~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Healthy Newsletter from AnnA
Your Weekly Health Prescription - 2 April, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the sun is (currently) shining it might seem odd to be
mentioning flu vaccine, but there is information that might
save your life and I would rather you had it now, rather than
later. Plus an update on my recent visit to the Alternative
Health Products show, where I came across a remarkable
supplement that could not only help your joints, but keep your
pet healthy too. Wishing you the best of good health - AnnA
In this issue:
- WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH A RACEHORSE?
- ANTIOXIDANTS FOR 'AIRPORT EARS'
- FLU VACCINE NOT AS EFFECTIVE FOR HEART PATIENTS
- HOW TO LOWER YOUR STROKE RISK
WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH A RACEHORSE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Naturally, I assume you are a high stepper with a glossy coat
and a fine turn of speed, but if your point of similarity is
excessive wear and tear on the joints then there is good news
for both of you.
Cortaflex is a supplement that was first developed in the USA
in 1997 for racehorses, whose joints are continually under huge
strain and it has become a staple product for vets. Research
trials have vindicated its effectiveness and it is now used
for many types of animals including working dogs, elderly dogs
and cats with less than ideal mobility and for young animals
in those breeds that have associated weaknesses in their joints.
In fact it even works on elephants - just ask the vets at Dudley
Zoo and the London Zoo! hey of course buy it in 5 gallon drums,
but it is available in rather more modest quantities as a
liquid,
or tablet supplement.
How can it help you? For the same reasons as the animals: the
developer of the supplement, Bruce Snipes, suffered from
crippling arthritis, and when he could no longer tolerate anti-
inflammatory drugs he developed this natural product instead.
He now plays golf again, and among regular users of the product
are premier league football clubs, jockeys like Richard Quinn
swear by it and it has the semi-royal seal of approval from
Zara Phillips for herself and her horses who claims that 'it's
the best joint supplement on the market'. It is now recommended
by many osteopaths, physiotherapists and doctors.
If you have been taking glucosamine and chondroitin for joint
problems then this could be the next step up. Cortaflex has a
unique formulation of the smaller key active isolates of both
these substances as they are absorbed more effectively through
cell walls and into the joints. Research indicates that when
taken orally, only 2.5% of normal glucosamine supplements are
actually absorbed through the digestive tract, making them
relatively low penetration. Cortaflex comes in two strengths,
and the higher strength version also has aleuronic acid which
boosts the fluid retention around the joints which cushion them
from impact and makes them better able to act as 'shock
absorbers'.
I met the UK importer at a recent health fair and was impressed
by
the many endorsements they have from grateful customers (animal
and
human both) - you would be amazed how well an elderly Labrador
can
write!I tried it myself for a week, which is the time they
suggest
you ought to be able to see a difference, and I certainly found
my
knees were less creaky though still not able to emulate Red Rum.
If you would like to know more please visit the website at
www.cortaflex.co.uk or phone 01403 255809
ANTIOXIDANTS FOR 'AIRPORT EARS'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you live near to an airport or are you often exposed to loud
noise on a regular basis? Are you suffering from hearing loss
because of it? If so, you may be interested to hear of some new
research, at present only being carried out on guinea pigs, that
seems to show that having a good level of antioxidants might
just
make all the difference.
The University of Michigan Hearing Research Institute carried
out
the study and they gave the guinea pigs a mix of antioxidants:
vitamins A, C, and E, and magnesium one hour before they were
exposed to the equivalent decibel level comparable to a jet
engine taking off. The guinea pigs continued to be given the
same amount of the antioxidant mix for a further five days after
that single event. A test group were also exposed to the same
decibel level, but with no antioxidants given.
When they compared the hearing levels of the two groups at the
end of the five-day period, the group that had taken
antioxidants
experienced a significantly lower loss of hearing.
So could it help us too? I will pass on information on phase two
of the research, where the Michigan researchers are testing the
same antioxidants on soldiers who are exposed to high decibel
levels during training, and indeed often very frequently
afterwards.
FLU VACCINE NOT AS EFFECTIVE FOR HEART PATIENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obviously if you have heart disease, or cardiac problems, then
the focus is solely on keeping the heart healthy. However, a
report presented at a meeting of the American College of
Cardiology by Dr Orly Vardeny, of the University of Wisconsin
seems to imply that "heart failure goes beyond the heart, that
there are other systems challenged by the condition." This arose
from his study which indicated heart failure patients may not
have
as strong an immune response to flu vaccine as healthy patients.
This is not the time of year to be thinking of flu vaccines, but
I
am a great believer in looking ahead and being prepared. The
report
showed that patients with heart failure had a significantly
lower
antibody response to one of the three influenza virus strains
found in the flu vaccine used for the study, compared with
healthy patients. It has been previously established that heart
failure patients are at an increased risk for developing
influenza,
which is why yearly vaccination is recommended for them, but it
was
reported by Dr. Vardeny that there are still high numbers of
hospitalizations and deaths from influenza in heart failure
patients, They do not yet know why the impaired response happens
but believe it may be due to increased neurohormone levels, such
as norepinephrine and angiotensin II. Further study is being
done
on the specific effects of norepinephrine or beta-adrenergic
mechanisms in response to vaccines, but they do not suggest
that patients with heart failure should stop getting immunised
just yet.
The answer might lie in more preventive measures such as
boosting
the immune system through natural means by methods such as
meditation, exercise and supplements such as additional vitamin
C
and immune boosters like ginseng and Echinacea. Belt and braces
has always been good advice if you are vulnerable to infections
and if in any doubt, please talk to your doctor about how a flu
vaccine might affect you.
