Toxic chemicals found at high concentrations in fried and grilled meats may raise the risk of diabetes and dementia, researchers say. US scientists found that rodents raised on a Western-style diet rich in compounds called glycotoxins showed early signs of diabetes, along with brain changes and symptoms that are seen in Alzheimer’s disease. The findings matched what the researchers saw in a small number of older people, where those with higher levels of glycotoxins in their circulation had memory and other cognitive problems, and signs of insulin resistance, which precedes diabetes. The results are tentative, but if confirmed by other […]
Virtually every day, we’re all bombarded with advice about our diets. We’re told which foods to eat to have more energy, reduce our cholesterol, lower our chances of a heart attack, reduce our risk of getting cancer … yet once someone is diagnosed with cancer, these recommendations often fall by the wayside. Though defying both common sense and good science, some cancer patients are still hearing “eat whatever you want, you need to keep up your strength,” by their physicians. And, this holds true even when their dietary choices are loaded with saturated fats and refined sugars! At the Block […]
I’ve mentioned to you a few times how your heart and brain health are connected and that what’s good health practices for one benefits the other. That’s why, as a cardiologist, I also look for new research that benefits the brain as well as the heart. Recently, I came across some new research about Vitamin E that I’d like to pass on to you as it is especially helpful in protecting your memory. And the positive side effect is that it also benefits your heart! Is Your Memory Getting The Full Benefit of Vitamin E? You may not know this, but […]
The February 2014 issue of the journal Nutrition Research described the outcome of a trial conducted by Iranian researchers which revealed a benefit for cinnamon in men and women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease includes steatosis, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and can result in death if left untreated. The trial included fifty men and women between the ages of 20 and 65 years with NAFLD. Participants were randomized to receive two 750 milligram capsules of cinnamon or a placebo daily for twelve weeks. Blood samples collected before and after the treatment period were analyzed for […]
The greatest gift you have as a human being is your intelligence… your “brain power.” Your ability to reason, to solve problems and, most important, to remember – is what makes you the individual that you are.
Two flawed studies, a rehashed review, and an editorial published in the December 17th issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine have attempted to discredit the value of multivitamin supplements. Both of the studies were plagued by grievous methodological flaws. In one of the studies, subjects were given low-quality, low-potency multivitamin supplements. Treatment adherence rates and drop-out rates were horrendous in the studies. Nevertheless, mainstream sources are using these reprehensible studies to undermine dietary supplements. The first study examined the cognitive effects of low-potency multivitamin supplementation in aging male participants. Not surprisingly, the conclusions in the present analysis question the value of multivitamin benefits for cognition. In the other study, […]
Hair loss and thinning can occur as you get older, but it’s not really your age causing it – it’s more often the common nutritional deficiencies that can occur as you get older. And they can be remedied. Let me tell you how…
Although I’ve told my patients about the health benefits of bee propolis before, some recent research has shown its properties to be particularly useful to people over 50. So, I’d like to update some new findings about this simple bee product that has so many outstanding health benefits to humans.
A report published on December 9, 2013 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences explains how vitamin D, long suspected to play a role in the prevention of multiple sclerosis (MS), works to protect against the disease. Acting on the finding of previous research of a preventive benefit for vitamin D in a mouse model of MS, Anne R. Gocke, PhD, and her associates at Johns Hopkins University tested the effects of the bioactive form of vitamin D known as 1,25-dihyroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and found that administration of the vitamin prevented the animals from showing symptoms. They observed that immune system cells […]
Dear Sean, I drink about a dozen Mountain Dews during every shift…it’s my one addiction and I know it’s not healthy but I just can’t shake it. What do you recommend to wean myself? – Love My Caffeine