SIMPLE THINGS TO DO THAT MAINTAIN HEALTH - One

This week May 19, 2008 through May 24, 2008, we will be covering home remedies and health and nutrition tips that have been proven to work. Folk and traditional medicine have been dispensing advice for centuries that must be effective, because people are still practicing some of the techniques. Methods of treatment that didn’t work or, in some cases, actually did harm to the patient have gone into the dumper where they belong … at least in the more developed countries. Following are a few updated reports on old customs, such as fasting, I’ve run across in the last few days.

❑ MORE GOOD NEWS ABOUT WINE AND COFFEE

Giulio Pasinetti, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City, has released the results of a study that found that one to two 4-ounce glasses of red wine a day (Cabernet Sauvignon was used in the study) … or three cups of coffee a day can prevent the slow build-up of the damaging protein that kills brain cells. Another finding of the study: People who drink fruit and vegetable juices more than three times a week have a 76 percent lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

❑ AN ANCIENT TRADITION GETS ANOTHER LOOK

According to a recent presentation at American Heart Association conference made by Dr. Benjamin Horne, PhD, MPH, director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology, Intermountain Medical Center, in Murray, Utah, fasting once a month for a 24-hour period may reduce heart disease risk. He says his analysis of 4,600 patients shows that having nothing but water for a period of 24 hours allows the body to reset its metabolism and adjust its glucose and insulin sensitivities. A monthly fast for decades can have substantial benefits, including 40 percent lower risk for clogged arteries. Caution: People with chronic health conditions such as diabetes should not fast.

❑ ANOTHER REASON TO ENJOY EATING YOGURT

Yogurt may be good for your gums. A recent finding from Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan finds that people who consume 55 grams (about 2 ounces) of lactic acid, found in such foods as yogurt and yogurt drinks, were less likely to have severe periodontal disease than people who consumed no lactic acid foods. While further research is needed to confirm the findings, it certainly isn’t going to do any harm to eat a couple of ounces of yogurt a day. Yoshihiro Shimazaki, DDS, PhD, assistant professor and researcher surveyed 942 people and recently published his findings in the Journal of Periodontology.

❑ ANOTHER REASON TO AVOID DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE

A recent report published in the Archives of Dermatology by Stuart Reece, MD, University of Queensland Medical School, Brisbane, Australia, says that people with drug abuse problems are twice as likely to turn prematurely gray as people who do not overindulge. Along with illegal drugs, alcohol also damages the production process of melanocytes, the cells that give hair its color.

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Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

Comments

[bookpublisher]

This is so true, and why I started drinking yakult - the folks at the japanese university are definitely on to something.

Best,
Dan Harris

[Timothy W.]

This is so true that our whole health is maintained/built up by these "little daily self-care practices!" I am so surprised by the studies that have found drinking three cups of coffee a day may actually prevent the slow build-up of the protein molecules that kills the normal brain cells!

Best Regards,
Timothy W.