Tag Archives: mineral

Prostate cancer’s penchant for copper may be a fatal flaw

Researchers at Duke Medicine have found a way to kill prostate cancer cells by delivering a trove of copper along with a drug that selectively destroys the diseased cells brimming with the mineral, leaving non-cancer cells healthy. The combination approach, which uses two drugs already commercially available for other uses, could soon be tested in clinical trials among patients with late-stage disease. …

The best foods for fertility

Many women dream of becoming mothers but few think about infertility until it affects them. According the Center for Disease Control, more than 7.4 million women have used fertility services. Diet is an often-overlooked component of fertility.  The right combination of treatments and following a proper fertility diet could increase a woman’s chances of achieving conception. Eliminate processed foods and choos natural, organic products whenever possible. To cut down on the number of toxins and hormones ingested, chose proteins from organic, grass-fed and pastured animals as often as you can. Certain vitamins and minerals might help a woman’s body prepare for conception. A good fertility diet is high in foods containing these five key components: Healthy fats Healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, may improve fertility by regulating hormones, increasing cervical fluid and promoting ovulation. A study published by the National Institute of Health found that women suffering from infertility had lower levels of omega-3s. There are 3 different types of omega 3 fats: ALA (alpha-linoleic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenioc) and DHA (docosahexaenioc acid). Good sources of plant-based ALA include hemp, flaxseeds or flax oil and walnuts. EPA and DHA are both animal-based and can be found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, trout, tuna and cod as well as in egg yolks. Beef that has been pasture-raised is also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D This fat-soluble vitamin helps support the production of estrogen and assists in regulating cell growth. Wild-caught fish, especially the fatty ones listed above, butter from grass-fed cows and pastured eggs are all good sources and are easy to incorporate into your diet. Other sometimes overlooked foods include organ meats (preferably from organic, pastured animals), oysters, fish roe and cod liver oil. Vitamin A This is an essential, fat-soluble vitamin that can help follicles develop and also improve cervical fluid. There are two groups of vitamin A: retinols and carotenoids. Retinols are found in animal products including beef liver, organic butter and cream, cod liver oil and eggs from pastured chickens. Beta-carotene is found in plant foods and more of it is required to obtain the same amount of usable vitamin A. The best sources of beta-carotene are carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach and collard greens. Vitamin E Vitamin E assists in the proper absorption of other fat-soluble vitamins and may further help fertility by normalizing hormone production. Butter from grass-fed cows, organ meats, sunflower seeds, almonds, dark leafy green vegetables, unrefined olive oil and pastured eggs are all a healthy part of a fertility diet. Iodine This mineral is required for healthy thyroid function which assists with the production of sex hormones. The best place to find iodine is in seafood as well as fruits and vegetables grown by the sea including seaweed, kelp and coconut products. Blackstrap molasses, spinach, eggs and whole milk dairy products are also beneficial. Besides focusing on the foods listed above, be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. The key is to optimize nutrition and eliminate as many low-nutrient foods as possible. At the grocery store, shop the perimeter of the store where all the fresh foods are kept and limit the highly processed foods that are typically found in the aisles. Buying everything organic can be challenging so focus on purchasing organic proteins and organic vegetables that fall into the ‘dirty dozen,’ meaning they have been found to have the highest levels of pesticides (apples, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, hot peppers, imported nectarines, peaches, potatoes, spinach, strawberries and sweet bell peppers).Jacqueline Banks is a certified holistic health counselor and busy mother. & Her focus is on helping other busy moms in all stages of motherhood keep themselves and their little ones healthy and happy. & She uses natural and organic solutions to solve individual health problems and promote clean living. Check out her website at www.jbholistic.com.& & source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/12/best-foods-for-fertility/

Are you tired all the time?

