What simple food, when added to your diet, can reduce your blood pressure as much as some prescription medication?

The answer is orange juice, the "pure premium" kind, that is, fortified with vitamins and minerals.

"We were surprised by the numbers," says Dennis Sprecher, MD, head of the section of Preventive Cardiology in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, who conducted research on the effects of orange juice on blood pressure. The numbers showed that the favorite breakfast beverage was just as effective as some of the medications used to treat high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects some 50 million adults in the United States and is the third highest cause of death in the country after heart disease and cancer. Called the "silent killer" because of its lack of symptoms, it is the leading risk factor for stroke, a devastating disease that strikes one American every 53 seconds.

"High blood pressure is the most common cardiovascular disorder, and will affect almost 90% of Americans at some point during their lives," says Dr. Sprecher, who recently presented the research findings at the American Academy of Cardiology conference in Atlanta.

OJ's power - concentrated

In conducting his research, Dr. Sprecher followed information gathered from the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) research, which showed a diet rich in fruits and vegetables could lower the rates for hypertension and stroke by 11% and 16.5% respectively. He asked 24 adult volunteers with borderline hypertension to drink two 8-ounce glasses of either an orange drink or one of the juice preparations each day for 8 weeks.

"As the 24 subjects progressed from a simple, unfortified orange drink, through orange juice prepared from concentrate, to whole juice fortified with vitamin C and potassium, the amount of blood vessel relaxation and drop in blood pressure became more significant," Dr. Sprecher says.

He said the findings showed a reduction of up to 10 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in systolic pressure, measured while the heart contracts, and a 3 to 4 mmHg drop in diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is measured during the heart's contraction, while diastolic pressure is measured during the heart's relaxation phase.

Dr. Sprecher says the findings compare to results found in some patients using ACE inhibitors - one class of medications commonly used to treat hypertension.

These lower blood pressure readings translate into a potential savings of countless tragedies and lives, and as much as up to $36 billion to $40 billion in medical costs and loss of productivity, when calculated using the 1999 American Heart Association guidelines on the public health implications of hypertension.

Distinct improvements found

The Cleveland Clinic Group isn't sure of the mechanism behind the success of orange juice, but using ultrasonic images, Dr. Sprecher's group was able to see and measure distinct improvements in the ability of the brachial artery (the main artery in the arm) to relax and open up to accommodate the blood flow at a lower pressure.

"This improvement was more than we previously saw with vitamin C and potassium, either alone or in combination. What surprised us was the amount of change we found when these two substances were combined in pure premium orange," Dr. Sprecher says. "So, there's something in the whole juice product that works better, and that's where we'd like to aim our future research."

As a result of the study, funded by Tropicana Products Inc., the juice producer, Dr. Sprecher believes the important thing is for people to drink the freshest possible product, not juice from concentrate. The product should be fortified with vitamin C and enough potassium to meet or exceed the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new food labeling requirement for promoting the health benefits of potassium in relation to blood pressure.

The FDA rule states foods must contain at least 350 mg of potassium and less than 150 mg of sodium to claim a health benefit related to lowering blood pressure. The orange juice used in this study contained 450 mg of potassium per serving, and was sodium free.

"This is something I wouldn't hesitate to add to anyone's diet as an extremely easy intervention, that everyone can enjoy," Dr. Sprecher says.

Tips for lowering your blood pressure:

• Smoking is the single greatest risk factor for developing heart disease. By stopping smoking now, you can greatly reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease.
• A diet that is lower in fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods significantly and quickly lowers blood pressure, according to the findings of a nationwide trial funded by the National Institutes of Health.
• Additionally, by reducing salt (sodium) intake, blood pressure can often be lowered. Sodium intake promotes water retention, which can add to the blood volume and, subsequently, raise blood pressure.
• Studies have shown that body weight, changes in body weight over years, and body fat calculations are related to changes in blood pressure. People who are overweight are much more likely to have high blood pressure. Losing weight can often result in a reduction of blood pressure.
• Regular exercise not only helps to control weight gain but has also been shown to lower blood pressure. Your physician can recommend a program of exercise that will be suited to your overall health.

WASHINGTON (AP) - People who have liver problems or take drugs that can harm the liver should ask a doctor before taking the popular herbal supplement kava, the government warns.

The Food and Drug Administration said kava may be linked to serious liver injury.

The FDA hasn't concluded if kava, or its use together with some other supplement or medication, is truly to blame for health problems have come to its attention, mainly overseas.

But the seriousness of side effects, and other countries' actions, made FDA officials decide it was time to alert Americans even as they struggle to solve the mystery.

``This kind of liver damage appears to be extremely rare,'' said FDA supplement chief Dr. Christine Taylor. ``But because it's severe liver damage, we felt consumers needed to be aware of it.''

The FDA began investigating the blockbuster-selling herb after a previously healthy 45-year-old woman used kava and suddenly required a liver transplant. European health officials report 25 similar cases of liver toxicity, including four transplants.

As a result, Canada has urged consumers not to take kava until the safety question is settled; sales were halted in Switzerland and France and suspended in Britain; and Germany is acting to make kava a prescription drug.

