Enviro Nutrients Update

Will Eating Whole Grains Reduce The Risk Of Disease?

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm059088.htm

Experts in the fields of nutrition and diet constantly tell us to eat whole grains and to eat more of them. Why? Whole grains are excellent sources of fiber and other important nutrients, such as selenium, potassium, and magnesium.(1)

What Are Whole Grains?
According to the FDA, a whole grain food is cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components - the starchy endosperm, germ and bran - are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact caryopsis.(2) In other words, the grains are whole and not refined. Some examples of whole grains include: wheat, wild rice, oats, rye, corn (including popcorn), barley, quinoa, and millet. See: Anatomy of a Whole Grain

How Much Whole Grain Should We Eat?
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating at least three or more one-ounce equivalents of whole grains daily. Examples of one-ounce equivalents include:

* 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
* 1/2 cup cooked 100% whole-grain pasta
* 1/2 cup cooked brown rice or whole-grain barley
* 1 regular slice of 100% whole-grain bread
* 1 cup of whole-grain ready-to-eat cereal (flakes or rounds) or 1¼ cup puffed

Can Eating Whole Grains Reduce The Risk Of Disease?
Eating at least three one-ounce equivalents of whole grains per day can reduce the risk of several chronic diseases.(3) Eating whole grains has been related to a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers.(4) In a 2002 study, consumption of whole grains, but not refined grains, was found to be associated with lower fasting insulin concentrations.(5) This effect as well as improved insulin sensitivity was noticeably more pronounced among obese and hyperinsulinemic subjects, suggesting whole grain consumption to be an important component of reducing risk factors for type II diabetes.[6] Consumption of whole grains has also been consistently linked with a significant decrease in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Regular whole grain consumption lowers LDL and triglyceride levels, which contributes to an overall 26% reduction in coronary heart disease risk factors. In addition, whole grain consumption is inversely related to hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, all of which are factors in total risk for cardiovascular disease.[7]

Change The Health Care System
Health is a choice - not a right. Want to change the health care system in America? Choose to eat whole grains and whole foods. As stated above, eating whole grains can reduce risk factors for heart disease, cancers, and type II diabetes. Eating right and getting the right nutrition could possibly lower the number of patients admitted into the health care system for treatment and also create a better, more enjoyable life. Vibrant health gives a more rewarding life.

Source:
(1)http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-grains/NU00204
(2)http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm059088.htm
(3)http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm151902.htm
(4)FDA Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA)Section 403(r)(3)(C) of the Act (21 U.S.C. 343 (r)(3)(C))
(5)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_grain
(6)[http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/76/2/390 "Whole-grain intake is favorably associated with metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the Framingham Offspring Study"]. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/76/2/390. Retrieved on 2009-03-30.
(7)"Whole Grain Foods and Heart Disease Risk". http://www.jacn.org/cgi/reprint/19/suppl_3/291S. Retrieved on 2009-03-29.

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

Task Force: Take Folic Acid

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf09/folicacid/folicacidrs.htm

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has updated its 1996 recommendation that all women planning or capable of pregnancy take a daily supplement containing 0.4 to 0.8 mg (400 to 800 µg) of folic acid. (A recommendation) The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on folic acid supplementation in women of childbearing age published since its previous review. The USPSTF did not review evidence on folic acid food fortification, counseling to increase dietary intake or screening for neural tube defects.

The recommendation is published in the May 5 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine and is available on the AHRQ Web site at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsnrfol.htm.

What is Folic Acid and Why is it Important?
Folic Acid is important to numerous body functions. It is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth. Both adults and children require folic acid to produce healthy red blood cells and prevent anemia.(1) There is also a link between insufficient folate or folic acid and neural tube defects. One of the reasons pregnant mothers are warned against drinking alcohol during pregnancy stems from the fact that alcoholism is associated with low dietary intake and diminished absorption of folate, which can lead to folate deficiency.(2)

What Whole Foods Contain Folic Acid?
Folate is the naturally-ocurring form of folic acid and is found in leafy vegetables, certain fruits, and other vegetables. Lettuces, asparagus, turnip greens, and spinach are all rich sources of folate. Other great sources are dried or fresh peas and beans, sunflower seeds, and orange juice.

Are There Other Sources Of Folic Acid?
Yes. In the U.S. and a few other countries, flour is fortified with folic acid. Therefore, breads are a good source. However, with today's dietary trends, many people do not eat bread. Other sources of folic acid are cooked pasta and cooked rice. Dietary supplements also supply folic acid, usually at the RDA of 400 mcg.

