Vitamins that Protect and Repair DNA to Prevent Cancer and Slow Aging

A recent article published in Clinical Nutrition analyzed the role of vitamins in DNA repair and protection. The repair and protection of DNA is thought to play a critical role in preventing cancer and slowing aging. This article looked specifically at nutrient–gene interactions with the hope of finding vitamins that could be used as a kind of diet medication.

Carotenoids (vitamin A precursors) such as beta-carotene are now conclusively considered anti-oxidants which ensure genomic stability. Their role in preventing cancer, however, is still considered somewhat controversial, with some studies reporting that carotenoids prevent cancer, and other studies reporting no effect.

Vitamin B12 and folate have also been found as essential for DNA metabolism. In short folic acid and B12 are required for the maintenance of DNA conformation and methylation patterns. The exact concentrations required to maintain DNA integrity are unknown. There is also increasing evidence that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) might affect the activity of the proteins required for the absorption, transport, and metabolism of b12 and folic acid. In other words the amount of vitamin B12 and folic acid you absorb depends on your own genome, or genetic fingerprint.

Vitamin D has also been shown to play a role in stabilizing DNA structure, and has been proven to help in bone health, multiple sclerosis, hypertension and possibly cancer. The idea of taking vitamin D supplements should be approached with caution, however, as too much is potentially toxic to the body.

Vitamin E is lipid peroxyl radical scavenger which makes it very effective at reducing chromosome damage. However, there is mixed evidence if vitamin E suppliments play a role in reducing heart disease, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

In summary, vitamins play an important role in maintaining DNA integrity and stability. Key vitamins to eat include beta-carotene, Vitamin B12, folate (B9), Vitamin D, and Vitamin E.

A list of Common High Glycemic Index (GI) foods which can be eliminated

The glycemic index is a ranking system designed to express how quickly the sugars and carbohydrates from foods are absorbed into your blood stream. Highly refined foods tend to have a higher glycemic index(GI) and therefore cause your body to over-react and excrete unusally high amounts of insulin to absorb all the free sugar. What ends up happening is that your body over-compensates and excretes too much insulin. This pushes your blood sugar back down again, increasing your hunger level, and causing you to eat even more. If you have ever been eating a high sugar snack, and wondered why you did not get full, well, that is the reason why. Insulin is more than a hormone telling your body to absorb sugar, it also controls your hunger level, and too much of it can create a cycle of over-eating. Below is a list of high GI foods which can be reduced or eliminated:

Reader Question: Foods for Fertility?

What are the best dietary choices to maximize chances for conception in both men and women? According to a recent article in Nutrition & Food Science the strongest factor affecting fertility is being either overweight or underweight. You can use a BMI (body mass index) calculator to check if you are overweight or underweight. The results may surprise you! The article states that testosterone and body weight have an inverse relationship in men. In other words, the more you weigh, the less testosterone you produce. So maintaining a healthy weight is particularly important for men. In terms of nutrients both zinc and folate have been identified as increasing fertility for both men and women. Zinc is particularly important for men. Click here for the top ten foods highest in zinc. Are there any other factors? A recent study on the effects of dairy and fertility published in the journal of Human Reproduction found that women who consume low fat dairy products (skim milk, low fat cheese, etc) are twice as likely to experience infertility compared to those who consume full fat products. One, however, should not start eating butter in the hopes of increasing fertility and should still approach high fat dairy foods with caution. Instead, one can look to consume a diet higher in healthier fats such as seeds and nuts.

Seeing the light: The outer leaves of lettuces and cabbages are the most nutritious

A recent article in Current Nutrition & Food Science has pointed out that "open leaf" type lettuces such as romaine are much richer in nutrients than crisp head types, like ice bergs. The main reason for this difference is the ability of the leaves to absorb light, and thereby synthesize more vitamins. Take a look at the nutrient profile comparison of romaine lettuce to ice-berg.

Lettuce Cos Or Romaine Raw

Lettuce Iceberg (Includes Cris

Collards Raw

Cabbage Raw

Reader Question: What are the ingredients for Parmesan Cheese?

