Resveratrol is a natural, chemical compound found in peanuts, blueberries and especially grapes. Due to the large concentration of resveratrol in grapes, red wine – in which grapes are fermented longer than in white wine – is an excellent source as well. Resveratrol gives off antioxidant activity and has long been considered as a contributor to decreased risk of heart disease and cancer.

A new study from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio found that resveratrol may also stimulate the fat controlling hormone, adiponectin. Adiponectin is a “good guy” hormone produced in small fat cells that counters susceptibility to diabetes and heart disease by making the liver and muscles more sensitive to insulin. Together, resveratrol and adiponectin “display anti-obesity, anti-insulin resistance and anti-aging properties.”

Dr. Feng Liu, professor of pharmacology at UT, stated that the study, “uncovers a novel mechanism by which resveratrol exerts its healthy beneficial effect,” and that “those who are obese, diabetic and growing older,” may be interested in its results.

Original article

Researchers have found that two probiotic strains could help with anxiety issues

For those who thought probiotics were just for your digestive health, we’ve got some news for you.

New research published in the British Journal of Nutrition shows that two particular strains of probiotics — Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum –have “beneficial psychological effects in humans” and may play a key role in reducing some people’s anxiety.

The research by French scientists found that “levels of psychological distress, including measures of depression, anger-hostility, anxiety, and problem solving, were significantly improved in the probiotic group, compared with placebo.” According to the researchers:

These results provide further evidence that gut microflora play a role in stress, anxiety and depression, perhaps via the enteric nervous system as well as centrally. … Subject to the confirmation of these results, probiotics might offer a useful novel therapeutic approach to neuropathological disorders and/or as adjunct therapies in psychiatric disorders.

Research has shown probiotics to support immunity, as well as other important areas of one’s health. Probiotics, tiny microorganisms that help maintain a healthy balance of essential bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, are becoming increasingly popular in today’s health & nutrition market.

It is important to understand, though, that while some products claim to provide large quantities of probiotics, the diversity of strains, total bacterial count and protection of the probiotics are key elements in a powerful product.

Original article

According to the CDC, if current obesity trends don't change, one in three American adults will have diabetes by 2050

Alarming new statistics released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the number of people in the United States with diabetes could triple by 2050.

According to the CDC, “[t]he number of new diabetes cases a year will increase from 8 per 1,000 in 2008 to 15 per 1,000 in 2050″ if lifestyle changes in the general population aren’t made.

One in 10 U.S. adults now has diabetes. The CDC estimates show a sharp rise in diabetes over the next 40 years “due to an aging population more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, increases in minority groups that are at high risk for type 2 diabetes, and people with diabetes living longer.”

The CDC projections show an alarming increase in the number of cases of Type 2 diabetes, which is largely preventable. According to Ann Albright, PhD, RD, director of CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation, changes in lifestyle — breaking bad habits, exercising regularly and eating a proper diet — could stem the disease  in individuals:

Successful programs to improve lifestyle choices on healthy eating and physical activity must be made more widely available, because the stakes are too high and the personal toll too devastating to fail.

According to recent studies, diabetes costs Americans “an estimated $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical costs.” And those costs are recurring, according to Irene O’Shaughnessy, an endocrinologist at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin, since instilling new habits generally takes time:

Diabetes is a very expensive disease. It is an overwhelming problem … Teaching people how to eat right takes multiple visits It’s an expensive program to staff, and you have to keep reinforcing the better habits. Prevention starts in the home with children growing up with a healthy lifestyle, and with educating parents so they don’t transfer bad habits to their children.

While some medical experts suggest consulting with a dietitian, it’s a costly visit: many insurance companies will only pay for a single visit, even though it takes multiple sessions to truly help change behaviors. According to Ramin Alemzadeh, a pediatric endocrinologist, 15 percent of the families in his Wisconsin practice “don’t want dietary counseling because their insurance company will deny the fee.”

Original article

A new study found that women who take a multivitamin regularly could reduce the risk of heart attacks

While there are plenty of reasons for people to be on targeted health regimens to optimize certain areas of health, it’s always prudent to not overlook the basics, which includes taking a regular multivitamin. New research backs up that claim.

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who took a multivitamin on a regular basis “were 40 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack than their peers who didn’t use multivitamins.”

According to reports on the study, “The association between multivitamin use and myocardial infarction was seen to be stronger among women using multivitamins for more than five years.”

A quality multivitamin nutraceutical creates a sound foundation to accompany a balanced diet. There is no substitute for a healthy, well-balanced diet; however, in today’s fast-paced lifestyles it is important to ensure the body is getting the fuel it needs.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “Nutrition is the foundation for health and development. Better nutrition means stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. Healthy children learn better. Healthy people are stronger, more productive, and more able to create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of both poverty and hunger in a sustainable way. Better nutrition is a prime entry point to ending poverty and a milestone to achieving better quality of life.”

Original article

Coffee continues to spawn research and interest, and has been linked to reduced risks of certain diseases, especially of the liver and diabetes.

According to a new study out of Europe, paper-filtered coffee — the most widely-used form in Europe and North America — may protect against oxidative DNA-damage. According to a study conducted by the researchers, DNA damage in coffee drinkers was 12 percent lower than in those drinking only water. According to the study’s authors:

Coffee is among the most frequently consumed beverages worldwide and epidemiological studies indicate that its consumption is inversely related to the incidence of diseases in which reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved (liver cirrhosis, certain forms of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders). It has been postulated that antioxidant properties of coffee may account for this phenomenon.