HOW TO LOWER YOUR STROKE RISK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have plenty of asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
spinach, chick peas, oranges, wheat germ and kidney beans in
your diet? If so, then you are naturally getting high levels of
folate, which is a water soluble member of the B vitamin family,
B9 to be exact. Folate is vital in protecting you against the
risk of a cerebral infarction, the most common kind of stroke.
In fact it accounts for 80% of all strokes, and so a recent
study wanted to look at whether supplementing with vitamins,
or increased intake of foods high in folate, could make a
difference.
A dual study in Sweden and Finland have been looking at the
relationship between folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and the
amino acid methionine - all of which are involved with
homocysteine production. Why should they be interested in that?
Because high levels of blood homocysteine are linked to
increased
stroke risk, and much interest is being shown in how to use
supplements,
and diet, in a more preventive way in healthcare.
The findings of the study are encouraging if you are at risk of
a stroke: those with the highest intake of folate had a 20%
lower
risk of stroke than those with the lowest levels.
These findings are based on the subjects' normal, everyday,
diet. They were not given any supplements or asked to eat any
differently with special foods. So if you have any incidence of
strokes in your family, it makes sense to include as many of
these foods as possible in your diet. I certainly have a family
history and much as I dislike Brussels sprouts, I must try to
love them - although I think it will be my asparagus intake that
goes up first!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you have found this information useful, and please feel
free
to pass it on to others. Remember, I am not a doctor and cannot
give
you medical advice, so please always take appropriate action by
consulting your own medical advisor if you have concerns about
any
aspect of your health.
Please feel free to pass on any of this information to your
friends,
or suggest they sign up for the newsletter themselves at the
catalystonline website. Best wishes for a healthier week - AnnA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Healthy Newsletter from AnnA
Your Weekly Health Prescription - 9 April, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With four inches of snow down here on the south coast I hope
you have also enjoyed some of this late 'winter wonderland'
and that it didn't disrupt your weekend too much. Beauty in
any form is always welcome, but when you have to abandon your
car and trudge home with the shopping it does kind of lose its
lustre a bit! I have some tips for keeping your immune system
boosted, which as we are having an extended 'winter' might just
be what you need to give you a spring in your step.
Wishing you the best of good health - AnnA
In this issue:
-LET THEM EAT GRASS
-ANOTHER BENEFIT FOR COFFEE?
-YET ANOTHER 'WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT'
-MERCURY FILLINGS - SAFE OR NOT?
LET THEM EAT GRASS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Actually, let them eat wheatgrass seems to be the hot health
idea at the moment and you can't go into a trendy juice bar - as
I am sure you do every other day - without being offered an
expensive shot of green liquid. Like all 'hot' ideas it has
actually been around for some time. In fact it has been
something of a cottage industry, rather the old sprouters on
the windowsill that were seen in all healthy homes in the
1970's,
you now find trays of wheatgrass or, if they are flat dwellers
like me, it's probably 'grow your own grass' for the cats.
However, wheatgrass has many great qualities as a supplement to
your diet but unlike the sprouts, you don't eat it - you juice
it to get the maximum benefit. So what are these benefits? Well,
increasing numbers of people are turning to it in their fight
against cancer, to boost their immune system, and as an
essential
part of any detox programme. Wheatgrass first earned its
reputation from people with terminal illnesses, who took it at
the eleventh hour after conventional medicine left them with no
hope. In the 1970s, Dr Ann Wigmore opened the Hippocrates Health
Institute, in Boston, nourishing terminally ill patients back to
health with fresh squeezed wheatgrass and from then on it has
been an underground health story passed on by word of mouth.
Wheat grass has been called one of nature's finest medicines.
It is perhaps the most nutritious and cleansing juice there is.
In its natural state, wheat grass is indigestible for humans; so
don't go plucking it straight out of the field. However,
wheatgrass
juice is easily digested and its nutrients and enzymes are
quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, providing an instant
boost of energy and ongoing nourishment. It is high in
chlorophyll,
potassium, calcium, and magnesium and is a highly effective
detoxifier, especially for the liver and gallbladder. Wheat
grass
has nearly a gram of protein per teaspoon, and includes all
eight
of the essential amino acids, as well as 13 of the remaining 16.
It contains Vitamins A, B1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 12; C, E and K.
A teaspoon of wheat grass contains around 15mg of Calcium, 8mcg
Iodine, 3.5mcg Selenium, 870mcg Iron, 62mcg Zinc, and many
other minerals.
There is another good reason to take a daily shot of wheatgrass:
it contains Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and it has been found
that cancerous cells have a deficiency, or a complete lack of,
SOD. Anti-oxidants have the ability to mop up free radicals and
so reduce or avoid cell mutation. Mutation is part of the first
stage of cancer formation so, if you supplement your diet with
wheat grass you will almost certainly be helping your body to
avoid, or deal with, cancerous conditions.
You don't have to drink gallons of the stuff either, the intense
green juice is best taken in 'shots' of about 1tbsp at a time.
Like all fresh juices it needs to be drunk immediately, it goes
off in about 30 minutes, so cut from the tray and juice, or cut
the shoots and keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator where
they will retain their nutrients for up to seven days after
cutting.
For those with an intolerance to gluten, do not be put off
because
the grain metamorphoses completely into a vegetable, with none
of
the allergic proteins common to the glutenous grains. You can
indeed follow the advice of Hippocrates, the father of medicine,
who said "our food is our medicine and our medicine is our food"
Oh, and if you are not a gardener, even of the windowsill
variety,
then you will be delighted to learn you can actually buy the
stuff ready grown, cut and ready to stuff in your juicer. Ask at
your local health store as it can often be found as tablets or
powder supplements and in bags in the chiller cabinet, or you
can
order trays of wheat, barley, oat and rye grass from this site:
http://www.browfarmwheatproducts.co.uk/
Whatever you do, start with small amounts as it is a powerful
detoxifier and you can mix it with juice if you find the taste
not to your liking.