Parmesan cheese is a food high in protein, calcium, and vitamin b12 making it one of the best choices for cheese around. Just be sure not to eat too much due to its high calorie and saturated fat content. The ingredients in tradition Parmesan are: milk skim milk rennet (culture agent to curdle the milk to cheese) salt and that is it. Variants can include other enzymes and anti-caking agents in the shredded version to keep the cheese from clumping. These typically are calcium sulfate or potassium sulfate. Which add extra potassium and calcium. If possible try to located Parmesan cheese which is low in sodium (salt).

How much protein should I eat?

The amount of protein you should eat is a factor of your goals in nutrition. For the sake of argument, this article will assume that you want to know how much protein to eat to minimize your risk of cancer and aging, and not to build massive amounts of muscle. According to a recent publication out of  Washington University St. Louis a low-protein diet reduces levels of a hormone called IGF1 in the blood.  IGF1 is theorized to play a key role in regulation of aging and cancer risk. Most animals on a calorie restricted diet experience a decline in IGF1 levels in line with an increase in life-span and health span. They are literally younger for longer. The same reduction in IGF1 only occurred in humans on a protein restricted diet, and not on a calorie restricted diet alone. In order to receive the benefit of a decline in IGF1 levels the participants ate 0.76 grams per kilo-gram of body weight, still above the median required intake of 0.65 g/kg body weight, but way down from the 1.34g/kg body weight that the average American male is eating. What is the bottom line? Eat less protein for your body weight. What should the serving sizes be? Well that depends on your body weight. The serving sizes below are for a 150 pound (68 kg) person, who should eat 50 grams of protein per day. This means that assuming you get no protein from other sources eg: grains, vegetables, etc...per day you should eat no more than: 2 chicken legs (~52g protein) 6 cups of skim milk (~50g protein) (those are measuring cups or 8 ounces) 3 pork chops (~55g protein) 2 cans of tuna (~51g protein) 10 cups of cooked brown rice (~50g protein) 3 cups cooked lentils (~53g protein) 4 cups cooked black beans (~58g protein) 14 slices of whole grain bread (~49g protein) 8 eggs (~50g protein) 1.5 cups of whole almonds (~45g protein) And remember, these numbers are assuming that is all you are eating. When you eat these foods in combination you need even less! So reduce portion size always!

Alcohol doesn't kill brain cells and may even enhance cognitive functioning

Reader Question: How much Vitamin B12 is in Brewers Yeast?

Brewers Yeast is a rich source of nutrients, typically used for making beer, but can also be used to make breads and other consumables. There are conflicting reports on how much vitamin B12 brewers yeast provides. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that it provides no B-12. However, the nutrition facts from Now Foods lists a whopping 3 micrograms (50% RDA) of vitamin B12 in two tablespoons on bewers yeast. This is way more B12 than what you can get from Marmite or other yeast extracts. So, as ever with nutrition facts, it is best to buy a product where you can consult the label for specific B12 content. One should also be cautious on counting on the yeast as a sole source for vitamin B12.

Blood Sugar, Aging, and Health

Sugar is controversial now. Yet lots of people stand by it. "What is the big deal?" they say. As with epidemiology it is always difficult to prove direct effects in humans. People are complicated, they have different genes, different lifestyle habits. Some smoke, some run marathons, some live in cities with smog, some are in the country by animal waste. All this makes it difficult to find a direct effect between nutrition and health. In the case of blood sugar, we need to look at what we know about how the body works. First, when blood sugar is high your pancreas releases insulin so the excess sugar (glucose) can be absorbed by fat cells in your body.  Conversely, when your blood sugar is low, the pancreas realses glucagon which signals the liver to release glucose in the blood. Both insulin and glucagen are hormonal signals, which send messages to your body. They are bound to have more than one function, and indeed as we have seen earlier, insluin is also important in making you feel hungry. This is part of the reason why a person will usually feels hungry after eating high sugar foods. So how does all this relate to health and aging? Well first off, if your blood sugar is consistently high from eating high sugar foods then your body eventually becomes less and less responsive to the insulin, precipitating a condition known as type II diabetes. Further, caloric restriction is probably the most famous intervention known to extend healthy years of life and "preserve youth". While it is still not known how caloric restriction does this, one of the main theories is that by starving the body, insulin sensitivity increases. In other words, it takes less insulin to keep blood sugar in line, and this in turn slows down the aging of your body. Could you ask for a better reason to eat lettuce instead of candy?