Kava users should consult a doctor if they experience any possible symptoms of liver disease, the FDA said. Those include: jaundice, or yellowing of the skin or eyes; brown urine; nausea or vomiting; light-colored stools; unusual tiredness or weakness; stomach or abdominal pain, or loss of appetite.

Kava is sold under a variety of names, including ava, awa, intoxicating pepper, kava root or pepper, kawa, kew, Piper methysticum, rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock and yangona, the FDA said.

In a letter to physicians, the FDA said it will soon provide them as much scientific information as is available to help in advising patients wondering whether to take kava.

The FDA also urged doctors and consumers to report any possible kava side effects by calling 1-800-332-1088 or via the Internet at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Under federal law, no one has to prove dietary supplements are safe or work as advertised before they begin selling. And, unlike in other countries, the FDA must prove one is dangerous before it can halt sales. Reports of kava users suffering liver injury suggest a link, but it will take more research to prove if the herbal sedative actually causes injury, Taylor said.

She wouldn't say how many ill American kava users are being investigated because the number changes slightly each week as FDA reviews more medical records. But as of last month, the agency was examining about 38.

By making it clear that the jury's still out, FDA's consumer alert was ``a prudent and an appropriate precautionary move,'' said John Cordero of the industry's Council for Responsible Nutrition.

The consumer advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest had pushed FDA to issue the warning for months. ``We urge consumers to steer clear of kava altogether unless directed otherwise by a physician,'' said Bruce Silverglade of the center.

Kava is promoted to relieve anxiety, stress and insomnia. A member of the pepper family, it has long been used as a ceremonial drink in the South Pacific; until recently its biggest danger seemed to be in drinking too much of the sedative before driving. Then, about two years ago, kava in pill form suddenly boomed, bringing in about $30 million in sales - and Europe reported liver damage.

Herb experts say it's possible that if kava is dangerous, it might be only to certain people. That's because some of the European patients already had some liver damage before using kava or used alcohol or other known liver-harming substances in addition to the herb.

The controversy is the latest bad news for the $16 billion supplement industry, which reported sharp sales declines last year. Since last summer, the FDA has issued repeated warnings about supplements tainted with drugs and chemicals illegally posing as supplements, and asked makers of the liver-damaging herb comfrey to stop selling it for internal use.

3

Sinus or Migraine Headache?

By Bethanne Black, HealthAtoZ contributing writer

Millions of people who suffer from migraine and sinus headache pain say they wouldn't wish it on their worst enemy. Headaches are miserable. These little (or big) beasts come in all sorts of shapes and sizes --dull persistent throbbing, sharp stabbing pain, achy head, sinus pressure, etc.

Sometimes confusing symptoms can make it difficult to tell one type from another. What you once thought was a sinus headache due to a cold, weather changes, or seasonal allergies, could possibly be a full-blown migraine. Although there are many effective treatments available to relieve headaches, many people don't see their doctors about headache pain, and thus miss out on the correct diagnosis and helpful treatment.

"In their lifetime, almost 90% of people will have a memorable headache, and about 1 in 4 have recurrent episodes of headaches," says Dr. Roger Cady, director of the Headache Care Center in Springfield, MO, and a frequent spokesman for the National Headache Foundation. About 12% of the American population suffers from chronic migraines, with women being affected 3 times as often as men, Cady says.

"It's very prevalent, and is one of the leading causes of work absenteeism, with a lot of lost productivity at work and home. In very many ways, it interferes with people's lives."

Sinus headaches are even more prevalent. A nationwide study conducted in 1999 found that 4 of 10 adults in the United States reported having them. Of the sufferers, 40% said they'd do anything, including giving up a trip to the Super Bowl, if it meant they could get rid of the pain.

Migraines and sinus headaches are often confused. In a presentation to the American Academy of Neurology in Philadelphia in May 2001, Cady and his associates discussed a study they had done in which they asked for people who thought they were having sinus headaches and had never seen a doctor for them.

"On a careful history-taking, we found enough symptoms for a diagnosis of migraine, but they had pain in the face area, nasal congestion and discharge from the nose, fullness and pressure in the sinuses, and it was precipitated by a weather change," Cady says. "On a pain and disability score, they were suffering to the degree of people with migraines."

Treated with migraine-specific medication, the patients had the same results as migraine sufferers and many were pain-free within 2 hours.

"Our new thinking is that many people who think they have sinus headaches have a clinical variant of migraines, what I call a sinus migraine."

Sinus headaches

Sinus headaches can be the result of a sinus infection or allergies. Often following a cold or flu, sinus headaches are caused by inflammation of the sinus passages, air cavities located in the bones behind and above your nose. As the sinuses become clogged or infected, the increase pressure causes your head to ache. The pain is usually severe and ongoing, beginning in the morning and becoming worse if you bend over. Doctors are becoming increasingly cautious about prescribing antibiotics for the treatment of sinus headaches because repeated use can cause resistance to the drugs.

"A lot of sinus headache probably doesn't have an infection base," Cady says. "If they're having several of these every month, the odds of it being infectious are slim."