ANOTHER BENEFIT FOR COFFEE?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you really enjoy your coffee, and have a high fat diet, then
despite kind friends like me warning you of potential health
problems, there is some new research that might cheer you up.
It was reported by Jonathan D. Geiger, Ph.D., of the University
of North Dakota, in the April issue of the Journal of Neuroinf-
lammation, that animal tests appeared to protect the blood-brain
barrier from cholesterol-induced damage in rabbits.
Why is this important? Because high levels of cholesterol are a
risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, perhaps by compromising the
protective nature of the blood-brain barrier. Other experimental
studies have suggested that caffeine has beneficial effects for
a
number of neurovascular disorders, including Alzheimers' but it
is not yet conclusive. So I sugest you go easy on the high fat
cappuccino's for a while yet.
YET ANOTHER 'WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let's hear it for Robert McMurray, Ph.D., and colleagues at
the University of North Carolina, who managed to get a grant to
show that teenagers who lounge about watching television and
undertake very little physical activity probably developed the
habit when they were younger. I wish I had thought of applying
for a grant to study that, who would have guessed that kids who
were couch potatoes at age 7-10 were unlikely to turn into star
athletes when they hit their teens?
It is actually a serious subject as lack of physical activity
and poor aerobic fitness is usually combined with poor eating
habits to produce a child at risk of metabolic syndrome. That
is a cluster of risk factors that in combination certainly
appear to increase the risk of heart disease and other chronic
illnesses later in life.
According to Dr Murray, "This is the first study to examine the
importance of childhood fitness levels on your metabolism as a
teenager. Previously we didn't know if low fitness levels were
an influence. It's obvious now that there is a link and this is
something which we need to pay attention to by encouraging our
kids to keep fit, or suffer the consequences later in life."
The study showed that the unfit kids already had a higher body
mass index, higher blood pressure, and a greater total
cholesterol
level than the children who undertook more exercise and that
second group would not go on to develop metabolic syndrome risk
factors.
In fact the unfit teenagers were six times more likely
to have had poor aerobic fitness as children and five times more
likely to have had overall low levels of physical activity.
I would guess that if you asked most adults if there was link
between low physical activity in children and how they behaved
as teenagers, then certainly most parents would not be surprised
at the findings.
Anyone know the contact details for the National Lottery
Research Funding Applications? I have a great idea for studying
the health benefits of breathing on a daily basis, as opposed to
only once a week, and I am sure I could show some benefit from
it.
MERCURY FILLINGS - SAFE OR NOT?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mercury is the third most toxic poison in the world, and you
may not be aware of it, but it has been used in amalgam dental
fillings since the 1830's and most amalgams composed of at least
50% mercury. The debate over its use has been ongoing for some
time;
I certainly had all my amalgam fillings removed and replaced
some
ten years ago when I first started reading, and writing, about
the potential health risks. The situation now seems to be
polarising, and so I offer you both sides of the argument so you
can make up your own mind.
In the red corner are the Scandinavians: on January 1st this
year, Norway became the first nation to impose a total ban on
the
use of amalgam fillings in dental work. Previous laws forbid the
use of mercury-containing fillings in more vulnerable segments
of
the population, such as pregnant women and children, but the new
law is the first to forbid the use of the toxic metal without
exemption. Mercury has also been banned from all other products
produced, imported, exported, sold, and used in the country.
Minister of Environment and Development, Erik Solheim, stated
that "Mercury is among the most dangerous environmental toxins.
Satisfactory alternatives to mercury in products are available,
and it is therefore fitting to introduce a ban." Sweden has now
followed suit with a ban on mercury fillings that came into
place
on April 1st, this year and Denmark and other EU countries are
now contemplating similar moves.
In the Blue corner are Britain and the USA who do not accept
that
there is any problem with the mercury and say that all the
negative claims are either unsubstantiated by rigorous
scientific
data or simply not significant enough to be of concern. They are
backed up by a European Union scientific committee study which
has claimed that amalgam fillings containing mercury pose no
health risk to the human nervous system. The Committee said it
had investigated claims of a link between amalgams and a variety
of systemic conditions, particularly neurological and
psychological
or psychiatric effects.
They concluded that no risks of adverse systemic effects exist
and
the current use of dental amalgam does not pose a risk of
systemic disease.
The findings reflect the opinions of some dentists and
governments,
who have insisted the material is safer and more durable than
alternatives, but patients' organisations have disputed the
results, claiming amalgam is dangerous and that anyone carrying
an average of 2.5 grams in their mouths is at risk. Another
patient organisation in Spain said it rejected the provisional
report because it was partial and ignored the World Health
Organisation (WHO) and other scientists' recommendations.
What do I think? Well, many European countries, including
Britain,
advise against the use of amalgam for children and pregnant
women,
due to its impact on brain development. In fact, research
published
in March 2006 shows neurodevelopmental disorders in children
have
decreased following the removal of thimerosal, a preservative
containing mercury, from American childhood vaccines. This led
to
the World Health Organization urging that Thimerosal be banned
in
U.S. vaccines.
Amalgam fillings raise the level of mercury circulating in the
blood as the mercury leaches from the filling into the body and
it is believed to harm children's normal development. Relatively
low doses of mercury have been linked to adverse neuro-development
and many people who have displayed sensitivity to the substance
have reported improvements in health upon removal of the toxic
fillings. It is often recommended that is removed in those with
compromised immune systems and sufferering from immune
responsive
disorders such as ME.
As other types of composite fillings have become strong enough
to
replace amalgams under practically any circumstance, it would
seem
time to look realistically at phasing mercury out as a potential
health hazard. If the health angle doesn't convince you, perhaps
the environmental one might do so. According to the US
Environmental
Protection Agency, medical waste incinerators emit 70,000 pounds
of mercury into the biosphere each year, making medical use of
the metal one of the leading contributors to mercury pollution.
