Popular painkillers linked to heart and stroke risk

Feelin’ lucky? Then go ahead – pop that painkiller.

But you’d better hope that today’s not the day your luck finally runs out, because some of the most commonly used pain meds carry a major death risk.

The drugs are those nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories used by millions for everything from arthritis to headaches to back pain. And now, researchers say they can double, triple, and even quadruple your odds of heart attack, stroke, and an early death.

Swiss researchers looked at data from 31 “gold-standard” trials that included 116,429 patients, and found that ibuprofen – a med probably in your own home right now – can triple the risk of stroke.

And diclofenac, a widely used generic prescription NSAID, can quadruple the risk of death from heart attack and stroke.

These problems aren’t rare by any stretch. In fact, the researchers say that for every 25 to 50 patients who take NSAIDs for a year, there will be one extra heart attack or stroke.

That’s overall.

But they also believe that patients who already have heart problems could face a much higher risk when they pop those pills – like the millions of seniors who battle both heart disease and arthritis.

The researchers found naproxen (aka Aleve) to be the “safest” of the NSAIDs, but don’t kid yourself – “safest” doesn’t mean “safe.” All painkillers carry risk – and regular use of any NSAID can lead to bleeding problems, ulcers, and more.

And that means you need to be careful with how – and how often – you use these things, no matter how old you are or what risks you face.

If you need one from time to time, you need one – and I won’t stand in your way.

But if you’re taking one of these things regularly, there’s clearly something else going on – and you and your doc need to get to the bottom of it.

If you go looking for that answer at the bottom of a painkiller jar, you could find yourself at the bottom of a grave.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

High blood pressure, or hypertension, means putting on unnecessary added pressure on the arteries. This is because the blood is pushing towards the wall of the blood vessel as the heart pumps out blood. If the pressure stays high, and it keeps on rising over time, this can lead to a lot of damages in many parts of the body. The dangers of hypertension include conditions such as heart failure, embolism, thrombosis, heart attack, and stroke.

However, the dangers of hypertension won’t happen if we all take extra precautionary measures to avoid high blood pressure. If you are already diagnosed with one, it is important that you implement ways on how to lower your blood pressure.

Some are as follows:

