The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is the peer-reviewed journal of international reference in the field of nutrition. In its latest issue, of November, it published an article which demonstrated that non-fat milk products can reduce the risk of hypertension by 50%, while nevertheless there is no appreciable connection between that disease and the consumption of whole milk.
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The research was carried out by a team of researchers from the University of Navarra and Ãlvaro Alonso, currently a researcher in the School of Public Health at Harvard University who is the lead author of the article.
Research population of 6,000 persons
This was a study which evaluated the relationship between the consumption of milk products and the risk of developing arterial hypertension.
They performed a research project that followed 6,000 people over the course of two years.
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Those persons with an elevated consumption of skimmed milk and milk products showed a reduction of 50% in their risk of developing hypertension, compared with those with a low consumption or who did not consume these products. Nevertheless, no relationship was encountered between the consumption of whole milk products and the risk of hypertension.
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These results can contribute to a clearer definition of dietary guidelines for the prevention of arterial hypertension. In particular, although data from prior studies indicated a possible preventative role of lactose products in the development of arterial hypertension, these results have been the first to demonstrate that this association exists in adults.
Elhuyar Fundazioa
Tags: Health
Thai curry has an absolutely amazing combination of flavors in it, and you can make it as spicy or as mild as you would like by adding less or more of the curry. You can buy Thai curry paste in most supermarkets, or you can look in Asian markets if you can’t find it anywhere else. Thai curry is great served with jasmine rice as this type of rice cools and compliments the flavors found in the curry. Also serve with a green vegetable, such as broccoli or green beans.
photo credit: Kelly Sue
Vegetable oil 1tbsp
Red curry paste 4tsp
Boneless chicken breasts (skinned) 4
Onion, chopped 1
Sweet red pepper, cut into stips 1
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Coconut milk 1 cup
Fish sauce (if unavailable, use soy sauce) 2 tbsp
Fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp
In a large pan or skillet, heat oil over high heat and stir fry curry paste for about 30 seconds
Add chicken and stir fry for approximately 3 minutes. Stir in onion and fry for a minute. Next, add the red pepper and the lemon rind and continue to stir fry for another minute, or until the onion is see through and soft. Then stir in your coconut milk, fish sauce and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Continue cooking for a few more minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Serves 4.
photo credit: magerleagues
Additional information
1. It’s a good idea to have all of your ingredients cut up before hand, because of the quickness of cooking this dish. If you already have your ingredients cut up before hand you can just toss them in and not have to worry about burning anything
2. Since coconut milk is very high in fat, you can purchase light coconut milk as a substitute if you would prefer a lighter dish. However, if light coconut milk is unavailable, you can mix half a cup of coconut milk and half a cup of water together to make you own version of the light alternative.
Per Serving (made with light coconut milk)
Calories 251
Protein 34g
Fat 9g
Carbohydrates 9g
Fiber 1g
Sodium 478mg
Tags: Health
Milk thistle has been used in Europe for over 2000 years for the treatment of liver problems. It is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and has been naturalized to Australia and California. Milk thistle has been used for the treatment of liver disease such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver poisoning, and viral hepatitis. It helps regulate blood sugar, fat metabolism and helps with the excretion of certain hormones. It’s been known to help with acne, constipation, crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. The liver produces bile and milk thistle helps in the production of bile which metabolizes fats in the small intestines.
photo credit: AGRR 4059
Milk thistle can help with atherosclerosis, gallstones, high cholesterol, iron overload, and some forms of cancer. Milk thistle helps the liver convert LDL cholesterol (Bad cholesterol) into HDL cholesterol (Good cholesterol), and milk thistle helps the liver reduce the amount of cholesterol in the bile which is dumped directly into the intestines where it can be reabsorb. Reducing the cholesterol in bile will help lower the chances of forming gallstones.
Milk thistle can help with some forms of cancer related to the hormone estrogen. Laboratory experiments demonstrated silybin, the active ingredient in milk thistle, will fight for estrogen receptor sites and block the estrogen that is in the body from landing on cancer cells. Milk thistle would be a good preventative herb for those at risk for breast cancer and cancers stimulated by estrogen.
Milk thistle in large doses has shown to protect the kidneys from damage during chemotherapy. A study done with mice given milk thistle in very large doses equivalent to 30grams per 110 pounds in adults completely shielded the kidneys from damage during chemotherapy. The two drugs used were doxorubicin and cisplatin; milk thistle actually increased the effectiveness of these two drugs. With liver cancer, milk thistle will protect a special immune system cell called kuppfer cells which destroys bacteria, toxins, and other foreign matter that enters the liver. Milk thistle has also shown to help fight prostate cancer.
Milk thistle can help the liver become less insulin resistant which would be a benefit for diabetics. The liver helps remove insulin from the blood stream with type 2 diabetes and can help with diabetes caused by liver damage from excess alcohol drinking. When there is excess insulin in the blood stream weight gain can occur, milk thistle can help fight weight gain by helping the liver remove insulin from the blood.
Milk thistle is best used with phosphatidylcholine, when taken together can boost the absorption by 95% that means more of the milk thistle makes it into the blood stream then with out phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is also known as soy lecithin which can be picked up at any health food store. If you are currently a diabetic, you should monitor your blood sugar carefully while you on milk thistle. Women who are using the birth control pill should not take milk thistle because it helps the liver remove hormones from the blood stream and may render the birth control pill ineffective. Anybody who starts taking milk thistle might experience loose bowels because gallbladder activity will increase, but after a few days this will subside.
