Health Heitamag: May 2009

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Food and Fats: Facts and Fiction

Is fat essential in a healthy diet? Some nutritionists and scientists believe that a small amount of fatty acids or components of certain fats are essential to human nutrition. This has never been demonstrated for humans, although apparently it is true in rats. There is the incontrovertible fact that countless millions of human beings in Asia, Africa, South America and elsewhere do not consume fat in their diet. And yet they live to a health-normal or beyond-normal life span; their physical or nutritional development is not infrequently far superior to the people on a high-fat or average American fat dietary intake.

Most certainly it is known now that these same people on a low-fat or fat-free diet are virtually free from heart attacks and strokes, which are so common among people on a fat diet.

For Eskimos whose bsic diet constitute of fish and whale fats, blood tests revealed that cholesterol and fats in the blood were very low. This surprising fact was later found to be due to the high concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids in the large amount of fish and whale oils consumed by these Eskimos. These unsaturated fatty acids have the unique power to lower the blood levels of cholesterol and other fats, thus protecting the Eskimos from the complications of atherosclerosis in the heart, brain, kidneys, and other organs.

What is fat? First let us look at food in general. As long as we are alive, breathing, with our hearts pumping, our bodies are at work burning up energy which is supplied by food.

Food consists of six groups, all of which are basic necessities essential for normal health. These are proteins, carbohydrates, fats (which are also manufactured by the body), vitamins, minerals, and water.

Protein is the keystone of human nutrition. It is essential for every form of life for growth, pregnancy, formation of blood, bone, and every vital tissue. It is essential for the healing of wounds, the warding off of infection, the maintenance of body weight, and the conduct of vital organs and glands in the body.

Meat is the greatest source of animal protein for human consumption and man can live in good health on virtually an exclusive fresh meat diet. Animal sources of proteins are meat, fish, poultry, milk, eggs and cheese. These foods contain high sources of protein, as well as carbohydrates and fats. Vegetable sources of protein are wheat, beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, nuts, corn, rye and yeast, although these also contain elements of carbohydrate and fat.

Normal adults and growing children require one gram of protein for every 2.2 lbs. of body weight. This means that the average man or woman weighing 125 to 175 lbs. needs from 60 to 80 grams of protein daily for normal nutrition. This would be contained in the equivalent of 1/2 pound of steak, one chicken, a pound of fish or a pound of cottage cheese. Each gram of protein supplies four calories of energy.

Carbohydrates are a main source of energy. Carbohydrates include the two main classes: starches and sugars. They are one of the primary sources of energy of our diet. One gram of carbohydrate yields 4 calories of energy. The amount of carbohydrates necessary in the daily diet is very variable and also depends on the amount of it eaten with the protein in meals. The average American adult consumes anywhere from 150 to 400 grams of carbohydrate daily. It takes about 500 grams to make a pound. Usually more than half the calories in the diet (from 50 to 70 per cent) are supplied by carbohydrate.

Unfortunately, these carbohydrates are usually refined to excess, as in the case of flours and sugars. Essential vitamins and proteins are lost in this way and certain nutritional deficiencies may result. If excessive carbohydrate is eaten in the diet, many individuals will experience symptoms of gassy distress, flatulence, belching, or bloating. Bread, flour, milk, cereals, potatoes, cornstarch, cakes, rice, and puddings are examples of dietary starch as are most vegetables, although these contain lesser amounts of both carbohydrates and protein. Sugars are represented by cane sugar, corn syrup, honey, maple sugar, and syrup, milk sugar, malt sugar, jams, jellies, and most fruits.

Two of the most common symptoms or sensations that humans feel daily are dependent on carbohydrate metabolism: hunger and fatigue. Certain endocrine glands in the body control the level of blood sugar in the body and are linked to the feelings of hunger, fatigue, and exhaustion. When the blood sugar falls abnormally low, one feels headaches, nervousness, dizziness, or weakness.

