Where and how you sit when getting blood pressure taKEN
How to get your blood pressure checked
Where and how you sit matters when getting blood pressure taken at the doctor's office
by Laura Williamson, American Heart Association
Credit: American Heart Association
Millions of people with normal blood pressure may be misclassified as having blood pressure that is too high because of improper positioning when measurements are taken, new research suggests.
Guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology call for a patient to be seated in a chair with feet flat on the floor, their back supported and the arm wearing the blood pressure cuff supported at heart level. Doing so helps ensure an accurate reading. But many health care professionals take blood pressure measurements while the patient is seated on an examining table, leaving their legs to dangle and their back and arm unsupported.
"That's not conducive to taking blood pressure accurately," said researcher Dr. Randy Wexler, a primary care physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. He will present the research on Saturday, Nov. 11, at the AHA's Scientific Sessions conference in Philadelphia.
Being misclassified with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, can lead to "people undergoing treatment who don't need it," Wexler said. "People may not need to be on as much medication, which has side effects. That's where having good and accurate blood pressure measurements becomes important."
In the study, 150 adults were randomly assigned to one of three groups. In one group, blood pressure readings were taken on a fixed-height exam table and then in an exam chair with adjustable positioning. A second group had the same readings taken in reverse order. A third group had both sets of readings taken in the exam chair. There was a rest period before each set of readings. Results were pooled and the average of three measurements taken on the table were compared to the average of those taken in the chair.
For readings taken on the exam table, the average systolic (top number) blood pressure was 7 mmHg higher and the average diastolic (bottom number) reading was 4.5 mmHg higher than those taken seated in the chair, adhering to guideline-recommended positioning. The researchers concluded this difference was large enough to misclassify millions of people as having hypertension whose blood pressure was actually within the normal range.
"We were not surprised there was a difference," Wexler said. "We were surprised at how much of a difference there was." The findings were published in September in the journal eClinicalMedicine.
Nearly half of all U.S. adults are estimated to have high blood pressure. Hypertension is diagnosed when measurements consistently reach or exceed 130 mmHg systolic or 80 mmHg diastolic.
People given medication to lower blood pressure when they don't need it are at risk for pushing their blood pressure too low, a condition known as hypotension, said Dr. Jordana Cohen, a nephrologist at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia who was not involved in the new research. Low blood pressure can cause dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting and can lead to falls.
"We need to make sure we measure blood pressure correctly and treat it correctly," said Cohen, also an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. "Health systems need to prioritize this. We have to convince them it is economically smart to do so because it will lead to better outcomes."
Health care professionals see so many patients with so many chronic conditions that they often don't have enough time to take blood pressure measurements properly, Wexler said. Research suggests that primary care providers would need more than 26 hours per day to follow all preventive and chronic disease care guidelines for seeing patients, or more than nine hours per day when providing team-based care.
"We need to make things more efficient," said Wexler, adding that future research should look for such strategies. "But how do we make changes that are doable without slowing down the process of the visit?"
Study finds single dose of zilebesiran safely and effectively lowers blood pressure for six months
by American Heart Association
Credit: Pavel Danilyuk from Pexels
A single injection of the experimental medication zilebesiran was safe and effective in reducing systolic blood pressure in people with mild-to-moderate high blood pressure for up to six months, as detailed in the Phase 2 of the KARDIA -1 study, reported as late-breaking science today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023. The meeting, held Nov. 11–13, in Philadelphia, is a global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science.
Zilebesiran is an investigational RNA interference agent targeting angiotensinogen (AGT), a hormone produced predominantly in the liver that contributes to blood pressure regulation.
MORE SURPRISES FROM NATURE
Discovery of two new enzymes that could help in the fight against human diseases including cancer &
Slumbering among thousands of bacterial strains in a collection of natural specimens at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, several fragile vials held something unexpected, and possibly very useful.
Writing in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, a team led by chemist Ben Shen, Ph.D., described discovery of two new enzymes, ones with uniquely useful properties that could help in the fight against human diseases including cancer. The discovery, published last week, offers potentially easier ways to study and manufacture complex natural chemicals, including those that could become medicines.
The contribution of bacterial chemicals to the history of drug discovery is remarkable, said Shen, who directs the Natural Products Discovery Center at the institute, one of the world's largest microbial natural product collections.
"Few people realize that nearly half of the FDA-approved antibiotics and anticancer drugs on the market are natural products or are inspired by them," Shen said. "Nature is the best chemist to make these complex natural products. We are applying modern genomic technologies and computational tools to understand their fascinating chemistry and enzymology, and this is leading to progress at unprecedented speed. These enzymes are the latest exciting example."