1. Exercise daily – Getting regular exercise makes the heart stronger. Less effort will be needed to pump the blood out with a strong heart. The force on the arteries decreases and the blood pressure is lowered when the heart exerts less effort in pumping. Being active makes the systolic blood pressure – the first number in blood pressure reading – lower.However, it is essential to remember that, in order to achieve the health benefits that exercise promises, sticking to a regular exercise regimen is needed. It would take about three months for exercise to create an impact on your blood pressure, so continued action is advised.
2. Avoid animal fats – Although some fat is required by the body, many studies have shown that it can even raise high blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke, depending on the type of fat that is consumed.In the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, a study showed that fats, specifically saturated animal fats, significantly increase blood pressure. When fats taken from marine sources were consumed, such as fish oils and plant oils, there was no significant increase in blood pressure. Saturated animal fats that can be found on chicken, pork and beef should be clearly avoided when trying to fight high blood pressure.
3. Avoid tobacco and alcohol when trying to lower your blood pressure. Nicotine found in cigarette or tobacco products can raise your blood pressure. In addition, the chemicals can also damage the arteries. Too much alcohol consumption can also lead to the same effect, although drinking it at the right amount can sometimes help. You should also look out for caffeine since recent studies show that regular consumption can increase blood pressure. This may appear difficult since tobacco, alcohol and caffeine are mostly a part of some people’s daily routine, so intake must at least be limited.
4. Reduce weight – Reducing or controlling your weight can significantly lower your blood pressure. It will help you feel better.  It is advised that you should engage in more exercise to keep your heart healthy. It’s best to do it slowly, eating fewer calories than you burn. For example, replace a chocolate bar with small apple for lunch; have baked chicken instead of fried chicken during dinner; and take a 15 minute brisk walk after meals instead of sitting aimlessly.
5. Get sufficient sleep – A study by Dr. Kristen L. Knutson published in the June 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine linked the insufficiency of sleep to increasing levels of blood pressure. Results showed that subjects who had shorter and lower quality of sleep had increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. It was suggested that insufficient sleep affects the way the body responds to stress that may lead to increased blood pressure.
6. Purchase a home monitor – Buying your own blood pressure monitor will help you keep track of your blood pressure levels regularly, especially if you are continuously experiencing high blood pressures. This will help you find out how your blood pressure changes during the day. It will also help your doctor find out how your treatment regimen is working in order to stabilize your blood pressure.
7. Increase magnesium intake – Studies suggest that there is a certain link between magnesium and blood pressure. Diets that include numerous fruits and vegetables, widely known to contain potassium and magnesium, is consistently said to be associated with lowered the blood pressure. It was said that consuming and sticking to a diet plan that is rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium and low in fat and sodium can significantly lower blood pressure according to the DASH study (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). Another study also proved this case when they tested the effect of nutritional factors on 30,000 US male health professionals. The results of the study showed that lower risk of blood pressure was seen in those with greater magnesium intake.
8. Listen to the sounds of soothing music – Listening to non-verbal, soothing, instrumental music for at least 30 minutes a day can have great effects on the human body. It relaxes the body through its slow and peaceful rhythm, thus lowering heart rate, and lightening up breathing and brain activity. This will reduce stress and eventually lower your blood pressure.
9. Get Garlic – Consuming garlic, and garlic supplements, is of good use to people with mild high blood pressure, according to recent studies.  It can thin the blood and prevent it to clot, like aspirin – minus the side effects. Kyolic® Aged Garlic Extract™ is a totally balanced garlic supplement that gives the full benefits of garlic, without the odor and aftertaste of other garlic supplements. Garlic is widely known as a hypertensive medication. Even researchers at the University of Mississippi proved the potential of garlic to reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
10. Start Juicing – There are many fruits and vegetables that can aid in lowering blood pressure. Aside from directly eating them, you can also juice them. Some of my favorites include juicing carrot, apple, beet and celery because of their blood pressure-lowering activities. You can drink celery juice alone, or mix it with carrot. Beet root juice clearly helps in lowering and normalizing blood pressure. You can mix it with celery-carrot juice occasionally.
11. Meditate – Meditation is considered by doctors worldwide to lower blood pressure levels. Stress is one of the major factors which cause high blood pressure, and meditating could help reduce stress. Transcendental Meditation (TM) is by far one of the easiest meditating techniques one could learn to lower high blood pressure at the same time reducing the need for blood pressure-lowering medications. This should be done daily. Research has also proven that TM can reduce high blood pressure without the need for medication.
12. Visualize “lower blood pressure” – The mind has a very powerful control over the human body. It can influence our immunity and empower us to recover from conditions such as cancer and high blood pressure. Research has shown how visualization can trigger the body’s ability to self-heal. You can try visualizing your blood vessels opening as you exhale and this can actually help you relax. The mind has the greatest power than any other form of medication. If you try to visualize what happens in the body that can cause high blood pressure, you can see how things work, and think up of something to counter these.
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Have you noticed the shift in colors at the produce aisle? Tawny-skinned cantaloupes have given way to dark-red pomegranates, which are at their peak now. Don’t save these apple-shaped fruits for festive centerpieces. There’s a substance (punicic acid) in their juicy seeds that is reputed to send triglycerides — dangerous fats in your blood vessels — packing.

True, even during a holiday blowout you’re not likely to eat the seeds of 24 pomegranates twice a day, which is roughly what it would take to match the pomegranate oil supplements that produced these benefits in one new study. But the more you munch, the better, since they also are reported to help fight infection, cool inflammation, keep your skin firm and springy, and dive-bomb cancer cells. So once the centerpiece has done its job, crack open your pomegranates and sprinkle those glossy, ruby-colored seeds on salads, mix them into yogurt, and add them to breakfast cereal  or oatmeal.

