Flaxseed lowered cholesterol, improved liver health

In this study, 30 men with moderately high cholesterol, 180 to 240 mg/dL, took 20 mg of flaxseed lignan capsules per day, 100 mg per day, or a placebo. After 12 weeks, those who had taken 100 mg of flaxseed had a much lower ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, both compared to the start of the study and compared to placebo.

High triglyceride levels and obesity can also cause elevated liver enzymes. Researchers found that the 100 mg flaxseed group had lower blood levels of two liver enzymes-a sign that inflammation and cell damage in the liver had decreased-compared to the start of the study and to placebo.

EPA promotes healthy blood clotting-in men

Platelets are cells that help the blood clot normally and begin the wound-healing process. Too little platelet activity leads to excess bleeding, but too much can impair healing, block blood flow , and lead to heart attack or stroke. Researchers said earlier lab studies suggested eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) my help normalize platelet activity in men more than women. In this study, 15 men took EPA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or a placebo. Doctors measured platelet activity before and several times during the next 24 hours. While DHA was not effective, EPA reduced platelet activity 11 percent after two hours and 20 percent after 24 hours. Study authors concluded EPA effectively interacts with male sex hormones to normalize platelet activity, reducing chances of heart attack and stroke.

Reference: Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease; 2010, Electronic Prepublication

From the June 2011 newsletter

During puberty, girls usually develop more than a third of their adult peak bone mass, setting the stage for healthier bones later in life and lowering chances of osteoporosis. In this study of twenty pairs of identical twin girls, approaching or in puberty and aged 9 to 13, one sister took 800 mg of calcium plus 400 IU of vitamin D3 per day while her twin took a placebo. After six months, doctors measured bone strength and found, compared to placebo, girls in the calcium-vitamin D group had up to 66 percent stronger shin and arm bones depending on the specific area of the bone. Researchers said that bone size, density and strength increased in the spongy-bone areas inside of bones and in the compact-bone areas along the outer shafts of the arm and shin.

Reference: Osteoporosis International; 2011, Vol. 22, No.2, 489-98

From the July 2011 newsletter

Vitamin D, blood sugar and insulin

Doctors in this study measured blood sugar and insulin levels in 85 obese and non-obese Philadelphia children, ages 4 to 18, and found nearly half were low or deficient in vitamin D. Older African-American children with higher body-mass index scores had the lowest levels of vitamin D. As vitamin D levels rose, blood sugar levels and insulin resistance decreased, reducing chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin D3 more effective than D2 for treating deficiency

Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, has two major forms; D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Since vertebrates synthesize vitamin D3 from sunshine, researchers wanted to test for any biological differences between vitamin D2 and D3 once inside the body. In the study, 33 health adults took 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or D3 per week. After 12 weeks, blood serum levels of the active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) were 70 percent higher in the vitamin D3 group than in the vitamin D2 group. The vitamin D3 group also had two to three times the amount of stored vitamin D. Study authors said that most North American pharmaceutical preparations use vitamin D2, and recommend switching to vitamin D3 for its greater potency and lower cost.

Reference: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism; 2011, Vol. 96, No. 3, E447-52

From the July 2011 newsletter

Mom’s zinc improves children’s nervous systems

Doctors in this study wanted to see if mother’s zinc levels affected the health of their children’s nervous systems, and said that heart function is linked to nervous-system health. Researchers tested the heartbeat patterns in 165 children, at 4.5 years old, whose nutrient-deficient mothers had taken iron and folic acid with or without 25 mg of zinc per day while pregnant. Children whose moms had taken zinc had slower heart rate, and more balanced and controlled responses at rest and under stress than children whose moms hadn’t taken zinc.

Multivitamins increase birth weight

In the U.S., African-American women deliver preterm and low-birth-weight babies two to three times more ofter than Caucasian women. Low birth weigh is linked to poor mental and physical health later in life. Researchers measured multivitamins in the diets of 2,464 non-Hispanic white and black mothers from just before and during early pregnancy and found that, while there is no effect in babies of white women, babies born to black women who had taken multivitamins were more than a pound heavier on average than babies whose moms hadn’t taken multivitamins.

Reference: The Journal of Nutrition; 2011, Vol. 141, No. 2, 327-32

From the July 2011 newsletter

Probiotics Curb Crying in Babies

Colicky babies cried less after taking probiotics

Livermore, October 2010: Researchers who presented their findings at a recent gathering of pediatricians said that they wanted to see of they could reduce crying time in infants with colic by improving the balance of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract.

Doctors gave 50 infants with colic 100 million Lactobacillus reuteri supplement per day, or a placebo, for three weeks.

After seven days, infants in the placebo group spent 50 percent less time crying per day compared to 68 percent less time for the probiotics group. After three weeks, the average crying time in the placebo group was 90 minutes per day compared to 35 minutes per day for those who took probiotics.