Common sinus headache symptoms:

• Pain and pressure around the eyes, across the cheeks and the forehead
• Achy feeling in the upper teeth
• Fever and chills
• Facial swelling

Both heat and ice are commonly used to relieve the facial pain of sinus headaches. Dr. David Hewitt, a migraine expert and an assistant professor of neurology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, recommends hot compresses, a steamy shower, or hot drinks, such as herbal teas or broth, to help reduce the swelling and pressure. A cool-mist humidifier can also help to keep the sinuses moist.

Migraine headaches

There are two classifications of migraines - with and without aura. It's the patients who have migraines with aura who most often seek treatment because the experience can be unsettling. "Usually, the aura precedes the headache," Hewitt says. "It's most commonly a visual aura, such as zigzagging lines, slashing lines, or dots. It can be pretty scary."

Common migraine symptoms:

• Pain preceded by visual changes
• Mild-to-severe throbbing pain on one side of the head
• Nausea, vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and noise

Migraines can be triggered by any number of factors, which vary from person to person. Some people react to certain foods - wine, chocolate, aged cheese, processed meats, Chinese food, and caffeine are commonly mentioned. Use of caffeine and alcohol can also trigger headaches.

Other triggers include flashing lights, loud noises, menstruation, intense exercise, weather changes, exposure to smoke or perfumes, lack of sleep, stress, sex, or stress let-down. What is stress let-down? "The deadline is past, and boom, you're in bed with a headache 2 days later," Cady explains.

Some medications, such as birth control pills and estrogen replacement therapy, can also trigger migraines. A headache diary can help identify the activities or exposures that are triggers.

Once a migraine starts, self-help includes an ice pack on the back of the neck or the side of the head and resting in a dark room. Regular exercise - 30 minutes several times a week - is highly recommended as a way to prevent migraine headaches. Plus, it's important to get adequate sleep and not skip meals, especially breakfast.

Some people have good results from taking the herbal treatment valerian, Hewitt says. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine also mentions passionflower, feverfew, ginger, ginkgo, goldenseal, hawthorn, skullcap, and cramp bark, as well as aromatherapy, as possible migraine pain relievers.

The American Council for Headache Education also suggests relaxation and stress management training, acupuncture, acupressure, and massage therapy.

"It's just like Grandma says," Hewitt says. "You need to eat well, sleep well, and get exercise. I also recommend yoga and biofeedback. A lot of people have what I've coined MLS - miserable life syndrome. They're very unhappy people. That can lead to chronic pain."

Usually headaches are temporary and will go away on their own. However, don't be shy to contact your doctor if the pain is bothersome. A physician should check out any headache that is severe, recurring, or accompanied by a fever.

Most people don't know exactly which kind of headache they have and that there are effective treatments available to bring relief. Perhaps you are treating sinus headaches, when what you really have are migraines. If you have frequent or severe headaches, talk to your doctor to find out more. Headaches don't have to be a way of life.

Researchers still do not know what causes prostate cancer. They have, however, been able to identify risk factors that have consistently been associated with prostate cancer. The role that some of the identified risk factors play in the development of prostate cancer is less clear, because research studies have provided conflicting results in some areas.

Age: After age 50, the chance of developing prostate cancer begins to increase. Over 80% of all prostate cancers occur in men 65 years and older.

Race: Prostate cancer is twice as prevalent among African-American males as it is among their Caucasian-American counterparts.

Ethnicity: Prostate cancer is most common in North America and northwestern Europe. It occurs less frequently in Asia, Africa, Central America, and South America.

Diet: The results of most studies show that men who eat a high fat diet have an increased chance of developing prostate cancer. Some research has shown that men who eat higher fat diets tend to eat less fruits and vegetables and more dairy products. These factors may also play a part in the development of prostate cancer.

Recent studies have shown that a diet high in lycopenes (found in higher levels in fruits and vegetables) and selenium, may lower the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Exercise: Maintaining a healthy weight along with regular physical activity may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Family history: Prostate cancer appears to have a genetic link. Having a father or brother with the disease doubles a man's risk of developing it. The risk gets even higher if several relatives have been affected, especially if they were young at the time of diagnosis. The recent discovery of the HPC1 gene will soon give more information about the inherited risk of prostate cancer. Tests to find abnormal prostate cancer genes may one day become available to help identify men at increased risk for developing prostate cancer.

Vasectomy: Men who have undergone vasectomy (a surgical procedure that renders them sterile) may have an increased risk of getting prostate cancer, according to some studies. Findings in this area have been inconsistent; while some studies have shown an increased risk after vasectomy, others have not.

If you're a man between the ages of 15 and 40, this monthly self-exam of your testicles can help detect testicular cancer at an early - and very curable - stage. The self-exam is simple to do and only takes a few minutes.

1. Take a warm bath or shower to relax the scrotum. This makes it easier to spot anything abnormal.
2. Stand naked in front of a mirror.
3. Check the skin of your scrotum for swelling.
4. Feel the right testicle within your scrotal sac.
5. With your index and middle fingers under the testicle, thumbs placed on top, roll the testicle between the thumbs and fingers.
6. Find the epididymis, the soft, cordlike structure behind the testicle that collects and carries sperm.
7. Do not confuse the epididymis with a lump. Cancerous lumps usually are found on the sides of the testicle, but can also show up on the front. Lumps on the epididymis are not cancerous.
8. Feel for a lump on the surface of the testicle.
9. Repeat with the left testicle.
10. If you find a lump or swelling, see your doctor right away. The abnormality may not be cancer, it may be an infection. But if it is testicular cancer, it will spread if untreated.

