growth. For example, Nobel prize-winning scientist Otto Warburg proved that instead of using oxygen, cancer cells use a method of cell respiration called glycolysis, which is the fermentation of glucose (a form of sugar). Without glucose to meet their energy needs, cancer cells die.

It is clear that if you follow a smart alkaline diet, you can significantly reduce your risk of cancer. I use the word ‘smart’ because if you’re consuming conventional fruits and vegetables and genetically modified foods instead of organic, you’re still being exposed to pesticides and toxins, which are also known carcinogens. Many people have adopted organic, plant-based, alkaline-rich diets and have successfully cured themselves of cancer.

Aside from alkaline diets, there are a number of other all-natural treatments for cancer that are being studied and used by cancer patients all over the world. Some of these alternative methods include cannabis, vitamin C injections, turmeric, plant-based diets, and frankincense, among others.

Source:CE

Anti-tuberculosis drug disrupted by botanical supplement, can lead to disease

Botanical supplements are used by people around the world to treat a wide range of physical and mental ailments. Some of these botanical supplements have high levels of antioxidants, which may have some positive health effects for certain conditions. However, a new study from the University of Missouri in partnership with scientists in Africa has uncovered evidence that these supplements and their antioxidants may reduce the effectiveness of prescription medications. The researchers examined the effects of a widely used African botanical supplement, called Sutherlandia, and found that it may disrupt the effectiveness of a common anti-tuberculosis drug. This could lead to the development of active tuberculosis and perhaps drug resistant forms of the pathogen in some patients.

For the study, William Folk, a professor of biochemistry in the University of Missouri School of Medicine and College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and his colleagues monitored South African patients who were taking either Sutherlandia or a placebo, along with the world-standard anti-tuberculosis drug, isoniazid. Sutherlandia is a supplement commonly taken in Africa to fight symptoms of infection and some chronic diseases, such as diabetes. The researchers observed that several patients taking the Southerlandia supplement developed active tuberculosis despite taking Isoniazid.

"We believe that the antioxidants in Southerlandia can directly disrupt how Isoniazid functions within the body to prevent tuberculosis," Folk said. "Isoniazid is very reliable in preventing the active form of this potentially deadly microbe, which is present in nearly one-third of all humans, but if individuals concurrently take a botanical supplement, they could undo the good that the scientifically proven drug is accomplishing. More than one-third of the world's population is susceptible to active tuberculosis, so it is unfortunate that Sutherlandia, which traditionally is taken to prevent or treat infections, can actually cause them to develop the disease, and perhaps also cause the microbe to become a drug-resistant 'super bug.'"

Folk says this finding could apply to many different botanical supplements and many different medications, including cancer-fighting drugs. He says it is important for future research to examine potential interactions between drugs and antioxidant-laden supplements.

"With so many people around the world turning to botanical supplements to help with a wide range of health issues, it is vital that we explore how these supplements interact with established medical drugs," Folk said. "Many drugs use pathways that could be disrupted by antioxidants, so we need for physicians to better advise their patients. Many physicians do not know everything that their patients take, so it is important for people to inform their physicians, and for physicians to ask, so they can better advise their patients what is best for their health."

The study, "Does Concurrent Use of Some Botanicals Interfere with Treatment of Tuberculosis?" was published in Neuromolecular Medicine. Coauthors include Aaron smith, Hailong Song, Dennis Chuang, Jianlin Cheng, Sezong Gu and Grace Sun. This study was funded by grant P50AT006273 from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) and the University of Missouri. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.

Source:UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA

Scientists outline biochemistry of xanthohumol -- an avenue to treat metabolic syndrome

Researchers at Oregon State University have made a fundamental advance in understanding xanthohumol - a compound found in hops that's of significant interest to prevent or treat the lipid and metabolic disorders that are a primary killer of people in the developed world.

The scientists identified for the first time more precisely how xanthohumol works, and why it may have such significant promise in addressing the high cholesterol, blood sugar, obesity and other issues that are collectively referred to as "metabolic syndrome."

The findings were recently published in BBA - Proteins and Proteomics, a professional journal, by researchers from several OSU departments and the Linus Pauling Institute. The work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health.

More than 25 percent of the adults in the United States meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome, putting them at significantly increased risk for cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. That syndrome is defined by diagnosis of three or more of several conditions, including abdominal obesity, elevated lipids, high blood pressure, pro-inflammatory state, a pro-thrombotic state and insulin resistance or impaired glucose tolerance.