The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease please consult your health care physician before discontinuing medication or introducing herbs into your diet if you are currently on medication of any kind.
Tags: Health
What Is Milk Thistle?
Healers have used the prickly Milk Thistle plant to treat liver ailments for more than 2,000 years. Somehow these early practitioners figured out that preparations of this purple-flowered member of the sunflower family could stimulate the flow of bile from the liver, improving digestion and various liver-related ills.
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Interestingly, bile and other bodily fluids, also known as humors, were once associated with different personality types. Because it was thought that black bile was inherent to a melancholic nature, Milk Thistlewas prescribed for treating depression and melancholy (which actually means black bile). Today, the word biliousness and the phrase having excess bile are still used to describe negative personality traits.
While Milk Thistle is no longer seen as a remedy for melancholy, hundreds of medical studies have substantiated the fact that the herb does indeed protect and heal the liver. European physicians currently consider Milk Thistle a mainstay for liver disorders ranging from hepatitis to cirrhosis. But even though a 19th-century American medical group called the Eclectics prescribed Milk Thistle for liver ailments, it has never been widely used in the U.S. for healing purposes.
Milk Thistle grows throughout the world (including North America) in both cultivated and wild form. Many sources refer to the herb, by its botanical name, Silybum marianum, as well as by its active compounds, collectively known as silymarin. Concentrated stores of silymarin are found in the herbs shiny black fruits (seeds), which are typically collected at summers end.
Health Benefits of Milk Thistle:
Although most widely associated with liver complaints, Milk Thistle is also being examined for treating a variety of other disorders, from gallstones and high cholesterol to skin cancers and allergy symptoms. As a potent antioxidant, the versatile milk thistle extract helps prevent highly reactive oxygen molecules called free radicals from damaging cells throughout the body, but especially in the liver, stomach, and intestines.
An injectable form of Milk Thistle is a powerful antidote to mushroom poisoning. And the oral extract shows promise for minimizing chemotherapy-associated liver damage. This is a function of the herbs antioxidant actions as well as its ability to accelerate the excretion of toxic compounds that can accumulate in the body.
Specifically, Milk Thistle may help to:
Treat acute and chronic liver disease. Milk Thistle cleanses and therefore fortifies the liver, a vital organ responsible for processing everything from nutrients in foods to medications and chemical pollutants. The herb partly accomplishes this task by preventing a reduction in concentrations of glutathione, an amino-acidlike compound that is critical to neutralizing toxins. Some studies indicate that Milk Thistle can actually increase glutathione levels by as much as 35%.
In addition, silymarin alters the outer membrane of liver cells in such a way that toxins are barred from entering. It even encourages the formation of new, healthier liver cells to replace old, damaged ones. Various types of liver damage benefit from these remarkable properties, and the herb has repeatedly demonstrated its power to do so.
In the largest trial to date specifically studying the use of Milk Thistle for chronic liver disease, more than 2,500 people suffering from this condition showed improvement in their liver function tests when taking the extract. Many also reported that they felt better. People with an acute form of liver disease–acute viral hepatitis–also stand to benefit from milk thistle. In a double-blind study reported in 1998, the extract improved the results of liver function tests, speeded recovery, and reduced the length of hospital stays as compared with a placebo.
Treat alcohol-related liver problems. Excessive alcohol intake depletes the amount of toxin-neutralizing glutathione in the liver and can cause severe scarring and dysfunction, a condition called cirrhosis. Milk Thistle not only boosts glutathione levels, it also helps to actually repair the liver by promoting the growth of new cells in this large and vital organ.
An important 1989 trial of patients with chronic alcoholic hepatitis is frequently cited to demonstrate the extracts powers. In the study, liver function test results returned to normal and overall liver health improved over six months in those who took Milk Thistle instead of a placebo.
Control psoriasis. The herb has anti-inflammatory properties that may be useful for keeping the charasteristic psoriasis rash in check and for slowing the proliferation of abnormal skin cells.
For more details:Milk Thistle
Tags: Health
Apple is making headlines with the new iPhone 3G, and the academic world is seeing some opportunities for business case studies.
The iPhone 3G has built-in GPS for expanded location-based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software with support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. It can run hundreds of third-party applications built with the recently released iPhone software developers kit.
Quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA provide voice and Internet connectivity around the world. The iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them. It also makes multitasking easier with simultaneous voice and data communications, so users can browse the Web, get map directions, or check e-mail while on a call.
Appeasing the Enterprise
To compete with the Blackberry, the iPhone 3G includes, besides Microsoft Exchange support, contact and calendar syncing, remote wipe, and Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to corporate networks.
Fareena Sultan, a digital-marketing professor at Northeastern University’s business school, said with features such as 3G, enterprise support, third-party applications and availability in more countries, the iPhone can better appease the enterprise customer.
“This could enable Apple to challenge the Blackberry market more aggressively,” Sultan said. “Also, more third-party applications could help soften the impact of the Android initiative from Google and the Open Handset Alliance.”
Gloria Barczak, chairperson of the marketing department at Northeastern, said Apple’s additions of 3G technology and GPS are the right moves to gain market share in the enterprise market.
She said download speed was a notable deficiency in the original iPhone and slowed enterprise adoption of the product. But the lower pricing may do the most for consumer adoption, she added.
Appeasing the Consumer Market
In the U.S. the iPhone 3G is priced at $199 for the 8GB model and $299 for the 16GB model. The phone goes on sale in the U.S. on July 11.
“The big…
Tags: Technology