This follows reports that green tea might also help reduce DNA damage. According to that study, which came out of Hong Kong, green tea might help decrease DNA damage by as much as 20 percent.

Original article.

The benefits of probiotics have been touted in a new report from Global Industry Analysts. According to a news article about the September 2010 report, “Research work was continuing to improve the efficacy of probiotic ingredients and the variety of platforms in which they could be present.”

The increased consumption is also a result of the probiotic product being available in the form of dietary supplements and food such as baked and dairy products, which induced major players to integrate probiotics with products such as chocolates, cheese, muffins, and sausages … With further advancement in technology, probiotics usage is likely to extend beyond the current realms of gut, dental, and immune health to several other areas of human health. As consumers across the world are becoming increasingly aware of the favorable benefits of the ‘friendly’ bacteria, the market is likely to reap rich gains in coming years.

The report also said that consumers looking to purchase a high-quality probiotics product are “increasingly likely to pay premiums”. But the question remains: What makes a high-quality probiotics product?

Many products on the market deliver a high total probiotic count, but they are only coming from one or two strains. That yields a product which does not deliver comprehensive support. According to research published in Food Research International, probiotic products which deliver multiple strains can offer more benefits that a single strain.

Diversity of strains, total bacterial count and protection of the probiotics are key elements in a powerful probiotic product. The digestive tract is home to 400-500 different types of microbes. These microbes include both healthy bacteria (probiotics) and potentially unhealthy bacteria.

Maintaining optimal digestive and immune health depends in large part on maintaining optimal bacterial balance within the digestive tract. With such tremendous diversity naturally present in the digestive tract, it is important to supplement with not just one strain, but numerous strains of probiotics, so that the most comprehensive benefit is received.

Original article.

According to new statistics released this month, more than half of U.S. adults are using supplements. The statistics show that 53 percent of American adults are using some form of supplementation.

Lead researcher Jaime Gahche and her counterparts called the use of supplements “widespread” in their assessment, and that supplements are “contributing substantially to total nutrient intake” in the United States.

The report looked at supplement use among adults from 2003 to 2006, and compared it to use in 1988 to 1994. Among the findings:

• Nearly 40 percent of all Americans use at least one multivitamin/multimineral product, with use more common among women than men. That is up from 30 percent in the previous findings.
• The newest statistics show that more than 60 percent of all women over the age of 60 use a calcium supplement, compared to less than 30 percent in previous reports.
• Supplemental vitamin D use has increased dramatically in both men and women since the first study, especially in adults over the age of 40.

The study’s authors point out that supplement usage information should be collected to have an accurate picture of total health. In an interview with WebMD, Gahche said:

Dietary supplement use has increased in adults over age 20 since 1994, and we have over one-half of Americans taking one or more supplements a day. This information is important because such a high prevalence of people take dietary supplements. So we need to make sure we capture this information when assessing nutritional status. If we only include food and beverages, we are missing out on a big proportion.

While supplements can help offset nutritional deficiencies, many experts agree that taking supplements is not a way to make up for a poor diet. This thinking, according to Dr. Orly Avitzur, medical adviser for Consumer Reports, has led to an explosion in the supplement market, which accounted for approximately $27 billion in spending in 2009.

“There’s no substitute for a healthy lifestyle,” Dr. Avitzur told CNN.

That’s why it’s important to talk with your Health Professional about the types of supplements available on the market, and how each can help you achieve your own optimal health. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be happening as often as it should.

According to a recent survey conducted by the American Association of Retired People and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, just 58% of people who take supplements discussed products with a health professional.

One of the most important reasons to discuss supplement use with your Health Professional is because not all supplements are created equal. There are great differences between products on the market today.

Some supplements work faster and more effectively than others, providing rapid absorption and higher nutrition value than others. This can be for a number of reasons: the method which the product is delivered through the body, the elimination of fillers and binders that provide little nutritional value to the products, and the quality of ingredients used to create the product.

When choosing a supplement – as a majority of Americans are doing based on the latest research – it’s important to note these differences. That way, you can be sure that the supplement you are using is best for you and your specific needs.

Omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids that have long been linked to health benefits, especially heart health.  Omega-3 fatty acids have been scientifically proven to decrease triglyceride levels and the risks of arrhythmias, and thus the risks of sudden heart attacks.  Other benefits include slowing plaque buildup in the arteries and slightly lowering blood pressure.

Two of the most essential omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).  The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends a daily intake of three grams of EPA and DPA to promote good heart health.  Both EPA and DPA support normal platelet activity, and work to maintain normal triglyceride and cholesterol levels, and normal blood flow and pressure.  Consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

There are a number of foods that can provide you with omega-3 fatty acids; however, the best source is fatty fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna, sardines and lake trout.   The AHA recommends two servings of fatty fish per week.    Other sources of omega-3s include nuts and seeds,  oils, and spinach.  Help promote a healthy heart and get in the habit of adding omega-3-rich foods to your diet.  Join us on Facebook and Twitter to learn about more great sources of omega-3 fatty acids!