April 29, 2015

Are Natural Weight Loss Products Safe? Part 3: Bitter Orange

By Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, LDN The active component in Nature’s Way Bitter Orange product has been studied with interest for its role in weight loss, and despite much caution with regards to side effects, has proven relatively safe in some animal and human research. ­­­­The product has shown some efficacy for modest weight loss and has made its way onto the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list when consumed as a food (peel, flower or leaf). However, when taking the extract which acts like a stimulant to the sympathetic nervous system, or the body’s fight-or-flight system, there are some […]
April 29, 2015

Try These Cancer-Preventing Foods

Cancer is responsible for 1 out of every 4 deaths in the U.S.A. One of the best cancer-prevention tools for health is eating the right foods, but finding the motivation to eat right sometimes alludes us until we, or someone we love, is faced with a deadly disease. Garlic, produces sulfur compounds and allicin. Sulfur compounds detoxify the body and help prevent cancer. Allicin thins the blood and reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. It’s best to eat garlic after it has been crushed so that these cancer-fighting compounds can form. Dried garlic or roasted garlic doesn’t […]
April 28, 2015

Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid Improve Memory

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of an analysis of a trial which found that supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B12 improved immediate and delayed memory in older men and women. The study analyzed data from a trial of 900 participants with elevated psychological distress who received 400 micrograms of folic acid plus 100 micrograms vitamin B12, or a placebo for two years. Cognitive function was assessed at the beginning of the study and at 12 and 24 months. While orientation, attention, verbal memory and processing speed remained unchanged, greater improvements from baseline in immediate and delayed recall […]
April 28, 2015

Diet Pepsi Dumps Aspartame, Good News?

The people have spoken. Diet Pepsi recently announced that they are dropping aspartame from its list of ingredients and replacing it with sucralose—but is this a good thing? With sales down 5% and a public more wary of aspartame, PepsiCo is making the change. An exhaustive number of studies have been done over the last 20-plus years that weigh in on both sides of the aspartame safety issue. Apparently, the public does not believe that aspartame is safe. Dr. Joseph Mercola has been blasting aspartame for the past 17 years, sounding the alarm about its harmful effecs. In fact, he […]
April 28, 2015

Apple Polyphenols and Longevity

In the last year alone, scientists from three different laboratories have published studies that demonstrate how polyphenol molecules derived from apples extend life span in various species by as much as 12%. These researchers are unraveling the various mechanisms of action that give apple polyphenols such promise as anti-aging nutrients. Initial findings show that apple polyphenols modulate multiple signaling molecules to delay the onset of age-related disorders. They may also mimic the actions of calorie restriction, a known antiaging technique. One polyphenol, phloridzin, which is heavily concentrated in the skin of the apple, also potently suppresses several processes leading to glycation, […]
April 21, 2015

Broccoli Sprout Extract Shows Promise For Cancer Prevention

Findings from research reported at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Philadelphia reveal a protective effect for an extract of broccoli sprouts against oral cancer. The sprouts are high in sulforaphane, a compound that occurs in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables whose intake has been associated with protection against environmental carcinogens and several cancers. Acting on positive findings in mice predisposed to the disease, Julie Bauman, MD, MPH, and her associates at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute tested the effect of broccoli sprout extract in ten healthy human volunteers. The extract was well tolerated and was associated […]
April 21, 2015

Diet Soda and Your Belly: The Dangerous Link

You go to the gym several days a week trying to get rid of that unsightly belly fat that seems to have taken up permanent residence on your lap.  After a good workout, you pass by the soda machines and grab a diet soda on the way out the door.  You’re thirsty and you want something cold and sweet with a little kick to it.  But what you don’t know is that drinking diet soda is negating your belly-blasting workout.  It may also be setting you up for further serious disease as well.  How could that be, you ask? Well, […]
April 14, 2015

Foods That Safely Reduce Blood Glucose

As we age, one of our priorities is maintaining optimal glucose levels to avoid heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Fortunately, many Life Extension® members use supplements, hormones, and drugs to improve their insulin sensitivity, which facilitates the more efficient removal of glucose from the blood. Less well-known, however, is the fact that there are certain foods proven to decrease blood sugar levels! Specifically, barley and black beans have been extensively studied for their ability to maintain glycemic control. In this article, you will learn how these two foods have been shown to lower  blood sugar and inhibit diabetes and other glycemic-stress-related problems such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. Including these two glucose-lowering foods […]