If you are thinking of having a tooth filling replaced, talk to
your dentist and if you are having mercury fillings replaced
that
needs to be done with great care to avoid dust from the filling
being absorbed back into your body. Ask your dentist if they are
experienced in this type of removal and if they are not, it
would
be sensible to seek out someone who does this as a regular part
of their practice work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you have found this information useful, and please feel
free
to pass it on to others. Remember, I am not a doctor and cannot
give you medical advice, so please always take appropriate
action by
consulting your own medical advisor if you have concerns about
any
aspect of your health.
Please feel free to pass on any of this information to your
friends,
or suggest they sign up for the newsletter themselves at the
catalystonline website.
Best wishes for a healthier week - AnnA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Healthy Newsletter from AnnA
Your Weekly Health Prescription - 16 April, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I couldn't resist updating you on last week's story on
teenagers,
and so far sadly I haven't come up with a research grant of my
own for stating the obvious, but I am working on it. A
preventive
newsletter this week and particularly shocking is the item on
lung cancer - I certainly wasn't aware of the hugely increased
risk for women contracting this disease and as a lifelong
non-smoker I always believed I was immune - how wrong that
turned out to be. On a lighter note, if you want a healthy detox
then take a look at the Diced Diet - could help you drop pounds
and have better skin in just a week.
Wishing you the best of good health - AnnA
In this issue:
- LOWER YOUR RISK OF GALLSTONES
- THE DICED DIET
- UPDATE ON THOSE INACTIVE TEENAGERS
- AVOIDING LUNG CANCER - GO WITH GREEN
LOWER YOUR RISK OF GALLSTONES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a simple way to do it - just make sure your diet
contains plenty of the mineral magnesium. According to a new
study, a diet rich in magnesium can reduce the risk of
developing
this very painful condition.
Researchers studied data of more than 42,000 men from ages 40 to
75
and found that those with the highest magnesium intake decreased
their risk of gallstones by as much as 33 percent. Magnesium
helps
to keep down triglyceride levels and raise the levels of HDL
(the 'good' cholesterol)in the blood. Cholesterol is a major
component in the formation of gallstones, in fact some
gallstones
are made up entirely of cholesterol,so it makes sense that
higher
magnesium levels will help to stop the gallstones from forming
in
the first place.
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant vitamin in the body, with
40 percent of it being found in our bones. It has plenty of
other
health benefits too and is needed for more than 300 biochemical
reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve
function, keeps your heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy
immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps
regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and
is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein
synthesis.
Research is also now focusing its role in preventing and
managing
disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and
diabetes.
What foods provide magnesium?
Green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli are good sources
of
magnesium because the centre of the chlorophyll molecule (which
gives green vegetables their colour) contains magnesium. Beans
and peas, nuts and pumpkin seeds, and whole, unrefined grains
are also
good sources as is halibut and, strangely enough, peppermint.
In spite of its benefits, magnesium consumption has declined
over
the years, partly as a result of our food becoming subject to so
many more processes that deplete the magnesium, along with many
other vitamins and minerals. As ever, a varied, wholegrain and
natural food diet is your best bet.
THE DICED DIET
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With the sun shining, and prospect of swimsuits by the sea
beckoning, it might be time to think about a detox diet to get y
ou in shape. There are plenty of versions on the market, but not
many that are 100% natural and that you don't buy in a can or a
box but create yourself in your own kitchen.
Basil Shackletona South African rancher, devised something
called
the Grape Cure and is a big fan of raw foods, which many find to
be very beneficial in healing a number of conditions. He claims
the diet has great cleansing properties, and, if eaten regularly
as a main meal during the day, will actually detox you and if
you
eat it five days a week it can cure rheumatism and skin rashes,
and it is a guaranteed cure for normal constipation. That last
one
is clear when you read the ingredients list for one meal:
Ingredients:
· 2 ounces of well-washed raisins
· 1 medium eating apple
· 1 ripe and well-washed tomato
· 2 ounces mild milk cheese such as Gouda
· 2 ounces dry-roasted peanuts (no oils, fats, or salt)
· The juice of half a fresh, ripe lemon
Obviously organic is preferred, and if you want to try it then
you start by washing the raisins several times in hot water, put
them in a cup and allow to soak in really hot water for about
ten
minutes. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into another cup and add
the drained raisins so that the juice just covers the raisins
and
leave for up to 20 minutes - the longer you leave it the sweeter
the end result will be.
In the meantime, wash the tomato, cut into small pieces, and
place
in a bowl. Cut the cheese into small pieces add it to the tomato
and tip in the peanuts. Finally add the raisins and lemon juice
to the bowl, stir thoroughly and the meal is ready to eat. To
gain
the best benefit, you must eat it within 15 minutes of it being
ready or the ingredients lose their natural vitamins and
minerals
through the being exposed to the air.
Eat slowly, chew it well, and don't drink any liquids until two
hours after the meal. For maximum health benefit, if you are
trying this for a week as a detox, cut meat out for that time as
well.
UPDATE ON TEENAGERS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you remember in the last issue I reported on the 'news' that
teenagers who lounge about watching television and undertake
very little physical activity probably developed the habit when
they were younger? Well I have an update on those teenage couch
potatoes, this time from the University of Minnesota School of
Public Health. Apparently, the common practice of putting a TV
in your teenager's bedroom actually increases the amount of
television they watch.
