High blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) may increase a person’s risk for heart attack and death, but not for stroke, a new study has found.

The study included 2,240 people in New York City who were 40 or older and stroke-free. At the start of the study, the participants’ blood was checked for levels of CRP (a marker for inflammation) and their heart attack and stroke risk factors were evaluated by researchers.

During an average follow-up of eight years, there were 198 strokes, 156 heart-related events and 586 deaths. People with CRP levels greater than 3 milligrams per liter of blood were 70 percent more likely to have a heart attack and 55 percent more likely to die than those with CRP levels of 1 milligram per liter or less, the researchers reported in the Oct. 20 print issue of Neurology.

After they took other risk factors into account, the study authors concluded that CRP levels didn’t influence stroke risk.

“The role of this protein in predicting risk of stroke has been controversial, although prior studies have found it to be a marker for predicting risk of heart disease,” study author Dr. Mitchell Elkind, of Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, said in a news release from the American Academy of Neurology. “However, in our large, multiethnic population, CRP levels did not play a role in predicting stroke, though they may still help determine whether someone is at risk of heart attack or early death.”

CRP levels are influenced by factors such as physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and diabetes.

“It appears that by living a healthy lifestyle, one may be able to lower these protein levels, thus lowering the risk of cardiac events and possibly early death,” Elkind said.

“It may be that the failure of CRP to predict stroke in our study, unlike in some other populations, reflects the fact that our population is older and has more of these risk factors. While CRP may be predictive in generally young healthy people, it may be less useful among older, sicker people. More research needs to be done on why the protein wasn’t able to predict stroke in the same manner as heart disease,” he said.

Plaque is a mostly invisible  bacterial loaded film that clings to teeth and gums. Plaque is the soft, sticky layer of bacteria, which is constantly forming on the  teeth. Usually it is invisible to the naked eye, but when a person is not brushing adequately, it can build up to where it appears to be a thick whitish coating on the teeth at the gum line. This bacterial causes irritation of the tissues that support your teeth.  This irritation can lead to inflammations and infection that can destroy your gum and bone tissue.  When plaque is not completely removed it may harden or calcify into a rough deposit called tarter or calculus.  The only way to limit the damage caused by the tartar to your gum tissue is to have your teeth  cleaned regularly at the dental office.

What foods are best avoided to maintain good periodontal health? The top culprit chosen by periodontists was popcorn, because the husks can get caught in between the teeth and gums and cause abscesses.
Oral-disease-causing microbes like:  porphyromonas gingivalis bacterium are associated with chronic and severe adult periodontitis. The problem with calculus is that it harbors plaque. Bacterial plaque, or reaction to it, is what the problem is that causes gum disease.

Impacted food, alcohol, improper use of toothpicks and tobacco products may irritate gum tissue.
The results suggest that persistent alcohol abuse increases periodontitis , gum disease, development by heightening the loss of attachment through recession of gingival margins.

Badly aligned teeth, defective fillings, poorly fitting bridges or partial dentures and harmful habits such as grinding you teeth can cause problems.

Poor diet that causes nutritional deficiency and reduces the body’s ability to fight off infection.
There is increasing evidence that decay and periodontal disease are both contagious diseases. The causative bacteria can be passed from parent to child or from lover to lover by kissing. People who never had a cavity may suddenly have several (or more) because of the person’s new relationships! Practical advice—if your kids or your lover have active decay or gum and bone disease, you BOTH may need treatment, including the use of antibacterial rinses, for the disease to be controlled. This is a major paradigm shift in the treatment of dental disease.

Hormone fluctuations during pregnancy can cause pregnancy gingivitis.
Oral contraceptive, steroid, cancer therapy drugs and anti-epilepsy drugs will affect gum tissue.
Such conditions as diabetes, leukemia, AIDS/HIV..

Periodontal Disease can be spread through family members

Medications that can cause gum disease

Poor oral hygiene habits cause periodontitis. All the body needs is 0.05mm of calculus to allow for the formation of bacterial antigens that cause gum disease.

