HIGH HEELS RAISE RISK OF OSTEOARTHRITIS AND JOINT DEGENERATION: A study has found that knees and heels may be at greater risk from high heels – stilettos, wedges, pumps and kitten heels – and those who regularly wear these shoes for prolonged periods exhibit a greater risk of developing joint degeneration and osteoarthritis. (Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints.) The higher the heel, the greater the risk, the researchers found. As the heels got higher, they also saw an increase in the compression on the medial, or inside, of the knee. Heels higher than two inches especially alter body posture by changing joint positions at the ankle, knee, hip and trunk, which can also create strain on the lower back. High heels also showed a negative effect on posture. The greatest impact was on the ankle. The main researcher suggests moderation instead of abstinence. The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics (ASB), which ran from August 18 to 21, in Providence. However, it has not yet been submitted to a professional journal and details are not yet available.

CHILI PEPPERS REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE: A study has found that while chili peppers may set your mouth on fire, they can also cause blood vessels to relax and widen in the long run, which effectively lowers blood pressure. Previous research on chili peppers has involved short term studies, which have shown mixed results. But this study on rats was long-term and showed a definite reduction in hypertension, or high blood pressure. The active compound is capsaicin, one of the most abundant components of chili peppers. It appears chronically to activate a substance that increases production of nitric oxide, which protects blood vessels from inflammation and dysfunction. Further research is needed to confirm the effect in humans and the number of peppers needed long-term to lower blood pressure. But what if you can’t tolerate spicy foods? An easily-tolerated, mild Japanese pepper contains capsinoids, compounds similar to spicy capsaicin and which limited studies show have a similar effect. The study was published in the August 4, 2010 issue of the journal, Cell Metabolism. It is online at http://bit.ly/cO8vkp but accessible only to subscribers to the journal or those who pay the access fee.

INCREASED WHOLE-GRAIN INTAKE LOWERS CARDIOVASCULAR RISK: It has long been thought that daily consumption of whole-grain foods such as bread could have a positive effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease but until now, no “comprehensive randomized and controlled intervention trial” – a more scientific and conclusive study – had been undertaken. Finally, results of a new study of this type confirm that daily intake of three portions of whole-grain foods significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, at least in middle-aged people, and chiefly through the mechanism of lowering systolic blood pressure (the upper number in your blood pressure reading). In fact, the study pegged the reduction in the risk of developing coronary artery disease at 15 percent and the risk reduction for stroke at 25 percent. After just four weeks on this diet, participants also showed improvements in other risk factors such as insulin sensitivity, cholesterol and internal inflammation. The effect was similar for both those getting three servings of whole wheat and for those getting the same servings of whole wheat and oats. The study was released by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Details are available now online at http://bit.ly/9Ztt9u but only with journal subscription or the payment of an article access fee.

DID YOU KNOW…?
A sunscreen with an SPF, or sun protection factor, of 30 does not offer twice the protection from UVB rays of the sun as a sunscreen with an SPF of 15. In fact, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 offers a 93 percent protection from UVB, while a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 offers only a slightly better 97 percent protection from UVB. Double the SPF does not offer twice the protection and does not mean you can stay out in the sun twice as long. Because some ultraviolet light may still get through sunscreens, they should not be used as a way of prolonging sun exposure. For comparison, a white tee shirt has an SPF of only 3.

NATURAL INTERVENTIONS CAN HEAD OFF DEMENTIA: A new study has determined the individual percentages by which a variety of lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of dementia and suggests that these interventions – in the absence of a new treatment for the mind-robbing disease – are likely to have the greatest impact on reducing dementia levels in the future. The study assessed previously identified risk factors such as depression, diet, alcohol consumption, educational level and vascular factors, which include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Results found that three changes together – eliminating depression and diabetes and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption – reduced dementia risk by a full 21 percent. Depression alone accounted for a 10 percent risk. Higher education was linked to an 18 percent lower risk. To illustrate the extent of these factors, the genetic tendency towards dementia accounts for seven percent of cases. The study was released August 5, 2010 and will be published in the British Medical Journal. But the journal already has made the full-text version of this important study available to the public, online at http://bit.ly/c3p7KL without the usual requirement of a journal subscription or access fee.

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY LINKED TO LUNG DISEASE AND REDUCED LUNG FUNCTION: An early-release study has found a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency, reduced lung function and interstitial lung diseases (ILD). (Some diseases obstruct the lungs’ airways and are called “obstructive lung diseases”; others affect the tissue and space around the lung air sacs and are called “interstitial lung diseases,” or ILD. The latter are often characterized by excess connective tissue or scarring, known itself as connective tissue disease, or CTD.) Vitamin D deficiency was found in 38 percent of the 118 study subjects and vitamin D insufficiency was found in 59 percent. But vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency was strongly associated with ILD generally and CTD specifically, as well as with reduced lung function. The researchers suggested that an insufficient supply of vitamin D may play a role in the development of CTD lung disease. (In addition to being a vitamin, vitamin D is a known steroid hormone, affecting the immune system, bone health and lung tissue.) This study was released August 5, 2010 but won’t be published until a future issue of the journal, Chest. It is available now online at http://bit.ly/crkDn0 to subscribers to the journal or those willing to pay a one-time access fee.

VITAMIN D MAY HELP FIGHT COLDS AND FLU: Vitamin D supplementation may increase the odds of surviving a winter without taking any days off sick. In the small study, 51 percent of those given 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily between October and March – when vitamin D levels drop and flu and cold infections rise – remained “healthy” compared to 36 percent of those given a placebo. Results were not conclusive because both groups were equally likely to report flu-like symptoms during the period. (Previous studies showed a reduction in flu and cold infections but also produced conflicting results.) The study team called for larger studies to ascertain the benefit of vitamin D in warding off infections and to determine appropriate dosages. Experts often suggest people need more vitamin D than health officials recommend, which may require supplements for those not getting enough vitamin D from food sources, which include milk, cereal and some fatty fish such as salmon. This study is published in the September 1, 2010 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/b4ZEhE to journal subscribers or those who pay the access fee.

CALORIE RESTRICTION CAN CUT HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: A study has concluded that a substantially calorie restricted, or CR, diet may serve as an effective non-pharmacological treatment for hypertension, or high blood pressure, even in a short-term program. (CR is a dietary regimen that restricts calorie intake substantially below normal levels, while still maintaining normal nutrient levels; it has been shown over many decades to increase median and maximum lifespan in a wide variety of species.) The study also suggested that even a short-term CR diet may help prevent cardiac hypertrophy, which is a thickening of the heart muscle that decreases the size of the chambers of the heart. In just five weeks, a CR diet reduced the systolic blood pressure – the upper number of a blood pressure reading – and reduced ventricular wall thickness. Additionally, this short period of calorie restriction dilated artery walls and improved various other circulatory factors. This study was released August 9, 2010 but will not be published until a future print issue of the journal, Hypertension. It is available online in the meantime at http://bit.ly/9szxLy for journal subscribers or those who pay the article access fee.

POSSIBLE END FOR ANTIBIOTICS: New research concludes a rapidly emerging gene – found in a large and growing number of bacterial samples – makes bacteria immune to all drugs. Bacteria that acquire and reproduce this gene could spread so quickly that they could make all antibiotics redundant and signal the end of modern antibiotics. The gene, known as New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1), was first found in pneumonia and E. coli bacteria taken from a single Swedish patient in 2009. But NDM-1 was found in 73 samples of Enterobacteriaceae (bacteria) taken from patients in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as 37 from the UK, who had traveled to these countries for elective surgery. Importantly, the NDM-1 gene was found on plasmids, DNA structures that can be easily copied and transferred between evolving bacteria, suggesting, wrote the researchers, “an alarming potential to spread and diversify among bacterial populations.” Worse, the infections were community acquired, meaning they exist in the general environment. No drugs, including those in development, are effective against NDM-1. This study was released August 11, 2010 and will be published in the September 2010 print issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Meantime, the full-text version of the study can be accessed online at http://bit.ly/bEGfvg by journal subscribers or to those who register on the site; registration is free.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Fish may be known for health benefits but it’s easy to turn those benefits in a health risk. Frying or sautéing can add excess calories, saturated fat and dangerous levels of free radicals, requiring more antioxidants to mop them up and raising the risk of heart disease, obesity and some cancers. Also, any uncooked seafood carries the risk of coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis and salmonella. Pregnant women who eat high levels of fish containing significant levels of mercury can cause developmental delays and brain damage in their newborns: especially high in mercury are shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. Canned light tuna (as opposed to other tuna), shrimp, salmon, pollock and catfish generally have a lower amount of mercury but still should be eaten only in moderation. Baking, broiling, grilling and poaching are the healthiest ways to cook fish. Like any food, fish should be eaten in moderation. Two servings are equal to about seven ounces; eating over 14 ounces may cancel out the substantial health benefits of consuming fish.

ADEQUATE ZINC LEVELS CUT PNEUMONIA RISK IN HALF: A study of 600 nursing facility residents has found that those with adequate zinc levels were about fifty percent less likely to develop pneumonia than those with low body concentrations of zinc. Also, those with sufficient levels of zinc received fewer prescriptions for antibiotics, had shorter durations of pneumonia and had lower mortality rates. The researchers suggested that zinc supplementation for zinc-deficient elderly persons may result in a lower incidence of pneumonia and that further study is required to determine whether zinc supplements may be an effective and low-cost intervention to reduce pneumonia deaths among vulnerable populations who already have low zinc intakes. (An earlier analysis of the same data had shown that those who consumed 200 international units (IU) of vitamin E were less likely to get upper respiratory infections, such as colds.) The study was released August 10, 2010 and will be published in a future issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the meantime, it can be read online at http://bit.ly/9FaV0K by subscribers to the journal or those who pay the article access fee.

SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES LINKED TO RISKS OF DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: A new study suggests that sugar-sweetened drinks may play a role in cardiometabolic risk. (Cardiometabolic risk is a constellation of health factors that may raise the risk of diabetes 2 and cardiovascular disease.) Researchers examined the relation between cardiometabolic risk factors and low-fat milk, whole-fat milk, fruit juice and sugar sweetened beverages. Whole milk consumption was associated with a reduced risk of high triglycerides. But sugar-sweetened drinks were linked to high triglycerides; high LDL or “bad” cholesterol; high blood pressure; and high waist circumference – all risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. While the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relation, the study team did suggest that recommendations to limit the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks may help reduce these risk factors. This study was released August 11, 2010 but will not be published in print until a future issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is available online now to journal subscribers and those who pay an article access fee, at http://bit.ly/aUOxQJ.