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MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SOME TO MAINTAIN A HAPPY HEART

More than 300 enzymes need magnesium ions in order to be sufficiently produced by the body. The deficiency of magnesium in the human body is associated with serious health conditions like osteoporosis, diabetes, and asthma.  Here is the problem:  in the United States, only around 32 percent of the population meets their magnesium recommended daily needs.

The Wonders of Magnesium

Magnesium is a metallic element and is the third most abundant element in sea water and eleventh in the human body. It is an important element in the process of food manufacturing in plants and the element is one of the most important components of fertilizers. Derivations of the element are also used for medical purposes, such as:

• Milk of magnesia is a common laxative
• It also serves as an antacid for people with digestive problems
• It is also needed to stabilize the excitation of blood vessel spasms like eclampsia.

Magnesium compounds are important in all living creatures. At the ground level of the food chain, plants need magnesium for photosynthesis; magnesium compound is an important component of chlorophyll, the green pigmentation common in the leaves of plants. And the transfer of magnesium to animals and humans primarily starts at the stage of consuming magnesium-bearing plants.

One of the most important functions of magnesium in the body is its facilitation of calcium absorption. The absorption of magnesium, on the other hand, is influenced by the body’s level of fat, phytate, phosphate and protein. Numerous processes in the body need the presence of magnesium. And despite the metallic nature of magnesium, it’s not likely for someone to experience magnesium overdose from natural sources since the body has a natural mechanism for getting rid of excess magnesium from the system. It is filtrated in the kidneys and excreted through the urinary system. And its status as the least bioavailable macronutrient makes it difficult for people to satisfy their magnesium needs. But magnesium supplements are very available in the market and as an over-the-counter drug.

Magnesium against Health Failure in Women

A study conducted by a group of researchers from the Harvard Medical School, Brigham Young University and Women’s Hospital found that the increased daily consumption of foods rich in magnesium can reduce the risk of sudden death due to heart failure in women. Study participants who had the highest intake of magnesium were observed to have a 37 percent lower risk of sudden cardiac death compared to the ones with the lowest magnesium intake. The result of the study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Magnesium’s most apparent health benefit is its protective property against sudden cardiac death. The researchers described this condition as a non-traumatic, unexpected and non-violent death caused by heart failure with at least 6 hours of observable good health.

The popularity of magnesium and its health benefits have increased with numerous new studies being conducted to better define the role of magnesium to promote and maintain better health. Surveys on human nutrition show that a large portion of the population is not meeting their recommended magnesium dietary intake; this being 420 milligrams in men and 320 milligrams in women daily. Rich sources of magnesium includes milk, nuts and grains, starches, meats, leafy vegetables and other greens.

Studies are also being made to determine the adverse effects of magnesium deficiency. The Freedonia Group reported that international demands for minerals and nutrients will cost around $12.6 billion by 2013, an excess of 6 percent from 2009. The report with the title World Nutraceutical Ingredients highlighted the increasing demand for magnesium. The supplements leading the race are resistant maltodextrin fibers, carotenoids, probiotics, isoflavones, soy proteins and psyllium.

Another study conducted by the two researchers from the Brigham Young University found that magnesium is essential in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and added that the element has not produced any significant toxicity issues. Renea Beckstrand and Tavia Mathers said that oral supplementation is recommended. The new study supports the previously established protective properties of magnesium against sudden cardiac death in women. The research team led by Stephenie Chiuve evaluated data gathered from the 88,375 women who participated in the Nurses Health Study. The study lasted for 26 years and more than 500 cases of sudden cardiac death were noted by the researcher team. They concluded that high magnesium intake results to a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death.

Health Benefits and Natural Sources of Magnesium

Despite the growing health benefits of magnesium supplements, eating specific types of food can satisfy the body’s daily magnesium needs. The richest sources of magnesium are green vegetables like spinach, cornmeal, barley, sweet potatoes, artichoke, lima beans, broad beans, beet greens, tomatoes, peanuts, oat bran, wheat flour, pumpkin seeds and buckwheat flour.