What are fats and what do they do to you? The outstanding fats eaten daily in the United States and Europe are butter, eggs, whole milk, cream, meat, fish and poultry fats, and cheese in various combinations. These fats, at 9 calories per gram, contain more than twice the amount of calories than protein or carbohydrate does at four calories each per gram. As we have noted and shall describe in later chapters, excessive intake of fats leads to the shortening of life, premature death by heart attacks and strokes, obesity, and numerous crippling illnesses.

Fats (or lipids) contain the elements of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in various combinations of animal and vegetable fats. Examples of animal fats are butter, lard, cream, milk, eggs, and the fat in meats. Vegetable fats are soybean oil, olive oil, cottonseed and corn oils, and peanut oils; these are found in nuts, coconuts, avocados, margarines and other vegetable fats used in cooking.

Fats do not dissolve in water, and when pure they are odorless and tasteless. They are found in most bodily tissues, particularly in combination with other elements, proteins, or minerals. Fats or lipids act as vehicles for the absorption of the natural fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, and E.

In order for fats to be utilized by the body, they must first be digested and broken down into constituent parts before being absorbed. They are absorbed in the following manner: After the food is masticated and enters the stomach, the digestive system supplies its first fat enzyme called lipase, to begin the digestion of the fat. Enzymes or ferments are unique chemical compounds manufactured by the cells of the tissues. In the digestive tract they are vital for the chemical breakdown of all foods before they can be absorbed.

Discover more about the low-fat way of life and how to lose weight without starving yourself in "The Low Fat Way to Health & Longer Live".

posted by Healthy Life @ 8:59 PM

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Food to Avoid in the Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Program

SOUPS
All creamed soups are high in fat content. The commercially prepared ones are particularly fat-heavy, and since the fat cannot be readily removed from them, they should not be used. It is always a good idea to read the label carefully on any packaged product from which soup is being made. The law pertaining to the labeling of foods requires a description of any fat contained in the product, so undesirable sources of fat can be avoided.

MEATS
Glandular organs such as sweetbreads, brains, kidneys, caviar, fish roe, and giblets are high in cholesterol and fat content, so should be avoided. Pork and pork products, bacon, and ham are also high in fat and cholesterol and should not be eaten, except at an occasional meal.

As already mentioned, liver is an exception to the list of glandular organs to be avoided. It is quite desirable as a valuable nutritional source of essential vitamins and minerals, and because of the "protective" content of phospholipids that counteract the action of fat and cholesterol, it is not harmful.

FISH
Certain fish are high in fat content and are best avoided. These are: bass, bluefish, butterfish, deviled crab, eel, herring, mackerel, scalloped or fried oysters, pompano, salmon, sardines, shad, and trout.

POULTRY
Both duck and goose are very high in fat and cholesterol content and so should be avoided unless prepared in the fat-free way described under the section of "Meats Permitted".

DAIRY PRODUCTS
Whole milk, cream, butter, and cheeses such as American cheddar, Swiss, cream, creamed cottage, cheese spreads, Gruyere, Edam, Limberger, Liederkranz, Parmesan, Roquefort, and Yogurt made from whole milk are all high in fats and should be eliminated from your diet.

EGGS
Egg yolks are exceptionally high in cholesterol and fat content. They are often used by medical investigators and researchers to produce atherosclerosis and "hardening of the arteries" in experimental animals.

BREADS
Hot breads, pancakes, waffles, coffee cakes, muffins, buns, doughnuts, Danish pastry, sweet rolls?all contain some appreciable amount of lard, butter, or egg yolk. Those especially interested in home baking can find recipes for these fat-free breads and pastries in low-fat cook books, if desired.

DESSERTS
All those made with butter, egg-yolks, or cream, such as pies, cakes, pastries, cookies, custards, eclairs, gingerbread, shortcake, and puddings. Notoriously high in fat and cholesterol are ice-cream, parfaits, and frozen creams.

MISCELLANEOUS FOODS
Avocados, coconuts, nuts, chocolate, cocoa, fat contained in the usual salad dressings, gravies, and sauces are all very fatty. Animal fats, including lard and suet, should particularly be avoided in cooking.