Renewing your energy is possible, once you learn to combat common causes of fatigue. Culprit: A Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency Having low levels of iron or vitamin D or B12 can make you feel tired, anxious, and weak, Irene Park, a nurse practitioner in New York City, said. Many experts believe that a significant percentage of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D. Related: How to Cheer Yourself Up “And lower levels of vitamin D can cause muscle weakness and pain,” Keenan said. Also, if you’re a woman of reproductive age, you’re statistically at greater risk for iron-deficiency anemia. The only way to tell if you’re low in any vitamin or mineral is to see your doctor for a blood test. Meanwhile, to bolster your body’s stores, consider taking a multivitamin with at least 100 percent of your daily requirement of vitamins and minerals. (Experts generally advise that healthy adults also supplement with 1,000 to 2,000 international units of vitamin D daily.) Culprit: The Blues Research has indicated that people with depression may be four times more likely than the nondepressed to experience unexplained fatigue.  Related: 25 Easy Instant Energy Boosters Aerobic exercise—specifically, 30 minutes or more three to five days a week—is effective at treating mild to moderate depression, and may minimize the sleepiness associated with it. If that doesn’t help, however, speak to your doctor, who may recommend talk therapy or a mood-boosting medication, like a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI).  If your depression and related fatigue seem to strike more frequently in winter, you could have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Treatment for SAD may include using a special light box, Marla Wald, a psychiatrist at Duke University Medical Center, in Durham, North Carolina, said. But venturing outside for about 20 minutes a day can provide similar benefits, she said. Culprit: Your Adrenal Glands They’re responsible for secreting the fight-or-flight hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which surge as a response to stress—whether the prehistoric-days type, like being chased by a tiger, or the modern-day version, like financial worries or your mother-in-law.  Related: 10 Tips for Becoming a Morning Person But when you’re feeling stressed all the time, those glands may become overworked and can tire out—a condition commonly called adrenal fatigue, Keenan said. The inability to secrete enough cortisol during the day can cause energy dips, then spikes at night that can interfere with restful sleep. To give your adrenal glands a chance to recharge, Keenan recommends meditation, which she thinks of as parking the body in neutral.  “Meditation has the effect of slowing down the production of cortisol for a while,” she said.  Try sitting quietly and clearing your mind for at least five minutes a day.  Vitamins B5 and C have also been shown to support adrenal function, said Jacob Teitelbaum, the Kona, Hawaii–based medical director of the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers and the author of “From Fatigued to Fantastic!” He recommends getting at least 50 milligrams of B5 and 500 milligrams of C daily. Other stress-reduction techniques work well, too.  “Exercise is particularly effective,” Park said. Culprit: What You Drink and Eat Caffeine can be a lifesaver on sleepy mornings, but too much may be problematic, since it can act as a diuretic.  “And dehydration can cause fatigue,” Bonnie Taub-Dix, a registered dietitian in New York City, said. Aim for at least eight cups of fluids a day, more if you eat a lot of high-fiber foods, which absorb water. Food sensitivities and their side effects can also bring on fatigue.  “Lactose intolerance, for example, can cause diarrhea, which can result in dehydration,” Taub-Dix said.  Teitelbaum notes that a diet high in processed foods can aggravate food sensitivities and lead to fatigue (one such sensitivity is the inability to metabolize gluten, which is found in many processed foods). An internist or a registered dietitian can determine if you have a food intolerance. Culprit: A Stealth Sickness When nothing else seems to be at the root of your fatigue, consider seeing a doctor. Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome commonly cause intense tiredness, in addition to poor sleep quality, brain fog, and/or muscle pain. (Hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid, often occurs with the disorders.) Much is not understood about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but doctors estimate that up to 14 million Americans suffer from one or the other. And women are more likely than men to experience them.  “There’s usually a genetic predisposition,” Kent Holtorf, a Los Angeles thyroidologist and the founder of the National Academy of Hypothyroidism, said. Some doctors surmise that fibromyalgia is a result of abnormalities in the central nervous system and that chronic fatigue syndrome is linked to infection. Other experts think both conditions are a result of a dysfunction of the hypothalamus and the pituitary and adrenal glands. Most standard blood tests fail to identify the disorders, so the conditions are typically diagnosed through a physical exam and a detailed medical history. Standard treatment may include an SSRI or a muscle relaxant. Another disorder that may be to blame: obstructive sleep apnea. A person who suffers from it experiences repeated pauses in her breathing while sleeping, often because she has narrow airways in her nose, mouth, or throat (some telltale clues: loud snoring or gasping for breath while sleeping). If your doctor suspects sleep apnea, he will send you to a sleep clinic for an overnight evaluation.  Treatment may be as simple as changing your sleeping position or wearing an oral appliance, or as complex as sleeping in a mask attached to a C-PAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary. Click for more from Real Simple. source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/12/are-tired-all-time/