TYLENOL LINKED TO ASTHMA IN ADOLESCENTS: A new study has found a dose-related association between current acetaminophen use by adolescents and their experiences with symptoms of asthma. Although researchers said that “it is not possible” to prove this is a cause and effect link, the study was quite large, involving 360,000 adolescents of 13 to 14 years of age in 50 countries. The subjects were surveyed about their use within the last year, of acetaminophen as well as their symptoms of asthma. Those who used the drug at least once a year showed a 40 percent greater risk of asthma; and those who used acetaminophen at least once a month had a 150 percent higher risk of asthmatic symptoms. Rhinoconjunctivitis – an inflammation of the covering of the white of the eye, combined with a stuffy nose – and eczema were also associated with recent use of the drug. The study team suggested that “controlled trials are now urgently required to investigate this relationship further.” This study was released August 13, 2010 but will not be published until a future issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

DID YOU KNOW…? The most prevalent disease in children is tooth decay. It is about five times more common than childhood asthma. What an expectant mother eats affects tooth development in the fetus. Deficiencies in calcium, vitamin D, vitamin A, protein and even calories, during the 14-week to four-month period of pregnancy, can cause oral defects. Children with dental problems are more likely to avoid nutritious foods that require chewing, such as fruits and vegetables. Some data also suggest a deficiency of vitamins B6 or B12 could increase the risk of cleft lip and cleft palate formation.

ADVERSITY IN CHILDHOOD CAN WEAKEN ELDERLY IMMUNE SYSTEMS AND SHORTEN LIFE: A study has found that the pain people suffer in childhood, such as abuse or other adversities, can lead to weakened immune systems much later in life and for some more serious cases, can shorten lifespan by seven to fifteen years. The research on 132 healthy adults, averaging 70 years of age, looked at childhood adversities such as the loss of a parent, serious marital problems between parents, or mental illness or alcoholism within the family. It also assessed the length of telomeres – shortened telomeres are often seen as an indicator of biological aging – and the level of inflammatory indicators, with higher levels linked to various health problems such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. Abuse had a greater effect than adversities but generally, those who had suffered significantly during childhood had shorter telomeres and higher inflammatory levels. Those who experienced several kinds of hardship as kids had the shortest telomeres, suggesting a shortened life expectancy. The study was presented August 14, 2010, at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in San Diego. It has not yet been published.

PAINT STRONGLY LINKED WITH BLADDER CANCER: Working as a painter is strongly associated with a 30 percent increased risk of bladder cancer, according to a new study. Grouped into the general profession of painting were plasterers, glaziers, wallpaper hangers, artists and decorators. A key risk factor for bladder cancer is smoking – a fact of which few people are aware, according to another study in 2008 – and painters are exposed to some of the same chemicals found in cigarette smoke (including aromatic amines). The researchers were able to separate the impact of the occupational exposure from the effect of smoking. The risk increased with the length of time spent as a painter, which further strengthened the link – separate from smoking – between this occupation and bladder cancer. There was also a small amount of evidence that female painters were at an even greater risk. (Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer with more than 330,000 new cases and 130,000 fatalities each year, worldwide.) This study was published in the August, 2010 issue of the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine and is available online at http://bit.ly/ahKhU3 with subscription or payment of a fee.

OBESITY RATES DECLINE AMONG SOME ADOLESCENT GROUPS: A new study concludes that obesity has declined among most groups of adolescents, although the disparities have worsened among other groups. Obesity rates for white and Asian boys and girls peaked in 2005 and declined over the next three years, with 2008 obesity rates coming in at 12 and 13 percent for white and Asian youths, respectively. Although obesity rates among male and female Hispanics also peaked in 2005, the 2008 rates were still at 26 percent. However, obesity rates have not peaked and continued to climb for two groups: black and American Indian adolescent females; the percentages of these girls who are obese are 22 and 23 percent, respectively. When it comes to the most obese, those with BMI at the 99th percentile, only white boys and Asian boys and girls showed any signs of decline after 2005; these most obese all other groups peaked in 2005 and remained at a plateau through 2008. The researchers suggest that tailored intervention programs should be targeted specifically at the at-risk groups. This study was released August 16, and is being published in the September 2010 issue of the journal, Pediatrics.

WOMEN WHO DRINK BEER AT HIGHER RISK OF PSORIASIS: A study has found that women who consume 2.3 or more alcoholic drinks per week have a 72 percent higher risk of psoriasis. On closer analysis, it was found that, among the various types of alcoholic beverages, only beer raised the risk of psoriasis. In fact, women who consume five or more beers per week had a 2.3 times greater risk of psoriasis than women who did not drink. Light beer, red wine, white wine and liquor were not associated with psoriasis risk. (Psoriasis is an immune-related skin condition that might be worsened by alcohol consumption.) The researchers suggest that a non-alcoholic component in beer, one not found in wine or liquor, may play a role in the development of psoriasis. Beer is one of few non-distilled alcoholic beverages that use starch, usually barley, as a source of fermentation. Barley and other starches contain gluten, to which some psoriasis patients show sensitivity. Light beer, not linked to higher risk, contains a lower level of starch. This study was released August 16 but will not be published until the December, 2010 issue of the Archives of Dermatology. Meanwhile, it is available online, without charge, at http://bit.ly/cc3FGf.CHOCOLATE MAY LOWER HEART FAILURE RISK IN WOMEN: A nine-year study of 30,000 middle-aged and older Swedish women links moderate consumption of chocolate with a reduced risk of heart failure. (Heart failure is the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body’s needs and occurs in about one percent of Americans over 65.) One to three servings of chocolate per month was found to lower risk by 26 percent compared to women who did not eat chocolate. Similarly, the risk of heart failure was 32 percent lower among women consuming one to two servings a week. However, the risk for heart failure increased by 23 percent among those consuming one or more servings of chocolate daily; this may be due to high-calorie chocolate replacing more nutritious foods. (Previous studies have linked chocolate to reduced risk of high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, possibly due to cocoa’s flavonoids.) The researchers point out that these results apply only to the dark chocolate with a 30 percent cocoa content commonly consumed in Sweden; most of the dark chocolate consumed in the U.S. has a15 percent cocoa content. Released August 16, 2010, the full text of this study will not be available until it is published in a future issue of the journal, Circulation: Heart Failure.

DID YOU KNOW…?
That cold you picked up in hot, muggy weather is not that unusual. Despite common belief, colds are not caused by cold weather, exercise, diet, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, or by getting wet, chilled or overheated. Research suggests, however, that susceptibility to the viruses that cause the common cold may increase as a result of psychological stress, allergic disorders affecting the nose and throat and even menstrual cycles. Above all, being in close contact with crowds while not washing your hands regularly raises the risk of viruses entering your body at these susceptible times.

CHINESE HERBAL FORMULA EASES SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMOTHERAPY: A study has found that a Chinese herbal formula lessens the negative effects of chemotherapy as well as strengthening the effectiveness of the chemo treatment itself. In fact, the formula seemed to work by reducing inflammation and by increasing the creation of new intestinal cells. No drugs are known to provide such an anti-side-effect impact. The Chinese formula used in the experiment consisted of four herbs – collectively called PHY906 – and was based on an herbal recipe called Huang Qin Tang, historically used to treat nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. This formulation was described over 1,800 years ago. Although the study was performed on mice, the patients experienced less weight loss and greater anti-tumor activity when the formula was added to chemo treatment. Researchers suggested it may be the perfect marriage of both Eastern and Western approaches to cancer treatment; but challenges exist before the Chinese herbal blend can be tested on humans. This study was released on August 18, 2010 by the journal, Science Translational Medicine. It is available online at http://bit.ly/9dk76B to subscribers and those who pay the study access fee.

SPECIFIC VEGETABLES MAY REDUCE DIABETES RISK: An analysis of numerous past studies has found a tentative link between a higher intake of certain vegetables and a lower risk of developing diabetes type 2. The analysis did not find a lower risk with an equally higher intake of fruits and vegetables overall. From past studies, the pattern emerged that those who consumed an average of about one-and-a-half additional servings from a specific vegetable group – cabbage, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli – showed a 14 percent lower chance of getting diabetes. Although the name may not apply, the authors described these vegetables as “green leafy vegetables,” and noted that one-and-a-half extra daily servings of other vegetables did not show the same effect. The researchers cautioned that further study must be done to assess this limited research; that this positive effect derived from whole foods and not antioxidant supplements; and that the study neither proves these vegetables prevent diabetes nor that other vegetables do not. It is too early to recommend to the public that more of these foods be eaten. The authors noted that beta-carotene, polyphenols and vitamin C may all play a factor. The study may mean that dietary advice can be more beneficial than drugs. The study was released August 19, 2010 and will be published in a future issue of the British Medical Journal. It is, however, available to read online now in its full-text format, without subscription or fee, at http://bit.ly/d2J87P.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Daily doses of fish oil containing omega-3 fats can, when combined with exercise, act as an aid to weight loss. People who took fish oil during the 3-month exercise program lost an average 4.5 pounds. But the exercise group that took sunflower oil – which does not contain omega-3 oil – did not lose any weight despite exercising. This study was presented July 31, 2006 in Cairns, Australia at the Congress of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids.

CIGARETTE SMOKE RISKY AT LOWEST-POSSIBLE DETECTABLE LEVELS: A study has ascertained that even the smallest amount of second-hand smoke, let alone a habit of only “few cigarettes a week,” can put people at risk for future lung disease, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Many past studies have found that second-hand smoke is a health risk but this is the first study to conclude that cigarette smoke – even at the very lowest levels of detection – directly affects the functioning of genes within the cells lining the airways. (Some genes are very sensitive to tobacco smoke and changes within them are the first indication of “biological disease” of the lungs.) Researchers divided people into three groups: nonsmokers, smokers and low-exposure smokers. They then scanned the entire genome of each participant to see what genes were activated or deactivated in airway cells. The study found that there was no detectable level of nicotine or cotinine that was so low that it did not correlate to genetic abnormalities. The author suggested that any degree of public smoking can cause future lung disease; and that this supports public smoking bans. This study was released August 21, 2010 but will not be published until a future issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

ELECTRIFYING POTATOES BOOSTS THEIR ANTIOXIDANT LEVELS: A study has found that two simple methods of “stressing” potatoes increase the antioxidant levels of these vegetables substantially. The methods included immersing potatoes in salt water and adding a small electrical charge between 10 and 30 seconds; and immersing potatoes in water and subjecting them to ultrasound for 5 or 10 minutes. The study team then measured antioxidant activity and the phenolic content and concluded that the stresses increased the amount of these compounds. The 5 minutes of ultrasound, for instance, increased polyphenol levels by 1.2 times and other antioxidants by about 1.6 times. This study indicates that ultrasound or electric treatments can be useful for enriching antioxidant activity of potatoes. (Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables are considered to be of nutritional importance in the prevention of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, various cancers, diabetes and neurological diseases.) The study was presented August 22, 2010 at the 240th national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Boston. It is not available online at this time.