Would you believe it? Their study, to be published in the May
issue of Pediatrics Journal, was of nearly 800 teenagers and
revealed that twice as many 15-18 year-olds who had a TV in
their bedrooms said they watched at least five hours of TV a
day, compared with those who did not have a television in their
bedroom at all. And they are more likely to have unsatisfactory
eating and study habits - and a tendency to weight gain and
hypertension.A previous study found that having a television in
the bedroom is a stronger predictor of obesity than the amount
of
time spent actually watching it. Perhaps it beams out fat rays,
even when switched off - wonder if Dr Who would be interested in
that as a storyline?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents
refrain
from putting a television in a child's room. But despite the
recommendation, about two-thirds of children ages eight to 18
have
a television in their bedroom, the study found, and good luck to
any parent who tries to remove it is what I say.
AVOIDING LUNG CANCER - GO WITH GREEN
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is one of the most common and deadly chronic diseases that
afflicts both men and women, and you don't have to be - or have
been - a smoker to contract it. Women in particular are more
susceptible to lung cancer than men. In fact, about 80 percent
of
non-smokers who develop lung cancer are women and it is
responsible
for more deaths than ovarian, breast, and uterine cancers
combined.
One simple, natural, everyday habit that can help you avoid it
is
to think green. We have seen how you need your greens for
magnesium,
but there is one green vegetable that stands leaf and root above
the others for its potent combination of antioxidants and
flavonoids.
Leafy greens such as spinach, cabbage, and kale, are all
excellent
but the king of them all turns out to be not some exotic
hard-to-get
item but your ordinary lettuce. At least it is according to a
study done by researchers at Spain's Galician Public Foundation
for Health Emergencies who examined the correlation
between fruit and vegetable intake and lung cancer risk.
Of the 600 subjects, nearly half were lung cancer patients, and
the rest were cancer-free and all from the same area in Northern
Spain. At the conclusion of the trial an analysis of each
subject's
dietary intake revealed no link between fruit intake and a
reduced
risk of lung cancer BUT those who ate at least one serving per
day
of leafy green vegetables - particularly lettuce - had half the
risk of lung cancer compared to subjects who only ate these
types
of vegetables a few times each week. Other 'highly commended'
foods
for avoiding lung cancer were also noted to be tomatoes, green
beans, potatoes, and turnip tops.
These vegetables have this protective effect because they are
abundant in vitamin A, so all round it looks like a daily salad
has even more going for it - just keep the dressing a simple one
of olive oil and lemon juice and you max the health benefits
even
more.
If you are concerned you might be vulnerable to lung cancer,
these
are the primary warning signs:
- A cough that changes character (such as severity or frequency)
- Coughing that wakes you up at night
- Shortness of breath
- Blood in sputum
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you have found this information useful, and please feel
free
to pass it on to others. Remember, I am not a doctor and cannot
give you medical advice, so please always take appropriate
action
by consulting your own medical advisor if you have concerns
about
any aspect of your health.
Please feel free to pass on any of this information to your
friends,
or suggest they sign up for the newsletter themselves at the
catalystonline website. Best wishes for a healthier week - AnnA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Healthy Newsletter from AnnA
Your Weekly Health Prescription - 23 April, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well I am just back from speaking on a cruise, and with my
usual cold. It might be the air conditioning, or it might
be my body revolting against having to cook, wash up and do
my own ironing once again.
Whatever the reason, I have a
patented cold remedy that you are welcome to borrow, but only
if you have no problems with taking aspirin.
On the continent you can buy 1000mg soluble aspirin and I drop
one of these in a glass of water with a 500mg effervescent
Vitamin C. Double whammy which seems to work when all else
fails, and as I am in a sharing mood, my bid to outdo Delia
on the 'cheat' cooking front is also what I use when unwell.
You need 1 bag of organic spinach and watercress salad and a
tub of organic fresh lentil soup from the chiller cabinet of
your supermarket - or make your own if you are feeling energetic
enough. Heat the soup, add the contents of the bag, stir for 1
minute to soften the leaves then whiz in a blender. You get
a lovely, healthy, green-flecked soup packed full of iron,
which will help you, get back on your feet. Goodness, all this,
and we haven't even got to the news stories yet!
Wishing you the best of good health - AnnA
In this issue:
-PAINFUL HANDS?
-THE KEY FACTORS IN KEEPING YOUR KIDNEYS HEALTHY
-RESTLESS LEGS - PEACE AT LAST?
-WITH GREEN
PAINFUL HANDS?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If your hands are painful, do you know for sure whether what
causes it? You could have arthritis or might it actually be
Carpal tunnel syndrome, one of the most common forms of
Repetitive Strain Injury? About three in 100 of people in the
UK suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and it is characterised
by pain, tingling or numbness in the hand.
About half of all carpal tunnel cases are work-related, and it a
ccounts for the highest number of days missed at work compared
to all other work-related injuries or illnesses. The condition
develops when the median nerve in the wrist becomes compressed
as it passes through the carpal tunnel, the narrow passageway
of bones and ligaments on the underside of the wrist. The median
nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and
fingers (not the little finger), as well as impulses to some
small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to
move. Symptoms include:
· difficulty holding objects
· difficulty performing repetitive movements without pain
· numbness, burning pain, tingling in hand or wrist that
increases at night
Some professions are more vulnerable to this condition than
others. Particularly at risk are musicians, particularly
pianists and violinists, hairdressers, reflexologists and
masseuse, manual labourers, computer operators, and even
surgeons. If you already have arthritis or any rheumatic
conditions then this again can increase the risk of developing
carpal tunnel syndrome as can conditions such as obesity,
pregnancy, hypothyroidism, and diabetes.
What can you do about it?
Well painkillers, cortisone injections, splints and surgery
(usually the final option) are the conventional route to go.
However, my personal experience of a small sample of people I
know that have had it done is that it needs to be carefully
considered before you go under the knife. It can be painful and
success is certainly not guaranteed, even orthopaedic surgeons
admit that although surgery can cure night symptoms and
transient tingling,
if the nerve has been damaged as a result of carpal tunnel
syndrome it probably won't fully recover and complications from
surgery can include complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS),which
will permanently affect hand function.