Calcium occurs in most plant and animal matter, and is essential for the formation and maintenance of strong bones and teeth. Calcium also helps to regulate the heartbeat and is necessary for blood clotting. When most people think of calcium food sources, they think of milk and other dairy products. But there are many other non-dairy foods that are rich in calcium too. Our chart below lists over 80 non-dairy choices for calcium. Suggestion: Print this page and take it with you when you go shopping.

Beans

Grains

Nuts and seeds

Seafood

Vegetables and greens

Other non-dairy sources

May 22, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Researchers have identified a tiny time teller in the brain's central clock that ticks off signals to let the body know when it should be eating, sleeping and performing other critical functions.

The finding of the missing messenger molecule may lead to treatments for jet lag, shift-work syndrome, sleep and eating disorders, seasonal depression and other diseases affected by circadian or daily rhythms, the University of California at Irvine scientists said.

An account of their discovery -- the first of a biological mechanism that regulates night and day cycles -- will be published Thursday in the British journal Nature.

Anyone who routinely wakes up before the alarm rings has experienced the manifestations of the body's central clock -- a region in the brain's hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus -- that keeps strict internal control over daily schedules.

Scientists have long known about the fastidiousness of this timing device.

"Neurons in the SCN have the remarkable ability to autonomously generate a cycle of electrical activity with a period very close to 24 hours," said neurobiologist Michael Hastings of the Laboratory of Molecular Biology at MRC Centre in Cambridge, England, who wrote an accompanying commentary.

What has intrigued investigators is how this relatively minuscule population of some 10,000 nerve cells -- 100 billion of which make up the brain -- keep the entire body in sync with the daily rhythms. The mystery deepened with the discovery that physical contact between the time keepers and their targets is not necessary for the message to be relayed and received. There must be a messenger that conveys the commands to stir or sleep, researchers reasoned.

In a culmination of two years of investigation, Qun-Yong Zhou, assistant professor of pharmacology at the University of California, Irvine, and his colleagues point the finger at a small protein called prokineticin 2.

One of two members of a recently discovered class of proteins chemically related to snake venom and frog skin secretions, prokineticin 2 has been shown to control movements of intestinal muscles that regulate the passage of food through the digestive system. Those findings have led to pursuits to use the proteins as targets for treatments for several digestive diseases or even to help reduce the vomiting and other gastrointestinal side effects of cancer chemotherapy.

It now appears the protein also fulfills many of the criteria expected of the missing time messenger. It is produced rhythmically, and in response to light, in the central body clock in mice. It is in low supply in mice whose circadian clocks are defunct. It is resistant to dismemberment by protein-cleaving enzymes, making it ideal for uninterrupted, long-range signaling.

"The evidence overwhelmingly points to this being the missing messenger," Zhou said in a telephone interview.

In their rat and mouse experiments, Zhou and team found that PK2 transmits signals from the brain that control movement in light and darkness. The genes that produce the molecule are activated during daylight hours but are nearly dormant at night.

"While we have a clear view of how the molecular clock operates in the brain, we did not know how the brain sends this information to the rest of the body," Zhou said. "This study shows us that PK2 is one of the signals that controls circadian motion behavior, and may be a target for certain diseases that are strongly influenced by night -- and daytime."

The results "offer enormous scope for intervening in sleep and other circadian disorders, and provide a new tool with which to explore the molecular and neurochemical control of complex behaviors," Hastings said.

The researchers came upon the findings almost by accident, while tracing the origins of the molecule that contracts smooth muscles in the stomach and intestine. When they followed the tracks to the brain, "something unexpected popped up," Zhou told United Press International.

Scientists noted that the levels of the genetic material that codes for PK2 were at least 50 times higher during daytime than at night. This unexpected find implicated PK2 in the regulation of circadian rhythms.

Taking a new tack, the investigators injected the protein into rats during darkness. The normally nocturnal rodents ceased exercising and moving about their cages, suddenly acting as if it were daylight.

"The fact that PK2 is secreted by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, is regulated by genes that comprise the brain's master clock, responds to changes in light, has receptors in the appropriate areas of the brain targeted by the suprachiasmatic nucleus and causes changes in circadian rhythms all point to the molecule as an important transmitter of night-day rhythm to the body," Zhou said.

Considering the contrary circadian customs of mouse and man, it is unclear to what degree the results apply to humans.

"It is a tricky question," Zhou said. "We are active in the daytime and rest at night, while rats and mice as nocturnal creatures do the reverse."

Because of the similarity in key genetic components, scientists expect parallel processes occur in both, only in reverse.

"The expectation, therefore, is that by signaling daytime, SCN-derived prokineticin 2 would promote and consolidate human activity and wakefulness, rather than suppressing it -- the opposite effect to that in rodents," Hastings said.

Other questions awaiting answers include:

-- Is PK2 the only regulator of circadian rhythms?

-- What role does it play in eating, sleeping, waking and other behaviors affected by darkness and light?