BERRIES CAN ACTIVATE ‘CLEANUP’ MECHANISM IN BRAIN: A study released today concludes consumption of berries, and possibly walnuts, triggers a natural brain mechanism that cleans up and recycles toxic proteins, which are linked to age-related memory loss and dementia. Other studies found that antioxidant-rich foods have anti-aging effects on the brain but this study pinpoints a completely different way that berries stave off the mental effects of aging. In a process called autophagy, “cleanup” brain cells known as microglia, sweep away the debris resulting from inflammation and oxidative damage, debris that can cause memory loss and mental decline. But with age, a protein appears to shut down the autophagy process: the microglia either become less active, allowing harmful debris to accumulate; or become overactive, damaging healthy brain cells. The study team found that berries inhibit the action of this protein, allowing housekeeper brain cells to return to their normal, balanced duties. (This team’s previous research showed berry consumption reversed memory, learning and nerve function.) The study author recommended foods high in polyphenolics, especially as we age. Berries and walnuts are rich in polyphenolics but so are many other fruits and vegetables, especially those with deep red, orange or blue colors. This study was presented in Boston on August 23, 2010 at the 240th annual meeting of the American Chemical Society. It has not yet been published.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Scientists have developed a seven-question assessment tool that, without medical testing, provides a fairly accurate prediction of your risk of already having diabetes type 2. Although a finding of diabetes must later be verified by your health practitioner, an earlier diagnosis of diabetes can lead to more effective treatment. The questions cover ethnicity, sex, family history of diabetes, waist size, body mass index and any history or treatment for high blood pressure. Called the Diabetes Risk score, the test was designed by a team at the University of Leicester in the UK and is available online to the public at http://bit.ly/cB4IUD.

CRANBERRY JUICE’S INFECTION-FIGHTING MECHANISM DISCOVERED: Cranberry juice has been linked to fewer urinary tract infections (UTI) but many see it as a folk remedy. To confirm this infection-fighting association, scientists needed clear insight into possible mechanisms by which cranberry juice works. Now, a study has provided evidence of this mechanism. Researchers cultivated strains of E. coli – the bacteria that are the most common cause of UTI – in urine collected from healthy volunteers both before and after consumption of cranberry juice cocktail. While E. coli grown in ordinary urine were able to produce normal biofilm – the substance that allows bacteria to stick to the urinary tract and to other bacteria, essentially setting up shop – the bacteria grown in urine from those who consumed cranberry juice were unable to adhere to each other or to any surface area. Cranberry juice does not kill bacteria but blocks much of their ability to “stick” around and colonize. Researchers estimated cranberry juice reaches and protects the urinary tract within eight hours of consumption. More women develop a UTI than men. This study was presented at the 240th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston on August 23, 2010. Details have not yet been published.

WATER BEFORE MEALS RESULTS IN GREATER WEIGHT LOSS: A study has found that drinking two cups of water before meals enhances weight loss for those on a diet. Dieters who drank two eight-ounce cups of water before each of their three meals every day lost an average of 4.5 pounds more within 12 weeks than those who did not increase their normal water intake. On a calorie-reduced diet, the group that took water ahead of meals lost 14.5 pounds on average while those who didn’t drink water before meals lost 11 pounds on average. According to the researchers, the reason that drinking water before mealtime works is simply because water has zero calories and yet, gives the sensation of feeling partly full even before you start eating, resulting in fewer calories consumed during the meal. The study author warns that excess water intake is dangerous and can result in death. Health groups such as the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine advise that thirst should be one’s guide to water consumption. This study was presented on August 24, 2010 at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston. It has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

BLACK RICE BEATS BLUEBERRIES FOR ANTIOXIDANT POWER: A study has found that black rice serves as a highly economical alternative to blueberries and blackberries, touted for their antioxidant punch. The researchers report that a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health-promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of pricey blueberries or blackberries, as well as containing more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants – but with less sugar. Anthocyanin antioxidants show promise for fighting heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Black rice could be consumed in rice form, or the black rice bran could be used as an additive for cereals, beverages or other foods. Also, the pigments in black rice can be used to produce a variety of colors from pink to black and may provide an alternative to artificial food colorants. (Several studies have linked some artificial colorants to cancer, behavioral problems in children, and other health problems.) This study was presented August 26, 2010 at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting in Boston. It has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Two nutritional supplements appear to reduce the risk of Parkinson’s disease. In one study, those with the highest vitamin D levels showed a 65 percent lower risk of the disease. Also, some research suggests that a regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids, the type of fat found in oily fish such as sardines and salmon also may reduce the risk of Parkinson’s. However, there is no known way to prevent Parkinson’s disease.

MODERATE EXERCISE COMBATS MENTAL DECLINE: Researchers have announced new hope for veteran couch potatoes. Although some experts call for brisk daily exercise, a new study has shown that even a very modest amount of low-level exercise three times a week can improve the connectivity of the brain’s circuitry, combat the mental decline of aging and boost performance of cognitive tasks. Adults aged 59 to 80 were tested and scanned at the start of the study and after six, and after 12, months of walking at one’s own natural pace for just 40 minutes three-times-a-week. Brain imaging techniques showed that these “professional couch potatoes,” as one of the scientists described them, experienced better brain connectivity, as well as improved performance on cognitive tasks. Those who spent time stretching and toning did not alter their brain connectivity or performance – only those who took occasional, leisurely walks. Higher connectivity results in improved ability to plan, schedule, deal with ambiguity, remember and multitask. The study was released August 26, 2010 and will appear in a future issue of the journal, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. The full-text study is available online without fee by clicking on PDF in the upper right corner at http://bit.ly/amGX9c.

MOTHERS WHO DON’T BREASTFEED MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP DIABETES TYPE 2: A study has found that women who do not breastfeed their babies have a significantly higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Diet and exercise are widely known to affect the risk of developing diabetes but few people would guess that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of developing diabetes later in life by decreasing belly fat. The study involved 2,233 women between the ages of 40 and 78 and concluded that women who did not breastfeed were twice as likely to acquire diabetes at some point. The study eliminated potentially confounding factors such as physical activity, age, race, and tobacco and alcohol use. This study is being published in the September 2010 issue of the American Journal of Medicine. The full text version of the study has just been posted online at http://bit.ly/b7MCjG for those who pay the article access fee.

PARENTAL USE OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS A RISK TO CHILDREN: A study has found that widespread use of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines by parents for fever, coughs and colds places children at serious risk, resulting in a larger number of calls to poison centers and more hospital admissions. Researchers discovered that many parents in the study felt that if a drug was available without a prescription, it must be safe to give to children even in double dosages. Of the 119,000 poison control calls surveyed, 48 percent concerned accidental overdose in children, with 15 percent needing hospitalization. Over 85 percent of all calls regarding accidental overdose in children involved those under five, with almost 80 percent of incidents involving those under age three. Only 14 percent of parents made the correct call when dealing with a child’s fever. “It is vital that parents worldwide should understand the proper usage of medicines so that they do not continue to put their children’s health at risk,” said the study leader. This study was presented August 30, 2010 at the annual conference of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in Lisbon, Portugal. It has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

SMOKING MARIJUANA REDUCES CHRONIC PAIN: A study has concluded that smoked cannabis has the ability to reduce pain in chronic pain sufferers, to lower clinical depression and anxiety levels, and to improve sleep. People with damage or some dysfunction in the nervous system often experience ongoing pain and have few treatment options other than drugs, which include opioids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, local anesthetics and of course, pain relievers. Many of these cause side effects, prompting patients to discontinue use. Marijuana taken by mouth has been shown to be effective in lowering pain but, according to the researchers, smoked cannabis appears never before to have been tested for this use. The study found reduced pain and improved mood after smoked inhalation, for five days of three-times-a-day, of 25 mg of the herb containing 9.4 percent THC, the bioactive component. They called for more tests and also, for studies on the medical safety of long term use. This study will be published in a future issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It was released August 30, 2010 and the full text was posted online for free access at: http://bit.ly/98hlrC.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Gram for gram, carbohydrates are lower in calories than either protein or fat, despite the common misconception that starchy carbohydrates promote weight gain. In fact, most of the body’s energy comes from starches. However, refined carbohydrates are linked to health disorders and the risk of diabetes. Always opt for unrefined, also known as whole-grain, versions of rice, grains and pasta.

CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D INCREASE DIET-INDUCED WEIGHT LOSS: A study has concluded that greater intakes of dairy calcium and higher blood levels of vitamin D produce a substantially greater weight loss than the loss experienced by those with lower calcium and vitamin D intakes. (Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found in supplements and in a few foods such as cod liver oil, sockeye salmon, mushrooms, mackerel and tuna fish.) The six-month study used techniques that ruled out the influence of other factors such as age, sex, body mass index, total fat intake and diet type. Blood levels of vitamin D and dairy calcium intake were found to be separate factors affecting increased weight loss; that is, each nutrient had its own specific effect. This study was released September 1, 2010 but will not be published until a future issue of the print version of the journal, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. However, the full-text version is now available online, with subscription or payment of an access fee, at http://bit.ly/coMR3d.

FISH OILS FIGHT INFLAMMATION AND DIABETES: Finally, a study has identified the mechanism by which omega-3 fatty acids appear to effectively fight chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and diabetes. The study found that there is a key receptor in obese body fat and that omega-3 oils – specifically docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) – activate this receptor, which results in broad anti-inflammatory effects and improved systemic insulin sensitivity. (There is a strong connection between obesity and diabetes.) The effect of fish oil was powerful, according to the researchers, and, “The omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response.” The study team warned that more study is required to determine how much fish oil constitutes a safe and effective dose. Researchers suggested that the study could eventually lead to a natural dietary remedy for the more than 23 million Americans who suffer from diabetes. This study was published in the Friday, September 3, 2010 issue of the journal, Cell. The full-text version is now available online without fee at http://bit.ly/9TQ09d.

KIDNEY PROBLEMS LINKED TO VITAMIN C DEFICIENCY: A study has found that kidney dysfunction is associated with a low blood level of vitamin C. Also, low blood levels of vitamin C may cause damage, from greater oxidative stress, among kidney disease patients. It was noted that diabetic patients had consistently reduced levels of vitamin C. Lower blood levels of vitamin C have previously been linked to a greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease. People with higher levels of vitamin C have been found to have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and to have a greater life expectancy. (Vitamin C is an essential nutrient in humans and acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body against oxidative stress. Most species can synthesize vitamin C but humans cannot.) A brief summary of this study was released September 3, 2010 by the journal, Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation but the study will not be published in the print journal until a future issue. The full-text version is currently available online, for subscribers and those who pay the article access fee, at http://bit.ly/bPgeer.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Most people think you should never kiss a baby if you have a cold. But in fact, a quick kiss on the lips probably won’t spread a cold or the flu, even to a baby. Of course, you should cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze because this brings forth virus-laden fluids from deep in your airways. But the saliva in your mouth harbors very little cold virus material. So it’s very difficult to pass colds and flu through kisses, even extended kisses. The best way to protect your friends and your baby from catching your cold is so simple that most people scoff at it: the best protection is simply washing your hands.