The enzymes the team discovered have a descriptive—if unwieldy—name. They are called "cofactorless oxygenases." This means the bacterial enzymes pull oxygen from the air and incorporate it into new compounds, without requiring the typical metals or other cofactors to initiate the necessary chemical reaction.
This new way of synthesizing defensive substances would confer a survival advantage, enabling the organism to fend off infections or invaders. And because enzymes are to chemists what drill bits or saw blades are to a carpenter, they offer scientists new ways to create useful things, said the paper's first authors, postdoctoral researchers Chun Gui, Ph.D., and Edward Kalkreuter, Ph.D.
Most immediately, the discovery of the enzymes, TnmJ and TnmK2, solves a lingering mystery of how a potential antibiotic and anticancer compound the Shen lab had first discovered in 2016, tiancimycin A, achieved such potency, Gui and Kalkreuter said.
The enzymes enable the bacteria to produce compounds for targeting and breaking up DNA, Gui said. This would be immensely useful in fighting off a virus or other germ—or killing cancer.
Chemistry professor Ben Shen, Ph.D., directs the Natural Products Discovery Center at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology. The center holds one of the world's largest collections of microbial natural chemicals. Photo credit: Scott Wiseman. Credit: Scott Wiseman
Tiancimycin A is being developed as part of a cancer-targeting antibody therapy. These types of combined antibody-drug therapeutics represent a rapidly growing new approach to fighting cancer. But a critical step to using tiancimycin A as an antibody's payload is making enough to study it at a larger scale. That proved challenging.
"Even after we identified genes responsible for encoding tiancimycin A, several of the steps required to synthesize it could not be predicted," Gui said. "The two enzymes described in the current study are highly unusual."
Tiancimycin A was first found in a soil-dwelling bacteria, a type of Streptomyces from the strain collection at the Natural Products Discovery Center. To make its powerful chemical weapon, the organism had to solve a problem. It somehow had to break three highly stable carbon-carbon bonds and replace them with more reactive carbon-oxygen bonds. For a long time, the scientists couldn't understand how the bacteria managed that feat.
Cracking the mystery involved finding other tiancimycin A-like natural product-producing bacteria among the institute's Natural Products Discovery Center collection of 125,000 bacterial strains, and analyzing their genomes to search for the evolutionary hints.
The historic collection had long been housed in a pharmaceutical company's basement, collected over decades following the discovery of penicillin in the scientific community's hopeful rush to find the next great antibiotic. The collection did generate several historically important drugs through the years, including the tuberculosis antibiotic streptomycin and the organ transplant drug sirolimus. But the majority of the collection's freeze-dried bacterial strains had rested in their glass vials, unexplored.
In 2018, Shen won a competition for the collection, so that it could be fully investigated in an academic setting, where it would be open to science. His team is now developing ways to study the strains, read their genomes and deposit the information into a searchable database for the scientific community to access.
Modern genome sequencing and bioinformatics techniques are proving that there may be as many as 30 interesting gene clusters in each strain of bacteria they study, and many of them code for natural products never before documented by scientists, said Shen, who is a member of the UF Health Cancer Center.
The discovery of the new cofactorless enzymes is but the latest example of the chemical riches that lie within The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute's collection, Shen said. Their discovery has sparked new excitement about further investigating the reasons the unique chemistry evolved, and the ways it may prove useful.
"This publication underscores how many surprises nature still has for us," Shen said, "It can teach us much about fundamental chemistry and biology and provide us with the tools and inspiration we need to translate laboratory findings into medicines that impact society and address many problems faced by humanity."
Herbs & Health @ herbs-info.com
Sat, Dec 9 at 1:02 PM
There are some VERY interesting studies on the relationship between coconut oil (or any type of coconut fat, including coconut milk and cream) and how it can affect your body fat...
These findings may surprise you!
A study published in the Journal of Lipids consisted of testing the effects of either 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or 2 tablespoons of soybean on a group of 40 women over the span of 28 days.
Results showed that the group that ate the coconut oil had a decrease in abdominal fat, while the soybean oil group actually showed a slight increase in belly fat. Additionally, the group that ate the coconut oil showed increased HDL ‘good’ cholesterol levels, while the soybean oil group had decreased HDL cholesterol and increased LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol.
The Journal of Nutrition published a study where researchers investigated all studies relative to medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that are abundant in coconut fat and weight management. The studies showed that diets rich in fats such as those found in coconut oil prompted a boost in metabolism, increase in energy, decrease in food consumption, reduced body weight and lower body fat mass. The study authors highly recommend using oils that contain MCFAs, such as coconut oil, as a tool to drop extra abdominal fat, manage a healthy weight, and even as a way to treat obesity.