How does vitamin C prevent Scurvy?

A reader recently asked the question of how vitamin C prevents Scurvy. To answer this question for everyone, it is first important to understand what scurvy is. Scurvy is a disease wherein the body cannot create enough collagen due to a lack of vitamin C. Basically, your body cannot manufacture the connective tissue which holds your organs and teeth in place, and cushions your joints. So the short answer to the question is that vitamin C plays a rather critical role in how your body makes collagen (connective tissue). Vitamin C, like other vitamins, is a catalyst, a molecule that helps chemical reactions occur with less time and effort. While this article will not delve into the exact biochemistry of how the body produces collagen, it should be noted that vitamin C hydroxialtes two amino acids (the building blocks of life) proline and lysine which then go on to create collagen. (All being well).

Red meat no longer a breast cancer risk?

A recent editorial in The American Journal of Clincal Nutrition suggests that large scale studies on diet and cancer show little to no link between eating red meat and breast cancer in women who are past adolescence. The study did caution that the degree and heat used to cook the meat was not taken into account, since burning of meat, or any food, is currently considered to be a "no-no" when it comes to cancer. Put the grills on low, or away. Of course, the whole problem with cancer in epidemiology is that it is hard to study the effect of food for more than a 10-20 year period, since there are so many other factors that can be taking place. People are bad lab animals in other words. You can't isolate them and control for single factors, and so the cancer link is always a challenge which is what leads to all the mixed news, as we know. At the end of the editorial the authors did still urge that red meat intake be limited, citing increased risk to heart disease and cancer. Sage advice, though it goes without saying that almost any food should be limited.

Antioxidant capacity of String Beans, Winged Beans, French Beans, and Snow Peas

The antioxidant craze has taken hold in recent years, and while everyone knows they should be eating fruits, vegetables, and grains to get their antioxidants, hard core health types are always seeking specific numbers to know which vegetables packs the most anti-degenerative disease power. In a recent study out of the Journal of Nutrition and Food Science four non-leafy vegetables were analyzed for their antioxidant capacity. Their antioxidant capacity was measured as the amount of phenolic, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and beta-carotene present in the vegetables. This capacity was combined to create a single "antioxidant score" and the results are as follows:

1. String Beans - 85
2. Winged Beans - 75
3. French Beans - 72
4. Snow Peas - 55

You can't compare oranges to oranges

Part of the problem when trying to eat fruits and vegetables for their perceived vitamin content is that not all hybrids or varieties contain the same amount of vitamins. Let us take for example vitamin C content. For the same amount of orange gram per gram California Valencias contain 81% of the RDA for vitamin C Florida Oranges contain 75% of the RDA and Navel Oranges contain 99% Click to see complete nutrition facts The difference found in Guavas is even greater, with Common Guavas providing 381% of the RDA and Strawberry Guavas providing only 62% of the RDA for vitamin C. Click to see complete nutrition facts What is the lesson from all this? Ironically it is not to get too caught up in the numbers, and to just eat more fruits and vegetables. While the amount of certain vitamins might differ between varieties of fruits and vegetables, these food items are still our best source for most natural vitamins, and should be eaten in greater quantities than we eat them now...