IRON DEFICIENCY LINKED TO CHRONIC HEART FAILURE: A study has found that iron deficiency is a factor among chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, in poor quality of life, intolerance of exercise and diminished heart function. Researchers showed that, although typically associated with anemia, low iron levels negatively even affect a third of CHF patients who are not considered anemic. (Iron is important for growth, survival and a number of bodily processes. An excess of iron is as risky as a deficiency. Iron levels should be closely controlled because too much of this insoluble mineral can be toxic. However, deficiencies are considered to be relatively common.) Cardiologists, suggested the study team, should become aware of the possible importance of iron deficiency in heart patients. Correction of iron deficiency in CHF patients may lead to important clinical benefits. A key message of the study is that iron deficiency is often present without anemia. (Iron in meat is more easily absorbed than iron in vegetables but this mineral is also found in lentils, beans, poultry, fish, leafy vegetables, tofu, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, blackstrap molasses, fortified bread, and fortified breakfast cereals.) This study was presented September 5, 2010 at the European Society of Cardiology’s Congress 2010 in Stockholm. Details have not yet been published.

MORE BABIES SHOULD BE GIVEN IRON SUPPLEMENTS: A study has shown that giving iron supplements to children with marginally low birth weights (2000-2500 grams) dramatically reduces the risk of developing iron deficiency and anemia, and as a result, lowers the risk of poor brain and neurological development in infants. (Birth weight and infant nutrition are important risk factors for death risk in adulthood. Infants with low birth weight are at risk of developing nutrient deficiencies during their first year of life, including iron deficiency. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin for the blood, and also for the development of the brain. Iron deficiency in infants has been shown to be associated with poor neurological development.) The study found no risks from the administration of iron drops to babies but also found that failure to give iron drops often resulted in anemia and iron deficiency. These findings could have a significant effect on nutritional recommendations for children with marginally low birth weights. The research was released September 6, 2010 and will be published in the October 2010 issue of the journal Pediatrics. In the meantime, full details are available, to journal subscribers and those who pay the article access fee, online at: http://bit.ly/9tcCes.

LOW LEVELS OF VITAMIN D LINKED TO DOUBLE THE RISK OF SCHIZOPHRENIA: Babies with low levels of vitamin D have an increased risk – in fact, double the risk – of developing schizophrenia later in life. That’s the conclusion of a new study of 424 individuals that showed a link between vitamin D (25 hydroxyvitamin D3) sufficiency and healthy brain growth. (Vitamin D is produced by the effect of sunshine on the skin and, although linked to bone health, researchers have previously found that people with schizophrenia are more likely to be born in winter, when sunlight is rare.) “Improving vitamin D levels in pregnant women and newborn babies could reduce the risk of later schizophrenia,” said one of the researchers. It’s important to note that a link between schizophrenia was found with both insufficient and excess levels of vitamin D. The team described as “urgent,” the need for further study to assess best levels of vitamin D. This study was published September 7, 2010 in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The full text of the study is available online now at http://bit.ly/aIcjQp for journal subscribers and those who pay the article access fee.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Contrary to common belief, even skim milk is not fat-free: five percent of skim milk’s calories come from fat. A full 34 percent of the calories contained in partly skimmed, or “two percent,” milk come from fat. It’s called two percent because the fat content makes up two percent of the total weight. Whole milk is 48 percent fat by calories – lean hamburger runs about 64 percent.

POOR DENTAL HYGIENE LINKED TO HEART DISEASE: A study suggests that without proper brushing of teeth and regular flossing, bacteria from plaque can escape into the bloodstream, where they can initiate blood clots and generally wreak havoc on the body. Researchers stressed that people need to maintain good dental hygiene to help ward off blood clots and heart disease in general. The study showed that, once in the bloodstream, Streptococcus bacteria make blood platelets bind together and completely encase the bacteria, protecting the bacteria from the body’s immune system and from antibacterial drugs. This creates small clots, growths on the heart valves, or inflammation of the blood vessels. This study was released September 9, 2010 at the autumn meeting of the Society for General Microbiology in Nottingham, UK. However, it has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal and is not yet available online.

VITAMIN B SUPPLEMENTS COULD HALT ALZHEIMER’S PROGRESSION: A study has found that supplementing the diet with large doses of vitamin B could cut, by a third to a half, the brain shrinkage that is common in elderly people with early signs of the disease and could slow, or even halt, the memory-robbing disease’s progression. The researchers stressed the need for further study to confirm these results but described the study outcome as “striking” and “dramatic.” Over a two-year period, half of the168 volunteers, all of whom were over the age of 70 and had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), were given high daily doses of the B vitamins folate, B6 and B12, higher doses than normally found in supplements or diet. “Participants were randomly assigned to two groups of equal size, one treated with folic acid (0.8 mg/d), vitamin B12 (0.5 mg/d) and vitamin B6 (20 mg/d), the other with placebo.” On average, compared to the group that received only placebo pills with no active ingredients, B-taking volunteers exhibited an average 30 percent lower degree of brain shrinkage, which is associated with atrophy; but in some cases, the reduced amount of atrophy was lower by as much as fifty percent. The study was released September 8, 2010 by the online journal Public Library of Science ONE and can be accessed free online at: http://bit.ly/btsJCl.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Your body may make better use of supplemental vitamin D if you take it with your largest meal, boosting its uptake over a two- to three-month period, by as much as 56 percent, according to a study at the Cleveland Clinic, detailed in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. Vitamin D is loosely linked with a decreased risk of autoimmune disorders. If you’re considering taking vitamin D supplements, talk to your natural health practitioner about dosages.

SORGHUM FOUND TO BE ANTIOXIDANT-RICH — EVEN RICHER THAN BLUEBERRIES: A study has concluded that sorghum bran contains greater antioxidant content and anti-inflammatory power than known antioxidant-rich superstars, such as blueberries and pomegranates. Researchers tested four varieties of sorghum and found that the two with the highest tannin composition – the black and sumac sorghum varieties – contain a whopping 23 to 62 mg of polyphenolic compounds per gram compared to antioxidant-rich blueberries, which contain 5 mg per gram, or pomegranate juice, which contains 2 to 3.5 mg per gram. Many fruits also contain antioxidants but sorghum bran, suggested the researchers, may prove to be the very richest and cheapest source. High-antioxidant berries and fruits are among the most expensive. Low tannin sorghum is commonly fed to animals or used to make ethanol to fuel cars. Only recently, has high-tannin sorghum bran been added to a few food items; the study team hopes to interest manufacturers in adding the low-cost, high-tannin extract to foods and beverages in order to prevent disease “rather than promote it.” In addition to antioxidants, sorghum also contains fiber. This study was published in the August 2010 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food. The full-text version of this study is available online at http://bit.ly/cQPqCd with journal subscription or article access fee payment.

DIET-INDUCED OBESITY ACCELERATES LEUKEMIA: A study has found that obesity resulting from diet accelerates – and theoretically, at least, may even trigger – the progression of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Obesity has long been associated with an increased incidence of many cancers, including leukemia; but it has not been clear whether the higher risk was caused by obesity or by some other risk such as lifestyle or genetics. The researchers suggest that obesity may trigger leukemia and that “some hormone or factor in overweight individuals, perhaps produced by the fat tissue itself, may signal leukemia cells to grow and divide.” Not all obesity is caused by diet; weight gain can also be caused by genetics, aging, pregnancy, lack of sleep, some medicines and certain health conditions. This study is important due to the prevalence of obesity in society. Also, leukemia is the most common type of childhood cancer at a time when childhood obesity is at an all-time high. This just-released study will be published in the October 5, 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Prevention Research. It is now available online at http://bit.ly/cIvDkG with a journal subscription or payment of an article access fee.

SELENIUM SUPPLEMENTS MAY DECREASE RISK OF BLADDER CANCER: A study has found that a higher intake of selenium may lower the risk of bladder cancer. Researchers analyzed several previous studies and examined selenium content in toenails and blood and compared these measurements with the incidence of bladder cancer. Although there was a general protective effect for selenium levels, women benefited most in terms of bladder cancer risk. (Selenium is found in plant foods grown in selenium-rich soils, in the meat of animals that grazed on selenium-rich soils, and in selenium supplements. It is an essential micronutrient that is incorporated into about 25 proteins, called selenoproteins, which prevent cellular damage caused by the by-products of oxygen metabolism.) Further study is required to confirm these results and to determine the optimum dose of selenium to provide a protective effect against bladder cancer. This study was released August 31 and published in the September 2010 issue of the journal, Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. The full-text version is now available online with a journal subscription or payment of an article access fee at http://bit.ly/cImcWJ.

DID YOU KNOW…?
An “abnormal” body weight prior to a cancer diagnosis is linked to a greater risk of later dying from the cancer; and correcting improper weight after diagnosis might not have any effect on risk because, says one researcher, “at that point, it may be too late.” A study of postmenopausal women found that a greater cancer mortality risk was strongly associated with pre-diagnosis weights that were either “underweight,” or “obese.” Underweight patients had an 89 percent greater mortality risk and obese patients, a 45 percent greater mortality risk, relative to normal-weighted individuals. Also, aside from overall weight, women with a high waist-to-hip ratio before diagnosis had a 30-40 percent higher risk of death. The mechanism behind these links is unknown. The study was reported in the September 2010 issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, an American Association for Cancer Research journal.

ANTIBIOTIC USE ALTERS INTESTINAL FLORA: A study has found that repeated use of antibiotics causes increasing and persistent changes in the composition of the gut’s beneficial bacteria colony. A previous study by the same scientist had shown that friendly bacteria in the gut bounce back fairly quickly after a single, short-term round of Cipro, an antibiotic often used for intestinal, urinary and systemic infections. But this longer study found that as few as two rounds of Cipro six months apart is sufficient to produce subtle, long term effects such as the replacement of an entire species of bacteria with a closely related species; or the complete elimination of some species. The problem with this subtle effect is that an eradicated bacteria species may have performing an important function such as fighting a particular pathogen with the toxin it produces; with those particular bacteria missing, the pathogen could multiply unchecked until, years later, it has invaded the patient’s system. The second administration of antibiotics appeared to have a greater impact than the first, although the effect varied between test subjects. This study was released September 13, 2010 and will appear in a future issue of the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Details have not yet been made available.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Pregnant women who eat a lot of fish containing significant levels of mercury can cause developmental delays and brain damage in their newborns. Especially high in mercury are shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. Canned light tuna (vs. other tuna), shrimp, salmon, pollock and catfish generally have lower amounts of mercury but still should be eaten only in moderation while pregnancy. Baking, broiling, grilling and poaching are the healthiest ways to cook fish.

WATERCRESS MAY “TURN OFF” BREAST CANCER: A study has found that a compound in watercress may have the power to suppress breast cancer cell development. Normally, as cancer cells develop, they send out signals that cause new blood vessels to grow into the tumor and these nourish the rapidly growing cancer cells with oxygen and nutrients. But a watercress compound – called phenylethyl isothiocyanate – appears to turn off the tumor signal within the body, effectively starving the breast cancer cells. The amount of watercress consumed by test subjects was 80gm, which is about a cereal bowl full. (This leaf vegetable is known for its tangy, peppery flavor and is a member of the Brassica or cruciferous family, which includes cabbage and broccoli. Previously, watercress has been linked to a lower risk of lung cancer and of low thyroid levels.) The study leader suggested more research is needed on the relation between what we eat and cancer. This study was presented at a September 14, 2010 press conference and will be published in the current issue of the British Journal of Nutrition.