Low calcium intake is a risk factor for gum disease.

Women aged 20-39 with the lowest calcium intake had a risk of 54% for  periodontal diseases.  Women who took moderate calcium supplements lowered their risk by 27%.

Smoking

Smoking-causes calculus, deep pockets, bone loss, infection and chronic gum disease.  It damages the natural processes that the body uses to fight against gum disease, it reduces saliva levels, restricts blood flow, and damages your immune system.  The nicotine causes significant changes in the blood vessels and the tissue of the mouth are getting attacked by the heat and smoke itself.

Anger…see anger and gum disease.

Stage and ages in life.  Hormonally triggered life stages like puberty, pregnancy and menopause, where estrogen and progesterone levels climb, causing gums to react differently to the bacteria found in plaque.

Dry mouth.

It only takes 0.05mm of bacteria plaque to allow for bacterial antigen formation which is a pretty thin layer and EASY to accumulate in hard to get at areas. Dental plaque as a biofilm, just like in your arteries. Plaque is NOT chemically causative in the PD process, CALCULUS is.

Half of the population may be genetically predisposed to periodontal disease.

It is believed that gum disease may caused by a gene that causes a defect in the Il-1antibody. Periodontal. disease is now proving to be an autoimmune type disease, with bacterial toxins as the trigger. PD, Arthritis,

Cardiovascular Disease, Cerebral Vascular Disease, Diabetes, and a host of many more are all linked by the fact that they are immune disorders dressed up as “other issues” PD was almost totally controlled by 2 genes that controlled inflammation.  It is almost 100% a genetic disease that can be made much worse by smoking. It demonstrates itself in the mouth and  is nothing more then an Immune System Gone Awry. It needs a trigger to start but once started it only takes minimal forces to keep it going. U of Wash, Dr.Roy Page, stated that perio is a genetic disease. If you have the two bad genes that adversely effect the way your body responds to irritation with an exaggerated inflammatory response and smoke you will loose teeth early.

People with PD have a defective immune response to the antigens that the perio pathogens produce. Thus PD as an immune disease that is caused initially by poor home care and bacterial antigens but is propagated by a systemic defect that some have and some don’t. It is a bacterially induced immune response.

Stress-Smokers under stress have deeper pockets than non-anxious smokers Bacterial biofilm triggers periodontal infection, and stress can aggravate the situation. Past studies have demonstrated that people with psychiatric disorders have more periodontal  disease. High stress levels combined with  smoking may lead to more periodontal infection. High-stress levels combined with smoking may lead to more periodontal infection.

It is caused by mixed infection of bacterial + host response to bacterial infection= gum disease. It is the interaction of the host or your immune response with pathogenic bacterial that determines whether gum disease is initiated or whether disease progresses. It is important to recognize certain risk factors make certain people more susceptible to gum disease.

Start cleaning BETWEEN your teeth.  Periodontal disease begins between the teeth.  The area between the teeth are more prone to infection than facial or tongue gum tissue surfaces simply by anatomy.  This tissue is not keratinized like tissue found on the facial and tongue surfaces.  Non-keratinized tissue is more susceptible to breakdown. It is also a very protected area, NOT reached by brushing or rinsing.

Smokers, diabetics and those taking steroids, oral contraceptives and certain cancer drugs are a higher risk for developing periodontitis.

Alcohol is a drying agent and causes sloughing to occur so as it does the remnant cells are “food sources” for the antigen.   Decay requires a carbohydrate rich environment while PD needs protein. So if we have a diet high in protein and we are not exquisitely diligent on home care the remnant of the protein feeds the antigen reaction.

Since the disease starts between the teeth, it makes sense to start cleaning in between the teeth and than brush.  You can clean this area with interdental brushes, picks, floss, sticks, oral irrigation, and automatic flossers.  remember this disease needs to be treated both in the office and at home.

Gum disease is caused from an immune system that has gone off track and is linked to the causes of heart disease, cancer and diabetes via the immune system pathway.