Consuming dietary products like milk, yoghurt, and butter can also help supply satisfy the body’s magnesium needs. Other rich natural sources of magnesium are sea foods like shrimp, mackerel and tuna.

Magnesium supplements present several health benefits. Here are some of the benefits one can get from consuming magnesium:

• Magnesium is used to relieve chronic asthma patients by helping promote relaxation of their bronchial muscles and thus promote normal breathing.
• The intravenous administration of magnesium can also help relieve breathlessness and wheezing.
• In the absorption of calcium, magnesium is an important element that facilitates calcium absorption and promotes better bone density.
• Magnesium is also needed by pregnant women to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and increase pain tolerance during labor.
• Deficiency of magnesium serum in the body has also been linked to the development of diabetes; the mineral improves the cells’ reaction to insulin to better glucose metabolism.
• Magnesium regulates the levels of zinc, copper, and vitamin D in the body
• It relieves bladder control problems
• Magnesium helps prevent eclamptic seizure
• It relieves constipation
• Magnesium has also been used in the treatment and management of patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. Magnesium-based medications are used to treat patients suffering from anxiety, undue agitations, panic attacks and other psychiatric dysfunctions.
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Deep vein thrombosis is a common chronic health condition extensively present amongst adults. The condition is caused by the clotting of blood in the veins causing an obstruction in the blood flowing through the circulatory system. Whenever a vein experiences injury, fibrin and platelets forms a clotting in the blood to prevent further blood loss. But blood clot can also form under certain conditions. An obstruction in the blood passages of more than 25 percent of the artery walls affects the oxygen supply of the tissues resulting to a complication called embolism.

Thrombosis can be highly hereditary. A condition called hypercoagulability is a genetic deficiency wherein the blood has heightened tendencies to clot. The condition can also be caused by the quality of the walls of the blood vessels and the disturbance of blood flow due to an injured vessel causing blood stagnation; this may be brought about by sitting for a long period of time, for example.

Cases of thrombosis can be classified depending on where the condition is located. Deep vein thrombosis happens when the blood clots within the deep veins. This normally happens in the leg’s femoral veins. Superficial symptoms include reddening, swelling and chronic pain on the affected area. A study aimed at finding an effective means of alleviating the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis finds exercise as a potential supplementation to pharmaceutical intervention.

Study on the Benefits of Exercise on Deep Vein Thrombosis

A group of researchers from Canada conducted a study involving a group of thrombosis patients. They evaluated the effects of performing long-term leg exercises to the symptoms of the health condition. The researchers designed a specialized training program lasting for six months dedicated at improving leg flexibility and strength and overall fitness and they found that the program improves symptoms of deep vein thrombosis and its chronic complications. It has also been found to improve the symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome. The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

A professor of medicine from the Division of Internal Medicine and Center for Clinical Epidemiology at McGill University, Dr Susan Kahn, said that given the divergence in treatment plans for managing the symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome, the pilot study, aimed at determining the effectiveness of exercise training to treat post-thrombosis, establishes a new approach on more effective ways of fighting the condition. The researchers, led by Dr Kahn, gathered a group of 95 thrombosis patients. The authors said that findings of the small trial procedures will need further confirmation and that conducting a larger study is recommended. A variable was that most of the patients were young active and well-educated; results may differ on different demographics. Despite the preliminary quality of their findings, the researchers concluded that exercise training designed at improving leg flexibility and strength can help alleviate the pains of post-thrombotic syndromes.

Natural Methods of Preventing Thrombosis

The body has its natural means of repairing and maintaining itself. When the vascular system experiences damage like a cut or any incision that causes blood to flow out of the blood vessels, structures dedicated at preventing blood loss works to clot the blood. But not all blood clotting is healthy to the body. Serious health problems like stroke are caused by the undesirable clotting of the blood that leads to obstructed blood flow. The condition results to the insufficient oxygen supply to the tissues and, as a result, thrombosis develops. Research has found different reasons for a person to develop thrombosis.