MOST COMMON EXERCISE IS…PREPARING A MEAL: A study has found that the most common “moderate” physical activity regularly pursued by Americans is – brace yourself – preparing meals, and eating and drinking. The five-year study of over 80,000 people found that five percent of respondents engaged in vigorous activity such as running; but the study also found that over 95 percent of subjects cited their most active exercise as eating and drinking. Eighty percent of the subjects reported their main activity was watching television or a movie. Other “light exercise” reported was washing and grooming. Recent studies have shown a strong connection between reported trends of sharply reduced levels of physical activity on the one hand and lowered life spans, reduced years of healthy living and greater obesity rates on the other hand. Obesity rates in the U.S. have soared from 14 percent in 1993 to 27 percent in 2008. The relation between sedentary activity and obesity rates is undeniable, according to the researchers. Perhaps, nothing underscores that more than learning that preparing and consuming meals counts as the most common form of exercise, say researchers. This just-released study will be published in the October 2010 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The full-text version is available online at: http://bit.ly/9OlOfn with a journal subscription or payment of an article access fee.

POOR DIET AND INADEQUATE EXERCISE MAY UNDERLIE CHILDHOOD ASTHMA: A study of 18,000 children aged four to 12 suggests that unbalanced nutrition and lack of exercise may be the major risks of developing childhood asthma, even in those of a healthy weight. These findings challenge the long-held idea that obesity itself is a risk factor for asthma. Instead, despite the fact that obese individuals showed a greater risk of asthma, the study implicated these patients’ metabolic dysfunction in the risk of asthma, such as triglyceride levels and glucose metabolism – and not their obesity itself. The conditions known as dyslipidemia (high triglyceride levels) and hyperinsulinemia (acanthosis nigricans or AN) are very common in both obesity and metabolic syndrome and as a result, suggests the study, obesity has been linked with asthma risk when in fact, these conditions themselves are the most likely risk factor. Metabolic factors, suggests the study, may be the actual cause of the airway inflammation and hyper-reactivity that leads to asthma. In fact, it is the childhood experience of poor nutrition and lack of exercise that may lead to later asthma, according to the research. This study was released September 16, 2010 and will be published in a future issue of the journal, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Details are not yet available to the public.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Floating an egg in plain – not salted – water will let you judge the size of the air-cell at the large end of the egg, which indicates the egg’s age. A fresh egg will settle to the bottom of the container of water and rest horizontally because the air cell is still small. But the larger air cell of a one-week-old egg will cause the large end of the egg to rise up slightly. Eggs that are two to three weeks old will settle to the bottom of the container vertically, large end up. And a very old egg will just float right on the surface. Don’t ever eat eggs that float.

ANXIETY MEDS RAISE MORTALITY RISK: A 12-year study of 14,000 patients has found that patients who take medications to treat insomnia and anxiety, even on an irregular schedule, have a 36 percent greater risk of dying than those who do not. This is considered a small but significant increase in risk. What causes this higher risk of mortality among those taking drugs to treat insomnia and anxiety is not clear but researchers pointed out that these prescriptions affect reaction time, alertness and coordination, making patients subject to falls and accidents. Also, patients on these meds are more prone to breathing problems during sleep; and some drugs of this type increase the risk of suicidal behaviors. The team leader suggested that non-drug cognitive behavioral therapies have been shown to be effective against both insomnia and anxiety and that this type of therapy should be suggested to patients. Also, according to the head researcher, “These medications aren’t candy, and taking them is far from harmless.” This study was published in the September 2010 issue of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry and is available online now in its full-text format at: http://bit.ly/964IPZ.

SPECIAL DIET PREVENTS KIDNEY STONES: A study has found that the DASH diet, a diet designed to combat high blood pressure and also known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, also helps prevent kidney stones. This diet is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, dairy products, and whole grains, and low in sweetened beverages and red and processed meats. Despite similar fluid intakes, the study observed a greater output of urine among those on the DASH diet, which may stem partly from the fact that DASH foods have higher water content. More important, DASH subjects’ urine held higher concentrations of citrate, an important inhibitor of calcium kidney stones. Researchers suggested that two foods prominent in the DASH diet have potent kidney stone-fighting properties: low-fat dairy products and plant foods. This just-released study will be published in the October 2010 issue of the journal, Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. It is now available online at http://bit.ly/aZu1yY with subscription to the journal or payment of an article access fee.

VIRUS MAY BE BEHIND OBESITY EPIDEMIC: A study has found that a gene in a specific virus can turn adult stem cells into fat cells. The study shows that many cases of obesity can be blamed on a specific virus named “human adenovirus-36 (Ad-36)”. This does not mean that obesity is always the result of a particular virus; but it does suggest that many cases of obesity may stem from infection by this virus. Another aspect of the study suggests that the weight gain effect can continue up to six months after the virus has left the body. The researchers stated that it is possible that other viruses may have a similar effect. Obesity may even be considered, suggests the study team, a complex disease involving many different viruses. Research is needed, says the study team, to determine why some people with the virus develop obesity while others with the same virus do not. Ninety-seven million adult Americans are obese. Obesity increases the risk of many illnesses, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and osteoarthritis. This study was presented today at the 234th annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston. It has not yet been published in a peer reviewed journal.

STRESS BEFORE CANCER THERAPY LEADS TO RECURRENCE: A study has concluded that any form of stress during the one or two days prior to treatment for cancer – even the physical stress caused by intense exercise – activates a stress-sensitive protein known as the Hsp27 protein. This protein in turn protects cancer cells, allowing them to survive the treatment, thus sabotaging therapy and leading to a recurrence of the cancer. Although breast cancer cells were the subject of the study, the researchers said this proves that all types of adenocarcinoma cells – cancer cells that originate in a gland – appear to have found a way to adapt and resist treatment by using this stress-related protein. In the face of stress, the protein is activated by the presence of what is called “heat shock factor-1” and blocks the process that kills cancer cells even after their DNA has been damaged by radiation or chemotherapy. Stress includes physical exercise and even UV radiation from sunlight. This study was released September 21, 2010 by the journal Molecular Cancer Research. Full details are now available online at http://bit.ly/ctzTPU with journal subscription or payment of an article access fee.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Environmental pollutants trapped in fat cells could be released back into circulation when people shed a lot of weight. A study found strong correlation between weight loss and blood levels of six persistent organic pollutants. There is no proof that weight loss leads directly to the release of pollutants from fat cells into the blood but the evidence of the study is consistent with that mechanism, reported the researchers. The study was published in the September 7, 2010 issue of the Journal of Obesity.

MULTIVITAMIN USE MAY PREVENT HEART ATTACKS IN WOMEN: A study of 31,671 women has found that, compared to taking no supplements at all, regular daily use of multivitamins over a minimum ten-year period reduced the incidence of myocardial infarction (heart attack), at least among those women who had no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at the start of the study. There was no similar benefit for women who had a history of CVD. But among those with no CVD history, supplements other than multivitamins had little effect on heart attack risk; multivitamins alone reduced heart attack risk by 27 percent; and multivitamins taken with other supplements lowered heart attack risk by 30 percent. Multivitamins were estimated generally to contain close to the recommended allowances for vitamins A, C, D, and E, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid. The relationship is not necessarily one of cause-and-effect and further study is needed on the exact contents of multivitamins, the required duration of use, and the reason that supplements had no heart benefit for women with CVD. This study was released September 22, 2010 and will be published in a future issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It can be read online in the meantime at http://bit.ly/a1wmNr with journal subscription or payment of an article access fee.

HIGHER CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D LEVELS INCREASE WEIGHT LOST THROUGH DIETING: A study has determined that the weight lost on identical weight-loss diets is greater among those with higher intakes of dairy calcium; and separately, among those with higher blood levels of vitamin D. Regardless of the specific diet, those with the highest calcium intake dropped an average of 12 pounds in two years. However, those with the lowest intake of dairy calcium lost only seven pounds on average in the same period. Aside from calcium, individuals who had the highest levels of vitamin D lost the most weight when dieting; and vitamin D levels increased as weight dropped. It did not matter whether the diet was low-fat, low-carb or Mediterranean. This confirms previous research finding that obese people have lower levels of vitamin D. Although the study assessed dairy calcium only, calcium is also available from supplements and other foods. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption and is found in supplements, fatty fish and eggs. It is also manufactured by the body from direct sun exposure. This study was published in the September 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and is now available online at http://bit.ly/aC1RNA for journal subscribers and those who pay an article access fee.

MONTHLY HORMONAL CYCLES LINKED TO ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE: A new study on rats has confirmed a previously suspected, biological link between an individual’s current estrogen level and her ability to pay attention, focus and learn. Women have high estrogen levels when they are ovulating and prior research has shown that these are the times when they have trouble focusing and learning. Until now, it was not known whether the increase in fogginess and the increase in the level of this hormone constituted a cause-and-effect link. But researchers used rats to study how estrogen affects their “latent inhibition,” which is a form of memory formation, which is essential learning. They found that rodents with low estrogen levels learned to associate a stimulus with a specific sound tone far faster than those with high estrogen levels, showing that, even in a different species, estrogen itself has a direct effect on the brain by inhibiting cognitive ability. Further study may explain how it does this. This study was released ahead of print publication in a future issue of the journal Brain and Cognition. It is available at the journal’s site with the payment of a fee.

U.S. CHILDREN DRINK TOO LITTLE WATER, STUDY: A study of 3,978 children aged 2 to 19 years of age has found that a large proportion of American kids drink less water than is recommended as the minimum daily amount. Sugar-sweetened beverages accounted for much of their fluid intake. Also, the researchers concluded that children who do consume the most water each day are less likely to consume sugary drinks and high-calorie foods. Only 15 to 60 percent of boys, and 10 to 54 percent of girls, depending on age, drink the minimum amount of water recommended by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Dehydration can cause fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, dry mouth and even impaired cognition and mental performance. The study looked at water intake from all sources, including water itself, water in moist foods, moisture in all beverages, such as milk and juice. As children aged, their water consumption increased while their intake of nutritive beverages such as milk and fruit juice decreased. This just-released study will be published in the October 2010 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It is available at http://bit.ly/cIOrCT with journal subscription or access fee.

MS SYMPTOMS EASED BY ‘MINDFULNESS MEDITATION’: A study has determined that learning mindfulness meditation can help Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients with the fatigue, depression and other life challenges that usually accompany the disease. The effect lasted for six months. For the study, 150 MS patients were assigned either to regular medical care alone or to medical care plus weekly classes lasting two and a half hours; the classes included mental and physical exercises aimed at developing nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, or “mindfulness.” Those who went through the mindfulness training were far better able to cope with fatigue and depression; in fact, mindfulness helped reduce depressive symptoms by over 30 percent. Mindfulness is a concept that might be described as “calm awareness of one’s body functions, feelings, content of consciousness, or consciousness itself.” This study was the largest of its type and is considered to have been well-conducted. The study was published in the September 28, 2010 issue of the journal, Neurology, and is now available online at http://bit.ly/dgV6cb with journal subscription or payment of an article access fee.