-- Are there other regulators of these cycles?

"Learning more about the mechanisms of the master clock could help us deal with a number of disorders and discomforts, such as jet lag," Zhou told UPI. "Travelers have to wait for their bodies to readjust to deal with the new time zone. Clearly, if we could develop some small molecule that could activate the (protein messenger), we'd be able to somehow manipulate this timing mechanism to let us adjust much more quickly."

The research was partly funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The young and the angry could wind up older and more prone to heart disease.

A study from Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, 48 years in the making, confirms that young men who reacted with anger to stress were three times as likely to suffer from heart disease before the age of 55 than their peers who said they let stressful situations roll off their backs.

Anger is no less deadly for women, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

A recent North Carolina study of 256 men and women heart attack victims, published in the May edition of the AHA's Circulation, shows that those prone to anger were also three times more likely to have a heart attack than those least prone to anger. The North Carolina researchers say the findings were true for individuals with normal blood pressure levels. Anger could thus lead to heart attacks especially among middle-aged men and women with normal blood pressure, the researchers add.

Previous studies had suggested a correlation between anger and cardiovascular events, according to Patricia Chang, MD, a cardiology fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md.

New studies focused on youth

"One study suggested that there was a higher incidence of anger remembered by heart attack victims a few hours prior to their heart attack. But studies that looked at anger in young people and the early onset of cardiovascular disease had not really been done."

Chang used information developed during the Johns Hopkins Precursors study, first started in 1948, to see if there was a relationship between youthful anger and premature heart disease. "The study was started using questionnaires given out to the graduating medical school classes [at Johns Hopkins Medical School] each year from 1948 to 1964," Chang notes. The study had a 90% average response rate. "The study continues in that we are following all these graduates with at least an annual health status questionnaire," says Dr. Chang.

One of the questions on the original questionnaire asked: "Whenever you find yourself in situations of undue pressure or stress, how do you react?" The young doctors could then check off any of 27 items. Those who checked "expressed or concealed anger, irritability and griping" in response to stressful simulations were deemed to have high levels of anger.

"What we found was that in our group of roughly 1000 men, those who said when they were younger that they responded to stress with high levels of anger, were five to six times more likely to develop early heart attacks before the age of 55," Chang says. "And those who reported high levels of anger were up to three times as likely for other premature manifestations of coronary vascular disease, such as angina, hardening of the arteries, higher blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and sudden death from heart disease."

In another study, researchers found that people who scored high on a 10-item anger scale were more likely to be men, and more likely to be smokers and drinkers. Those findings emerged from analyzing data from nearly 13,000 people who were followed for up to 6 years as part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

What does anger do to your body?

Anger has serious physiological effects on the body, Chang says.

"Anger has been shown to narrow already diseased blood vessels," she says. "We know anger increases blood pressure as well as heart beat rates and adrenaline levels. In addition, anger may also cause platelets, which are the blood cells that form clots, to get sticky and clump, which of course can cause a blockage and a heart attack."

Research results speak a lot to the fact that early behavioral effects, even if modified over time, can put you at risk for disease later in life, Chang says.

How to stay cool

So if you're an angry young man or woman, is there anything you can do?

"Well, you need to be aware of your response to stress, first," Chang advises. "And if you find your reaction to stress to include a high level of anger, coupled with complaining and irritability, then you need to learn how to calm down, how to get cool."

"(You) could look at behavioral modification for instance, such as anger management or stress reduction," she says. "What we do know is that studies show that if you learn to manage your anger after a heart attack, you are at lower risk for another one. What we don't know yet is if you manage your anger when you're young, whether it's clear whether that will prevent you from having coronary vascular disease."

The American Heart Association suggests these tips to reduce stress:

• Talk with people you know and love or trust about how you react to stressful situations.
• Take a break. Give yourself 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly, breathe deeply, and think peaceful thoughts.
• You can't solve everything. First things first. Learn to accept that you can't control everything.
• Count to 10 before answering or responding when you feel angry.
• Don't use smoking, drinking, overeating, drugs, or caffeine to cope with stress.
• Look for the good instead of the bad.
• Exercise regularly.
• Think ahead about what may upset you and try to avoid it. Plan out productive solutions to problems. For example, talk with your neighbor if the dog next door bothers you, and set clear limits on how much you'll do for family members.
• Learn to say no. Don't promise too much. Give yourself enough time to get things done.
• Join a support group.
• Seek out a mental health professional or counselor if you can't cope on your own.