How to choose a low calorie soup

Soups are a traditional diet food, but with such a wide variety of soups to choose from, it can be difficult to find a soup that will actually help you lose weight. How then can you know which soup to choose when nutrition facts are not present? According to the ranking of soups by calorie it is best to choose soups which are water based as opposed to cream based. The amount of water in any soup is the key factor to how many calories it will have, more than the amount of carbs and fats it contains. If a soup is watered down, it will make a great diet food, and have less water besides. Beyond that it is obviously good to try made soups that have a lot of fiber and vegetables. Like a pumpkin split pea soup, a vegetarian gumbo, a turnip green diakon soup, or a lentil soup. Avoid soups that are high in starches like noodles, rice, or potatoes, and trying stay away from thicker heavy soups. Go easy on adding crackers or cheese as well. In general, the same rules which apply to dieting also apply to soups. Soups should not be seen as a catch all "diet food" where you can eat as much as you want, because some can be quite calorific. In the soup calorie ranking a chunky chicken corn chowder provided 99 calories per 100 gram serving, which adds up to about 400 calories per bowl of soup. That is better than a lot of meals, but still a whopping amount of calories for a bowl of soup, so watch out and choose soup with care.

Pitfalls and Problems with Food Nutrient Rankings

I just got a good piece of feedback highlighting some pitfalls and problems with nutrition facts rankings and it prompted me to write this post that I have been meaning to write for a long time. The fact is there are many issues and problems with trying to rank foods based on their nutrient content. Here are a few to consider:

1. There tends to be tremendous variation in vitamin content, even in the same foods. One orange may have 200% RDA for vitamin C while another one may have 30%. Thus the rankings should be seen as describing the average for that food.
2. Not all vitamins are created equal. Synthetic or added vitamins are just that: Synthetic! And they come packaged in foods your body has not evolved to absorb. As a result your bodies response will be different. Should foods with added vitamins be included in the rankings? Wherever possible, I have tried to only list natural sources, as opposed to added. Are added vitamins better or worse? That is an issue of contention because it depends on too many variables to know for sure. Current research suggests that natural is best when possible.
3. Levels of consumption of foods differ from people to people. Not everyone eats the foods in the rankings in the quantities they are shown. Should the rankings be based on weight? On calories? Or on how much is typically consumed? All this can cause wide variation in how you rank foods. When it comes down to it, you still have to check nutrient labels on everything you eat and match it to serving size.
4. The amount of any vitamin your body absorbs depends on your body and what you eat with the food. For example, drinking milk will reduce the amount of copper you absorb. Also, certain enzymes in your body will control the amount you absorb. This is different for everyone. The food which provides me with the most copper might work well for me, but might not work as well for you. More than this, the amount of any nutrient a food is willing to give up in your body can be quite different from the amount it contains, leading to a problem known as bioavailability (#5).
5. Different foods contain different natural vitamins and hold them in different ways and thus may be finicky about how willing they are to give those vitamins to your body. When scientists measure nutrients they take an orange and then see how much vitamin C is in it. Just because the orange has that amount of vitamin C, doesn't mean your body is going to get it. It might get more from eating an apple. How could we know this? How could we measure it? And if we are already taking averages (problem 1) how likely is it that measuring the food then measuring the absorbency is going to be true for everyone?

Eastern Oysters: A Nutritional Comparison of Farm Raised Vs. Wild Caught

Writing the article for the top ten foods highest in copper I noticed that wild caught oysters provided far more copper than farm raised. Interestingly the wild caught also provided more zinc, iron, vitamin B12 and most every other vitamin and mineral. Below is the complete nutrition facts comparison for wild caught vs. farm raised oysters:

Mollusks Oyster Eastern Wild R

Mollusks Oyster Eastern Farmed

The wild caught oysters contain more fats and proteins, and fewer carbohydrates, making them more balanced. They also have more calcium, iron, and vitamin A. What can explain the increased amounts of copper and zinc? It seems to me that not all wild caught oysters will have greater quantities of these metals, and so the mineral profile would depend largely on where the oysters are caught. However, on average, wild caught will likely provide more minerals than farmed oysters.

Are all these extra minerals good for you? It depends on how much you eat. Indeed, it can be easy to consume too much iron, zinc, and copper when eating oysters often leading to diarrhea, or even blood nose. Thus, it is best to just eat no more than 3-4 wild caught oysters and enjoy all the vitamins and minerals for the calorie.