Smoking has never been good to the body. The different toxins and other chemicals in tobacco have been found to cause different diseases. Cancer and pulmonary diseases are on top of the list. Smoking also reduces the body’s natural ability to protect itself against diseases by weakening the immune system. A common condition that results to the development of thrombosis is hypercoagulability. This happens when the blood easily coagulates with minimal or no reason to do so. Smoking results to myocardial infraction which is associated with hypercoagulation. Though primarily genetic, the condition can be developed by unhealthy practices like smoking and prolonged immobility and bed rest.

The common pharmaceutical treatments for thrombosis include aspirin, coumadin, heparin and ticlopidines. These medications are formulated to either prevent the coagulation of blood or to dissolve blood clots that obstruct healthy blood flow. But these medications have side effects. They can slowly impair the body’s natural ability to initiate and maintain blood clots even in situations where it is highly needed to prevent blood loss.

Lowering one’s cholesterol levels is one of the best natural ways of preventing the onset and development of thrombosis. Cholesterol is known to be one of the fatty acids that can form in the wall of the arteries and thwart blood flow. Other common health conditions associated with high cholesterol levels are mostly cardiovascular in nature. In the treatment of specific types of thrombosis, medications that work to lower cholesterol levels and remove any cholesterol plaques from the walls of blood vessels are also used. But it is also important to remember that the use of pharmaceutical agents can bring about unwanted side effects – adverse reactions that may be life-threatening. So when looking for a treatment regimen, it is emphasized that one choose what is healthy, effective, and safe.

The natural food ingredients that have been found to have high potential in preventing thrombosis are aged garlic, gingko biloba, nutrients like niacin, vitamin E, vitamin K, and other anti-inflammatory compounds. Aged garlic has been used to serve as a strong food supplement to promote the health of the cardiovascular system. Garlic increases the synthesis of a chemical messenger called nitric oxide that inhibits the clotting of the blood. A study on the food ingredient found that consuming one clove of fresh garlic in a day for a period of 26 weeks can result to approximately 20 percent reduction of serum cholesterol.

Benefits of Frequent Exercise

There are numerous health benefits of exercise – and this starts with the decision to get up from the couch and resolve to avoid a sedentary lifestyle. It is not necessary to go to the gym or burden over hours of heavy weights in order to achieve a healthy body. A simple walk in the park for a few minutes in most days of the year will give you the effects necessary in order to improve and maintain body functions.

• Exercise exerts its effect on a person’s mood. It can serve as an effective means of alleviating stress and releasing body tension.
• Different reliable studies around the world had also established the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle in order to lower the risk of developing chronic and degenerative diseases.
• Frequent exercising, together with a balanced diet, is the most effective means of reducing and managing body weight.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (UPI) — U.S. researchers say they’ve developed a new heart pump that could help infants born with congenital heart defects survive necessary surgeries.

Scientists at Purdue University have created a “viscous impeller pump” for children born with univentricular circulation, a congenital heart disease that is the leading cause of death from birth defects in the first year of a child’s life, a university release said Tuesday.

The normal human heart contains two pumping chambers, called ventricles.

One circulates oxygenated blood throughout the body, while the other less-powerful ventricle circulates deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

Children born with univentricular circulation have only one functioning ventricle but can survive if blood vessels in the heart are restructured in a series of open-heart surgeries.

At least 30 percent of babies do not survive the surgeries, called the Fontan procedures.

To improve the survival rate, Purdue engineers and researchers developed the new mechanical pump to assist the heart during surgeries.

“A big advantage of this pump is that it gets delivered through the skin with a catheter without open heart surgery,” Steven Frankel, a Purdue University professor of mechanical engineering, said.

“It is designed to be in the body for two weeks at most, almost like a disposable item,” Frankel said.

The researchers have received a $2.1 million, four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to continue developing the heart pump, Purdue said.