According to a study published in the journal Annals of Neurology, two drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes, called thiazolidinediones (TZDs), prevented the development of an animal model of MS in healthy mice and reduced symptoms in mice that were already ill. Significantly, the research team from the University of Illinois and the West Side Veterans Administration Hospital, both in Chicago, found that the drugs were effective in two different models of the disease - a chronic form in which the mice became ill and remained ill, and a model in which the mice developed a relapsing form of the disease, which is similar to the more prevalent form of MS. The causes of MS remain unclear, but researcher Professor Douglas Feinstein says it is known that when people have the condition, activated lymphocytes - white blood cells - in the bloodstream enter the brain. There they produce toxic substances that eventually cause damage to the myelin-forming cells of the brain, which insulate nerve fibres, and to neurons as well. Researchers suspect TZDs reduce the symptoms of MS in mice by preventing the activation and growth of lymphocytes and reducing the production of inflammatory substances by activated brain cells. Encouraged by the findings, scientists are designing a clinical trial to test the safety and proper dosage of the diabetic drugs in MS patients. Even if the drugs are only as good as those already in use, they still offer an advantage for patients because they can be taken orally, say scientists. Prof Feinstein says, "The minimum we're hoping for is that they will be as good as any of the existing drugs. But there's a possibility they could prove to be better because this is a different class of drugs with different targets and effects." The team is also investigating whether the drugs could be effective in other neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stroke.

From Erle:
There are two types of diabetes drugs. One type is like rolling a steam roller over your pancreas to squeeze out the last drops of insulin while the other causes your body to accept your own insulin better as this is part of type two diabetes. The above mentioned drugs are of the later type and many dostors are now saying that even people without diabetes should take 'Metformin' 500 mgs each day as an anti-aging drug!

• Thiazolidinediones are a new class of drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and act by improving insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscle.

• Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are registered for use in monotherapy, and in combination with sulfonylureas and metformin. Pioglitazone is also licensed for use in combination with insulin.

• There is level II evidence that in patients with inadequate glycaemic control
  both drugs reduce the level of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) when used as monotherapy and in combination with sulfonylurea or metformin or insulin; and
  both drugs increase levels of HDL and LDL and lower free fatty acid levels, but only pioglitazone significantly lowers triglyceride levels.

• Both drugs lower fasting insulin and C-peptide levels.

• In monotherapy, they may be slightly less potent at reducing the level of HbA1c than sulfonylureas or metformin.

• The maximal effect of these agents may not be seen for 6–14 weeks after commencement.

• Both drugs are well tolerated but liver function must be checked at baseline every second month for the first year, and periodically thereafter.

• The drugs are currently contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe liver dysfunction and alanine aminotransferase levels more than 2.5 times normal, New York Heart Association III-IV cardiac status, pregnancy, lactation and in children.

• The main side effects include weight gain, oedema, and mild dilutional anaemia.

  ---

  10
   

  A GUIDE TO GOOD GRILLING

  By David VanHorn, HealthAtoZ Health Editor

  You can taste the flavor of burgers and chicken cooked on an open flame. But wait. Doesn't grilling meats produce cancer-causing compounds?

  Health experts say it can, but you don't have to put away your grill if you adopt cooking methods that reduce your exposure to dietary carcinogens.

  Animal muscle meats like beef and chicken contain proteins (creatine and creatinine), which when heated form a mutated compound called heterocyclic amines (HCA), according to researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. HCA has been associated with tumors in animals, and may increase the risk of certain cancers (breast, colon, stomach and prostate) in humans, says the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).

  Though carcinogenic compounds can be harmful, the concentration levels in food are low, so the risk factor is not alarming, Lawrence Livermore researchers say. And, studies at the national laboratory have provided a good recipe for avoiding dietary carcinogens.

  These researchers have concluded that cooking meat at lower temperatures and for shorter times, produces fewer HCAs, while still killing bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses. A study from Lawrence Livermore's Biology and Biotechnology Research Program, published in November in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that frying hamburgers at 160 degrees, and turning the patties every minute, effectively reduces the formation of dietary carcinogens.

  "We're not saying don't grill anymore. We're just saying there are things you can do when you grill to reduce your risk," says Melanie Polk, AICR's director of nutrition education.

  Keeping carcinogens at bay

  The AICR's new brochure, The Facts About Grilling, includes the following recommendations for reducing cancer-causing substances while cooking:

  • Flip your hamburger patties and chicken breasts frequently, as suggested by Lawrence Livermore researchers.
  • Marinate meats before grilling to reduce the formation of HCAs. A 1997 study at Lawrence Livermore found an 87% decrease in HCAs in marinated chicken breasts.
  • Buy lean meats, remove skin from poultry and trim fat from meats. Fat dripping onto the open flame can release cancer-causing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which can be deposited onto food via smoke and flare-ups, the AICR says.
  • To further prevent PAHs, use tongs or a spatula to turn food and cover the grill with aluminum foil.
  • Pre-cook meat, fish, and chicken in the microwave before sticking it on the grill to reduce potential carcinogens. When meat is microwaved, a clear liquid is released that is linked to the formation of carcinogens, according to Lawrence Livermore researchers.
  • Grill small portions of meat (kebobs are the best), and remove charred or burnt portions before eating.
  • Find alternative foods without meat to grill, like vegetables, veggie burgers, pizza, tofu, quesadillas, and even fruit.