Kidney stones: Symptoms and treatment

Chances are you or someone you know has had a kidney stone at some point in their life; they are very common, affecting approximately one in ten people throughout their lifetime.  The risk of kidney stones is higher in the United States than the rest of the world and this number has only been increasing over the past two to three decades.  Despite the high incidence in the U.S., however, this is a condition that affects people worldwide and has done so for millennia; bladder and kidney stones have even been found in Egyptian mummies. Kidney stones are small, hard deposits, typically composed of mineral and acid salts, that form inside your kidneys.  As one might expect, because urine is a vehicle for waste excretion, it is comprised of numerous chemicals and wastes (including calcium, oxalate, urate, cysteine, xanthine and phosphate).  When the urine is too concentrated, that is too little liquid and too much waste, crystals will begin to form.  Over time, these crystals can join together and form a larger stone-like solid.   There is no single cause for kidney stones and often, the cause is unknown.  There are, however, different types of kidney stones, which can help pinpoint the origin.  Calcium stones (in the form of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate), for example, are the most common form of kidney stone.  Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance in food, so anything that increases levels of this compound, can increase the risk of a kidney stone.  Uric acid stones often form in people who do not consume enough fluids, eat high protein diets or have gout.  Struvite stones often form as the result of a kidney infection.   Treatment for kidney stones primarily depends on the size of the stone.  If it is smaller than four millimeters in diameter, you have a good chance of passing it spontaneously. Consuming two to three quarts of water a day and using a pain reliever can help pass these small stones.  Larger stones may require invasive treatment including: surgery, using a scope passed through the urethra or shock-wave lithotripsy, where high-energy sound waves break up the stone in to more easily passable stones. Risk factors for developing kidney stones include: being over age 40, being male, ingesting too little water, too much/little exercise, obesity, weight loss surgery, digestive diseases, and consuming a diet high in salt, protein or sugar, especially fructose.  Having a family history of kidney stones can also increase your risk of developing them; furthermore, if you have already experienced kidney stones, you are at an increased risk of developing more.   Prevention of kidney stones can be as simple as a few dietary changes.  Consuming more water during the day is one of the easiest measures you can take.  Doctors recommend excreting about 2.6 quarts of urine every day.  Depending on the severity of your kidney stones, you may want to measure and monitor your urine excretion.  Consume fewer oxalate-rich foods, especially if you tend to form calcium oxalate stones.  Such foods include chocolate, soy products, okra, beets, sweet potatoes, tea and nuts.  Consume foods low in salt and animal protein.  Speak with your doctor about your calcium intake via food and supplements before making any changes here.  Furthermore, speak with your doctor about the possibility of prescription drugs to help with your kidney stones.  Dr. David B. Samadi is the Vice Chairman of the Department of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. He is a board-certified urologist, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of urological disease, with a focus on robotic prostate cancer treatments. To learn more please visit his websites RoboticOncology.com and SMART-surgery.com. Find Dr. Samadi on Facebook.source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/29/kidney-stones-symptoms-and-treatment/

The golden rules of sun protection

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know to apply sunscreen. There's a lifesaving reason to: About 3.5 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year. “The incidence of skin cancer, including melanoma—the deadliest kind—is going up, and wearing sunscreen is one of the best ways to prevent it,” said Dr. Ronald Moy, a dermatologist and spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation. Stick with these smart tips—and check out our product picks—to make sure you're as protected as you can possibly be. Select a sunscreen you love Finding your sunscreen soul mate is the key motivating factor for using it regularly, experts agree. “If you think your sunscreen is pasty, thick or smelly, you have the wrong kind,” said Dr. Jeffrey Dover, clinical associate professor of dermatology at Yale University. “It may make you less likely to put it on, or to reapply when you do.” Happily, there are plenty of lightweight, sheer formulas, like Vichy Capital Soleil Foaming lotion SPF 50 ($29; vichyusa.com) and La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light sunscreen fluid for face SPF 60 with Cell-Ox Shield XL ($30; laroche-posay.us). Health.com: Which Sunscreen Is Best For You? Remember, SPF 30 is the new 15 As a general rule, SPF 15 blocks 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97 percent and SPF 50 blocks 98 percent. Doctors now typically recommend at least SPF 30—at least being the key words. If you have a family history of skin cancer or are vacationing in a tropical spot (where the sun is especially intense), go for 50 or even 70. Just keep in mind: No sunscreen provides 100 percent protection. So to be as safe as possible, you still need to reapply every two hours and after a swim, even if you used the water-resistant kind, said Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Try Neutrogena Beach Defense sunscreen spray broad-spectrum SPF 30 ($11; at mass retailers). FYI, sunscreen becomes less effective about three years after you open the container. Check labels for the term broad-spectrum It means the sunscreen provides protection against both UVA (wrinkle- and cancer-causing) and UVB (burning) rays. Problem is, that labeling rule only went into effect in December and stores still sell inventory made prior to it, noted Dr. Steven Wang, director of dermatologic surgery and dermatology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Basking Ridge, N.J.  So if you're shopping and there's no broad-spectrum mention, check the ingredients for zinc or avobenzone, the only two that provide top-notch UVA coverage, he says. Coola Mineral Sport broad-spectrum SPF 35 Citrus Mimosa ($36; coolasuncare.com) contains zinc, and L'Oréal Paris Sublime Sun Liquid Silk Sunshield for face broad-spectrum SPF 30 ($10; at mass retailers) has avobenzone. Health.com: 7 Ways You're Aging Your Skin Layer it on Think you apply enough