Yet another study that assessed body weight and fat storage relative to three different types of diets including a low-fat diet, high-fat diet with long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and a high fat diet with MCFAs. In order to bring about weight gain, caloric intakes were adjusted for the diets. At the end of the research period (which lasted 44 days), the low-fat diet group stored an average of 0.47 grams of fat per day, the LCFA group stored 0.48 grams of fat per day, and the MCFA group only stored a mere 0.19 grams per day (despite purposely increasing calories). Those in the MCFA group (coconut fat) had a 60 percent reduction in body fat stored compared to the other diets.
If you thought from reading about how using coconut oil daily for helping to reduce abdominal fat is pretty incredible, you're going to be blown away by the other powerful health benefits of coconut oil.
To your health,
Alex, Herbs, Health & Happiness.
always use your nuwell pAIN RELIEF FIRST & SELF-MAssage
Can Thermal Biofeedback Reduce Pain and Anxiety? & New Pain Data
Study shows that there is a large population in pain, suffering silently, Nuwell Pain Relief Powered by Copper is a good option and a good gift, for everyone to use for pain relief.
Chronic Pain in the US: New Data
Eve Bender November 22, 2023
In 2020, 54 million US adults with chronic pain managed their symptoms with a mix of medication and nonpharmacologic therapies but one in four relied on medication alone, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.
Results from the annual National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) show that over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers were the most commonly used pharmacologic treatment and exercise was the most common choice among nonpharmacologic options.
The results also revealed that prescription opioid use for chronic pain decreased from 15.2% in 2019 to 13.5% in 2020. However, there was no corresponding increase in nonpharmacologic therapies, despite current CDC guidelines that recommend maximizing the use of medication alternatives.
(My question: Can cannabis and non-disclosed illegal drug purchases be making up the difference?)
"Public health efforts may reduce health inequities by increasing access to pain management therapies so that all persons with chronic pain can receive safe and effective care," S. Michaela Rikard, PhD, and colleagues write.
The findings were published online November 20 in a research letter in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Among 31,500 survey respondents, 7400 indicated that they had pain on most days or every day for the past 3 months.
The survey collected data on self-reported opioid prescriptions in the past 3 months, as well as prescription and nonprescription opiate use during the same time period.
Among adult respondents, 60% used a combination of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for pain and almost 27% used medications alone. Older adults, those with low incomes, uninsured individuals, and those living in the South were among those least likely to turn to nonpharmacologic treatment for pain.
After exercise, complementary therapies were the most commonly used nonpharmacologic options, including massage, meditation or guided imagery, and spinal manipulation or other forms of chiropractic care.
For those taking medications, 76% self-reported using OTC pain relievers for pain, followed by prescription nonopioids (31%) and prescription opioids (13.5%).
Of those who used both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies, about half reported nonopioid and nonpharmacologic therapy use and 8% reported combined use of opioids, nonopioids, and nonpharmacologic therapy.
After adjustment for multiple factors, investigators found those who were older, had public insurance, or had more severe pain were more likely to use prescription opioids. They also reported severe pain (22%), but 4% reported only mild pain.
Study limitations included generalizability only to noninstitutionalized civilian adults, potential recall bias, and cross-sectional results that do not include patient or treatment history.
"Despite its limitations, this study identifies opportunities to improve guideline-concordant use of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies among adults with chronic pain," the authors write.
W. Gifford-Jones, MD and Diana Gifford-Jones Dec. 2023
BIOFLEX Wave Alternative Medicine Makes a Good Gift
What’s the gift we’d like to have in stock for our readers this holiday season? It would be a healthy dose of common sense, and a reminder that not every health problem needs a medical solution. Unfortunately, few people open their minds when confronted with a swollen joint, an injury to the skin, back pain, broken bones, or even brain injuries. Yet, instead of costly, dangerous drugs that come with side effects, or surgical treatments that involve other risks, these are examples of problems that respond well to alternative forms of therapy.
Heal With The Power of Light
We have supported the use of light therapy for all the reasons given in this week's column, and you can read related articles here.
BIOFLEX is a renowned industry leader in light therapy technology. With over 30 years of experience designing laser systems for health care professionals,
BIOFLEX also offers home use systems, including the new
BIOFLEX Wave.
· BIOFLEX Wave offers easy to use and on the go light therapy systems:
· BIOFLEX Wave Zone XL: a full body red and near infrared panel for full emersion
· BIOFLEX Wave Zone: a targeted red and near infrared panel for zone specific treatment
· BIOFELX Wave Nano: a wearable light therapy pod for treatment on the go
· BIOFLEX Miniport: The most powerful light therapy system available
It's How You Respond to Stress That Matters
There's a story about a drunk who throws insults but is too inebriated to fight. Nothing happens to you if you ignore the person. But if you prepare to fight, you discharge hormones that increase heart rate and blood pressure, and the nervous system becomes on high alert. If you have coronary heart disease, you may suffer a fatal attack. Who then is the murderer? The drunk who never laid a hand on you? Or did you commit biological suicide? The moral of the story is that if you have poor cardio health, then you should think hard about how you react to stress.