  Bah humbug to "bugs"

  Food-borne illnesses peak during the summer, primarily because bacteria love to multiply in warm temperatures, says Bessie Berry, manager of the US Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Hotline. Try following these tips from Berry to avoid having illness-causing bacteria like E. coli ruin your summer cookout:

  • Use a thermometer designed for grilling to see if meat is at the correct temperature, which in most cases is 160 degrees F. "At 160 degrees, most of the pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses have been killed," Berry says. Don't follow the temperature dial attached to your grill, which measures the heat inside the grill, not the internal temperature of the food you are cooking. Digital meat thermometers cost between $7.00 and $14.00 and can give you a reading in seconds. "They even have forks with thermometers for grilling," she says.
  • Cook hamburgers at 160 degrees F, steaks and chops at 145 degrees F (if you want the lowest temperature), chicken breasts at 170 degrees F, and dark meat at 180 degrees F. Fish should be cooked until it easily flakes off the bone with a fork or sharp instrument. For large fish, use a thermometer.
  • Avoid cross-contamination. Put the plate that had held the raw patties into the dishwasher, and put a clean serving platter near the grill. Wash your hands or the spatula that came into contact with the raw patties. Use your clean spatula to flip the partially cooked patties, then wash the spatula again, or get a second clean spatula that will be used to remove the burgers from the grill when they are done. Keep raw and cooked patties separated.
  • Encourage your family and guests to eat as soon as the food is served. If the outside temperature is less than 90 degrees, you can safely keep grilled food outside for 2 hours, Berry says. When it's 90 degrees or hotter, you'll have to put the food in the refrigerator after an hour.

  To get a copy of the brochure, call the AICR at 1-800-843-8114, extension 06, during normal business hours.

  Sources:
  Avoiding the Health Hazards of Grilling: Free Brochure Explains the Whys and Hows, American Institute of Cancer Research (www.aicr.org), May 10, 2001.
  Food Mutagens: The Cooking Makes the Difference, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (www.llnl.gov).
  Marinating and Heterocyclic Amines, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
  Salmon CP. (Biology and Biotechnology Research Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), "Minimization of the Heterocyclic Amines and Thermal Inactivation of Escherichia coli in Fried Ground Beef," Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Nov. 1, 2000.

   

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  11
  It's the Coffee Break That Lasts . . . and Lasts . . . and Lasts

  MONDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthScoutNews) -- Stressed out? Try kicking caffeine for a week, and you will see your blood pressure, adrenaline levels and overall stress drop, according to a study by Duke University Medical Center.

  The new research found that the effects of caffeine stay in the body all day long, amplifying any feelings of stress. Moreover, the perception of stress increased for the 47 study participants after they took caffeine tablets.

  "On the day they had caffeine, their blood pressure was higher throughout the day. And we also found that adrenaline goes up by about 32 percent," says lead researcher James D. Lane, who has studied caffeine for 15 years. "The measurable effects of drinking four cups of coffee are the difference between working a stressful job at a hospital and spending the day at home."

  An estimated 85 percent of Americans drink coffee, tea or soft drinks, Lane says, but most people don't accept that there is a downside to caffeine consumption.

  "Caffeine may be the most popular drug in the world, but a growing body of evidence suggests that its adverse effects are not inconsequential," Lane concluded in the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and is published in the current issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. "Almost all of the major diseases have stress as a contributing factor."

  To link caffeine to stress, the researchers gave half the study participants 250 milligrams of caffeine twice a day; the other half were given inactive placebo tablets. All participants wore blood pressure monitors and were electronically instructed to check their blood pressure an average of four times per hour. They also wrote down what they were doing each time they checked in, and they kept urine samples so the scientists could measure adrenaline levels.

  The participants who were given caffeine showed a 3 percent rise in blood pressure, a difference which clinical studies have tied to a 20 percent increase in coronary heart disease, Lane says. And with adrenaline levels elevated by more than 30 percent, the increased heart rate and associated stress can cause long-term damage to the heart, he said.

  The results correspond with one of Lane's past studies, in which he found that drinking four or five cups of coffee a day rather than just one increases the chances of a person developing heart disease later on by boosting heart rate and blood pressure.

  Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, however, argue that the effects of caffeine are more difficult to calculate.

  In a study of 1,000 coffee drinkers released this spring, the Johns Hopkins scientists found that people who drink at least five cups of coffee a day are 60 percent more likely than non-coffee drinkers to develop high blood pressure.

  But after considering other common characteristics of coffee drinkers, such as the consumption of alcohol or cigarettes, they found the effects of coffee were overstated.

  "Overall, coffee drinkers had higher blood pressures than people who did not drink coffee, but there was no set 'dose-response' relationship," says the lead author of that study, Michael Klag, who adds that risks of high blood pressure were only slightly higher for coffee drinkers.

  Still, the Johns Hopkins study emphasizes that people who struggle with high blood pressure should consider limiting their caffeine intake.

  And that's the main point of Lane's work, he says. He still drinks coffee and isn't trying to get everyone to quit cold turkey; he just wants to offer health information.

  "We all have risks in our lives, whether it's eating too much ice cream or not exercising enough, and we all make choices about what we want to do," he says. "My point is not that people need to quit, but that we need to realize how it can aggravate stress in their lives. People who have a lot of stress in their lives should consider cutting back to see how that works."

  Another benefit of cutting your caffeine intake is that you won't go through the cycles of withdrawal that occur for regular coffee drinkers. When a person wakes up groggy in the morning, desperate for caffeine, it is a sign she is going through withdrawal from taking caffeine the day before, he says.

