kphy

Research shows that one soya-based drink a day can slash the
amount of fat that accumulates across the stomach.

Abdominal fat is particularly bad for health, raising the risk
of heart attacks and diabetes more than fat found on other parts of
the body.

It is thought that soya, a vegetable protein, somehow interferes
with the processing of excess sugar into fat.

It is believed that soya, a
vegetable protein, interferes with the processing of excess sugar
into fat – helping to flatten out a pot belly.

Previous studies have shown that soya and tofu, a meat
substitute made from soya bean curd, cut the risk of ovarian cancer
and heart disease.

In the latest study, the researchers looked at the effect of
soya supplements on the health of 15 women who had gone through the
menopause.

Nine were asked to drink a 120-calorie soya shake a day, while
six were given a dummy shake to drink.

After three months of daily shakes, there was little difference
in weight between the two groups.

However scans showed a big difference in the amount of fat the
women were carrying around the waist.

While those on the soya shakes had lost abdominal fat during the
course of the study, the other women had put it on, the American
Society for Reproductive Medicine\’s annual conference heard.

The US researchers said the finding could prove particularly
significant in improving the health of older women who often pile
on the pounds after the menopause.

Writing in the journal Fertility and Sterility, they
said: \’Our trial suggests a new dietary option for the prevention
of abdominal adipose tissue gain that occurs after menopause.\’

Dr David Christie, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham
(CORR), who is collaborating with the researchers on other work on
soya, said the shakes contained more soya than people would
normally eat in their diet and supplements would be needed to get
the same effect at home.

He added: \’This was a very small trial with very small
numbers.

\’If it were to hold up in larger numbers it could have much
broader implications in terms of recommending soya to menopausal
women.

\’It may well have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease or
diabetes.\’

Other recent research showed that a pot belly greatly increases
the risk of heart attacks.

A 12-year-study of more than 100,000 men and women revealed that
waist size is strongly linked health, with those with the biggest
bellies being more than 40 per cent more likely to suffer from
hardening of the arteries, angina and heart attacks than those with
washboard stomachs.

At greatest risk were those who developed a beer gut, while
still young, the US study showed.

(Agencies via China Daily October 31, 2007)

Giving up sweets and avoiding vitamins could help you live
longer, according to German researchers.

They found that restricting glucose–a simple sugar found in
foods such as sweets that is a primary source of energy for the
body–set off a process that extended the life span of some worms
by up to 25 percent.

The key was boosting the level of \”free radicals\”– unstable
molecules that can damage the body and which people often try to
get rid of by consuming food or drinks rich in anti-oxidants such
as vitamin E, they said in a study published in the journal Cell
Metabolism.

Restricting glucose first spurred the worms to generate more
free radicals, but then they quickly built up long-lasting defences
against them, said Michael Ristow, an endocrinologist at the
University of Jena and the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who
led the study.

\”During the process, the worm generates more free radicals,
which activates defences against free radicals within the worm,\” he
said in a telephone interview. \”The bad thing in the end promotes
something good.\”

The body needs glucose, but taking in too much was unhealthy,
Ristow said.

Scientists have long known that restricting calorie intake in
worms and monkeys increases longevity, and the study narrowed that
idea further, to glucose.

The study also for the first time points to a possible reason
why antioxidants–long thought to promote health–might do more
harm than good, Ristow said.

The German team used a chemical that blocked the worms\’ ability
to process glucose in a treatment that extended their life span by
up to 25 percent, the equivalent of 15 years in humans.

The worms unable to depend on glucose increased energy power
sources in certain cells for fuel. That activity produced more free
radicals, which in turn generated enzymes that strengthened
long-time protection against the harmful molecules, Ristow
said.

However, antioxidants and vitamins given to some worms erased
these benefits by neutralising free radicals and preventing the
body from generating the defences, Ristow said.

\”These latter findings tentatively suggest that the widespread
use of antioxidants as human food supplements may exert undesirable
effects,\” the researchers wrote.

(Agencies via China Daily October 8, 2007)

Families that regularly eat healthy dinners together often
encourage children to make healthier food choices.

Here are suggestions on how to make family dinners both healthy
and convenient:

Plan to include three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt per day
to boost calcium intake.

Use the Food Guide Pyramid as a tool to make sure your family is
getting plenty of nutrients. Choose different foods from each of
the categories to keep variety in your family’s diet.

Plan your meals ahead, and buy groceries in advance. This can
help prevent opting for an easy, less healthy option when nothing
else is available.

Keep plenty of healthy ingredients on hand so that it’s easy to
prepare a quick, healthy meal at home.

While it’s good to include some of the family’s favorite foods
and dishes in your meals, it’s also important—especially for
children—to try new foods and develop new tastes.