Stress can cause Periodontal Disease- stress is bad for your teeth.

Psychological stress can lead to elevated plaque levels, while physical stress is linked to gingivitis (gum disease). What’s more, caregivers helping people under these physical and emotional stresses are also at increased risk for gum disease.Experts believe chronic stress may lead to a malfunction of some biological functions. Also, those who are struggling with stress and those who care for them often become depressed and slide on oral hygiene, if not giving up on themselves altogether.

Gum disease leads to more than bleeding gums. It can affect the integrity of your teeth and the bone that supports them. If unchecked, gingivitis can lead to loose and missing teeth. When this happens, teeth can often shift. It can be uncomfortable and painful for your bite (not to mention your smile). Brushing at least twice a day and flossing each night are the first step toward protecting yourself from gum disease. Regular dental check-ups and cleanings are also crucial. While these steps can help reduce the risk of stress-related periodontal disease, they don’t resolve the key problem – stress! Exercising and eating right can help, and developing a hobby can be a fantastic release. Talking about it can help as well.

Cigarette Smoking and the Periodontal Patient

Adult smokers are approximately three times as likely as non-smokers to have periodontitis. The association between smoking and attachment loss is even stronger when the definition of periodontitis is restricted to the most severely affected subjects. Smokers have a diminished response to periodontal therapy and show approximately half as much improvement in probing depths and clinical attachment levels following non- surgical and various surgical modalities of therapy. Implant failures in smokers are twice those of non-smokers, with a higher failure rate in the maxillary arch . Tobacco-induced alterations in microbial and host factors contribute to these deleterious effects of smoking on the periodontium. In longitudinal studies, the rate of periodontal disease progression is increased in smokers, but decreases to that of a non-smoker following tobacco cessation. Likewise, recent non- smokers respond to periodontal therapy in a manner similar to patients who have never smoked.  Use the five A’s: ask – identify tobacco users; advise – advise them to quit; assess – evaluate the patient’s readiness to quit; assist – offer assistance in cessation; and arrange – follow up on cessation efforts. The addition of pharmacotherapy to behavioral therapy, including nicotine replacement therapy and bupropion, can increase cessation rates. The most popular form of nicotine replacement therapy is the patch, and its use has been shown to double cessation rates compared to behavioral therapy alone. Use of bupropion in combination with nicotine replacement therapy may be particularly helpful for heavy smokers or smokers who have experienced multiple failed attempts at cessation.

Anger may be a risk factor of gum disease!

Stress is associated with poor oral hygiene, increased glucocorticoid secretion that can depress immune function, increased insulin resistance and potentially increased risk of periodontitis. Methods. The authors examined the association between social support, anger expression and periodontitis in 42,523 male.   Subjects who reported having at least one close friend had a 30 percent lower risk of developing periodontitis. Men who participated in religious meetings or services had a 27 percent lower risk of developing periodontitis. Men who reported being angry on a daily basis had a 43 percent higher risk of developing periodontitis compared with men who reported being angry seldom.

Transmission of Porphyromonas gingivalis and FimA Type in Spouse Relationship Recent findings suggest that the genotype of the fimbriae is one of the important factors in infection by P. gingivalis. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the transmission of P. gingivalis between spouses.  Intrafamilial transmission of infectious bacteria was significantly higher in couples. Conclusion: This study suggests that fimA type II,, may be an important factor in the transmission of P. gingivalis between spouses.

Clinical studies prove

Floss for life

Harvard Medical School researchers studied longevity and found one of the most important contributing factors was daily flossing. Because it removes bacteria from the teeth and gums, flossing helps to prevent periodontal disease and gingivitis. Another study found that men with periodontitis had a whopping 72% greater risk of developing coronary disease. Gingivitis was associated with a 42% increased risk for men.

To improve elimination through the skin, regular exercise is important to stimulate sweating. Exercise helps overall with detoxification and also improves our general metabolism. Regular aerobic exercise is a key to maintaining a nontoxic body in our toxic environment. On the other hand, exercise increases the production of toxins in the body, so it must be accompanied by consuming a lot of water, antioxidants, and vitamin and mineral replenishment.