  Lane is working on another study about people ceasing to drink coffee for a week. But since most people get headaches for a couple of days when they stop all at once, he recommends that they cut back over a couple of weeks or begin to mix decaffeinated coffee with regular coffee. In many cases, those who stopped didn't want to begin again, he adds.

  "It's a simple thing to try for a week or so," Lane says. "If it doesn't work, you can go back to Starbucks and load up again."

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  The Healing Power of Juices
  
  By Roopa Chari, M.D.
  Board Certified Physician in Internal Medicine and co-owner of The Chari Center of Health, Inc. in San Diego
  
  Just as we know that herbs have specific curative properties so do the juices made from fresh fruits and vegetables. Juices can help to prevent and treat many chronic, degenerative conditions which so many people currently have. In addition, fruit and vegetable juices also provide us with all of the protein we need.
  
  Fruit juices are known more for their cleansing abilities. They purify the blood and eliminate accumulated toxins from the cells. On the other hand, vegetable juices help to regenerate and rebuild the body. Vegetable juices help in the production of new cells to replace and replace those depreciated or destroyed by disease or poor dietary habits.
  
  Raw juices will be absorbed into the bloodstream and glands 15 minutes after ingested on an empty stomach. Adding at least 1 pint a day of fresh fruit and vegetable juices is excellent preventative medicine. Dr. Richard Schulze, an internationally recognized herbalist recommends calling it a juice “flush”(rather than calling it a juice fast) for seasonal 5 day detoxification cleanses.
  
  Juices begin the detoxification process by also helping to dislodge and expel toxins from various locations in the body out through the elimination organs (skin,colon, kidneys, liver). Juices also balance the acid-alkaline pH of the body thus making the blood more alkaline so that acidic toxins in the tissues start to dissolve.
  
  The elimination of accumulated toxins will actually reduce body weight! The renewal of cells also enhances energy levels. The skin takes on a beautiful glow.
  
  Juices from all dark fruits (dark grapes, berriesand cherries) are very beneficial for those with low blood pressure.
  
  A daily glass of carrot and spinach juice gives vital nutrients to the roots of the hair, thereby preventing hair loss and actually restoring your natural hair color. Juices provide the vitamins, enzymes, minerals and trace elements which go into the formation of hair. Adding cucumbers to the carrot and spinach juice also promotes hair growth as it is high in silicon and sulfur.
  
  New studies are showing that drinking a few glasses of grape juice may have the same anti-clogging effect which has been attributed to red wine and alcohol. Once again it is the flavinoids in grape juice which protect the heart against heart disease by inhibiting platelet activity (platelets are the cells which promote bloodclotting). Therefore this reduces the chance of blood clots sticking to the walls of the artery and thus blocking the flow of blood through the artery.
  
  There are liquids locked inside the tiny cells of plants, especially in vegetables which get lost as indigestable roughage when it is eaten raw. These wonderful healing liquids often color fruits. By using a juicer, the vital nutrients are extracted from the plant cells which otherwise the human stomach would not be able to access.
  
  As the juices contain enzymes they are predigested in several ways. They therefore provide the body with new energy without depleting the energy for digestion.
  
  For colds and flus juices are wonderful therapy. Not only do they satisfy the thirst but they also help to neutralize toxins in the body. Fruit juices also release vitamin C, vitamins and mineral salts.
  
  Parsley juice should not be taken in quantities of more than 2 ounces at a time and should always be mixed with other raw vegetable juices such as carrot, spinach, etc. The elements in parsley will help to maintain the blood vessels in a healthy condition, along with being an excellent cleanser for the urinary tract (kidneys and bladder).
  
  For diabetes, drinking a combination of the juices of carrot, stringbeans and brussel sprouts is highly recommended. String beans and brusselsprouts give a natural form of insulin for the pancreatic functions of the digestive system.
  
  The following are some recommendations for juices for some very common health concerns. Please keep in mind that there are many juice combinations for each of the conditions listed and I will go into other combination with these and other health conditions in future articles.
  
  A. For Hypertension:
  
  1. Carrot: 8 ounces
  2. Celery: 4 ounces
  
  3. Spinach: 2 ounces
  
  4. Parsley: 2 ounces
  
  ( For those who can take garlic it is beneficial to put 1 clove of garlic through the juicer as well).
  
  B. For Cataracts:
  
  1. Carrot: 8 ounces
  
  2. Celery: 6 ounces
  
  3. Parsley: 2 ounces
  
  C. For Constipation:
  
  1. Carrot: 8 ounces
  
  2. Apple: 4 ounces
  
  3. Celery: 4 ounces
  
  4. Spinach: 2 ounces
  
  . For Diabetes:
  
  1. Carrot: 6 ounces
  
  2. String Beans: 3 ounces
  
  3. Brussel Sprouts: 3 ounces
  
  Dr. Roopa Chari is a Board Certified Physician in Internal Medicine. She along with her family have opened an Alternative Medical Health Center in San Diego called,“The Chari Center of Health, Inc. She treats patients using herbal remedies,detoxification programs, healthy food programs, and a variety of proven,remarkable mind-body techniques to treat a wide range of medical and psychological conditions. Dr. Chari can be reached at (619) 275-8073 for appointments or please visit their website at www.charicenter.com.