W. Gifford-Jones, MD and Diana Gifford-Jones Dec. 2023
Can Thermal Biofeedback Reduce Pain and Anxiety?
Jake Remaly November 01, 2023
A novel handheld tool may hold promise for reducing anxiety and pain and improving sleep quality, according to research presented at Lifestyle Medicine 2023, the annual meeting of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine..
METHODOLOGY:
- Franklin Somchith Ly, a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, developed CalmStone, a product that assesses blood flow to the hand with an infrared temperature sensor and changes color as blood vessels expand during relaxation.
- Exercises such as intentional breathwork, visualization, and muscle relaxation change the color displayed by the device.
- Ly examined how measures of anxiety, sleep quality, and chronic pain changed after participants used the instrument. Ten participants completed a study assessing anxiety. Eight participants were enrolled in a sleep study where they completed biofeedback sessions before bed for 2 weeks, and 15 participants performed biofeedback twice daily and reported their levels of anxiety and pain.
TAKEAWAY:
- Anxiety scores decreased by about 22% on average (P < .001).
- Seven of the eight participants in the sleep study had improved scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, with an average improvement of nearly 30% (P < .05). Daytime dysfunction improved by 58% (P < .01).
- In the chronic pain study, about 60% of the 350 biofeedback sessions led to reduced pain.
IN PRACTICE:
"These portable devices may aid lifestyle management by alleviating anxiety, chronic pain, and enhancing daytime energy," Ly said. "The results support their integration into lifestyle medicine and integrative medicine."
SOURCE:
Ly presented the findings as a poster at Lifestyle Medicine 2023, which took place October 29 to November 1 in Denver, Colorado, and online.
LIMITATIONS:
The studies were open label and did not include control groups.
DISCLOSURES:
Ly is the founder of CalmStone, which markets a thermal biofeedback device. The research was supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Army Research Office and Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies.
honey
HONEY HEALTH BENEFITS
Manuka honey (MH) is a monofloral honey produced from the nectar of the manuka tree, Leptospermum scoparium, produced by bees that pollinate the flowers found on a manuka bush, a kind of tea tree. It is indigenous to New Zealand and parts of coastal Australia, but now produced globally. Manuka honey has antibacterial properties that benefit wound healing, cough relief, protection against ulcers, improved digestion, and even better oral health. A study of MH has demonstrated its ability to increase the effectiveness of 5-Fu.There was also found a satisfactory healing of the extraction socket following transalveolar extraction, in favor of the manuka honey study group.MH exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in the situation of type 2 skin inflammation. Read about Coffee & Honey under Health Notes
https://www.health.com/food/health-benefits-honeyHealth Benefits of Honey Learn about the health benefits of honey, how to select the best kind, and creative ways to add honey to meals, drinks, and snacks .By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor and counsels clients one-on-one through her virtual private practice. Cynthia is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics and has consulted for five professional sports teams, including five seasons with the New York Yankees. She is currently the nutrition consultant for UCLA's Executive Health program. Sass is also a three-time New York Times best-selling author and Certified Plant Based Professional Cook.
HEALTH'S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES Updated on December 13, 2023 Medically reviewed by Roxana Ehsani, RD IN THIS ARTICLE
- Helps Prevent and Treat Metabolic Syndrome
- Might Protect Against Antibiotic Resistance
- May Prevent Heart Disease
- Supports a Healthy Gut
- Nutrition
- Risks
- Tips for Consuming Honey
- A Quick Review
Honey is an all-natural and readily available option with many possible health benefits. Some evidence suggests that honey helps reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes and supports a healthy gut.12 Other research has found that honey might be a good alternative to antibiotics.3Honey comes from nectar, which flowers produce to attract bees to them. Bees suck the nectar from flowers and store it in their stomachs. Later, bees will pass the nectar to other bees through their mouths. As the bees pass the nectar, the sugary substance turns into honey. Then, the bees store the final product in honeycomb cells.4Read on to learn about the health-protective powers of honey, how to shop for the best varieties, and ways to add the sweetener to meals, snacks, and drinks. Helps Prevent and Treat Metabolic Syndrome Honey may help people with metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.15To be diagnosed with MetS, you must have at least three of five conditions:5
- A waistline between 35–40 inches
- High blood pressure
- High blood levels of triglycerides
- Low HDL ("good") cholesterol, which helps remove cholesterol from your arteries
- High blood sugar
Some evidence suggests that honey may prevent and manage MetS by:1
- Keeping blood sugar low: Honey has a lower glycemic index (GI) than sugar, so it does not trigger a spike in blood sugar and insulin levels. In contrast, honey helps enhance insulin sensitivity. Research has shown that honey can prevent weight gain if moderately consumed.