On the alternative front, there are several options available:
1 Acupuncture can relieve the pain as it releases natural
pain-relieving chemicals into the body, promotes circulation and
balances the nervous system. If you can't abide needles, then
Acupressure will do the same job but usually takes a little
longer to be effective in my experience.
2 Vitamin B6 deficiency has been associated with carpal
tunnel syndrome in several research studies. If your diet is
low in food sources such as sweet potatoes, avocados, brown
rice, sunflower seeds, chick peas, salmon, pork, chicken,
turkey, potatoes, bananas, and mangoes then supplementing with
50 mg 2 to 3 times a day is the suggested dose. At particular
risk of B6 deficiency, in addition to poor diet, are those using
oral contraceptives or HRT. The maximum intake of B6 from all
sources should be less than 200 mg a day, unless otherwise
recommended by your doctor or nutritionist.
3 Vitamin B12 - a study looked at the effectiveness of vitamin
B12 for people with carpal tunnel syndrome due to overuse of the
nonparalyzed arm after a stroke. For two years, 67 people in the
study received 1500 mcg of vitamin B12 a day, and the remaining
68 did not. After two years, there was significant improvement
in the group taking vitamin B12 compared to the untreated group.
B12 is normally found in organ meats, and vegetarians may find
they need supplemental amounts via injection which is often
available on the NHS.
4 Enzyme supplements such as bromelain, found naturally in the
juice and stems of pineapples, which are believed to help with
the digestion of protein and may help to reduce tissue swelling
associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. It can take several
weeks to notice results.
5 One of my favourite homoeopathic remedies is Arnica, and in a
double blind random study by the Department of Plastic Surgery
of Queen Victoria Hospital in West Sussex, they found that
arnica can speed up the recovery of hand surgery compared to a
placebo. They used a combination of tablets and arnica ointment
and saw a significant reduction in pain after two weeks.
THE KEY FACTORS IN KEEPING YOUR KIDNEYS HEALTHY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we get older, it is vital to keep your kidneys functioning at
their optimum best and there are two very simple ways to do that
which I will explain shortly.
First do you recognise the amazing job your kidneys do for you?
Each one is not much bigger than a pack of playing cards and
weighs only 4-5 ounces and yet they handle nearly 25 percent of
the total amount of blood that your heart pumps while you're
resting and they consume the same amount of your body's supply
of oxygen. They need all that blood and oxygen because they have
five critical functions to perform for you:
1. Keeping your blood clean by filtering it of waste products
and eliminating these waste products from your body as urine.
2. Helping maintain your body's fluid composition.
3. Stimulating the production of red blood cells in your bone
marrow by secreting a hormone called erythropoietin.
4. Helping maintain your blood pressure by producing an enzyme
called rennin
5. Convert vitamin D to its most active form for use by the
body.
One of the most vital functions your kidneys carry out for you
is in the process of creating urine through an incredibly
complex filtering system and tip number one is to make it easier
for it to do that by drinking plain water when you are thirsty.
Small amounts drunk regularly is better than a large amount in a
short period of time.
Those two tips for keeping our kidneys health as we age?
The first is to not eat too much protein as it leads to greater
workload on your kidneys, which must filter a by-product of
protein metabolism called blood urea nitrogen (BUN) out of your
blood. How much is too much? Well, if you have healthy kidneys,
you can safely eat up to half of your body weight (in pounds) in
grams per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and are in
good health, you can safely eat up to 75 grams of protein from
minimally processed foods per day. If you have problems with
your kidneys, you should certainly decrease this amount to
reduce the strain on your system. If you are not sure, then ask
your doctor to monitor you as there are tests you can take to
determine how well your kidneys are processing protein.
The second is not to take Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
like ibuprofen and aspirin on a regular or frequent basis as
they are known to cause kidney damage and disease. Such over-
the-counter pain medications probably don't pose significant
danger if your kidneys are relatively healthy and you use them
for emergencies only, so we are back to my cold again - thank
goodness I don't' get more than 2 or 3 a year!
In the USA, one in nine adults has kidney disease and the best
advice as ever is to be preventive and proactive. The same old
boring, essential, stuff about a healthy non-processed diet,
plenty of rest, exercise and freedom from stress. Take your body
on holiday every day and get out into the fresh air - your body,
including your kidneys, will thank you for it.
RESTLESS LEGS - PEACE AT LAST?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The headline may be mildly amusing, but Restless leg syndrome
(RLS) certainly is no joke for sufferers. The name is highly apt
because this is a condition in which you have very unpleasant
sensations of tingling or itching in the calves, thighs, feet or
arms and feel extremely uncomfortable while you're sitting or
lying down. It seems to help if you get up and move around to
alleviate it - in other words it makes you restless.
It affects both sexes, can begin at any age and may get worse as
you get older. Because it is often worse at night, restless leg
syndrome can disrupt sleep so you start taking siestas and are
less alert during the day, It certainly makes any form of
confined travel, such as in an aeroplane, extremely difficult.
Now there is news from the USA of a skin patch, which although
intended for use on those with Parkinson's disease, has in
trials proved helpful for Restless Legs Syndrome. The rotigotine
patch, a dopamine agonist, improved the trial subject's
condition by about 36%. The researchers are optimistic that this
once-a-day application will be easier for patients than the
current 2-3 times a day for oral medicine. The patch is FDA
approved for Parkinson's but not yet for Restless Leg Syndrome,
but it may be worth talking to your doctor about to see if it is
available here yet.
