Docs at odds over kids' cholesterol test guidance

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Cargill Beef recalls 30,000 pounds of ground beef

Hannaford Supermarkets is alerting consumers that Cargill Beef is voluntarily recalling 29,339 pounds of ground beef that may contain salmonella.

The 85-percent-lean ground beef was produced at Cargill's plant in Wyalusing, Pa., on May 25, and repackaged for sale to consumers by customers of the Maine-based grocery chain.

Cargill President John Keating says in a statement, "Food borne illnesses are unfortunate and we are sorry for anyone who became sick from eating ground beef we may have produced."

Hannaford's says consumers should check their ground beef for "use or sell by" dates between May 29 and June 16. Refunds will be offered for ground beef that is returned.

Additional information is available at the U.S. Department of Agriculture recall website at: www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/index.asp .

Cargill is based in Minnetonka, Minn.

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Fighting AIDS: US donates an extra $150 million

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UN, OIE call for more controls on rinderpest virus

"A scientist holds blood samples in a laboratory at the Center for Scientific Research Caucaseco on the outskirts of Cali, Colombia, on April 25, 2012. The UN's food agency and the OIE called on countries on Monday to comply with a 2011 global moratorium and destroy potentially dangerous rinderpest virus samples or put them into safe storage. (AFP Photo/Luis Robayo)" title

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Cancer-causing toxin found in Chinese baby formula

"A Chinese baby drinks coconut milk mixed with water instead of baby formula in Shanghai. A Chinese dairy has been ordered to suspend production after a cancer-causing toxin was found in its infant formula, China's quality watchdog said Monday, in the country's latest milk scare" title

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US committed to AIDS-free generation: Clinton

"US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during the 19th International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC. The United States is committed to the goal of an AIDS-free generation and will step up its efforts to stem the world pandemic, Clinton told the conference. (AFP Photo/Jim Watson)" title

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How Resveratrol Helps Regulate Blood Sugar

One has to be impressed by nature’s power to bolster health.  As drug companies try to document that one of their concoctions can manipulate a single parameter of health while hopefully not causing too much damage, nature provides potent remedies that simultaneously influence multiple aspects of health while being free of adverse side effects.  There simply is no comparison.  The more science looks into the mechanisms of natural remedies the more impressive they become.  Resveratrol is a case in point.

Resveratrol is best known for its activation of the SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. gene that is associated with longevity.  SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. is also activated by dietary restriction, and shut down when a person eats too much, which is why many people are speeding their aging process and shortening their lives.  Resveratrol works best when you aren’t overeating, because it helps rejuvenate your SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. gene fitness.  Once SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. is activated it has powerfully beneficial effects on a wide variety of gene signals associated with healthy metabolism.

Several new resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. studies add to several previous studies supporting the role of resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. to help improve blood sugar metabolism.  One of the studies took immune cells from diabetic patients and found they lacked SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. activity compared to immune cells from people with normal blood sugar.  These SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. deficient cells also had increased rates of free radical damage.  The researchers showed that resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. could boost SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. levels to normal, and stop the free radical damage, as SIRT1 Considered the "longevity protein" known for its life spanning effects. It has been shown to inhibit cancer and promote longevity. activation influenced several other gene signals to improve metabolism.

The next study looked into the impact of resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. in an animal model of type 2 diabetes.  Resveratrol decreased blood sugar and triglycerides while boosting levels of the all important blood sugar regulating hormone adiponectin Protein hormone that modulates metabolism including glucose and fatty acid catabolism. High levels are associated with low body fat. .  Resveratrol boosted cellular levels of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), an important cellular signal involved with the biological clock and use of energy within a cell.  In other words, when you feel fatigued or jet-lagged your AMPK is on the blink.  The net result of boosting AMPK was to significantly improve the liver’s ability to metabolize sugar that resulted in lower blood levels of hemoglobin A1c (a key marker of improved glucose metabolism).  Resveratrol even helped the liver and muscles dispose of calories as heat, a natural metabolic boost for improved calorie burning, especially in those who are overweight. 