- Improving lipid metabolism: Honey lowers blood levels of triglycerides and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol. Too much total cholesterol can build up in the arteries, leading to heart problems.6
- Reducing oxidative stress: Honey's antioxidative properties help reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between cell-damaging free radicals and the body's ability to counter their harmful effects.7
May Prevent Heart Disease Honey contains over 180 substances, including natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Honey's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds help protect against atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. That buildup hardens over time and blocks blood flow to your body. Atherosclerosis is a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) if the buildup prevents blood flow to your heart. CAD raises the risk of angina and heart attack.9Might Protect Against Antibiotic Resistance Honey may act as an inexpensive alternative to antibiotics. A review published in 2020 found that honey helps improve cough frequency and severity compared to over-the-counter medicines and antibiotics. Concern over antimicrobial resistance, partly linked to overprescribing antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URIs), prompted the analysis.3 Antimicrobial resistance occurs when viruses, bacteria, or fungi stop responding to treatments. That's a great concern because it limits the treatment options for URIs and other infections.10A study published in 2017 found that honey may hold the key to curbing antimicrobial resistance. The researchers discovered that an antimicrobial compound from honeybees could become the basis for new antibiotics.11Supports a Healthy Gut A review published in 2017 found that honey possesses prebiotic properties.2 Prebiotics help ferment healthy gut bacteria. For example, Lactobacilli is a type of "good" bacteria that aids in breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. Some people use Lactobacilli to alleviate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, such as diarrhea.12 The researchers linked the effects of prebiotics to a strong immune system and enhanced mental well-being.2Nutrition of HoneyOne tablespoon of honey contains the following nutrients:13
- Calories: 63.8
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0.8mg
- Carbohydrates: 17.3g
- Fiber: 0.04g
- Added sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0.1g
Research has found that honey contains 31 minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Still, honey will not supply a large percentage of those nutrients in your diet.14 More research is needed to fully know the benefits of honey's complex makeup. Risks of Honey One of the best ways to learn about the makeup of your honey and how it's been handled: Talk to the beekeeper, for example, at your local farmer's market. Always read the ingredients to be sure the honey hasn't been cut with other additives. Research has found that buckwheat honey has one of the strongest antioxidant activity. Dark honey generally has better antioxidant activity than light varieties, except for goldenrod honey.15Of note: Never give honey to children under 12 months due to the risk of Clostridium botulinum spores. The bacteria can multiply in an infant's immature digestive system and cause serious illness.16Tips for Consuming Honey You can enjoy honey as is, straight from the spoon, or incorporate it into various recipes. To relish the tasty treat, try some of the following ideas:
- Use honey to sweeten tea and coffee, or whip it into a smoothie.
- Whisk honey into homemade vinaigrette dressings and sauces.
- Drizzle honey over oatmeal or overnight oats, pancakes, fresh fruit, chia seeds, or avocado pudding.
- Stir honey into energy balls made with a nut or seed butter and add-ins like oats, dried fruit, spices, and chopped dark chocolate.
- Use honey to make kale chips or to glaze carrots, beets, walnuts, or cashews.
You can trade sugar for honey in some baked goods. Replace one cup of sugar with one-half to two-thirds cup of honey, then reduce the liquid in the recipe. You can even use honey to sweeten cocktails. Try honey lime margaritas, honey-kissed cosmos, or bee's knees made from honey mixed with gin, ginger, and lemon juice. A Quick Review Honey has many beneficial properties, like treating infections, fighting metabolic syndrome, preventing artery hardening, and supporting a healthy gut. Honey may become an alternative to antibiotics. Honey also contains some nutrients and many different ways to enjoy it. Whether spooning it from the jar or adding it to your tea, honey can be a beneficial addition to your diet.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0765159721000071Science & Sports Volume 36, Issue 4, September 2021, Pages 272.e1-272.e10The health benefits of honey as an energy source with antioxidant, antibacterial and antiseptic links open overlay panelG. Ilia a b, V. Simulescu a b, P. Merghes c, N. Varan chttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.scispo.2020.10.005Get rights and contentIntroduction The main aim of the present review is to describe the advantages of using honey for general population and for athletes during endurance training, and to show its benefits as a healthy natural product, used as a huge energy source for human body.Conclusion Honey represents a sustainable and a natural food source which offers many advantages and health benefits through its antioxidant properties, antibacterial and antiseptic effects, as well as antifungal activity. Due to its properties and health benefits, an alternative medicine branch based on honey, called apitherapy, was developed during the last decades.Honey's applications for athletes and its effects during endurance performanceHoney, as an energizing mixture, helps athletes overcome fatigue and regain energy in a