(Shenzhen Daily September 19 ,2007)

A sixty-year-old man in east China\’s Jiangxi Province claims that he has gradually
recovered from liposarcoma – malignant tumors found in the tissue
of fat cells – and stomach ulcers after eating sand for 18
years.

Sheng Shoudong, a cleaner at a food market in Shaxi town,
Shangrao City, began to eat about four spoonfuls of sand a day from
1988 after he read a newspaper article in a local newspaper about a
man who had recovered from cancer after eating sand.

\”I suffered from the pain of the sarcomas and ulcer, and was
forced to give up my job. I badly needed a drastic remedy,\” said
Sheng said recently on Approaching Science, a program at
Channel 10 of China Central Television.

 

\”I went down to the river and gathered up a bucket of sand. I
washed it with water from the nearby well and poured it into a
breakfast bowl. I ate a spoonful of the sand, washed it down with
water and then chewed through another. I actually really enjoyed
the taste,\” he said.

Two years later, tests showed that Sheng\’s tumors had shrunk and
he felt well enough to resume his work as a cleaner.

Sheng\’s neighbors in Xiangyang village were amazed to see his
new eating habit. \”When we first saw Sheng washing sand by the
well, we thought he was a maniac. But as soon as we realized he was
getting better and returned to work, we were clamoring to find out
the secret recipe.\”

A recent health check at the Shangrao No.1 Hospital showed that
Sheng was in a good condition apart from suffering from a mild
gastric ulcer, renal problems and several small sarcomas.

\”Sand can not provide nutrition or energy for the human body and
it would be unscientific to say that eating sand can cure sickness.
Anyway, eating clean sand certainly doesn\’t harm the alimentary
canal,\” said Zheng Yaoquan, dean of the hospital.

Some medical experts suspected Sheng might also suffer from
parorexia, an abnormal appetite that inspires a craving for items
unsuitable for eating.

(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2007)

The omega-3 fatty acids found in certain fish not only prevent cardiovascular disease, but may even help treat it, a new study suggests.

The study, published in the Aug. issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, involved four trials with almost 40,000 participants that show benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, in treatment after heart attack and, most recently, in heart failure patients.

The study cited epidemiological evidence which showed that populations such as Asians and Alaskan Eskimos, whose diets are rich in fish oil, have a low incidence of cardiovascular disease.

\”A lot of people know that omega-3 fatty acids are a good thing, but have thought of them in the area of nutritional or health foods,\” said study author Carl J. Lavie, medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans.

\”They don\’t realize there is so much data, a lot of data from big studies, that they are not only preventive but also help in therapy for a number of conditions, such as a trial fibrillation, heart attack, atherosclerosis and heart failure.\”

The American Heart Association has endorsed omega-3 fatty acid intake, from fish or supplements, recommending specific amounts of omega-3 fatty acids each day for people in general, with greater intake recommended for people with heart disease.

But the association says that Omega-3 supplements should be taken only after consulting with a doctor, because too much can cause excessive bleeding in some people.

\”For the general population, it should be 500 milligrams a day,\” Lavie said. \”If you have heart disease, it should be 800 or 1,000 milligrams a day.\”

Not much effort is needed for most people to achieve the recommended intake, Lavie said. \”500 milligrams a day is two fatty fish meals per week,\” he added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 6, 2009)

Carrots, rich in beta-carotene, are not the only food beneficial to your eyes, points out Silke Restemeyer, spokesperson for the German Nutrition Society. Spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and mangoes also contain beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.

As Restemeyer explains, vitamin A helps protect the eye\’s retina and lens from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can damage cells.

Beta-carotene is a carotenoid – a plant and animal pigment – and other carotenoids that perform a similar function are lutein and zeaxanthin, Restemeyer says.

Found mainly in leafy green vegetables and corn, these substances can lower the risk of gray cataracts and macular degeneration, a form of retinal damage, usually in older adults, that results in vision loss.

The antioxidant properties of vitamins C and E protect eye cells from damage caused by exposure to sunlight, Restemeyer notes. Citrus fruits are a primary source of vitamin C, and vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, hazelnuts and whole grains.

(China Daily August 5, 2009)

Medical Journal of Australia published a warning that a bean that is finding popularity because of its low GI properties can be deadly if not prepared in the correct way.

Lupines, which come in bitter and sweet varieties, are being added to products like bread to lower its rating on the glycemic index and in sausages to reduce fat. They can also be eaten raw as a snack. But doctors say they must be treated first to remove dangerous levels of a toxic alkaloid, Australian Associated Press reported Sunday.

The warning comes after two women were taken to a West Australian (WA) hospital after being inadvertently poisoned by the beans.

They suffered blurred vision, light-headedness, lethargy and had difficulty walking, said Nevada Pingault, an epidemiologist at WA Health\’s Communicable Disease Control Directorate.