There is a diabetes epidemic in this country, and it just so happens that one of the most important ways to prevent/help diabetes is DAILY EXERCISE. My favorite form of exercise is jumping on the mini-trampoline.
Because of its effects on the lymphatic system and the way it involves every cell in the body, rebounding is one of the most beneficial exercises one can do to maintain health.

Finding a form of exercise YOU ENJOY.

If you’re going to exercise and KEEP AT IT REGULARLY, you will need to find a form of exercise which YOU enjoy doing.

I like to rebound several times a day, while listening to podcasts on my ipod or watching TV. I also enjoy bicycling and swimming. Some people prefer outdoor exercise to working out indoors because it offers distractions and visual stimulation. You’re focused on your surroundings, and because you’re enjoying yourself, time flies and you feel more invigorated than you would if you did the same amount of exercise indoors. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Experience various forms of exercise to find out what you like best:

Mini-Trampoline jumping - rebounding - An increbibly beneficial form of exercise because of its effect on the lymph system in your body.
Walk or jog in nature: a forest, up a mountain , by a river, on the beach, etc.
Fishing, horseback riding, rowing, golf are all good.
Explore Yoga, Meditation.
Try your hand at martial arts: Karate, Judo, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Aikido.
Dancing, aerobics, gymnastics, weight lifting, stretching.
Swimming is a wonderful low-impact exercise.

No need to exhaust yourself! MODERATE exercise is best.

Why do some people NEVER give their bodies any exercise?

We all know exercise is good for us. Why do we not do it then? Procastination? Lazyness? Mental barriers? Transcendental meditation has helped me make marked improvements in not only my health and behavior but all aspects of my life. I highly recommend you look into it.

Why are the kidneys so important? Although this pair of bean-shaped organs is relatively small, they are responsible for ensuring that the blood circulating in our body is free from harmful organisms, waste products and excess water.

Your kidneys work extra hard to ensure your continued well-being. Every day, 20% of the blood pumped by the heart or approximately 200 quarts of blood passes through your kidneys for cleansing purposes. Every day, at least 2 quarts of unwanted waste materials are sifted from the blood before it is even allowed to return to general circulation.

To really appreciate the role of our kidneys in ensuring our well-being, let us take a peep on how these organs function. Each of these tiny organs is composed of about a million tinier units called “nephrons”. Inside these nephrons, a tiny blood vessel (”glomerulus”) is intertwined with a tiny urine-collecting tube (tubule). As blood passes through these nephrons, a complex interaction occurs between the glomerulus and the tubule which results in the elimination of wastes in the blood. These waste materials then enter the urinary tract and end up being excreted in the urine.

Aside from sifting the unwanted materials from the blood, the kidneys also take charge of the following functions:

. Regulation of the composition of the blood

. Maintenance of the ideal concentrations of vital substances and ions in the blood

. Sustaining the proper volume of water in the body

. Eliminating toxic wastes from the body

. Maintaining the acid-base concentration of the blood

. Normalizing blood pressure

. Promoting the production of red blood cells

. Maintaining the ideal calcium level in the body

Despite the numerous tasks performed by the kidneys to ensure our safety, it is sad to note that there are a lot of people who neglect to take care of their kidneys properly. In fact, in the United States alone, more than 300,000 people suffer from renal failure every single year! These people are either currently undergoing dialysis or waiting for a kidney transplant. It is also an established fact that an average person like you and me has a 1 to 10 chance in developing a kidney stone in our lifetime. This is undeniably a very alarming figure indeed!

So, what can we do to prevent this from happening? We need to start taking care of our health and to pay attention to our kidneys as well. Two of the leading causes of kidney diseases are diabetes and high blood pressure. Excessive amount of glucose in the blood negatively affects the nephrons and interferes with the normal functioning of the kidneys. High blood pressure, on the other hand, may put excessive strain on the glomerulus thereby interfering with the regular functions of the system. Other kidney infections such as glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis may also trigger renal failure. Certain drugs can also exert debilitating effects.