Yesterday I mentioned how green tea helps protect against high blood sugar.  While both resveratrol Natural phenol or type of antioxidant found in red grapes, red wine. Research has shown beneficial effects as anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents along with supporting healthy blood sugar and cardiovasculature function. and green tea help lower free radical damage, much of their metabolic assistance influences different genes, all in support of better metabolism.  Any person with blood sugar concerns should follow the Leptin Diet and employ a variety of natural support that can help guide metabolism into a healthy direction over time. 

Resveratrol continues to build on its image as an anti-aging nutrient.  We know from studies in healthy centenarians that optimal blood sugar metabolism is vital to a long life.  Resveratrol is an important tool in the longevity toolbox.

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Vitamin E may lower liver cancer risk

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — High consumption of vitamin E either from diet or vitamin supplements may lower the risk of liver cancer, according to a study published July 17 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

See Also:Health & MedicineLiver DiseaseCancerBreast CancerProstate CancerColon CancerVitamin DReferenceB vitaminsHealth benefits of teaVitamin DRickets

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which is considered an antioxidant and numerous experimental studies have suggested that vitamin E may prevent DNA damage.

Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer mortality in the world, the fifth most common cancer found in men and the seventh most common in women. Approximately 85 percent of liver cancers occur in developing nations, with 54 percent in China alone.

To determine the relationship between vitamin E intake and liver cancer risk, Wei Zhang, M.D., MPH., Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, and colleagues analyzed data from a total of 132,837 individuals in China who were enrolled in the Shanghai Women’s Health Study (SWHS) from 1997-2000 or the Shanghai Men’s Health Study (SMHS) from 2002-2006, two population-based cohort studies jointly conducted by the Shanghai Cancer Institute and Vanderbilt University.

Using validated food-frequency questionnaires, the researchers conducted in-person interviews to gather data on study participants’ dietary habits. Participants were asked how often they ate some of the most commonly consumed foods in urban Shanghai and whether they took vitamin supplements.

The investigators then compared liver cancer risk among participants who had high intake of vitamin E with those who had low intake.

The analysis included 267 liver cancer patients (118 women and 149 men) who were diagnosed between two years after study enrollment and an average of 10.9 (SWHS) or 5.5 (SMHS) years of follow-up. Vitamin E intake from diet and vitamin E supplement use were both associated with a lower risk of liver cancer. This association was consistent among participants with and without self-reported liver disease or a family history of liver cancer.

“We found a clear, inverse dose-response relation between vitamin E intake and liver cancer risk,” the authors write, noting a small difference between men and women in the risk estimate, which is likely attributable to fewer liver cancer cases having occurred among male participants due to the shorter follow-up period.

“Overall, the take home message is that high intake of vitamin E either from diet or supplements was related to lower risk of liver cancer in middle-aged or older people from China,” said Xiao Ou Shu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Medicine at the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center.

Conversely, participants who had the highest vitamin C intake from supplements and who had a family history of liver cancer or self-reported liver disease were more likely to develop liver cancer. There was no link to liver cancer among participants who had the highest levels of vitamin C or other vitamins from food.

Other investigators involved with the study included Honglan Li, M.D., M.Ph., Jing Gao, M.D., Yong-Bing Xiang, M.D., M.Ph., and Yu-Tang Gao, M.D., Shanghai Cancer Institute; Gong Yang, M.D., MPH, Hui Cai, M.D., Ph.D., and Wei Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; and Bu-Tian Ji, M.D., Dr.PH, National Cancer Institute.

Funding for the study was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health (R37 CA070867 and R01 CA082729), the State Key Project Specialized for Infectious Diseases of China (2008ZX10002-015 and 2012ZX10002008-002), and a training grant from the Fogarty International Center (D43 TW008313).

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Researcher calls for global action on pandemic of physical inactivity

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — The high prevalence and consequences of physical inactivity should be recognized as a global pandemic, according to a new publication by Harold W. Kohl, III, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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“Physical inactivity continues to be undervalued among people who can make a difference despite evidence of its health benefits and the evident cost burden posed by present levels of physical inactivity globally,” said Kohl, who is also with the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at the UT School of Public Health.