STRONG LINK BETWEEN AIR POLLUTION AND DIABETES: A study has found a strong link between particulate air pollution and adult diabetes; and between pollution and inflammation, which may contribute to insulin resistance, which in turn is linked to diabetes. The study focused on a particular size of fine particulates in air pollution (0.1 to 2.5 nanometers in size), the same size associated with a key component of haze, smoke and motor vehicle exhaust. Researchers adjusted the data to rule out the effects of known diabetes risk factors, including obesity, exercise, geographic latitude, ethnicity and population density. But there was still a very strong correlation between air pollution and the incidence of diabetes. The study team did not point to air pollution as necessarily being a cause of diabetes but it came across as a valid predictor of the disease. Even within counties falling within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits for air pollution exposure, those with the highest levels of exposure were 20 percent more likely to develop diabetes. The team suggested EPA standards may not be adequate to protect people from pollution. Released September 29, this study will be published in the October 2010 issue of Diabetes Care. It is online now at http://bit.ly/dqTEPB without charge.

DID YOU KNOW…?
Tea lovers’ beverage of choice lowers blood pressure. Drinking just a half-cup of green or oolong tea per day reduces a person’s risk of high blood pressure by almost 50 per cent. People who drink at least two and a half cups per day reduce their risk even more. Risk is reduced even if tea drinkers have known risk factors for high blood pressure, such as high sodium intake.

Isolated vertigo, however, if not fixed by drinking more water, or checking your medications, is most likely an inner ear problem. A common inner ear problem is a “flu” in the semicircular canals: two tiny curved tubes at right angles to each other covered with hair-like projections that ultimately connect to the brain, via vestibulocochlear nerve, one of the twelve major nerves in the head. A build-up of fluid, or lymph, in the inner ear can disturb these sensitive nerves, and create a sensation of vertigo. Feeling balanced, in other words not having vertigo, depends on fully functioning in two out of three areas: vision, hearing and your sense of where you are in space (“proprioception”). Check it out. Try standing on one leg with your eyes closed – a lot harder than with eyes open! The point is, when hearing is disturbed by an inner ear virus, or other infection or even tumor, vertigo is often a resulting symptom.

Vertigo has been associated with both high cholesterol and high blood sugar (diabetes). If you have been experiencing vertigo and haven’t evaluated your fasting cholesterol or glucose levels recently, now is the time. A report from Prevention Magazine claims that over 80% of people with vertigo had either high blood fats or sugars, and that their vertigo improved dramatically with dietary measures to correct these lab values. The proper treatment of vertigo depends on its cause. However, if you know for sure it’s not a serious neurological problem, and it has persisted longer than the normal course of a virus, here are some general suggestions from my medical practice that have been consistently helpful to most patients with vertigo. Often, a combination of these suggestions is necessary to achieve consistent relief from vertigo. (Read the section Dental Fillings below for more information on another chemical cause of vertigo.)

Gingko biloba is one of the most widely researched herbs worldwide. It is well known for increasing blood flow to the head and brain. For example, it can be very helpful in preventing or reversing tinnitus, macular degeneration, loss of taste or smell, or, in particular, short term memory loss. I sometimes tell my patients that I passed all my board exams on gingko! It gives me a photographic memory within about 3 days. Make sure you are getting a high quality gingko, that claims to contain 24% ginkgo heterosides, or gingkolisides. Start with 250 mg daily until the vertigo seems significantly diminished in severity and frequency, then reduce to a maintenance dose of 40-60 mg daily.

DHEA is the most abundant hormone in the body, for both men and women, and can convert into any of the sex hormones. Being low on DHEA, which has been called the “fountain of youth,” can produce many symptoms of malaise, such as fatigue, restless sleep, poor endurance and “spaceyness”. All of these together may conspire to create a sense of vertigo. Although I have not seen formal studies linking low DHEA with vertigo, I know from clinical experience that patients with vertigo and low DHEA invariably improve with DHEA supplementation. For women 25 mg daily should be sufficient. For men, up to 50 mg daily is recommended. I prefer to evaluate DHEA need (through blood or saliva testing) before prescribing this important and potent hormone. However, people don’t need to be clinically deficient, just low, to benefit.

There are many homeopathic remedies that address vertigo. In fact, in Kent’s Repertory (the homeopathic “bible”) there is a whole section on “Vertigo,” after the “Mind” section. An incomplete list of remedies includes Apis, Baptisa, Belladonna, Bryonia, Cannabis, Cocculus, Digitalis, Gelsemium, Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Silica, Rhus-tox. A German homeopathic company named BHI makes a popular product called Vertigo-HEEL.

Valerian in capsule or tincture form, can be helpful to some folks with vertigo. Some conventional docs use low-dose Valium, which works, but is problematic because of its addictive potential. However Valium doesn’t have the awful drying side-effects of the most popular vertigo drug, Antivert. Valerian is anti-spasmodic and a pain reliever, so would be especially helpful where these other symptoms are also present. I prefer the tincture form, and recommend _ teaspoon once or twice daily. Do not use with other barbiturates (downers).

Not infrequently, vertigo is caused by debris in the inner ears, called “otoliths” (or ear rocks) from head injury, infection or degeneration (usually from aging). Some physical therapists and doctors are trained to perform the “Halpike Test”, in which the patient is in a swivel chair, and rapidly repositioned in various directions. The therapist watches for eye changes (nystagmus) and can diagnose “Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo” (BPPV). A further modification of these moves by a Dr. John Epley (based in Portland, OR) aims to “reposition” the ear rocks, and thus restore equilibrium to the patient.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, vertigo is thought to be caused by “wind” which gets into the head through the ears and causes “phlegm” to accumulate. Protect you ears against wind, and avoid using a hairdryer directly over the ears. Foods that contribute to “phlegm” and should be avoided, include greasy, fatty foods, highly processed foods, sugary foods, eggs, animal fats including cream, poor-quality fats including margarine, and all intoxicants. Foods to help reduce the ill effect of “wind” include celery, basil, pine nuts, coconuts, flax oil and chamomile tea.

Dental Fillings

Several of my patients with vertigo have had high levels of mercury in urine or hair analyses. The most frequent source of toxic mercury in our bodies is dental amalgams, which contain multiple metals, predominantly silver and mercury.

I rarely urge people to jump into getting all their fillings removed, because the removal process often exposes you to toxic outgassing of the metals. However, if you can work with a healthcare provider who is skilled in detox, and can prepare you for chelating the mercury as it comes out of your body, replacing “silver” fillings with gold or bio-compatible composite may be the only solution to your vertigo.

Selected References

• Hindmarch I, Subban Z. The psychopharmacological effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract in normal heathy volunteers. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacological Research 4; pp 89-93, 1984
• Gebner B et al. Study of the long-term action of a Ginkgo Biloba Extract on vigilance and mental performance as determined by means of quantitative pharmaco-EEG and psychometric measurements. Arzneim-Forsch 35; pp 1459-1465, 1985
• Pitchford P. Healing with Whole Foods. North Atlantic Books, 1993; pp 286-288
• The staff of Prevention Magazine. The Encyclopedia of Common Diseases pp 508-509. Charles Gerras, Executive Ed. Rodale Press, 1977
• Epley J. “Particle Repositioning for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo”, update on Otology and Neurotology, Part 1, Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America, Vol 29, No. 2, April 199

Make sure your doctor assures you that you don’t have any of the following:

• Brain tumor.
• Hemangioma.
• Carotid aneurysm.
• Meniere’s disease.
• Seizure disease.

Conventional medicine frequently cannot provide relief for your migraines. So, you’re turned to a good resource for exploring other options. Whatever method you choose, please stick with it for a minimum of three months. It is critical to give a new therapy a chance to work.

What kind of Physical Medicine can you use to help migraines?

The breath is a good place to start changing any old pattern. Try doing relaxation breathing, with consciously slow, deep, even breaths, at some regular time during the day, every day. Also, regular aerobic exercise is known to decrease the frequency of migraines. Choose an aerobic activity that’s fun for you, such as hiking, Nordic track, volleyball, or whatever, and do it 3 times a week for at least 20 minutes.

Hydrotherapy, described at length in the Introduction to Modalities section, can be very helpful with migraines. Here are some key concepts:

• apply cold wet packs to head, forehead and back of neck. This creates constriction of the blood vessels and reduces the rushing of blood into the head, which is frequently a cause of migraines.
• rub finger tips on head, especially around the temples and the nape of the neck, after dipping them in ice water.
• soak feet in a hot foot bath with apple cider vinegar and peppermint, to draw blood down to the feet, cleanse the blood and cool it down (with the mint).
• for a severe headache, alternate applications of hot and cold wet, wrung out towels to the head and face. Always end with cold.
• hot hip bath, to draw the blood down from the head.
• alternating hot and cold hip baths
• ice pack to head
• some folks get instant relief by taking a cool enema, because often migraines are created by toxic wate build-up in the digestive tract.

Also, make sure your spine is in alignment, especially the cervical, or upper 7, vertebrae. Check with your local osteopath, naturopath or chiropractor. Some folks find relief from the use of therapeutic ultrasound to the neck area. Others use a micro-current device called TENS (”transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator”) which applies a tiny frequency to the affected nerves, causing conduction to be blocked and pain to be relieved. TENS units are also believed to stimulate the production of endorphins, the body’s own natural painkillers. This unit is widely used in doctors’ offices, but can easily be used at home. Your doctor may be able to rent or lend you a TENS unit, or help to to purchase one.

Can Herbal Medicine provide relief from migraines?