Sources
(1) www.wikipedia.org
(2) Linus Pauling Institute http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/fa/

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

The Burden of Digestive Diseases

http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/AboutNIDDK/ReportsAndStrategicPlanning/BurdenofDisease/DigestiveDiseases

In 1994, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored a publication “Digestive Diseases: Epidemiology and Impact. In 2008, the NIH felt that the time was right to generate a new report to capture the impact of digestive diseases in the United States. The time was right because of the continuing changes and prevalence of digestive diseases, important changes in healthcare, and the availability of new statistical resources.

In 2004, there were 236,000 deaths in the United States with a digestive disease as the underlying cause, which represented 9.8% of all deaths. Summary data for individual digestive diseases are shown in the report, but there were five diseases that caused more than 10,000 deaths each. These were liver disease and four cancers, led by colorectal cancer. Close examination of this report will reveal many interesting and provocative pieces of statistical information about trends in various digestive diseases.

In addition, the Fiscal 2005 appropriations bills called for the creation of a National Commission on Digestive Diseases and tasked it with addressing the burden of digestive diseases and developing a long-range research plan. The research plan can be accessed at http://NCDD.niddk.nih.gov.

The complete report, ‘The Burden of Digestive Diseases’, can be accessed here at NIDDK’s website.

Source: [Author(s). Chapter title. In:] Everhardt JE, editor. The burden of digestive diseases in the United States. US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 2008; NIH Publication No. 09-6443 [pp. - ].

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

New Blog: Phyto Viands

http://environutrients.com/blog4.php

Healthy. Gourmet. Delivered

A New Blog to make it easier to get the whole foods you need - without the hassle.

* Superior Nutrition
* Fresh Flavors
* Simple Convenience

Now, get your whole foods already prepared: No selecting, buying, cleaning, preparing. All of this is already done for you. The ingredients are carefully selected for their nutrition, taste, and convenience. Everything is organic or natural and based on simple whole foods - without preservatives or additives. Go directly to the website.

Doesn't that sound great? I will be searching to find companies that provide nutritious meals or individual dishes made with whole foods which are already prepared and ready-to-cook. As I find them, I will inform you on the blog: Phyto Viands. Phyto means plant and Viands means food. Whole foods of course, come from plants. To visit the blog for my report on the first company, click the link above.

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

Bioavailable: What Does It Mean? Why Is It Important?

http://www.environutrients.com/bioavailable.html

The National Cancer Institute states that bioavailable is: "The ability of a drug or other substance to be absorbed and used by the body. Orally bioavailable means that a drug or other substance that is taken by mouth can be absorbed and used by the body."

From the standpoint of nutrition, bioavailable means that our digestive system will be able to extract nutrients from the product in a form that can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Why Is This Important? This is important from a nutrition standpoint in that, the body gets more of the available nutrients if the supplement is in liquid form. Most nutrition supplements are in a pill form. According to the Physicians Desk Reference (Page 1542, #49), 85-90% of nutrients in liquid supplements are absorbed within 22-30 seconds. In pill form, it takes four hours and then only 10-20% of the nutrients are absorbed into the body.

So What Does This Mean? With the average absorption rate of 15%, this means that for every $100 you spend for pill supplements, $85 goes into the toilet. Also, you are not getting the healthy, nutritional supplementation that you thought you were. Nutrients in liquid form have a 98% absorption rate. This is also good news for people with digestive problems because much of the fillers in pills is never digested.