short period. It reduces significantly the recovery time. Honey was used by athletes, starting even from the very ancient times, at the Olympic Games in ancient Greece. In the “Iliad”, Homer mentioned that the Greek athletes recuperated faster by using honey. Nowadays, the Alpine climbers also eat honey as energy source. The physiological actions of honey as a carbohydrate source before or during enduranceConclusions For a long time in human history, honey was an important source of carbohydrates and the only widely available sweetener. On the account of the nutritional value (303 kcal/100 g honey) and fast carbohydrate absorption, honey is a food suitable for humans of every age. Simply, when orally consumed, its carbohydrates are easily digested and quickly transported into the blood and from there to the muscles where it is used for energy by the human body. Honey is highly nutritious, in addition tohttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286320300206Potential adverse effects of honeyHoney is harmless when taken in a moderate amount but it possesses a potential risk if taken in excess like any other food. There are not reported adverse effects of honey except when it is contaminated . Spore-forming bacteria can resist for over a year in honey at low temperature and risk of infant botulism was reported due to presence of spores of Clostridia botulinum There is also theoretical risk of rise in blood glucose levels in person with impaired fasting glucose or diabetics when consuming honey in large amount. In addition, high fructose intake associated with a low energy turnover could lead to a chronic intrahepatic trioses-phosphate overproduction, which is secondarily responsible for increased blood triglyceride concentrations and development of hepatic insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular diseases . Indeed, as previously mentioned, honey is actually considered beneficial on glycemic metabolism as it decreases the fasting serum glucose, increases the sting C-peptide and 2-h postprandial C-peptide. However larger sample sized, multi-center clinical controlled studies are required to reach a better understanding on the mechanisms and conclusions. Moreover, fructose, at the concentration in honey, should not cause harmful effects to health. A previous study reported that when replacing honey with refined carbohydrates that contain same amount of fructose, the hypertriglyceridemia effect of fructose was not observed when fructose was provided by honey Conclusions Honey is a natural product and a source of bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids with beneficial biological properties. Considerable experimental evidence suggest that honey may provide benefits in the obesity-related disorders, including improved glycemic control, lipid-lowering effects, reduction of the inflammatory state and oxidative stress, with consequent protection from endothelial dysfunction and neurodegeneration. Although optimal dose and supplementation time in humans have been established, honey has the potential to reduce the obesity-related complications. The mechanisms responsible for the health effects need to be better elucidated and well-designed, rigorously controlled studies on humans should be conducted before considering honey a functional food.
MULTIVITAMINS
For Memory & Lowering Mortality Risk in CRC
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916523489046
Multivitamin Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.011Get rights and content
Abstract: Maintenance of cognitive abilities is of critical importance to older adults, yet few effective strategies to slow cognitive decline currently exist. Multivitamin supplementation is used to promote general health; it is unclear whether it favorably affects cognition in older age.
Objectives: To examine the effect of daily multivitamin/multimineral supplementation on memory in older adults.
Conclusions: Daily multivitamin supplementation, compared with placebo, improves memory in older adults. Multivitamin supplementation holds promise as a safe and accessible approach to maintaining cognitive health in older age. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04582617.
Do Multivitamin Supplements Lower Mortality Risk in CRC?
Deepa Varma February 13, 2024
TOPLINE: Multivitamin supplements at a moderate dose appear to lower the risk for both all-cause and cancer-related mortality in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC); however, high doses of multivitamin supplements may increase the risk for CRC-specific mortality.
METHODOLOGY:
- Some studies suggest that multivitamin supplements might increase a person's risk for CRC, and other research indicates that certain components of multivitamins, such as vitamins C and D, may have anti-CRC properties.
- Because as many as half of CRC survivors take a multivitamin, researchers wanted to assess whether multivitamin use affects overall survival among people with CRC.
- In the current prospective cohort study, researchers evaluated the use and dose of multivitamin supplements in 2424 patients with stages I-III CRC, using detailed information from patients in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow‐Up Study.
- The participants completed a mailed questionnaire every 2 years, which included questions about the current use of multivitamin supplements as well as doses per week (0, 1-2, 3-5, 6-9, and ≥ 10 tablets).
- The researchers assessed the potential association between multivitamin use and CRC-related as well as all‐cause mortality.
TAKEAWAY:
- Over a median follow-up period of 11 years, 1512 deaths and 343 cancer-specific deaths occurred.
- For patients diagnosed with CRC, a moderate dose of multivitamins (three to five tablets per week) vs no multivitamin use was associated with a 45% lower risk for cancer-related mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.55; P = .005).