To avoid developing kidney troubles, it is therefore necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You may start by considering the following tips:

. Maintain a healthy blood pressure

. Limit intake of foods which dramatically increase the blood sugar and cholesterol levels

. Load up on water to prevent dehydration

. Avoid adding too much salt to the diet

. Minimize stress

. Have a regular exercise routine.

. Limit medications to those prescribed by your family physician.

The importance of a kidney cleanse

A good kidney cleanse is vital to keep our kidneys healthy. It is, by definition, any procedure which involves the intake of a large amount of liquid and a healing diet. Sometimes, it is enough to alter our diet to a more healthfy one and to increase our water intake to take advantage of the positive effects of a kidney cleanse. For some cases, however, a more stringent fasting procedure is needed.

Water fasting involves taking in large quantities of water for a specified period of time without food. Juicing (or juice fasting) is also an excellent way to cleanse and detoxify the kidneys. It is less severe than water fasting since it provides the body with the nutrients, minerals, enzymes and energy needed to support the various metabolic processes during the fast. Several herbal recipes have also been concocted to induce a thorough kidney cleanse. Some of the herbs used in these types of kidney cleanses are hydrangea root, gravel root, marshmallow root, ginger root and fresh parsley, to name a few.

With the proper guidance from a qualified medical professional, a good kidney detoxification program coupled with dietary and lifestyle change can dramatically improve your health.

Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?

If it sounds too good to be true, think again.

Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better.
Reducing Disease Risk

After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with not partaking in America’s favorite morning drink, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men’s risk by 54% and women’s by 30% over java avoiders.

Though the scientists give the customary “more research is needed” before they recommend you do overtime at Starbuck’s to specifically prevent diabetes, their findings are very similar to those in a less-publicized Dutch study. And perhaps more importantly, it’s the latest of hundreds of studies suggesting that coffee may be something of a health food — especially in higher amounts.

In recent decades, some 19,000 studies have been done examining coffee’s impact on health. And for the most part, their results are as pleasing as a gulp of freshly brewed Breakfast Blend for the 108 million Americans who routinely enjoy this traditionally morning — and increasingly daylong — ritual. In practical terms, regular coffee drinkers include the majority of U.S. adults and a growing number of children.

“Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. “For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good.”

Consider this: At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones.

Coffee even offsets some of the damage caused by other vices, some research indicates. “People who smoke and are heavy drinkers have less heart disease and liver damage when they regularly consume large amounts of coffee compared to those who don’t,” says DePaulis.

There’s also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities.

Is it the caffeine? The oodles of antioxidants in coffee beans, some of which become especially potent during the roasting process? Even other mysterious properties that warrant this intensive study?

Actually, yes.

Some of coffee’s reported benefits are a direct result of its higher caffeine content: An eight ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee contains about 85 mg — about three and a half times more than the same serving of tea or cola or one ounce of chocolate.

“The evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption reduces risk of Parkinson’s disease and for that, it’s directly related to caffeine,” DePaulis tells WebMD. “In fact, Parkinson’s drugs are now being developed that contain a derivative of caffeine based on this evidence.”

Caffeine is also what helps in treating asthma and headaches. Though not widely publicized, a single dose of pain reliever such as Anacin or Excedrin contains up to 120 milligrams — what’s in a hefty mug o’ Joe.
Boost to Athleticism

It’s also caffeine — and not coffee, per se — that makes java a powerful aid in enhancing athletic endurance and performance, says physiologist and longtime coffee researcher Terry Graham, PhD, of the University of Guelph in Canada. So powerful, in fact, that until recently, caffeine in coffee or other forms was deemed a “controlled” substance by the Olympic Games Committee, meaning that it could be consumed only in small, designated amounts by competing athletes.

“What caffeine likely does is stimulate the brain and nervous system to do things differently,” he tells WebMD. “That may include signaling you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what’s amazing about it is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.”