The new research was based on mass spectrometry in combination with a chemical labeling technique. In it, the scientists concluded that several "prenylflavonoids," particularly xanthohumol, clearly are a ligand, or have a binding mechanism that promotes the activity of the Farnesoid X Receptor, or FXR. FXR, in turn, is a master regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism - in simpler terms, the body's processing of fats and sugar.

"There's already interest in targeting FXR as a possible approach to a therapy for fatty liver disease, type2 diabetes and obesity," said Claudia Maier, a professor of chemistry in the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences. "With this work we've identified a unique binding mechanism and chemical structure that could make that possible. This is really very interesting, and very promising."

This new understanding of the FXR receptor at the molecular level, researchers said, could, in theory, facilitate the use of compounds that take advantage of it - such as xanthohumol - or development of other compounds with a similar chemical structure that work even better.

"We now see how these prenylflavonoids are working, and with modification through computational approaches it might be possible to even improve upon that," said Liping Yang, the lead author on the new study and faculty research assistant in the OSU Department of Chemistry. "The end result might be either supplements or a prescription drug, with the potential to address metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic liver disease, diabetes and other metabolic disorders."

The FXR receptor, the scientists said, is a part of normal lipid and glucose metabolism, working in collaboration with appropriate diet, weight, exercise and other healthy activities. However, its function can be eroded by intake of too much fat and sugar. Restoring that function, by contrast, may help address metabolic problems.

In previous research, published earlier this year by OSU scientists Cristobal Miranda and Fred Stevens, scientists studied laboratory animals that were on a high-fat diet. When they were given a high dosage of xanthohumol, it reduced their LDL, or "bad" cholesterol by 80 percent; their insulin level by 42 percent; and their level of IL-6, a biomarker of inflammation, by 78 percent.

Weight gain was also constrained, compared to animals not given xanthohumol. The levels of xanthohumol used in the research far exceeded any amount that could be obtained by normal dietary intake, but could be easily obtained through supplements.

In that study, researchers pointed out that direct health care costs arising from obesity or related disorders account for up to 10 percent of U.S. health care expenditures.

Source:OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

Smokeless tobacco product snus may increase risk of death among prostate cancer patients

The smokeless tobacco product snus, which is used mainly in Sweden but also is sold in the U.S., may increase the risk that men with prostate cancer will die from their disease, and the risk that they'll die prematurely from any cause, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The findings, which build on previous studies showing increased risk of death from prostate cancer in smokers with the disease, suggest that nicotine or other non-combustion-related components of tobacco may play a role in prostate cancer progression.

The study will appear in the October 12, 2016 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

"Snus has been suggested as a less harmful alternative to smoking because it lacks the combustion products of smoking that are associated with cancer risk. However, we found that men with prostate cancer who used snus were at increased risk of premature death," said co-first author Kathryn Wilson, a research scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard Chan School.

Snus is a powdered tobacco product, often sold in teabag-like sachets, that is placed under the upper lip for extended periods. It contains nicotine but no combustion components, and has not been previously studied in relation to prostate cancer survival.

The researchers analyzed health data collected from Swedish construction workers during preventive health check-ups between 1971 and 1992, including a tobacco use questionnaire completed during each man's initial check-up. Of these men, 9,582 later developed prostate cancer. About half of the subjects died during the follow-up period--2,489 from prostate cancer.

Compared with those who never used tobacco, those who used snus but did not smoke had a 24% increased risk of dying from prostate cancer and a 19% increased risk of dying during the study period from any cause. Among men whose cancer had not spread, increased risk of death from prostate cancer for exclusive snus users was three times higher than for never-users of tobacco.

"There is some evidence from animal studies that nicotine can promote cancer progression, and snus users have high blood levels of nicotine. Snus users are also exposed to other carcinogens in tobacco even though it is a smokeless product," said Sarah Markt, research associate in the Department of Epidemiology. "Taken together, this suggests that the health effects of smokeless tobacco products should be carefully studied by public health officials."

Source:HARVARD T.H. CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

HOW TO ABSORB EARTH’S FREE FLOWING ELECTRONS THROUGH THE SOLES OF YOUR FEET (EARTHING)

Grounding, or ‘earthing,’ as some people call it, involves placing your feet directly on the ground without shoes or socks as a barrier. The logic behind this practice relates to the intense negative charge carried by the Earth. This charge is electron-rich, theoretically serving as a good supply of antioxidants and free-radical destroying electrons.Dr. James Oschman, a PhD in biology from the University of Pittsburgh and an expert in the field of energy medicine, notes:

Subjective reports that walking barefoot on the Earth enhances health and provides feelings of well-being can be found in the literature and practices of diverse cultures from around the world. For a variety of reasons, many individuals are reluctant to walk outside barefoot, unless they are on holiday at the beach. 