The paper is the fifth and final paper in The Lancet “Series on Physical Activity” published this week and outlines key strategies and resources needed to make physical activity a global public health priority. “This series emphasizes the need to focus on population physical activity levels as an outcome, not just decreasing obesity,” said Kohl, professor of kinesiology at The University of Texas at Austin.

The health burden of physical inactivity is substantial, according to Kohl. “Although regular physical activity is critical for weight control, it is equally or more important for lowering risk of many different chronic diseases such as heart disease, some cancers, osteoporosis and diabetes.”

According to Kohl, research on physical activity needs to be its own priority within public health research of non-communicable diseases.

Globally nearly one-third of persons 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 and approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity, according to the World Health Organization. In 2008, the prevalence of insufficient physical activity was highest in the Americas and Eastern Mediterranean regions.

In the paper, the researchers argue for increased prioritizing of physical activity across multiple sectors of influence including health, transportation, sports, education and business. “This issue is of particular importance in countries with low-to-middle incomes, where rapid economic and social changes are likely to reduce the domestic, work and transport-related physical activity demands of daily life,” said Kohl. “Improved understanding of what works best in these nations will be key to developing national policies and action plans.

Kohl recommends a multi-sector and systems-wide approach to physical activity promotion to increase population levels of activity worldwide rather than efforts focused on individual health. “Traditional approaches, where responsibility for change has resided with the health sector, will not be sufficient,” said Kohl. “Improvements must happen at every level including planning and policy, leadership and advocacy and workforce training.”

In 2008, 25.4 percent of U.S. adults reported no leisure time physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). County estimates of leisure-time physical inactivity range from 10.1 percent to 43 percent in the United States. These rates reflect adults who report no physical activity or exercise other than at their regular job.

“The response to physical inactivity has been incomplete, unfocused, understaffed and underfunded compared with other risk factors for non-communicable diseases,” said Kohl. “This has put physical activity in reverse gear compared with population trends and advances in tobacco and alcohol control and diet.”

Kohl said Texas is one of a few states that have a plan to promote physical activity, Active Texas 2020. He led the development of the plan with the Governor’s Advisory Council on Physical Fitness. The Active Texas plan includes strategies and ideas that can be used by communities throughout the state.

“Physical education in schools is still one of the most effective means promoting physical activity, particularly among children,” said Kohl. Texas Education Code requires elementary school students to receive at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity and 225 minutes of physical activity per two weeks for four of six semesters for middle school students.

Kohl was recently appointed to lead the Institute of Medicine’s committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment. He is on the President’s Council of Fitness, Sports & Nutrition Science Board. Kohl also led development of the 2008 U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines.

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Fighting obesity with thermal imaging

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — Scientists at The University of Nottingham believe they've found a way of fighting obesity -- with a pioneering technique which uses thermal imaging. This heat-seeking technology is being used to trace our reserves of brown fat -- the body's 'good fat' -- which plays a key role in how quickly our body can burn calories as energy.

See Also:Health & MedicineObesityDiet and Weight LossFitnessMatter & EnergyThermodynamicsMedical TechnologyEnergy TechnologyStrange ScienceReferenceAdipose tissueBrown riceSaturated fatLiposuction

This special tissue known as Brown Adipose Tissue, or brown fat, produces 300 times more heat than any other tissue in the body. Potentially the more brown fat we have the less likely we are to lay down excess energy or food as white fat.

Michael Symonds, Professor of Developmental Physiology in the School of Clinical Sciences, led a team of scientists and doctors at The University of Nottingham who have pioneered the thermal imaging process so we can assess how much brown fat we've got and how much heat it is producing. Their research has just been published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

The University of Nottingham's Early Life Nutrition Research Unit is at the forefront of ground-breaking international research into managing brown adipose tissue using nutrition, exercise, and environmental and therapeutic interventions.

Thermogenic index for food labels

Professor Symonds said: "Potentially the more brown fat you have or the more active your brown fat is you produce more heat and as a result you might be less likely to lay down excess energy or food as white fat.