FROG SKIN AND LIZARD SPIT?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No it's not an attempt to take you into Shakespearean realms
with the Witches in Macbeth, but what is actually being touted
as the latest treatment for diabetes. There is a growth market
in diabetes because it has reached epidemic proportions, and the
buzz word in all product areas at the moment is 'natural' but in
this instance, happily for the frogs, the scientists have yet
again identified an active natural ingredient and then set to
and produced a synthetic version. No problem for that on the
frog front, but this is exactly what happened with white willow
bark whose active ingredient is salicylic acid and together with
all its other component parts helps cure headaches. Science
isolated the salicylic acid and gave us aspirin, but without the
natural buffering ingredients that ensured that it didn't upset
the stomach.
So what's so special about frog skin? Researchers found that a
substance, called pseudin 2, secreted in the skin of the South
American shrinking frog stimulates the release of insulin in the
body. From there, they created a pseudo-pseudin that they claim
has the same benefits and no side effects. The researchers also
claim that the synthetic version of pseudin is actually better
than the natural version Well that's what they said about
aspirin, and if this goes on that poor shrinking frog is going
to shrink out of existence as they keep using it for research.
Type 2 diabetes can be handled through managing diet and
lifestyle, unless you really want to kiss a frog or deprive it
of its skin?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you have found this information useful, and please feel
free to pass it on to others. Remember, I am not a doctor and
cannot give you medical advice, so please always take
appropriate action by consulting your own medical advisor if you
have concerns about any aspect of your health.
Please feel free to pass on any of this information to your
friends, or suggest they sign up for the newsletter themselves
at the catalystonline website.
Best wishes for a healthier week - AnnA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Healthy Newsletter from AnnA
Your Weekly Health Prescription - 30 April, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you all for the good wishes on my recovery from my cold,
and I may have solution to the air-conditioning-induced
snuffles.
Dr William Davey is a colleague and distinguished homoeopath,
and
he has suggested a couple of remedies to take, one before I go,
and the other while I am away. As my next trip is in three
weeks,
I shall let you know the result. This week, a couple of items
relating to cancer, both treatment and a perhaps surprising
discovery about survivor's behaviour for you to think about.
Also,
if you have been putting off having a family, then odd as it may
seem you need to know when to expect your menopause so as to
ensure maximum fertility.
Wishing you the best of good health - AnnA
In this issue:
- CANCER NEWS ON APRICOTS
- CANCER SURVIVAL, SURPRISING FINDINGS
- WAS THIS NATURAL SWEETENER NOBBLED?
- POSTPONING A FAMILY? NEW MENOPAUSE PREDICTOR?
CANCER UPDATE ON APRICOTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One of the many natural supplements that keeps resurfacing
in connection with cancer treatment, and prevention, is apricot
kernels. I recently met a lady who has had cancer who has been
taking them for some time and is convinced they have helped her.
The evidence on this is not cut and dried, but there is
certainly
a body of anecdotal evidence and some clinical trials that seems
to support this view, but there are also very clear dangers in
this somewhat innocuous fruit.
It has been suggested that eating 7-10 Apricot Kernels a day may
help to prevent cancer, alongside a healthy lifestyle and a good
diet though this is outside the limit recommended as safe by
many
authorities. Certainly apricots themselves have been held up as
the substance that helped the Hunza to achieve their very long
life span, and relative freedom from cancer. Apricot Kernels are
especially rich in Vitamin B17, which is also known rather
confusingly by three different names: Amygdaline, Amygdalin or
Laetrile. It is B17 that is the substance that is believed to
both
help prevent cancer, and have a direct impact upon cancer cells
and many of the best sources we simply do not eat. For instance,
we core our apples, and peel our parsnips and usually give the
compost heap the B17 we need for ourselves. The best source is
in apricot kernels and the lady I referred to at the beginning
of
this piece tells me she buys the ground kernels from Dayspring
on
01483 418258 and they also have a website at
http://www.anticancerinfo.co.uk/suppliers.htm for more
information.
The kernels should be chewed, or ground and sprinkled on food or
in fruit juice. An excellent way to take Apricot Kernels is to
fill a jar half full, add a 1/4 of a jar of organic or Manuka
honey and mixed well with a fork, and keep in a fridge or cool
cupboard. The kernels can then be added to fruit and muesli or
simply taken straight from the spoon. For anyone who is not ill
but wants to guard themselves from cancer they should just take
a small amount - say a small half teaspoon of the ground
kernels,
but for more treatment levels up to three full teaspoons is
usual,
but I strongly suggest you consult with a qualified natural
practitioner before you begin on a regime such as this.
Food Sources:
There are many foods that contain Vitamin B17 in varying amounts
and these include: apple seeds, alfalfa sprouts, apricot
kernels,
bamboo shoots, barley, beet tops, bitter almond, blackberries,
boysenberries, brewer's yeast, brown rice, buckwheat, cashews,
cherry kernels, cranberries, currants, fava beans, flax seeds,
garbanzo beans, gooseberries, huckleberries, lentils, lima
beans,
linseed meat, loganberries, macadamia nuts, millet, millet seed,
peach kernels, pecans, plum kernels, quince, raspberries,
sorghum
cane syrup, spinach, sprouts (alfalfa, lentil, mung bean,
buckwheat,
garbanzo), strawberries, walnuts, watercress, yams.
WARNING!
I would not be responsible if I didn't repeat that you need to
use apricot kernels with caution. The German Federal Institute
for
Risk Assessment suggests that you eat no more than one or two
apricot kernels a day. This is because they have a high natural
level of amygdalin and, during digestion, highly toxic
hydrocyanic
acid is released from it. This can lead to symptoms of acute
poisoning like cramp, vomiting and respiratory distress. At high
doses it can even lead to a fatal respiratory paralysis, which
can
lead to severe, acute poisoning. At very high doses it can even
prove fatal.