Copyright 2010 by United Press International

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Gum problems can come with poor oral hygiene. The accumulation of saliva and food residues can promote the growth of bacteria and microorganisms in the gums, leading to the development of periodontal and gingival diseases.

Common Gum Disorders

Gingivitis is the most common gum disease where the inflammation causes the gums to swell, appear red, and tender.

The build-up of plaques in the teeth and in the gums results to infection and bleeding. Besides poor oral hygiene, the use of anabolic steroids can also cause the enlargement of the gums. Another common disorder is the recession of the gums from the tooth’s surface causing the exposure of the dental neck. This causes the teeth to become sensitive from external stimuli called root sensitivity. The slightest cold sensation, for example, can bring intense pain to the teeth and cause severe discomfort. Note that gum disease is the most common cause why adults in the United States lose their teeth.

Knowing Healthy Gums

Some people may think that as long as their gums are not bleeding or their teeth are still well intact, they have healthy gums. But knowing whether your gums are healthy or not, needs more than just superficial evidence and self-diagnosis. The first stages of gum disorder may be happening where your eyes can’t see it. It’s always best to consult your dentist regularly to check for any signs of unhealthy gums. In terms of color, healthy gums are coral pink. Blue, white or reddish gums, on the other hand, may signify inflammation. But the color of the gums can also vary depending on one’s race and may thus appear darker due to pigmentation. The better way of telling whether your gums are healthy is to check if the color is uniform rather than by looking at the general color alone.

Healthy gums also have that smooth appearance and holds tightly to each tooth. The appearance of the margins of an unhealthy gum will tend to look rolled and puffy. The texture of healthy gums is firm and resistant to mechanical movement like when brushing or by feeling it with your fingers. And they will also have no reaction to dental probing. The deposit of pus or purulent exudates in the gums is another indication of a disorder.

Factors that Increase Gum Disease Risk

Smoking is the biggest contributor to the development of gum and periodontal diseases. The toxins in tobacco can promote the growth of bacteria in the mouth and causes unhealthy discoloration. Smoking can also reduce the efficacy of treatment. People with diabetes have higher risk of developing gum diseases since they are more at risk of getting infected. Some medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter drugs, have the tendency of lowering the saliva flow in the mouth which in effect reduces the mouth’s natural capacity to kill bacteria that causes gum infection.

There are many natural ways of keeping the gums in tiptop shape. Avoiding bad habits like smoking and eating the right kind of foods can greatly reduce the risk of developing gum disorders. A study published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association, for example, showed that eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the likelihood of getting struck with periodontal disease.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids against Gum Diseases

According to a new study conducted by a team of researchers from Harvard Medical School, and was led by Dr Asghar Naqvi, omega-3 fatty acids can inversely affect the risk of getting periodontitis. The researchers found that the supplementation of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids DHA and EPA decreased the prevalence of the gum disease in Americans by 20 percent. Naqvi said, in reference to the study, that the treatment of periodontitis has been limited to the use of local antibiotic and mechanical cleaning. He adds that the study strongly suggests the use of dietary therapy to fight the disease; it’s a less expensive and safer way of treating and preventing the disease. He also suggested the supplementation of DHA according to the recommended dosage of the American Heart Association to influence the onset of the periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a common gum disorder in adults which is associated with the chronic inflammation and the separation of the gums from the teeth. This leads to the formation of periodontal pockets where harmful microorganisms can accumulate and lead to teeth and even bone loss. The usual treatment of periodontitis initially consists of the removal of bacteria from the periodontal pockets to avoid further infection. But other methods of approaching the disease target the gum’s response to the infection instead of focusing on its cause.

A study published in the Molecular Oral Biology had reported the anti-bacterial properties of omega-3 fatty acids. This further expands the benefits of the compound from just being anti-inflammatory. The study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Kentucky found that the fatty acids known as acid ethyl esters in ALA, DHA and EPA can influence the growth of oral pathogens. This was thought to be the first to examine the antibacterial properties of omega-3 fatty acids.