Plant medicine has been used for as long as man has begun to fashion tools from his natural surroundings. Many plants have particular biochemical properties, usually alkaloids (so called because they render the system less acid, and more alkaline), which can contol pain, as well as many other therapeutic effects. Medicinal plants which have analgesic (pain-killing) action can be toxic, sometimes at what would seem a small dose. Please consult with a qualified herbalist, naturopath or botanically trained pharmacist before experimenting with the following plant drugs:

• Atropa belladonna (the active ingridient, atropine, can be toxic in not very high doses) is useful for cerebral congestion, occipital or dull frontal ache with malaise, cool skin, mental sluggishness, and unpleasant dreams.
• Bryonia alba (White Bryony, can be toxic) for a frontal migraine, with pain around the eye sockets, for right-sided headache, tenderness on pressure, and made worse with any motion.
• Cimicifuga racemosa (Black cohosh) is good for congestive migraines, such as from colds, rheumatism, menstruation.
• Cnicus benedictus: (Blessed Thistle) is specific for strenthing the function of the liver. This botanical is useful for migraines due to hepatic problems, such as with a history of hepatitis or alcoholism.
• Gelsemium sempervirens (Yellow Jasmine, which may be toxic in high doses) is for migraines with acute excessive cerebral bloodflow, which presents with restlessness and excitability.
• Lavandula officinalis: (Lavender flower) is great for calming the nervous system. It works through the sense of smell. Rubbing a little lavender oil on yourr temples, or dropping some in the bath water can be extremely soothing. For the migraine associated with depression or poor digestion.
• Melilotus officinalis: (Melilot flower) for migraines with no known cause which come on in the cold and leave the entire head sore and tender to the touch.
• Nepeta cataria: (Catnip) for a nervous headache, because it acts as a sedative for both cats and humans!
• Passiflora incarnata: (Passion flower) is for the migraine due to an attack of nervousness, which presents with great fatigue and where the head feels “full.”
• Piscidia erythrina (Jamaican dogwood, can be toxic) for all kinds of head pain.
• Rosmarinus officinalis: (Rosemary) for the migraine associated with hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Salix spp.. (Willow, both black and white) for the inflammatory migraine. This is the plant from which aspirin (acetyl salicylic acid) was first derived, and like aspirin it reduces pain and inflammation.
• Scutellaria lateriflora: (Skullcap) is a sweet-tasting nerve soothing medical plant.
• Tanacetum parthenium (Feverfew) is for the migraine which improves with warm applications. This is a common garden plant and many people with chronic migraines can prevent them by eating two or three of the Feverfew leaves every day.
• Valeriana spp. (Valerian root), similar biochemically to valium, this plant is both sedative and stimulating and works well for the migraine due to nervous excitability.
• Viscum flavescens, album (Mistletoe. Beware, this plant is toxic in quite small doses) reduces the increased flow of blood to the brain typical of migraine states and works well for frequent headache with flushing of the face.

A terrific herbal tea formula to detoxify the system (often the only treatment needed to prevent or reduce migraines) is:

1 part Chamomile
1 part Hops
1/2 part Skullcap
1/2 part Catnip
1/2 part Oatstraw
1/4 part Peppermint leaf

Your local herbalist can mix up this blend for you, or you can order it ready-made from Frontier Herbs (1-800-669-3275). Brew one heaping tablespoon to 1 cup just boiling water. Steep for 3-5 minutes then drink with a touch of honey 2-3 times daily.

Can diet and nutrition be used effectively to help migraines?

Yes, absolutely. It may be helpful to begin with a short (5-7 day) therapeutic fast to rid the body of toxins. Some specific nutritional ideas are:

• if headache is in left side, squirt carrot juice into left nostril; if on right side, squirt into right nostril, if both sides affected, squirt into both nostrils
• drink lemon juice and 1/2 tbsp. baking soda mixed in glass of water. This will help balance the pH of your blood and flush out digestive wastes.
• With a 2 p.m. headache or evening headache try to increase potassium-rich foods such as various seaweeds (dulse, kelp), sunflower seeds, wheat germ, almonds, raising, parsley, dates, yams, soybeans, garlic and spinach.
• Take a teaspoon of honey in warm water each morning before eating.

Foods to avoid are:

• any food that causes a bad physical reaction, whether it be the migraine itself, or fatigue, or indigestion. Try to pay attention to your food intolerances, and ingest these culprit foods sparingly.
• spicy foods, alcohol, excess stimulation, coffee, caffeine, chocolate, fried foods, stimulating foods.

Sometimes diet alone is not enough. This is where supplementation with specific vitamins, minerals or amino acids may be necessary, at least at first, to bring your metabolism into balance so that you reduce the possibility for the onset of a migraine. Here is a list of supplements which may help you; but please consult with a qualified nutritionist or naturopathic physician first:

• Vitamin B-complex inejcted into the muscle (IM) every 2-10 days
• omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. raw flax or linseed oil, 1 T daily)
• omega-6 fatty acids, found in fish, and olive oil
• Vitamin B3 , 500 mg at the onset of the migraine
• Magnesium 400-800 mg daily, as a muscle and nerve relaxant
• Quercetin , a concentrated bioflavonoid which will help with vascular tone so that the neck veins are less likely to become engorged with blood, 500 mg/day

How can Homeopathy help migraines?

Homeopathy is a form of “energy” medicine, which like Traditional Chinese Medicine uses substances to stimulate your own innate power to heal. Homeopathic medicine is often touted as the “medicine of the 20th century” by its proponents because it uses miniscule doses of plants, minerals or animal parts to produce “remedies” with very little resultant environmental damage. The following remedies may be considered:

• Aconitum napellus for a headache that is hard to describe; comes with great violence: wild, tearing and burning in brain, scalp; with fear, fever and anguish; fullness, throbbing in left forehead and strong beats in right side by fits; skull feels constricted by the feeling of a band around the forehead.
• Anthracinum for a headache that feels as if a hot, searing pain was passing through head; for the migraine which creates dullness, confusion, dizziness, or loss of consciousness.
• Apis mellifica for a migraine which is primarily localized in the occiput, with occasional sharp shrieks; pains like bee-stings; no thirst, easy sweating; this migraine is worse from heat and a warm room; better in a cold room, in cold air, and with cold applications.
• Argent metallicum for the migraine that comes on at noon along with other troubles; pressing, burning pain in skull; the pain gets gradually more violent and then suddenly ceases.
• Argent nitricum for the migraine that includes an all-over ache and fatigue; plus a feeling of expansion, as if the head were enormously enlarged; the patient wants cold air, cold drinks, cold things; craves sweets; is beset by strange notions and impulses.
• Arnica montana for burning in head, the patient feels as though the brain were hot but the rest of body feels cool; a migraine with aching pains over eyes, radiating to the temples; pain shoots through the head from coughing, sneezing; or a migraine from injuries to the head, such as a concussion.
• Arsenicum album for periodic headache every other day, every 4th day, 7th, l4th; very congestive headache; chilly; the patient desires the body warm and the head cold; the head throbs, the patient complains of a burning feeling accompanied by restlessness and anxiety; has a slight thirst but drinks often, in sips and is worse after midnight.
• Belladonna for a migraine that presents with great violence, comes and departs suddenly, lasts indefinitely; congestion; throbbing in brain, violent throbbing and cutting stabs; worse from jerking motion (walking, going upstairs), stooping; bursting pain as if brain was pressed out; worse from noise, light, lying; better with pressure, drawing head back.
• Bryonia is the remedy to treat the patient who is worse from from any motion, cannot bear any disturbance, mental or physical; bursting or splitting or heavy crushing headache; fronto-occipital headache; irritable, thirsty; dry lips and mouth; worse from straining at stool.
• Calcarea carbonica has a headache picture of icy coldness in and on head, on vertex; heaviness in forehead; tearing headache above eyes down to nose; head numb as if wearing a cap; cold, damp feet; worse from milk.
• Cedronis is the remedy for attacks of headache which occur with clockwork regularity; sick headache every other day at 11a.m.
• Chamomilla for the congestive migraine with pressing, bursting pain, worse from thinking about it; the patient is irritable, capricious, oversensitive to pain; one side of the face is red, the other pale.
• Cinchona is also for congestive headache; the patient’s extremities are covered with cold sweat; feels a stitching pain from temple to temple; fluid loss, such as hemorrhages bring on this migraine; worse from draft, open air, sun, touch; better with hard pressure.
• Cocculus indicus has a headache which feels as if the skull would burst; the headache makes them feel unwell, and presents with vertigo; thought or smell of food nauseates; pulsating pains, vertex, temples, occiput or nape; worse from eating, drinking, sleeping; better with rest indoors; the least jarring movement is unbearable.
• Crotalus cascavella for the feeling that the skull compresses brain like an iron helmet; that something alive walks in a circle in the head; that a red-hot iron is stuck into vertex; pain lancinating to the right temple; this patient wakes up with a migraine; great excitement causes a migraine with nosebleed; icy feet and great coldness; has peculiar hallucinations.
• Epiphegus for the headache which presents when you are”tired out”; better with good sleep; constantly wants to spit.
• Eupatorium perfoliatum for a terrible sick headache on waking which lasts all day; pain in occiput; must use hands to raise head; pain is throbbing, shooting, darting, thumping.
• Gelsemium is another remedy for a congestive headache; most violent in occiput; headache due to nervous tension, presents with nausea in the temples and over eyes; worse from vomiting; better with copious urination; the patient want to lie bolstered up in bed.
• Glonoinum (which is homeopathic nitroglycerine) is for the migraine that feels like an upward rush of blood; waves of terrible bursting, pulsating head pain; worse from bending head backward and from sunstroke, worse from having haircut; the patient holds head with both hands.
• Heloderma is the remedy for a very violent headache, pressure as if the skull too full, as if a tumor is forming and pressing inside skull; burning in brain, or sensation of a cold band around the head; intense arctic coldness, as if being frozen to death from within outwards.
• Iris versicolor is one of the best prescriptions for headache due to stomach or liver problems; always begins with blur in front of the eyes; this migraine may cause nausea and vomiting, burning of the tongue, throat, esophagus and stomach; profuse secretion of ropy saliva; or vomiting spells every month or 6 weeks.
• Lachesis treats the violent congestive migraine with vomiting and loss of sight; throbbing, bursting, sun headache (chronic), better with pressure on vertex, sleeps into headache (dreads to sleep); better with any discharge, worse from suppressing discharges (such as using antihistamines). Usually a left sided migraine.
• Mercurius solubilis is for a migraine that makes the head feel full, with a bursting feeling; as if the head were constricted by a band, as if in a vice, worse at night; the headache is most painful around the nose and eyes; worse from cold, damp, draft, cold or warm room; dirty feeling, offensive taste on tongue and in mouth; offensive sweat.
• Natrum muriaticum is one of the best remedies for chronic headache; dreadful pain, bursting, compressing as if in a vice; may start at 10-11a.m. until 3p.m. or into the evening; periodic, every day or 3rd or 4th day, better with sleep (dark and quiet); the patient feels relief from sweating.
• Nux vomica has a headache connected with gastric, hepatic, abdominal or hemorrhoidal troubles; migraine comes on waking, or rising, after eating, in open air, on moving eyes; headache of sedentary persons, after coffee; the patient is oversensitive and touchy; better with head wrapped up, covered, lying down, with warmth and heat.
• Phosphorus is the remedy for aa migraine which is congestive and throbbing, worse from heat, motion, lying down, better with rest. The patient is chilly and worse from cold but wants cold drinks in the stomach and cold applications to the head; craves ice; this migraine is particularly voilent when the patient is hungry; violent neuralgic pain (darting, tearing, shooting ), periodic headache with stiffness of face and jaws; worse from noise and light.
• Psorinum patients are always hungry during the migraine; they may present with a symptom picture in which the headache alternates with a hacking cough; if this patient goes without a meal, they may develop a full-blown migraine which feels full at the vertex as if the brain would burst out; especially in the morning, it feels as if there is no room in forehead for brain; better with after washing and eating.
• Pulsatilla is the remedy for a throbbing congestive headache; when the head is hot, and the patient feels better with cold applications or slowly walking in open air; the onset of the migraine may be connected with menses and overeating; the patient is thirstless, weeps esaily, has moods swings, is better with motion, worse from heat.
• Rhus toxicodendron (homeopathic poison ivy) is the remedy for the migraine which makes the patient feel stupefied, intoxicated; as though there were a weight in head; the patient feels that when stooping a weight falls forward into forehead drawing the head down; she must hold her head up straight to relieve this strange feeling; on waking and opening eyes she gets violent headaches; in children this migraine may come on from being cold or damp, or wetting their bed.
• Sanguinaria is for a sick headache; pain starts the occiput, spreads over head to right eye, with nausea and vomiting; a migraine comes on every 3rd or 7th day; sun headache; from morning to night, increasing all day, with nausea, chills, vomiting of bile; better with lying down in the dark, sleep; the palms and soles feel as though they were on fire.
• Sepia for the migraine, particuarly in a woman, which may be described as nervous, bilious (due to indigestion or heartburn), periodic, or violent; better with lying and quiet, often cured by sleep, violent motion (such as energetic dancing), long walks in open air; worse from stooping, coughing, jarring, light, thinking, smell of food.
• Silica for a chronic sick headache with nausea, even vomiting; begins nape of the neck, goes forward over vertex to eyes, especially right eye; better with pressure, lying down, wrapping head up warmly, heat, profuse urination; the patient is chilly, sweats much on their face and feet.
• Spigelia is the sun-induced migraine which starts every morning with sunrise, gets worse till noon, gradually decreases till sunset; even on cloudy days; pain from occiput to eyes, especially left; worse from all movements, noise jar; intolerable pains in eyeballs, eyes feel too large for their sockets.
• Sulphur migraines make the patient feel they’re burning everywhere; there may be a “tight hat” sensation; better with head uncovered; throbbing; periodic sick headache; once a week or every 2 weeks with characteristic seven day aggravation; Sunday headache; worse from motion, eating, drinking; patient is hungry when they wake up and “starving” by l0 a.m.
• Thuja occidentalis feels as if a nail were driven into vertex, severe stitches in left temporal region; boring, pressing in head; pulsating in temples; hthe patient is not inclined to speak; they have a dull, stupefying headache, better with bending head back, worse from stooping, tea and onions; this remedy has cured the most severe and chronic headaches which come on after getting vaccinated.
• Veratrum album for when the head feels as if packed in ice; feels as if a sheet of ice lies on the vertex and occiput; neuralgic headache of great violence; violent pains drive the patient to despair, they collapse with nervous fatigue, maybe they faint or break out in a cold sweat.