- Moderate multivitamin use was also associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality (aHR, 0.81; P = .04) as was a higher dose of six to nine tablets per week (aHR, 0.79; P < .001).
- However, high doses of 10 or more tablets per week were associated with a 60% higher risk for cancer-related mortality (aHR, 1.60; P = .02).
- IN PRACTICE: The study findings suggested that moderate multivitamin supplement use may come with a survival benefit in patients with CRC, while high doses may not, but "further studies are needed before making clinical recommendations for multivitamin use in patients with CRC," the authors said.
SOURCE: This work, led by Ming‐ming He of Sun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China, was published in Cancer.
LIMITATIONS: Given the study's observational design, residual confounding may be possible. Reverse causation and recall bias are also possible limitations.
DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, American Institute for Cancer Research, Wellesley College, Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute, and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Three study authors reported financial relationships outside this work.
PRUNES
Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit with Changing People's Lives for the Better
Scientists unlock bone-preserving power of prunes for postmenopausal health.
19 Feb 2024 --- Experts highlight that maintaining strong and healthy bones becomes increasingly important as women age. Several studies present prunes as a simple yet effective dietary solution, including recent research showing that incorporating prunes into daily diets can help preserve bone structure and strength in postmenopausal women, offering an easy strategy to mitigate bone loss associated with aging.
The study, published in Osteoporosis International and known as “The Prune Study,” included 183 postmenopausal women aged 55 to 75, spanned a period of 12 months and explored the effects of daily prune consumption on bone health. The results show that women who consumed prunes daily exhibited preserved measures of bone structure and estimated bone strength compared to those who did not include prunes in their diets.
“Prunes have a combination of minerals, vitamin K, phenolic compounds, fiber and anti-inflammatory properties that is unique among foods and, in fact, unique among fruit,” says Dr Mary Jane De Souza, lead author of the study and professor at Pennsylvania State University, US. “We’ve been studying prunes because their combination of nutrients seems to work together for a positive effect on bones.”
“While medication and hormone therapies can help women maintain their bone density and strength as they get older, these often require lifelong management and come with some risks — so learning about impactful dietary changes can be a great help.”
Postmenopausal benefits
The methodology of The Prune Study involved dividing participants into three groups: those following a no-prune diet, those consuming 50 grams of prunes daily and those consuming 100 grams of prunes daily. Over the course of the study, participants underwent peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scans every six months to assess bone health and changes.
The results revealed that participants who consumed at least 50 grams of prunes daily experienced significantly maintained bone strength in the shin bone (tibia), a critical indicator of overall bone health.
“Through these types of studies, it’s becoming clearer that different types of bones, and where they are found in the body, may impact our ability to maintain bone integrity, which is key to long-term bone health,” De Souza underscores. “While the hip and spine are typical areas to diagnose for osteoporosis/osteopenia, the three-dimensional pQCT scans offer an additional informative picture of bone.”
The authors spotlight that the study’s findings are particularly noteworthy for postmenopausal women, a demographic at increased risk of bone density loss. By regularly consuming prunes, individuals can potentially mitigate this risk and maintain bone health well into their later years. Moreover, prunes offer a natural alternative to medications and hormone therapies, providing a safe and accessible option for promoting bone health.
The study highlights benefits of prune consumption for postmenopausal women (Image Credit: California Prune Board).
“The approach taken in this study helps to get ahead of a bone disease diagnosis, and better pinpoint and manage specific changes to bone structure, density, and estimated strength,” De Souza adds.
Easily introduced
Leslie Bonci, a registered dietitian, highlights the ease of incorporating prunes into daily eating habits and offers practical tips for incorporating prunes into meals and snacks. She also emphasizes prunes’ versatility and delicious flavor profile, noting they can be added to yogurt for breakfast, paired with nuts for a satisfying snack or incorporated into savory dinner recipes.
“Eating prunes is an easy thing to do — they’re sweet and satisfying,” she explains. “They fly under the radar for many people, but if you’re looking to add a healthy habit to your day, a serving of prunes is under 100 calories and easy to include at breakfast or paired with an easy protein source as a snack.”
Moreover, Bonci and the study’s author point out that, beyond prunes’ impact on bone health, they have garnered attention for numerous health benefits. More than 70 published studies exploring the nutrient composition and health-promoting properties have established links to improved digestion, gut health, cardiovascular health, weight management and satiety.
Edited by William Bradford Nichols
Mint
Cool Our Mouths, Show Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, and Cardioprotective Benefits
Why Does Mint Make Our Mouths Feel Cold? Ask Paul
How chemistry tricks us into feeling like we’ve downed ice cream or a frosty drink.
By Paul Adams Published Mar. 27, 2024.
AVE
Bite into a fresh mint leaf and, in addition to the minty flavor, there’s a distinct cooling effect, like chilly water on your tongue. Mint-flavored gum and candies, even more so. How does that work?