The study led by Dr Naqvi was dedicated to discovering the anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 in terms of reducing the risk of developing periodontitis. The team evaluated data from more than 9,000 adults who joined that National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2004. They found that the consumption of foods containing DHA reduced the prevalence of periodontitis by around 20 percent.

Professor from Boston University, Elizabeth Krall Kaye, said that the study’s findings are well-founded and strongly suggestive of taking omega-3 supplementation as an effective means of fighting the condition. The researchers however, disclaimed, that their study only acquired associative evidence or information on the habits that reduces the risk of developing the disease. It does not indicate that the lack of omega-3 in diet causes the disease.

Eat Your Way towards Healthy Gums

Having healthy gums may mean doing something as simple as practicing good oral hygiene, and making the choice to eat healthy foods.  Here are some ways to promote healthy gums:

• Eating foods rich in antioxidants like omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin c reduces the inflammation of gums associated with gum disease.
• Eating celery can protect the teeth and gums by producing more saliva that protects the mouth from bacterial infection and by naturally cleaning the areas in-between the teeth and by massaging the gums.
• The high calcium content of cheese and its low carbohydrate content balance the mouths pH level and supplies the teeth and gums with their much needed nutrient.
• Other foods that promote gum health are green tea, kiwis, onions, parsley, and sesame seeds primarily due to their antibacterial properties.
• Drinking a lot of water also flushes away bacteria and food residue from the mouth.
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Food Chemist Develops Protein-Based

Batter for Healthier Frying

January 1, 2006 — Deep-fried fish could get healthier with a new protein-based batter extracted from the muscle of discarded fish parts. When coated onto the fish it forms a barrier, locking in taste and moisture while blocking out fat.

GLOUCESTER, Mass.–Low-fat, fried food sounds like a contradiction, but those types of products may soon be popping up at your local grocer.

Fish sticks slathered in oil and deep-fried are tasty, but the after-effects can take a toll on your waistline. The love affair with food usually ends when it’s time to weigh in. Now, a new discovery may tip the scales in your favor when it comes to eating some of your favorite fried foods.

Stephen Kelleher, a food chemist at Proteus Industries in Gloucester, Mass., says, “People like fried food, but there’s a lot of bad things associated with fried food.” Understanding the bittersweet fondness for fried cuisine, Kelleher invented a way to cook low-fat, fried food.

The protein solution is extracted from fish muscle. When coated onto the fish it forms a barrier, locking in taste and moisture, but blocking out fat and carbohydrates. “These protein molecules after we treat them and extract them the way we do, they form these very, very, micro-thin films that — when they are sprayed onto the surface — become this invisible, impenetrable, film that forms on the surface,” Kelleher says.

The protein molecules go through a treatment process. Water and other ingredients are filtered then added to the batter. Kelleher says the finished product has 25-percent to 75-percent less fat. Plus the added protein cuts down the carbohydrates by 15 percent.

When put to the test, comparing traditional fried batter to the special protein coating, both food tasters agreed there was nothing fishy about the low-fat, fried meal.

The process is FDA approved and can be used to fry low-fat chicken, too. They are also testing the application on other foods, like potato chips.

Cell reprogramming breakthrough could mend broken hearts

Heart disease remains one the biggest killers in the Western world. When a heart attack or heart failure occurs, permanent damage often results, destroying live cells and leaving the patient with irreversible scarring. Now scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (GICD) have discovered a new technique to create healthy beating heart cells from structural cells, opening up the possibility of regenerating damaged hearts. Read More

Received & published by Henry Sapiecha

Migraine headaches may do much more damage than cause a throbbing pain. A new study confirms that individuals who suffer from migraines are about twice as likely to have a stroke caused by a blood clot, compared to those who don’t get the painful headaches. According to Reuters, researchers analyzed the results of 21 previous studies conducted between 1975 and 2007, and involving more than 622,000 adults with and without migraines. More »

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