Can acupuncture provide relief from migraines?

Another form of “energy” medicine is the ancient scientific art of acupuncture. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a 3000+ year old system of diagnosis and therapeutics which works primarily in stimulating the body’s natural “vital force” (known as Qi – pronounced chee). There are several areas of TCM, including diet and nutrition, acupuncture and moxibustion (a stick of compressed mugwort which is burned and held close to the body to insert Qi into the area of distress), Qi Gong (slow breath and movement exercises) and medicinal herbs. Chinese medicinal herbs to be considered to prevent or perhaps even remedy migraines are listed below. Please consult with a qualified acupuncturist (certified from the NCCA) or Chinese herbalist. The following selection of Chinese herbal combinations, brewed into the “soup” medicine, may be selected for you:

• Pinellia and Gastrodia C. (Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang): Spleen Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Spleen Distressed by Dampness: chronic headache with dizziness, cold extremities and vomiting
• Minor Bupleurum F. (Xiao Chai Hu Tang): Liver Qi Stagnation.
• Cnidium and Tea F. (Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San): Wind: headache in any part of the head with fever an chills, dizziness, nasal congestion
• Evodia C. (Wu Zhu Yu Tang) plus cnidium (chuan xiong) and ginger (gan jiang): Stomach Deficient and Cold: dry heaves or spitting of clear fluids with vertex headache
• Bupleurum and Peony F. (Jia Wei Xiao Yao San or Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San): Liver Qi Stagnation with Spleen Qi Xu (Deficiency) and Heat.
• Tang Kuei, Evodia and Ginger C. (Dang Gui Si Ni Jia Wu Zhu Yu Sheng Jiang Tang): Xue Xu (Blood Deficiency) and Yang Xu (Deficiency) with Internal:weak constitution, cold extremeties, nausea and vomiting, extremely thin pulse
• Coptis and Rhubarb C. (Xie Xin Tang); Niu Huang Jiang Ya Wan (patent): Liver Yang Rising: flushed face, red eyes, dark urine, constipation, greasy yellow tongue coat
• Chuan Qiong Cha Tiao Wan (patent): Wind-Cold; headache in these locations: sides of head (Xiao Yang), top of head (Jue Yin), forehead (Yang Ming), back of head, neck/upper back (Tai Yang)
• Tian Ma Wan (patent): Wind-Cold with Xue (Blood) Stagnation
• Ci Wu Jia Pian (patent): Qi Xu (Deficiency) with Kidney Jing Xu (Essence Deficiency)
• Cnidium 9 (patent): Xue (Blood) Stagnation
• Uncaria 6 (patent) plus Salvia Shou Wu (patent): Hypertensive headache

The Chinese often eat a fish head soup with Gastrodia and Ligusticum (available in most good Chinese restaurants) for chronic migraines. There are also many acupoints useful for treating migraines. One of the most famous points is located in the fleshy web of the thumbs (Large Intestine 4). In fact, you can squeeze this area to stimulate a bowel movement (which in itself will help relieve the migraine) and to reduce the pain of a migraine, especially if is presents in the lower face. For the migraine which focuses on the eyes and upper face, a point 2 inches up from the wrist (Triple Warmer 5) will curtail pain, and so will a point below the base of the big toe (Liver 3). For migaiens which come on more frequently with the change of seasons, a very effective point is called “Wind Gate” (Gall Bladder 20), located at the top of the neck, just below the hairline on either side of the thick muscles which run up from the back. These points can also be effectively pressed for relief. Some people find great relief from putting two tennis balls inside an old stocking and tying them together. You can then lie on your back on the floor, preferably in a dark and quiet room, with the tennis balls pressing into the top of the neck. Your local acupuncturist will give you a constitutional work-up, looking at your tongue and feeling your pulses, before deciding on the correct point combination to remedy your migraine.

What about using Guided Imagery or Meditation for migraine relief?

Migraines, obviously, are located in the head, and therefore both affect and are affected by your mental condition. Many people find a psychological approach to relaxation the very best way to handle migraines. Consider the following metaphors and correlations between the migraine and your mental/emotional wellbeing. Perhaps some of these ideas will provide insight as to buried sources of stress which continue to create physical problems. Knowing yourself, and acting responsibly upon that knowledge, is an important key to restoring balance and vitality.

• You may feel that something has to be accomplished or achieved or some goal reached. This sense of need may create a migraine which doesn’t relax until after the effort is exerted.
• Perhaps your migraine is because you dislike against being driven; you’re resisting the flow of life.
• Migraine headaches are often involved with anger.
• Chronic pain syndrome develops as a result of having chronically negative attitudes and/or unconscious emotional response mechanisms that keep a person continually in stress. Chronic attitude problems are so much a part of a person’s self-image that he or she does not recognize them as separate from the personality. Nothing is more difficult to identify than our assumed ‘natural’ ways of being in the world that are essentially patterns we have developed to help us cope. Certain body parts suceptible to chronic negative patterns include the spine, the stomach (as in ulcers), and the head (tension and migraine headaches).
• Perhaps you have sexual fears. This migraine can usually be relieved by masturbation.
• Migraine, according to some psychology researchers, is always a displacement of sexuality into the head. Whereas sufferers from tension headaches are trying to separate their heads from their bodies, migraine patients are transferring one particular bodily theme, sexuality, into their heads and trying to live it out at this level instead. Sexual expression exists on both of the possible poles: either patients have banished their sexuality from their lives (”I don’t want to have anything to do with such things”), or they are anxious to impress on everybody what a marvelous sex life they have.
• Physiologically, a migraine attack is in some ways like an orgasm in the head, as tension reverts to relaxation (dilation of the blood vessels) at climax. Sometimes several orgasms are necessary for relaxation to set in and the attack to come to an end. It is also relevant that digestive disturbances and constipation are high on the list of migraine patients’ side-symptoms; in other words such people are ‘closed up’ at the lower level. Married couples tend to use their ‘migraines’ as an excuse for not having sex.

Are there any Subtle Energy Medicine techniques effective for migraines?

Flower essences, popularized earlier this century by the British physician Edward Bach, are especially helpful for migraines induced by some kind of emotional upset. The following may be considered, although it will probably be more effective for you to consult with someone trained in the use of flower essences:

• cerato
• centaury
• holly
• red chestnut
• hornbeam
• white chestnut
• scleranthus
• gentian
• oak
• aloe vera
• angelica
• bleeding heart
• chaparrel
• vine
• mimulus
• water violet
• pine
• cherry plum, or
• rescue remedy which is the widely used combination flower essence formula useful for any symptom caused by emotional trauma. Works great for kids who get minor scrapes and bruises, but cry hysterically because they are startled, or want attention. Comes in a creme or droplet (weak alcohol tincture) form.

A newer form of vibrational medicine is the use of sound for healing. Some health care providers with specail training can determine “missing” tones from the patient’s voice, and then use a machine to produce the missing tone, thus filling in the harmonic spectrum of the patient’s major form of expression (the voice), thus restoring balance and vitality, and presumably helping relieve any symptoms of distress. A qualified sound therapist may help reduce or eliminate your migraines.

Color, either by wearing clothes of certain colors, or placing claer plastic colored gels over light sources in your environment, can reduce all sorts of physical, mental and emotional ailments. In particular, for migraines, the following colors should be considered. During the migraine:

• purple raises the threshold of pain and is soporific if directed towards the face, throat and chest.
• scarlet can raise blood pressure via three effects: vascoconstrictor, raises heart rate, calms the kidneys. Be careful, however, because migraines are more usually associated with higher blood flow. For those with migraines due to decreased blood flow, scarlet may be effectively directed towards the face may for relief.
• Between migraines try:
• lemon (helps to dissolve blood clots) and yellow (acts on the motor nerves, thereby helping to energize muscles; acts on the lymphatic system as it is a mild tissue stimulant) for 2 weeks, then
• lemon and orange (as decongestants) for 4 weeks
• this is repeated for as long as is necessary

For right sided migraines try:

• blue over the liver for 5 minutes
• blue on the face

In general, great healing colors for migraines are the colors associated with the upper “chakras” (energy centers along the spine), which are violet, indigo, blue, and green.

Some people will find gems and semi-precious stones, worn as jewelry or placed in special locations around the home, will help restore balance and bring a sense of peace and well-being. Some gems to consider for migraine are:

• Ruby
• Cat’s Eye
• Sapphire
• Amethyst
• Sugulite