"This completely non-invasive technique could play a crucial role in our fight against obesity. Potentially we could add a thermogenic index to food labels to show whether that product would increase or decrease heat production within brown fat. In other words whether it would speed up or slow down the amount of calories we burn."

The obesity threat

Obesity is one of the biggest challenges we face in Europe and America as our children grow older. It affects 155 million children worldwide. In the UK the number of overweight children doubled in the 1990s.

Dr Helen Budge, Clinical Associate Professor and Reader in Neonatology, said: "Babies have a larger amount of brown fat which they use up to keep warm soon after birth making our study's finding that this healthy fat can also generate heat in childhood and adolescence very exciting."

Professor Symonds and his team say their ground-breaking research could lead to a better understanding of how brown fat balances the energy from the food we eat with the energy our bodies actually use up.

Professor Symonds, together with Dr Budge and their team from the University's School of Clinical Sciences has shown that the neck region in healthy children produces heat. With the help of local school children they found that this region, which is known to contain brown adipose tissue, rapidly switches on to produce heat. This capacity is much greater in young children compared with adolescents and adults. The researchers are now using their findings to explore interventions designed to promote energy use as heat and, thus, prevent excess weight gain in both children and adults.

Non-invasive technology

Professor Symonds said: "Using our imaging technique we can locate brown fat and assess its capacity to produce heat. It avoids harmful techniques which use radiation and enables detailed studies with larger groups of people. This may provide new insights into the role of brown fat in how we balance energy from the food we eat, with the energy our bodies use up.

This research goes to the heart of the University's biggest ever fund raising appeal, Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, which is supporting lifelong health for children. Additional funding will allow more innovative approaches to be researched, developed and introduced across the globe. Find out more about our research and how you can support us at http://tiny.cc/UoNImpact.

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All-they-can-eat diet for lab mice and rats may foster inaccurate test results

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — The widespread practice of allowing laboratory rats and mice to eat as much as they want may be affecting the outcome of experiments in which scientists use these "test-tubes-on-four-feet" to test new drugs and other substances for toxicity and other effects. That's the conclusion of a new analysis published in ACS' journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

See Also:Health & MedicineNutritionAlzheimer's ResearchCancerPlants & AnimalsMiceAnimalsFoodReferenceForensic toxicologyMouseHouse mouseNanomedicine

Laboratory mice and rats serve as stand-ins for people for research that cannot be done on humans. In the article, Gale Carey and Lisa Merrill point out that the millions of lab rodents used in laboratory studies each year have a nutritional status that is different from other test animals. While other test animals are fed meals, rodents have round-the-clock access to food. And eat they do, gaining more weight and more body fat than meal-fed rodents. The authors cite other research indicating that lab rodents with free access to food tend to develop abnormally high blood fat levels, high cholesterol, nerve and heart damage, cancer and other disorders.

Their analysis of 54 studies concluded that having free access to food is likely to affect the results of tests for the toxicity and cancer-causing effects of new drugs and other substances in rodents, and could be the reason why such studies have been varying so much in recent years. "Therefore, it is crucial that feeding regimen be carefully considered in designing toxicology experiments," say the authors.

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New metric for obesity strongly correlated to premature death

ScienceDaily (July 18, 2012) — Researchers have developed a new metric to measure obesity, called A Body Shape Index, or ABSI, that combines the existing metrics of Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference and shows a better correlation with death rate than do either of these individual measures.

See Also:Health & MedicineObesityFitnessWorkplace HealthDiseases and ConditionsInfant's HealthHealth PolicyReferenceBody mass indexOverweightNutrition and pregnancyObesity

The full results are reported July 18 in the open access journal PLoS ONE, and the work was led by Nir Krakauer of City College of New York.

The authors analyzed data from over 14,000 US adults taken as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and conclude that the new measure, which has little correlation with height, weight, or BMI, appears to be a substantial risk factor for premature death.

"Measuring body dimensions is straightforward compared to other most medical tests, but it's been challenging to link these with health," Krakauer comments. "Our results give evidence that the power-law scaling of waist circumference, weight, and other body measurements can be used to develop body shape indices that point to added risk."

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