How much is 100 grams?

A lot of the measurements in the nutrient ranking articles are posted in 100 gram servings. Below is a list of what 100 grams equals for a wide variety of foods.

100 grams equals...

• (1/5 pound or 3.5 ounces)
• 1 stick of butter, or a little less than half a cup
• half a medium sized apple
• two fried eggs
• one medium sized banana
• 3/4 cup of all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of cooked rice
• 5 slices of commercial white bread
• half of a medium sized baked potato
• 1/4 pound of t-bone steak
• 50 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 1/4 pound of tuna steak
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1/3 of a 16oz can of beer (or soft drink)
• 1/2 a cup of cooked ground beef , 25 grams per ounce to make a 1/4 pound.

The Hormones of Digestion

After writing the article on the molecular link between obesity and high fructose corn syrup I realized just how important hormones are in human digestion. How else would your stomach know when to churn, or your pancreas to release digestive juices? And what happens to this delicate system when we start eating refined foods which have been crafted so recently in human history? According to the National Digestive Diseases Clearing House three hormones (Gastrin, Secretin, and CCK) are primarily responsible for digestion:

Gastrin causes the stomach to produce an acid for dissolving and digesting some foods. Gastrin is also necessary for normal cell growth in the lining of the stomach, small intestine, and colon. Secretin causes the pancreas to send out a digestive juice that is rich in bicarbonate. The bicarbonate helps neutralize the acidic stomach contents as they enter the small intestine. Secretin also stimulates the stomach to produce pepsin, an enzyme that digests protein, and stimulates the liver to produce bile. CCK causes the pancreas to produce the enzymes of pancreatic juice, and causes the gallbladder to empty. It also promotes normal cell growth of the pancreas.

Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and upper intestine in the absence of food in the digestive system and stimulates appetite. Peptide YY is produced in the digestive tract in response to a meal in the system and inhibits appetite.

The hypothalamus senses external stimuli mainly through a number of hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, PYY 3-36, orexin and cholecystokinin; all modify the hypothalamic response. They are produced by the digestive tract and by adipose tissue (leptin). Systemic mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF?), interleukins 1 and 6 and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) influence appetite negatively; this mechanism explains why ill people often eat less.

How to Build a Low Calorie Pizza

How can we build a good tasting low calorie pizza? First it would help to understand the nutritional components of a pizza and where the calories come from. Consider the graph below: Here we see that the average pizza at fast food places consists mostly of carbs, then proteins, then fats. However, in terms of calories the fats and carbs get the most pie. How then should we construct a low calorie pizza? (In order of importance)

1. Make a thin crust
2. Go easy on the cheese and Sausage
3. Add vegetables and lean meats

Zinc and the Immune System

At any given time the human body should contain 2-3 grams of zinc which involved in the activity of at least 300 enzymes. According to a recent paper published in the Journal Immunity and Aging, one critical function of zinc is maintenance of the immune system during aging. Reviewing a slew of epidemiological studies concerning zinc consumption in the aged the study reports:

Zinc ions are indispensable for immune function, especially for T cell mediated events, which are primarily affected in immunosenescence.

The Most Preventable Causes of Death in the U.S.

Just finished writing an article on the top 5 causes of death in the U.S. and what you can do about it. In relation to that, I saw this graph on wikipedia that shows the top preventable causes of death in the U.S. The following graph is taken from a year 2000 study published in Jama, and is based on the fact that heart attacks and cancer kill most people. It impossible to trace the exact cause of a death for any person, so these figures should be regarded with some caution. That said, the epidemiology of the researchers is as good as any, here is the graph: Source:Mokdad AH, Marks JS, Stroup DF, Gerberding JL (March 2004). "Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000". JAMA 291 Smoking accounts for 18% of all preventable deaths, and obesity is not far behind at 15%, yet of the two smoking is the one which strikes the most fear in people's hearts. Why is this? Why is it that you can't light up a cigarette in a place that also has vending machines full of junk food? I am not saying this to defend smoking, I am just saying this because I long for the time when junk food will be taxed and sold behind the counter, and you have to be over 18 years to buy it...though those days seem far off.