How does this brew affect growing minds and bodies? Very nicely, it seems, says DePaulis. Coffee, as you probably know, makes you more alert, which can boost concentration. But claims that it improves a child’s academic performance can be exaggerated. Coffee-drinking kids may do better on school tests because they’re more awake, but most task-to-task lab studies suggest that coffee doesn’t really improve mental performance, says DePaulis.

But it helps kids’ minds in another way. “There recently was a study from Brazil finding that children who drink coffee with milk each day are less likely to have depression than other children,” he tells WebMD. “In fact, no studies show that coffee in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful to children.”

On the flip side, it’s clear that coffee isn’t for everyone. Its legendary jolt in excess doses — that is, more than whatever your individual body can tolerate — can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat. Coffee may also raise cholesterol levels in some people and may contribute to artery clogging. But most recent large studies show no significant adverse effects on most healthy people, although pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid coffee.

The bottom line:    “People who already drink a lot of coffee don’t have to feel ‘guilty’ as long as coffee does not affect their daily life,” says Hu. “They may actually benefit from coffee habits in the long run.”

In other words, consume enough caffeine — whether it’s from coffee or another source — and you will likely run faster, last longer and be stronger. What’s enough? As little as one cup can offer some benefit, but the real impact comes from at least two mugs, says Graham. By comparison, it’d take at least eight glasses of cola to get the same effect, which isn’t exactly conducive for running a marathon.

But the harder you exercise, the more benefit you may get from coffee. “Unfortunately, where you see the enhancing effects from caffeine is in hard-working athletes, who are able to work longer and somewhat harder,” says Graham, who has studied the effects of caffeine and coffee for nearly two decades. “If you a recreational athlete who is working out to reduce weight or just feel better, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough to get an athletic benefit from coffee or other caffeinated products.”

But you can get other benefits from coffee that have nothing to do with caffeine. “Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when administered to lab rats, increases their insulin sensitivity” he tells WebMD. This increased sensitivity improves the body’s response to insulin.

That may explain why in that new Harvard study, those drinking decaf coffee but not tea beverages also showed a reduced diabetes risk, though it was half as much as those drinking caffeinated coffee.

“We don’t know exactly why coffee is beneficial for diabetes,” lead researcher Frank Hu, MD, tells WebMD. “It is possible that both caffeine and other compounds play important roles. Coffee has large amounts of antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid and tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium. All these components have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.”

Meanwhile, Italian researchers credit another compound called trigonelline, which gives coffee its aroma and bitter taste, for having both antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties to help prevent dental cavities from forming. There are other theories for other conditions.

The answer is zero. None. Nada. There is no recommended daily allowance of sugar. Sugar is a refined product made by humans and put into many items we eat every day, so that our food will taste sweet and cause cravings for more of the same. More of the same equals more stored fat, more risk of diabetes, more risk of heart disease and more obesity in our society. Is that really what we want?

We all have been fooled by the word “sugar.” We automatically think our bodies need sugar for survival. Our bodies actually need glucose for survival; it usually is found in our bloodstream, and liver and also is sent to the muscles as glycogen (muscular energy).

Many of the foods in our Ultra Fit diet, such as oatmeal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables and rice are converted into glucose. Our body uses glucose to restore glycogen (the fuel that the muscle uses for energy and strength) and also for overall energy. It also is metabolized to produce warmth.

Unfortunately, many food manufacturers have combined all carbohydrates on food labels into one category — whether they’re refined or not. Just recently many products are now separating out the sugar grams on the label. Beware, for example, a product that has 40 grams of carbohydrates and 32 grams of that are sugar. That product is mostly all sugar and is not a very healthy food.

Here are words used to describe sugar in the ingredients of a food label:

Lactose: Sugar from milk (lactose intolerance is caused by the sugar in milk)

Maltose: Sugar from malt

Fructose: Sugar from fruit

Dextrose: Sugar from starch (“corn sugar”)

Sucrose: Refined sugar from sugar cane or beets

The refined product of sugar cane, “sucrose,” can be very addictive. The more our body consumes, the more it wants. If you limit your children’s sugar intake, you will be surprised how they don’t crave sugar as much as other kids do. As a matter of fact, they will taste the sugar in certain products and say the food is too sweet.