CANCER SURVIVAL, SURPRISING FINDINGS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It has just been reported in the May issue of the Journal of
Clinical Oncology that a study done in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has
shown - perhaps surprisingly - that many cancer survivors don't
follow healthy lifestyles.
Apparently they are more likely to be non-smokers (82.6% to
91.6%)
than adults in the general population (79.5%) which with the
world-
wide smoking ban is not so surprising, but the fact that they
are
not more prone to exercise to recommended levels, or to have a
healthy diets with the recommended 'five a day' of fruit and
vegetables, certainly is.
In a study of more than 9,000 patients with a history of various
cancers, it was seen that a staggering 80.9% to 85.2% were not
following the healthy eating guidelines. This is despite
evidence
that shows that those patients with a history of cancer had a
significantly improved quality of life if they followed the
three
golden rules of survival: exercise, no smoking and plenty of
fruit
and vegetables. In fact, only about one in 20 of all the
patients
were following all three recommendations, so if you have a
cancer
survivor in your family make it a point to see they understand
how
important a healthy diet is to live a longer, and better
lifespan.
WAS THIS NATURAL SWEETENER NOBBLED?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Regular readers of this newsletter will know that I am not a fan
of artificial sweeteners. Partly on taste grounds, and mostly on
well-established health risks but the belief has always been
that
there wasn't anything better. It was Tom Mangold, speaking on
Radio 4, who alerted me to the fact that actually there was, so
in
case you didn't catch the programme here's the gist of it.
In the 1970's, Robert Harvey, an American entrepreneur,carrying
out
research in his New England laboratory when he came across a
plant
called Synsepalum dulcificum. This is a wild, small, red, berry
grown in West Africa, which, when chewed lilterally turns sour
food
and drink sweet. Finally, here was something that had the
potential
to be a safe, non-fattening sugar substitute and an alternative
to
what were then the new-to-the-market artificial, chemical,
sweeteners.
In early trials it received a warm reception among diabetics who
were able to enjoy sweet flavours without worrying about their
sugar intake and from dieters anxious to avoid high-calorie
desserts.
Although the berry itself is not sweet, it contains an active
glycoprotein molecule, with some trailing carbohydrate chains,
called miraculin. When the fleshy part of the fruit is eaten,
this molecule binds to the tongue's taste buds, causing changes
to
how they taste - in particular bitter and sour foods like lemons
and
limes will taste sweet after chewing a berry and this effect
lasts
up to two hours.
Harvey and his colleagues were able to process the berry's
'miracle' ingredient to make it marketable and they devised a
test.
They coated some sugarless ice lollies with the berry process
and
mixed them up with ordinary, sugared lollies and gave them out
in a
Boston playground. The result was that all the kids preferred
the
Miracle Berry lollies to the sugared ones, showing that the
berry is
a taste enhancer and, with no sugar present, the lollies didn't
rot
the teeth and contained no calories. "It was junk food without
the
junk," as Harvey said, and he realised he was sitting on a
billion
dollar project that could have had profound implications for the
epidemic of obesity in the US, and the developed Western world.
He got huge backing including Barclays Bank and the Prudential
and
soon had hundreds of thousands of miracle berry plants growing
in
Jamaica. The American Federal Drugs Administration seemed to be
ok
with the product and then in 1973 his offices were burgled and
the
data files ransacked. It was clearly a case of professional
'industrial espionage' and was followed in 1974, on the eve of
the
product launch, by another body blow. The FDA, which had
previously
indicated it would clear the product for use, now reclassified
the
berry as an additive, and like any artificial ingredient, it
would
now have to submit to years of testing for safety and efficacy.
They immediately ordered all Miracle Berry products to be
withdrawn
at once.
Conspiracy theorists may conclude that there was a lot at stake
for the fledgling artificial sweetener industry and too much
money
at stake to risk an all-natural product taking over a billion
dollar
market. We will never know, but if you want to try it for
yourself
the berries are available to buy on the internet and even on
ebay.
There is also an informative UK website,
http://www.miraclefruit.co.uk/
who have been overwhelmed with orders since the programme went
out -
so finally the berry's time may have come. It has already done
so
in Japan where it is being sold in tablet form to aid dieters.
POSTPONING A FAMILY? NEW MENOPAUSE PREDICTOR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today, many couples often postpone having children until after
age 30, although many do not realise that a woman's fertility is
linked to her menopause and some women are sterile as early as
their thirties, according to a report in the Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism by Dr. van Disseldorp of the
University
Medical Centre, at Utrecht in The Netherlands. It is clear that
knowing when menopause may occur could greatly affect their
decision
on when to start a family, and now there is new research to show
that a easy-to-measure hormone may be a better predictor of
menopause than actual chronological age.
Women are born with all of the eggs that they will ever have,
and
they lose them throughout life until menopause, when none are
left.
The Utrecht study has revealed that the age when menopause
begins
might be easily predicted by a hormone correlated to the number
of
antral follicles in the ovaries. Antral follicles are small,
about
2-8 mm in diameter, but they can be seen, measured and counted
with
ultrasound.
As women age they have less eggs remaining, and therefore they
have
less antral follicles visible on ultrasound. The researchers in
Utrecht took this a stage further and looked at the levels of
the
anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), which is closely correlated with
the
number of antral follicles. So a simple blood test for this
hormone
can accurately predict the age of onset of menopause. The
average
age in the West is 51, but women planning on a late family may
want
to have a more accurate assessment before leaving it to chance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hope you have found this information useful, and please feel
free
to pass it on to others. Remember, I am not a doctor and cannot
give
you medical advice, so please always take appropriate action by
consulting your own medical advisor if you have concerns about
any
aspect of your health.
Please feel free to pass on any of this information to your
friends,
or suggest they sign up for the newsletter themselves at the
catalystonline website. Best wishes for a healthier week - AnnA
|