Learn More About Nutrition: www.FDA.gov. AlsoPhysicians Desk Reference

Learn More About Bioavailability: www.answers.com/topic/bioavailability

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

Acute Stress Affects Financial Decision Making

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/media

News Release
April 1, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Barbara Isanski
Association for Psychological Science
202.293.9300
bisanski@psychologicalscience.org
From Stress to Financial Mess: Study Suggests Acute Stress Affects Financial Decision Making
It is not surprising that as our economy continues its freefall, we are feeling increasingly more stressed and worried. Many of us are feeling extreme unease about the security of our jobs and being able to make our next mortgage payment. However, according to new a report in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, stress could make our financial troubles even worse.
The study, conducted by psychologists Anthony J. Porcelli and Mauricio R. Delgado of Rutgers University, reveals that acute stress affects risk taking during financial decision making. A group of volunteers chose between various financial gambles after being asked to immerse their hand for a period of time in either ice-cold (used to induce stress) or room-temperature (no-stress) water. Some of the choices were risky (less likely but with a high payout) and others conservative (more likely but with a lower value).
The results were consistent with a phenomenon known as the reflection effect — we tend to show increased conservatism when choosing between two potentially positive outcomes, but increase our risky behavior when choosing between two gambles that result in a loss. However, this study suggests that stress exaggerates this effect; while exposed to stress volunteers were more conservative when choosing between potentially positive outcomes and were riskier when choosing between gambles that could result in a loss.
The researchers propose that under stressful conditions, we fall back on automatic, lower-level thought processes and we “are less able to utilize more rational and deliberative thinking to assist in making decisions.” They also note that these findings have implications for understanding how our environment might influence decision making. In financial decision making, where rational and deliberative thinking is essential, a stressful environment might hamper our ability to make decisions.
###
For more information about this study, please contact: Mauricio R. Delgado (delgado@psychology.rutgers.edu) and Anthony J. Porcelli (aporcell@psychology.rutgers.edu)
Psychological Science is ranked among the top 10 general psychology journals for impact by the Institute for Scientific Information. For a copy of the article "Acute Stress Modulates Risk Taking in Financial Decision Making" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Barbara Isanski at 202-293-9300 or bisanski@psychologicalscience.org.

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

LegaSea: Since The Dawn of Mankind

http://www.6321184.myforevergreen.org

Tom Harper made history while creating his legacy by making the first and oldest food on earth, marine phytoplankton, available to mankind for the first time in history.

What is amazing about marine phytoplankton is that it is FIRST . . . the first food on earth . . . Tom Harper's first sea farm of its kind on earth . . . and ForeverGreen is the first to market it exclusively!

Marine phytoplankton is BEST . . . it is the base of the plant kingdom, in, and out of the ocean . . .NASA declared that it is a major source of our oxygen. . . and we now know that many whales live on marine phytoplankton 100, even 200 years, while enjoying a healthy love life.

Lastly, marine phytoplankton is the FINAL say in health and wellness. It has 400 times the energy of any known plant, evidenced by it's nutritional analysis! In essence, marine phytoplankton is a "checkmate" in the world of health. It doesn't get any better!

It was out of necessity that the legacy was discovered. Tom Harper was given weeks to months to live. Today, Tom lives to tell his story. Already, upon hearing Tom's story, the demand around the world is becoming overwhelming.

Enjoy the LegaSea products exclusively which all contain the FIRST, BEST, FINAL say in health and wellness. . . marine phytoplankton. Click the link at the top of this article.

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.

FDA Uncovers Additional Tainted Weight-Loss Products. The list now includes 72 Products Total

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW01977.html

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding, for the second time, its nationwide alert to consumers about tainted weight loss products containing undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients.

“These tainted weight loss products pose a great risk to public health because they contain undeclared ingredients and, in some cases, contain prescription drugs in amounts that greatly exceed maximum recommended dosages,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Consumers have no way of knowing that these products contain dangerous drugs that could cause serious consequences to their health.”

The products on the list, some of which are marketed as dietary supplements, are promoted and sold on various Web sites and in some retail stores and beauty salons. Some of the products claim to be “natural” or to contain only “herbal” ingredients, but actually contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the products' labels or in promotional advertisements. These products have not been approved by the FDA, are illegal, and include the following undeclared active pharmaceutical ingredients:

* sibutramine (an appetite suppressant available by prescription only and a controlled substance)
* fenproporex – a controlled substance not approved for marketing in the United States;
* fluoxetine – an antidepressant available by prescription only;
* bumetanide – a potent diuretic available by prescription only;
* furosemide – a potent diuretic available by prescription only;
* rimonabant – a drug not approved for marketing in the United States;
* cetilistat – an experimental obesity drug not approved for marketing in the United States;
* phenytoin – an anti-seizure medication available by prescription only; and
* phenolphthalein – a solution used in chemical experiments and a suspected cancer-causing agent that is not approved for marketing in the United States.

The FDA has inspected a number of companies associated with the sale of these illegal products and is currently seeking product recalls. Based on the FDA’s inspections and the companies’ inadequate responses to recall requests, the FDA may take additional enforcement steps, such as issuing warning letters or initiating seizures, injunctions, or criminal charges.

Click on the link above to see all 72 products and to learn more about the side effects.

This is another reason to always only use Whole Food Supplements like FrequenSea.

Original post blogged on Enviro Nutrients.