The bottom line is that sugar can be detrimental to your health. Many people have developed diabetes, cancer and skin problems because of a sugar overdose. When you go many hours between meals and your insulin level drops, your body begins to crave nourishment. The usual outcome is sugar or sucrose. So, the next time you get a craving and your first thought is sugar … resist!

Instead, make yourself a delicious, sugar-free meal, rich in quality protein and clean carbohydrates. By doing so, you can be confident that you will be lowering your body fat, increasing lean muscle, sustaining blood sugar levels and improving your health by the minute. Your future depends on the decisions that you make … and staying completely away from sugar is a great decision!

How would you like a drug which could lower your risk of Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, as well as colon cancer? A substance which could lift your mood and relieve headaches? A drug that could lower your risk of getting cavities? Coffee appears to be that substance.

Studies indicate coffee reduces the risk for diabetes and Parkinson’s

Some studies have shown that coffee may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. After analyzing data on 120,000 people over an 18-year period (1), researchers at Harvard have concluded that drinking 1 to 3 cups of caffeinated coffee each day can reduce diabetes risk by several percentage points, compared with not drinking coffee at all.

Even more significant, is the fact that in this study, having 6 cups or more per day slashed men’s risk by 54% and women’s risk by 30% over those who avoided coffee. This study is the latest of hundreds of studies which suggest that coffee may be something of a health food - especially in higher amounts.

Over the past 20 years, over 19,000 studies have been conducted to examine the impact of coffee on one’s health. Overall, the results are good news for the 110 million Americans who routinely enjoy this traditional morning ritual.

“By and large, the studies (2) show that coffee is far more beneficial than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, researcher at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own research and tracks coffee studies around the globe. For most individuals, studies show that very little bad comes from drinking coffee, but a lot of good.

At least 6 studies (3) indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis have up to 80% lower risks of developing Parkinson’s disease, with 3 of those studies indicating that the more coffee they drink, the lower the risk. Other studies indicate that, compared to not drinking coffee, drinking at least 2 cups per day can lead to a 25% lower risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in the risk of liver cirrhosis, and nearly 50% the risk of gallstones.

Is it the caffeine that is responsible for those benefits? Is it the antioxidants in coffee beans, some of which become especially potent during the roasting process?

Studies indicate that it might be both those factors.

“The evidence is very strong that regular coffee consumption reduces the risk for Parkinson’s disease and that in the case of Parkinson’s disease, the benefits are directly related to caffeine,” according to Dr. DePaulis (2).

Researchers believe that some of coffee’s reported beneficial effects are a direct result of its higher caffeine content: An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains about 85 mg of caffeine - about 3 times more than the same serving of tea or soda.

In another study (4), researchers looked at the coffee consumption and caffeine intake in 8,000 Japanese-American men. During the course of the study which lasted nearly 30 years, about 100 men developed Parkinson’s disease. The risk of developing Parkinson’s decreased gradually as the daily consumption of coffee rose from 4 ounces to more than 24 ounces per day.

In addition, the researchers found the same decrease in risk regardless of the source of caffeine. The men whose intake was less than 2.8 milligrams of caffeine per day were nearly 3 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s than those whose caffeine intake was more than 107 milligrams from non-coffee sources.

Coffee and reduced diabetes risks

But other benefits can be derived from coffee which have nothing to do with caffeine. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called “quinines” which when administered to rats in a laboratory, increases their insulin sensitivity. The increased sensitivity improves the body’s response to insulin.