An investigation revealed a quantity of bitter lupines had been milled into flour to meet a local shortage in supply, but it contained 1,000 times the alkaloid level permitted for flour.

Pingault said there was an increasing consumption of lupine products across the community, but consumers and food makers may not be aware of the risks.

\”We recommend that information be provided about the dangers of selling and eating products containing bitter lupines that have not been appropriately treated to remove toxic alkaloids,\” she added.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2009)

Giving up sweets and avoiding vitamins could help you live
longer, according to German researchers.

They found that restricting glucose–a simple sugar found in
foods such as sweets that is a primary source of energy for the
body–set off a process that extended the life span of some worms
by up to 25 percent.

The key was boosting the level of \”free radicals\”– unstable
molecules that can damage the body and which people often try to
get rid of by consuming food or drinks rich in anti-oxidants such
as vitamin E, they said in a study published in the journal Cell
Metabolism.

Restricting glucose first spurred the worms to generate more
free radicals, but then they quickly built up long-lasting defences
against them, said Michael Ristow, an endocrinologist at the
University of Jena and the German Institute of Human Nutrition, who
led the study.

\”During the process, the worm generates more free radicals,
which activates defences against free radicals within the worm,\” he
said in a telephone interview. \”The bad thing in the end promotes
something good.\”

The body needs glucose, but taking in too much was unhealthy,
Ristow said.

Scientists have long known that restricting calorie intake in
worms and monkeys increases longevity, and the study narrowed that
idea further, to glucose.

The study also for the first time points to a possible reason
why antioxidants–long thought to promote health–might do more
harm than good, Ristow said.

The German team used a chemical that blocked the worms\’ ability
to process glucose in a treatment that extended their life span by
up to 25 percent, the equivalent of 15 years in humans.

The worms unable to depend on glucose increased energy power
sources in certain cells for fuel. That activity produced more free
radicals, which in turn generated enzymes that strengthened
long-time protection against the harmful molecules, Ristow
said.

However, antioxidants and vitamins given to some worms erased
these benefits by neutralising free radicals and preventing the
body from generating the defences, Ristow said.

\”These latter findings tentatively suggest that the widespread
use of antioxidants as human food supplements may exert undesirable
effects,\” the researchers wrote.

(Agencies via China Daily October 8, 2007)

Families that regularly eat healthy dinners together often
encourage children to make healthier food choices.

Here are suggestions on how to make family dinners both healthy
and convenient:

Plan to include three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt per day
to boost calcium intake.

Use the Food Guide Pyramid as a tool to make sure your family is
getting plenty of nutrients. Choose different foods from each of
the categories to keep variety in your family’s diet.

Plan your meals ahead, and buy groceries in advance. This can
help prevent opting for an easy, less healthy option when nothing
else is available.

Keep plenty of healthy ingredients on hand so that it’s easy to
prepare a quick, healthy meal at home.

While it’s good to include some of the family’s favorite foods
and dishes in your meals, it’s also important—especially for
children—to try new foods and develop new tastes.

(Shenzhen Daily September 19 ,2007)

A sixty-year-old man in east China\’s Jiangxi Province claims that he has gradually
recovered from liposarcoma – malignant tumors found in the tissue
of fat cells – and stomach ulcers after eating sand for 18
years.

Sheng Shoudong, a cleaner at a food market in Shaxi town,
Shangrao City, began to eat about four spoonfuls of sand a day from
1988 after he read a newspaper article in a local newspaper about a
man who had recovered from cancer after eating sand.

\”I suffered from the pain of the sarcomas and ulcer, and was
forced to give up my job. I badly needed a drastic remedy,\” said
Sheng said recently on Approaching Science, a program at
Channel 10 of China Central Television.

 

\”I went down to the river and gathered up a bucket of sand. I
washed it with water from the nearby well and poured it into a
breakfast bowl. I ate a spoonful of the sand, washed it down with
water and then chewed through another. I actually really enjoyed
the taste,\” he said.

Two years later, tests showed that Sheng\’s tumors had shrunk and
he felt well enough to resume his work as a cleaner.

Sheng\’s neighbors in Xiangyang village were amazed to see his
new eating habit. \”When we first saw Sheng washing sand by the
well, we thought he was a maniac. But as soon as we realized he was
getting better and returned to work, we were clamoring to find out
the secret recipe.\”

A recent health check at the Shangrao No.1 Hospital showed that
Sheng was in a good condition apart from suffering from a mild
gastric ulcer, renal problems and several small sarcomas.

\”Sand can not provide nutrition or energy for the human body and
it would be unscientific to say that eating sand can cure sickness.
Anyway, eating clean sand certainly doesn\’t harm the alimentary
canal,\” said Zheng Yaoquan, dean of the hospital.

Some medical experts suspected Sheng might also suffer from
parorexia, an abnormal appetite that inspires a craving for items
unsuitable for eating.

(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2007)