Smoking and Cancer: A Case Study for Epidemiology

This post launches the start of a series of posts that will eventially form a full article on the history of smoking and cancer. It will cover how the link was eventually found, and what it did for the science of epidemiology (or spread of disease in a population). According to wikipedia

The health effects of tobacco have been significant for the development of the science of epidemiology. As the mechanism of carcinogenicity is radiomimetic or radiological, the effects are stochastic. Definite statements may be made only on probabilities of contracting disease. When considered philosophically and theoretically, it is — in principle — impossible to prove a direct causative link between exposure to a radiomimetic poison such as tobacco smoke and the cancer that follows. Tobacco companies have capitalized on this philosophical objection and exploited the doubts of clinicians, who consider only individual cases, on the causal link in the stochastic expression of the toxicity as actual disease.

Reader Question: What fruits and vegetables contain Cyanide?

Recently a reader sent in a question wondering what other fruits and vegetables besides cassava contain cyanide. Cyanide is a naturally occurring chemical, generally considered to be poisonous if consumed in large enough amounts. According to the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry the following foods naturally contain cyanide:

• almonds
• millet sprouts
• lima beans
• soy
• spinach
• bamboo shoots
• cassava

Molecular Link between High Fructose Corn Syrup and the Obesity Epidemic

A 2004 paper in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition points out a 10 fold increase in the consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) between 1970 and 1990. The study is driven from the US Department of Agriculture food consumption tables from 1967 to 2000. The authors report that as of 2004 HFCS accounted for 40% of total added sugar in foods and 100% of sweeteners for soft-drinks. Their data shows an increase in obesity that correlates closely with the increased consumption. They theorize the molecular link between HFCS and obesity may exist in two key ways, both based on the difference between glucose and fructose:

1. Hepatic Lipogenesis - The process whereby the liver creates fat is known as hepatic lipogenesis. The authors suggest that increased consumption of high fructose corn syrup leads to unregulated carbon precursors in the liver that are then transformed into excess fat.
2. Insulin and Leptin - The authors argue that high fructose corn syrup stimulates less insulin than glucose. As a result, the lower insulin stimulates less leptin. Leptin is a hormone which slows or stops our appetite and is essential to prevent overeating.

How can we test if a food really slows aging? A newly discovered biomarker may give us the chance

Wouldn't it be nice to know if the 20 miles you bike a day, the two cups of green tea, and the blueberries at breakfast really turn our internal clocks back? Now, thanks to a new discovery at UNC Medical School, you may be able to get an answer to that question with a simple blood test. The biomarker researchers have discovered is the expression of a particular protein P16^INK4a which increases exponentially with age. This increase allows researchers to distinguish between age ranges down to the decade. For example, it is possible to tell if someone who is chronologically 30 really has the body of a 20 year old. The protein, P16^INK4a, also functions as a cancer suppressor, suggesting that aging occurs to quell cells that might turn cancerous. Thus aging exists as the body's cancer suppressor. This relationship between aging and cancer suggests that lifestyle habits which prevent cancer are also likely to slow aging. The researchers have already correlated expression of the protein with several lifestyle habits and have found that it is highly expressed in people who smoke, adding further evidence that smoking accelerates the aging process. Surprisingly, the researchers found no correlation with BMI, but did find that expression is lower in people who engage in active exercise. This is just the beginning however, and the door is now open for further tests. What will be the optimal lifestyle to slow aging?

Senate Considers New Nationwide Tax on Sugared Drinks

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, the Senate is debating a tax on soda to help pay for President Obama's 1.2 trillion dollar health care plan.

Proponents of the tax cite research showing that consuming sugar-sweetened drinks can lead to obesity, diabetes and other ailments. They say the tax would lower consumption, reduce health problems and save medical costs. At least a dozen states already have some type of taxes on sugary beverages, said Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Butter that is Good for your Heart? Could be Ghee...