Researchers don’t know exactly why coffee is beneficial for diabetes. Coffee also contains large quantities of the antioxidants tocopherols and chlorogenic acid, as well as minerals such as magnesium. All of those components have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

This may explain why in the Harvard study (1), those drinking decaffeinated coffee also showed a reduced diabetes risk, although the reduction in risk was 50% that of those drinking caffeinated coffee.
Coffee and cavities

Some researchers believe another compound called “trigonelline” - which gives coffee its bitter taste and its aroma - may be responsible for giving coffee both anti-adhesive and antibacterial properties which help prevent dental cavities from forming.

Coffee consumption and moderation

On the other hand, it is clear that coffee is not for everyone. In excessive amounts - meaning more than whatever an individual’s body can tolerate - coffee can cause nervousness, jitters, and rapid heartbeat.

Although studies investigating any relationship between higher cholesterol levels and coffee have yielded conflicting results, it is believed that in some people, drinking excessive amounts of coffee might cause elevated cholesterol levels (5).

However, coffee drinkers who consume filtered coffee should not worry themselves with respect to cholesterol levels, because research indicates that it is the coffee oils which are mainly responsible for the rise in cholesterol in people who drink nonfiltered or boiled coffee.

Most recent large studies show no significant adverse affects on most healthy people, although pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid coffee.

All in all, I certainly believe that coffee and caffeine are far less dangerous than soda. especially the “diet” kind.

One thing is certain: coffee is usually one of the most heavily sprayed crops, and is often contaminated with pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides. Therefore if you do drink coffee, you would be well advised to drink organic coffee only.

It is also a good idea to avoid putting milk and sugar in your coffee. The milk and sugar in your coffee are in fact much worse for you than the coffee itself.

Finally, use only non-bleached filters. White coffee filters, which most coffee drinkers use, are bleached with chlorine and some of this chlorine will end up in your coffee during the brewing process.
coffee filters

My favorite source for organic coffee can be found here. I find they have the best quality/price ratio online.

Too many fatty foods are dangerous not only to men’s waistlines, but to their sperm production.

In research presented Wednesday at a meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, scientists found that obese men have worse sperm than normal-weight men.

“There is a very long list of health hazards from being overweight,” said Ghiyath Shayeb, the study’s lead researcher at the University of Aberdeen. “Now we can add poor semen quality to the list.”

But experts aren’t sure if that necessarily means obese men face major difficulties having children.

“If you have a man who isn’t fantastically fertile with a normal partner who is fertile, her fertility will compensate,” said Dr. William Ledger, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Britain’s University of Sheffield, who was unconnected to the study.

But if both partners are heavy, Ledger said that could be a problem, since obesity is known to decrease women’s fertility.

Shayeb and colleagues analyzed the sperm samples of more than 5,000 men in Scotland, and divided the men into groups according to their Body Mass Index. Men who had an optimal BMI (20 to 25) had higher levels of normal sperm than those who were overweight or obese.

Fat men had a 60 percent higher chance of having a low volume of semen, according to Shayeb’s research. They also had a 40 percent higher chance of having some sperm abnormalities.

Shayeb and colleagues found that underweight men were just as likely to have the same problems as obese men. “But there were not many underweight men in Scotland,” he noted.

The researchers adjusted their analysis to account for other factors that could have affected men’s sperm count, like smoking, alcohol intake, history of drug abuse, and age.

“Male fitness and health are clearly linked to a man’s fertility,” said Neil McClure, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Queen’s University in Belfast.

The study supported results of an earlier sperm study done by doctors at hospitals and universities in Denmark.

There are several theories about why obese men might have bad sperm. Because fat tissue influences the metabolism of sex hormones, scientists think it might also disrupt sperm production.

It could also be a temperature problem. Sperm is best produced at a temperature two degrees cooler than normal body temperature. But because obese men have more fat, Shayeb said their bodies might be overheated.

Another study presented at the conference concluded that diabetes in men damages their sperm and is linked to male infertility.

Con Mallidis and colleagues at Queen’s University in Belfast examined semen samples from nearly 40 men who were being treated for diabetes, but were not overweight. They found significant DNA damage linked to the excess sugar in the body from diabetes.

They found that diabetic men had twice the rate of DNA damage in their sperm as men without diabetes.