It makes sense if you think about it; in our most natural state, we wouldn’t really be wearing any sort of cover on our feet. Putting your feet on the ground enables you to absorb large amounts of negative electrons through the soles of your feet which, in turn, can help to maintain your body at the same negatively charged electrical potential as the Earth.

The Science

A study published a couple of years ago in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health titled “Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth’s Surface Electrons” postulates that earthing could represent a potential treatment/solution to a variety of chronic degenerative diseases.

It concluded that simple contact with the Earth, through being either outside barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems, could serve as a natural and “profoundly effective environmental strategy” against chronic stress, ANS dysfunction, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, disturbed HRV, hyper-coagulable blood, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease. The study concludes:The research done to date supports the concept that grounding or earthing the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.  Another study, conducted by the Department of Neurosurgery from the Military Clinical Hospital in Powstancow Warszawy, along with other affiliates like the Poland Medical University, found that blood urea concentrations are lower in subjects who are earthed (connected to the earth potential with the use of copper wire) during physical exercise and that earthing during exercise resulted in improved exercise recovery.

It concluded:

These results suggest that earthing during exercise inhibits hepatic protein catabolism or increases renal urea excretion. Earthing during exercise affects protein metabolism, resulting in a positive nitrogen balance. This phenomenon has fundamental importance in understanding human metabolic processes and may have implications in training programs for athletes.  )

A study published last year from the Developmental and Cell Biology Department at the University of California at Irvine found that grounding the human body improves facial blood flow regulation.  

As mentioned earlier, studies have found grounding to reduce blood viscosity, which is a major factor in cardiovascular disease. 

One study, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, even concluded that earthing may be “the primary factor regulating the endocrine and nervous system.”  

According to a review published in the Journal of Inflammation Research: 

Grounding reduces or even prevents the cardinal signs of inflammation following injury: redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of function  . Rapid resolution of painful chronic inflammation was confirmed in 20 case studies using medical infrared imaging   . . . Our main hypothesis is that connecting the body to the Earth enables free electrons from the Earth’s surface to spread over and into the body, where they can have antioxidant effects. Specifically, we suggest that mobile electrons create an antioxidant microenvironment around the injury repair field, slowing or preventing reactive oxygen species (ROS) delivered by the oxidative burst from causing “collateral damage” to healthy tissue, and preventing or reducing the formation of the so-called “inflammatory barricade”. We also hypothesize that electrons from the Earth can prevent or resolve so-called “silent” or “smoldering” inflammation.  

There seem to be dozens of studies which confirm the physiological effects of grounding, which include anything from anti-aging and heart health benefits to improved sleep and much, much more.

“This simple process of grounding is one of the most potent antioxidants we know of. Grounding has been shown to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, improve sleep, enhance well being, and much, much more. Unfortunately, many living in developed countries are rarely grounded anymore.”  – Dr Jospeh Mercola  

How  You Can Get Grounded

We all spend most of our time walking on the earth wearing shoes with rubber or plastic soles. These materials are insulators, used to insulate electrical wires. They also disconnect you from the Earth’s electron flow, which we are supposed to (naturally) be connected to. If you wear leather-soled shoes (or vegan leather!) or walk barefoot on sand, grass, soil, concrete, or ceramic tile, you will be grounded. If you walk on asphalt, wood, rubber, plastic, vinyl, tar, or tarmac you will not be grounded.

So the next time you are outside, take off your shoes! You can also use conductive systems while sleeping, working, or spending time indoors for a more convenient and lifestyle-friendly approach.

Schuman Resonance

In 1952 German physicist Professor W.O. Schumann, of the Technical University of Munich, began attempting to answer whether or not the earth itself has a frequency — a pulse. His assumption about the existence of this frequency came from his understanding that when a sphere exists inside of another sphere an electrical tension is created. Since the negatively charged earth exists inside the positively charged ionosphere, there must be tension between the two, giving the earth a specific frequency. Following his assumptions, through a series of calculations he was able to land upon a frequency he believed was the pulse of the earth. This frequency was 10hz.

It wasn’t until 1954 that Schumann teamed up with another scientist (Herbert König) and confirmed that the resonance of the earth maintained a frequency of 7.83 Hz. This discovery was later tested out by several scientists and verified. Since then, The Schumann Resonance has been the accepted term used scientifically when one is looking to describe or measure the pulse or heartbeat of the earth.

Even though the existence of the Schumann Resonance is an established scientific fact, there remain few scientists who fully understand the important relationship between this frequency and life on the planet.

Source:CE