Ghee is a traditional Indian form of clarified butter. It is made by allowing unsalted butter to simmer in a pan at low heat till the water has boiled out of it, and all the proteins have settled to the bottom. The clarified butter can then be collected. This resulting clarified butter has a higher smoke point, allowing a cook to use it to fry a wide range of foods at very high heat without risk of the fat smoking or burning. In addition to this culinary benefit, it also appears that Ghee may help our health. A recent study conducted by nutritional biochemists in India found that rats fed a diet containing Ghee has lower cholesterol levels than rats fed groundnut oil. The researchers hypothesize that Ghee creates this effect by causing the liver to increase excretion of cholesterol, bile acid, uronic acid, and phospholipids, conferring the advantage of less cholesterol going back into the blood stream where it can clot our veins and arteries. Despite the promise of this study, it would probably be prudent to wait before adding Ghee to the list of heart healthy oils. However, if you are someone who must have the taste of butter, you might consider giving Ghee a try. Buy Ghee from Amazon.com

Keep Osteoporosis at Bay with Vitamin K

Osteoporosis is a disease which involves a progressive decline of bone mass, shrinking of the body, and an increased risk of bones breaking. If left untreated, osteoporosis will progress until a bone breaks or fractures. The disease primarily strikes post menopausal women, and while women are 4 times as likely to contract the disease, the male population is also at risk. Osteoporosis was typically treated with calcium supplements, however, current research suggests that exercise, vitamin D, and now vitamin K, might play a bigger role in treating the disease. Vitamin K comes in two forms. The first form, called K1, is found in a variety of plant foods. The second form, called K2, is synthesized by bacteria, both in the body, and in fermented foods, particularly soy based products like tofu and miso. Both forms of vitamin K help protect against osteoporosis, but in different ways. K1 through its anti-inflammatory effects, and K2 by activating osteocalcin, a protein which increases absorption of calcium into the body's bones, thus maintaining a high bone density. Click here for a list of foods high in vitamin K.

Nootropics - enhancing learning and memory

Nootropic drugs are the name generally given to a group of substances which enhance learning and memory with little side effects. The term was first coined by Corneliu E. Giurgea who envisioned the drugs as having the following 5 key components:

1. They should enhance learning and memory.
2. They should enhance the resistance of learned behaviors/memories to conditions which tend to disrupt them (e.g. electroconvulsive shock, hypoxia).
3. They should protect the brain against various physical or chemical injuries (e.g. barbiturates, scopalamine).
4. They should increase the efficacy of the tonic cortical/subcortical control mechanisms.
5. They should lack the usual pharmacology of other psychotropic drugs (e.g. sedation, motor stimulation) and possess very few side effects and extremely low toxicity.

• Hemp or Flax Seeds
• Fish
• Berries

• Vitamin B5
• Rosemary
• Sage

• Lemon Balm
• Passion Flower
• Rhodiola Rosea
• St. John's Wort
• Ginseng
• Tea
• Grape seed extract
• Gotu Kola

Clive McCay and Rethinking Long Term Health

Who was Clive McCay? Born in 1898 Clive McCay became a leading figure in nutrition research, however, his wise words are little headed today. Dr. McCay was one of the first to realize that actions we take to ensure long term health today might be very very costly down the road. McCay saw a world in which everyone ate to become strong and vigorous, and that this plan was surely the key to long term health. McCay cast off the preconceived beliefs of the masses as  he felt that higher consumption of calories would surely lead to an increased speed of aging, and age related diseases such as type II diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In his own words:

In this day when both children and animals are being fed to attain a maximum growth rate, it seems little short of heresy to present data in favor of the ancient theory that slow growth favors longevity.

The Blog at HealthAliciousNess

How can anyone keep up with all the health information that comes from the news? How do we know what is right and what is hype? Does everything really cause cancer? Everything doesn't cause cancer, and this blog will be a place to think critically about issues important to our health. It will present the facts with the possible risks. Future topics will include subjects like

• Covering exciting developments in medicine
• Think critically about new pharmaceuticals
• Taking in depth looks at concepts in nutrition
• Reviewing contradictory health statistics