Why Mint Makes Our Mouths Feel Cold
Mint works just like chile peppers do, tricking us into thinking we've eaten something hot or cold.
When you put a chile in your mouth, the compound capsaicin, which abounds in peppers, triggers particular receptors on your tongue. Known as TRPV1, these receptors are responsible for signaling when we’ve eaten something physically hot, like the first sip of tea.
But the shape of the capsaicin molecule allows it to activate the receptors, sending a “hot” message to our brains even though the stimulus is just chemical, not physical like heat. This phenomenon is known as chemesthesis.
Mint plants such as peppermint (Mentha piperita) produce menthol, a terpene compound with characteristic mint flavor. But, just as capsaicin activates TRPV1, menthol activates a neural receptor called TRPM8, which is primarily responsible for detecting cold temperatures. Menthol fools our tongues into sending a message to our brains saying “That’s icy cold!”
Why Mint Gum Makes Our Mouths Feel Especially Cold
Mint gum sometimes uses menthol for its cooling effect; or sometimes derivatives of menthol that pack a stronger cooling punch. Many such synthetic compounds were developed by the skin-care industry, to give a refreshing cool sensation to shaving creams and shampoos. (The most powerfully minty compound, icilin, is about 200 times more cool and refreshing than menthol. As far as I know, it's not used in any commercial products.)
Some gums and candies also add sugar derivatives known as sugar alcohols. These are low-calorie, low-glycemic-index sweeteners—but some of them, such as xylitol and erythritol, have a bonus effect. When they dissolve in the mouth, they absorb a significant amount of heat, producing a cooling sensation. Unlike menthol, though, the process of sugar alcohol crystals dissolving in water literally lowers the temperature of your mouth. Pretty cool!
Ask Paul Adams, senior science research editor, about culinary ambiguities, terms of art, and useful distinctions: paul@americastestkitchen.com
Systematic Review Shows that Peppermint Essential Oil (EO) and Extracts Have Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, and Cardioprotective Benefits
Date 01-31-2024 HC# 122311-729
Hudz N, Kobylinska L, Pokajewicz K, et al. Mentha × piperita: Essential oil and extracts, their biological activities, and perspectives on the development of new medicinal and cosmetic products. Molecules. November 2023;28(21):7444. doi: 10.3390/molecules28217444.
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita, Lamiaceae) is an aromatic and perennial herb. Native to Europe and cultivated in many parts of the world, peppermint is often consumed as a single-ingredient tisane. Studies have demonstrated antioxidant, antimicrobial, biopesticidal, antineoplastic, antiviral, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, and urease inhibitory properties of peppermint essential oil (EO) and extract. Historically, peppermint was used to mask the unpleasant taste of medicinal products. It was also used as a room deodorizer by spreading over floors to reduce the unpleasant odor of hard-packed soils. Nowadays, peppermint is most common in chewing gum, toothpaste, and other oral care products. Its chemical profile includes steroids, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, and phenolic acids. These authors systematically review the chemical profile, biological activities, and facets of standardization of peppermint EO and extracts. Additionally, the authors provide recommendations for new pharmaceutical products and herbal preparations of peppermint. The methodology was not disclosed.
Several studies examined the impact of plant hormones, fertilizers, and abiotic and biotic factors on EO composition.
Multiple studies evaluated the antioxidant properties of peppermint using different methods. For example, TPC and radical scavenging activity were evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test of four EOs of fresh herbs. Radical scavenging activity was highest in the peppermint and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus, Lamiaceae) EOs compared to spearmint and sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana, Lamiaceae).
Prooxidant and antioxidant activity was found to be dose-dependent and based on the chemical profile of the EO.
Several studies evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of peppermint. It was found that peppermint extracts and EO reduce proinflammatory cytokines, including total necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), interleukin (IL)-1b and IL-6, nitric oxide (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). A topical cream containing peppermint EO (0.5% per weight [w/w]) significantly improved wound healing, including epithelization, fibroblast population, and collagen deposition, in animals. Additionally, oral doses of peppermint EO (20 and 200 µL/kg) demonstrated anti-inflammatory benefits.
Antimicrobial and antiviral activities were reported using peppermint extracts and Eos.
In a human study, peppermint preparations demonstrated hypotensive, vasorelaxant, and antiplatelet activity.
The authors conclude that study results support the use of peppermint EO and extracts in the development of pharmaceuticals targeting pain and inflammation. Peppermint has demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and cardioprotective effects. Therefore, peppermint should be considered for future development of potent and safe stand-alone herbal products or combined with existing products. The authors note that nanotechnology may offer an effective and safe mechanism of delivery over chemically synthesized extracts.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
—Samaara Robbins
