health-E-news
Hello! So what snippets have I got for you today that can help you stay fit and healthy for longer?
Vitamin Bs and your heart
Did you know that taking Vitamin B could help lower the risk of a stroke? And it’s not just one of them it’s the whole complex. They were studying whether the complex helped reduce the risk of heart attacks across 55,000 people taking a Vitamin B Complex supplement. Unfortunately it didn’t seem to have much benefit regarding the heart attacks but the risk of strokes dropped by 7%. I find it interesting that they look at such specific things whereas in reality the body needs all the vitamins and minerals to operate efficiently. Just having a great dose of Vitamin Bs will not be of much use if you haven’t got enough Vitamin A, C, D, E and all the minerals! They all work together.
Do you have the Obesity-associated gene (FTO)?
New studies show that 16% of Europeans may have this gene and if you do you will have a greater risk of being obese. In mice tested they found that the mice that had been bred with this gene ate more food than mice without and so consequently put on more weight. They are looking for a drug that may be able to turn this gene off but they are long way from having something that you can take. However if you think you may have it and fancy having a go there are a couple of techniques in kinesiolgoy that can switch genes off and on and it would be fun to see if it worked on this gene. Give me a ring and book an appointment.
Another nail in the coffin of fizzy drinks :<(
New research has shown that one can of a fizzy drink a day can raise your risk of diabetes by a fifth! This includes usual pop, isotonic energy drinks and even fizzy waters that contain sugars. The people studied all had a higher resistance to insulin which is a precursor to diabetes.
And another piece of research looked at a group of people who dranked up to 2 litres of cola per day (good grief!!) and all of these people showed arrhythmia, muscle wastage, skeletal damage and were looking at an early death if they continued.
So if you love the taste restrict it to a couple of cans a week – or better still buy the little mixer cans. Quite often it’s the first few mouthfuls that we really love and after that it is just our programming that because we’ve started we must now finish – waste not, want not!
Go to work on an egg!
Some of you will be old enough to remember the slogan until Edwina Curry came along and linked eggs to high blood cholesterol (erroneously as it was later discovered). Well, looks like those early scientists were right. Having a whole egg for breakfast LOWERS bad cholesterol (oh dear, Edwina), increases good cholesterol and reduces hunger pangs. Even those who have cardiovascular disease can benefit from an egg a day. Of course. we are talking about poached, boiled, scrambled, omelette and not fried :>)
Feel addicted to food or drink?
Interesting piece of research has shown that something in white flour and potatoes excites the part of the brain that is linked to addiction. So if you are struggling with controlling your food intake it might be worth cutting out these two culprits and see if your control improves. Do let me know how you get on.
And a thumbs up big time for Co-Enzyme Q10
Many of you will have read in previous newsletters from me about this enzyme in combination with statins (which as you know I don’t like but if you are going to take them you must get your GP to prescribe this enzyme as statins block the body’s uptake). Well, new research is recommending that GP’s prescribe this enzyme to everyone who has any kind of heart disease. The enzyme plays a role in turning sugar in cells into energy that the body can use and it is found in large quantities in the brain and heart muscle. They have found a distinct drop in quantity in the heart muscle of people with heart disease. Patients who were given the supplement had reduced hospital admission rates and lower mortality rates than those who didn’t. The supplement is found naturally in red meat and fish but not in particularly high quantities so if your body isn’t producing it naturally, or not producing enough then a supplement is necessary. Luckily a good quality supplement of the enzyme is very little.
This isn’t directly health linked but thought you might like to know that Lower Kinnerton, Wrexham and the River Dee area are all places that have been pinpointed as good sites to drill for shale gas aka fracking. Thanks to the client who let me know this one.
Is it really calcium for bone density?
Interesting studies done with children (bone density is normally done with adults and ageing ones at that!) have shown that whilst calcium is important for bone density it is not as important as magnesium. We have known for a while that the 2 work in harmony in the body and if they are out of balance then problems can occur. Magnesium is not found in milk but is found in salmon, green leafy veg and almonds (which are also a high source of calcium) so maybe the best source of strong bones would be almonds – and you can get milk made of almonds – rather than cow’s milk (which has a lot of calcium in it but it is hard for the body to extract it from the milk).
And finally exercise and improving sleep quality.
Does it? Well, yes but only after about 4 months – you have to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day for 4 months before you’ll notice an improvement in your insomnia. Quicker results can be got from going to bed and getting up at the same time every day (including weekends!), not eating or drinking late at night, not watching exciting tv post 8pm and having a tidy and comfortable bedroom.
Hope you have a great day – Thought for the Day – “When people go to work they shouldn’t have to leave their hearts at home” – Betty Bender
P.S. A client has a load of sound, lighting, effects, theatre lighting and audio visual gear for sale. If you are interested please email me and I’ll pass his details on.
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