Frying should be completely eliminated in the preparation of foods, not only because of its high fat production, but also because of its unhealthy way of interfering with the normal digestion of foods and essential nutriments and vitamins, the irritating character and effect on the digestive tract of the fried fats, and the destruction of vitamins and essential foodstuffs in the food that is fried. Even vegetable fats are best not used. An exception can be made for vegetable oils such as soy oil, corn seed oil, and cottonseed oils.

Don't forget that the calories in liquors can easily mount up!

If the low-fat, low-cholesterol menus is followed conscientiously, it will provide you with a nutritious, natural diet, one that will help protect you against heart and blood vessel disease. At the same time, it is a diet that will greatly improve your general state of health and increase your vitality. You can lengthen your lifespan by a definite number of years by keeping your weight down on this diet.

Discover more about the low-fat way of life and how to lose weight without starving yourself in "The Low Fat Way to Health & Longer Life".

posted by Healthy Life @ 8:59 PM

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

FDA generic medication approval method adequacy

The FDA applies a rigid rule of what they call bioequivalence trying to make sure that generic medications are identical medicine with equal effects as the original one. When measured in the laboratory and in the simple, small trials with humans, a generic drug must deliver similar active component in the blood of patient virtually similar amount to almost the same proportion as the original medication.

The Food and Drug Administration supposes bioequivalence a substitute for therapeutic equivalency - the equal capacity of two formulations of drugs to cure disease or relieve symptoms. Doctors and pharmacists say that some drugs imitation, demonstrating bioequivalence with the source drug is not sufficient proof that similar drug will produce similar results.

There are a number of possible gaps in the rules of the FDA comparison, specialists say.

1. The FDA tolerance for the difference in the capacity, the release of an active component of the drug, the complex of healing, can be too wide.

2. The agency does not require realistic different formulations of the tests in big group of patients.

3. The FDA might be mistaken by the measurement of a generic medication in the capability to deliver the medication mixture to the blood. Most of the drugs act, in the organs, cell, tissues, not in the bloodstream.

Though the formula of brand-name and generic drug is the same, they could differ in some details. Although the two amounts equal share similar active component, usually look different. These differences can lead to minor variations in the way they act in people.

A branded drugs and their generic equivalent in almost any cases are devised with different dyes, fill materials and binding. Despite all these should come from list of pharmaceutical components approved by FDA, which are, in almost any cases, set up differently in each producer's product. A version of a medication may use sugar or lactose as an inactive component, other may not. However incidental components such as those can affect the method patients metabolize a drug and dissolve the active component – slower or faster. And that may lead to variations in the 2 structures of the effects.

In general, the FDA allows a generic medication to release the eighty and one hundred and twenty five of the active component into the blood, compared with freedom in a single draught of medication original. Range that would be impractical different in the sense that most of the drugs are. Generic manufacturers and the FDA are defending the permissible range of variability as it is permitted between "lots" of the brand.

However, doctors and specialists in pharmacology notify that the FDA range could be too wide for some meds, especially if a medication has a "narrow therapeutic index" thin line between a dose that is ineffective or dangerous.

The variation in the rate at which a brand and generic release his freedom of active component could court tragedy with some meds, too. From this point of view, the experts said that "the formulas extended release" - the doses no more than once a day usually - can place specific problems.

If released formulating its therapeutic agent over twenty hours and other released a large percent in the first 5 hours and too little in the past 5, a patient can have a toxic density of the drug in the morning and gimp along with a dosage dangerously ineffective at the end of the day. In laboratory tests, and in small samples of human subjects, the FDA measures release rates at regular intervals. Pharmacologist, but warn that the intervals might not always be sufficiently fine.

Borgheini reviewed medical lit documenting differences in the effects of psychoactive drugs generic and branded twin. In the case of 3 anti-seizure drugs - valproic acid, phenytoin, carabamazepine (marketed under the trade name Tegretol, Cerebyx, Felbatol), the study found that generic preparations or not to release the correct dosage to patients or blood happened in higher paces of "breakthrough seizures."

Eventually, the agency requires not a lot of clinical evidence that generic drugs from a proposed work will be similar as the first drug in a wide cross slice of real patients. The FDA carries out quality control on the samples periodically generic post-marketing begins, and doctors and patients can provide issues with a generic medication to the contrary event monitoring system of the FDA. However neither manufacturers of generic drugs, nor does the FDA post-market studies that could indicate the patients are reacting to a different way that the generic brand counterparts.

In the approval process for generic drugs, the FDA usually requires a producer to administer a single dosage of their proposed production to a group of twenty four to forty eight healthy volunteers and then shows blood levels of them periodically to measure the concentrations of substance active. The generic performance is compared then to the first drug in the same category.

However it may be not a good indicator of how big populations of ill patients will permit or respond to an alternative medication that has already been, approval process critics say.

posted by Healthy Life @ 8:59 PM

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

The Health Benefits of Acai Berry Supplements

The Acai berry
is becoming very popular, especially with new research showing that it is one of the most important super foods available. It is a small berry that grows on the Acai palm, which is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America.

Acai Berry Supplements

Because the Acai berry consists of mainly seed and only a small amount of pulp, the best way to benefit from Acai is by trying one of the many Acai Berry Supplements on the market. Supplements can be in the form of a pill or drink

Acai Berry Supplements are very beneficial for your health, since they are packed full of antioxidants which work to promote overall health. The Acai berry contains more antioxidants in the small two centimeter piece of fruit than any other known food, and even has up to thirty times more antioxidants than a glass of red wine.

Antioxidants and the aging process

Antioxidants are beneficial for slowing down aging, helping to rid the body of unwanted toxins, and can even be beneficial for preventing disease.

The Acai berry is also a great source of protein and amino acids, and even contains many of the essential vitamins our bodies need to function on a daily basis. Acai helps to promote cell health within the body, which in return helps to fight off disease and strengthen the immune system.

Vitamins from Acai

Acai actually contains large amounts of the necessities we need to consume on a daily basis, and functions almost like a multivitamin packed with dozens of vitamins and nutrients. Acai contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E, and even contains significant amounts of Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper, and Zinc.

Plant sterols are also present in Acai, with three major types that have already been characterized. Plant sterols are great for digestive regulation and can even help prevent disease, and are great for those with heart problems since they maintain overall heart health.

Healthy fats such as Omega 3, Omega 6, and Omega 9 are also potent in the Acai berry, with over 50% of the pulp consisting of fat. Only about 20% of the total fat in the berry is not Omega fat, and the Omega fats are actually very beneficial for health. They can be beneficial for a number of different reasons, ranging from being able to prevent arthritis to being a natural cure for moderate to severe depression. They can even reduce the risk of stroke or heart attack, especially in those with risk factors or previous attacks.

The Flavor of Acai

The best benefit the Acai berry has to offer is its flavor, since it is actually very delicious. The pulp on the berry has a sweet berry taste that is followed by a subtle chocolate after taste, which makes it pleasurable to eat alone or as a smoothie or beverage. It pairs great with other berries and fruits and vegetables, and even makes a great dessert that is healthy and packed full of nutritional value.

Acai Berry Supplements are taking the health food market by storm, since Acai has so many health benefits to offer. It is packed full of amazing vitamins, nutrients, and many other essentials that help to promote overall health, yet it is a delicious treat that puts all other health food to shame. When paired along with other super foods in supplements and drinks, Acai can keep you happy and healthy for a very long time.

Two popular drink supplements that are currently on the market are Monavie, and Purple.

I have tried many of these health drinks and Purple has them all beat for taste. I must confess that I am hooked on the stuff. I know that GNC stores carry Purple but rather than me list all of the locations here you can just go visit www.drinkpurple.com

I am not going to give you a link to Monavie because it is a Multi-level marketing company and the product is over priced, plus you miss the cascade effect that you get from Purple.

Conclusion:

If you are going to take an Acai supplement (and you should) the drink form is tasty and fun verses the pill form. In addition, with the pill form you miss the cascade effect of all the other antioxidants.

posted by Healthy Life @ 8:59 PM

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