Also after three weeks, 43 percent of children in the placebo group no longer had colic compared to 84 percent of the children who had taken probiotics.

Reference: 43rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, 9-12 June, 2010; Istanbul, Turkey

Republished from the Van’s Health Foods November 2010 newsletter

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Controlling Diabetes

Nutrients lowered chances of type 2 and complications in type 1 diabetes

Doctors in a type 2 diabetes study measured the diets of 38,094 men and women aged 20 to 70 and followed up for 10 years. Researchers found that those who consumed more vitamin K1 were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and for vitamin K2, each 10 mcg increase per day lowered chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 7 percent.

In another type 2 diabetes study, researchers measured antioxidant levels in the diets of 1,018 men and women, aged 38 to 52, some of whom did not have diabetes, some of whom were pre-diabetic with elevated fasting blood sugar levels, and some with type 2 diabetes. In all three groups, as antioxidants in the diet increased, average blood sugar levels decreased.

Differences in age, sex, or amount of physical activity did not change the results, although antioxidants did not change blood sugar levels in those who were obese. Doctors believe that antioxidants can lower the oxidative stress that promotes diabetes and may help pancreatic cells produce insulin.

In a type 1 diabetes study, doctors said a complication of the disorder is that, over time, chronic high blood sugar can damage the small blood vessels in the kidneys, impairing kidney function. Researchers measured the diets of 1,436 people with type 1 diabetes and followed up for 6.5 years.

By the end of the study, scientists found that those who consumed the most omega-3 eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic (EPA and DHA) acids per day had better kidney function compared to those who consumed the least omega-3 fatty acids.

Reference: Diabetes Care; 2010, Vol. 33, No.8, 1699-705

Republished from Van’s Health Foods’ November 2010 Newsletter

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Reducing Cancer Risk

Doctors from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, tested a new theory that vitamin K may protect against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (n-HL). Researchers measured the diets and supplement use of 603 people newly diagnosed with n-HL, and of 1,007 cancer-free people of similar age and lifestyle. In the first finding of its kind, those who consumed the most vitamin K-more than 108 mcg per day-were 45 percent less likely to develop n-HL compared to those who consumed less than 39 mcg per day.

Researchers in a vitamin study said that residents of Linxian, China, are undernourished and have high rates of esophageal and gastric cancers. For seven years, 29,584 Linxian villagers, aged 40 to 69, took a combination of 50 mcg of selenium, 400 IU of vitamin E, and 15 mg of beta-carotene per day, or several other vitamin combinations. Compared to all other groups two years later, those in the selenium-vitamin E-beta-carotene group were much less likely to have died from gastric or any other cancer, or from any cause. A full 10 years later, the selenium-vitamin E-beta-carotene group was still 11 percent less likely to have died from gastric cancer and 5 percent less likely to have died from any cause.

In a chemotherapy study, 644 cancer patients who had reported nausea after chemotherapy began taking ginger capsules or a placebo three days before their next treatment while continuing to take anti-nausea/anti-vomiting medicine. After the first day on ginger, while the placebo group still had intense nausea, those who took a 0.5 gram or 1 gram ginger capsule reported little or none.

Reference: Journal of the National Cancer Institute; 2009, Vol. 101, No. 7, 507-18, Electronic Prepublication

From the Van’s Health Foods October 2010 newsletter

Heart Supplements - Healthier Hearts, Longer Lives

Women with better nutrient levels had less heart trouble and greater lifespan

A study from the American Heart Association compared 144 woman who had had a heart attack to 288 women of similar age and lifestyle who had not. Doctors measured levels of pyridoxal 5′ phosphate, the active form of vitamin B6, and homocysteine, an amino acid, high levels of which raise chances of cardiovascular disease. Women with higher vitamin B6 levels consumed more B6, had lower body mass index, and lower homocysteine levels compared to those with lower B6 levels. Women with the highest B6 levels were 78 percent less likely to have had a heart attack than those with the least.

Heart Supplements Can Help

In a survival study, researchers measured vitamin D levels in 714 women, aged 70 to 79, and followed up for six years. Women with the highest vitamin D levels, more than 27 nanograms per milliliter of blood, were 60 percent less likely to have died from any cause compared to women with the lowest levels. Doctors believe using vitamin D as a heart supplements may help control inflammation, immunity, blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries.

In an inflammation study, researchers measured the diets and vitamin D levels in 69 healthy women aged 25 to 82, who had either high or low sun exposure. Vitamin D levels in the high sun-exposure group were 52 ng/mL compared to 30 ng/mL for low exposure. In the low-vitamin D group, one sign of inflammation was higher than in the high-vitamin D group, leading doctors to conclude that, “Low vitamin D levels negatively impact inflammation and immune response, even in healthy women”. Adding a vitamin D heart supplements can help with these symptoms.

Reference: Circulation; 2009, Vol. 120, 649-55

This article about heart supplements was also published in our newsletter “Natural Insights for Well Being”, September 2010. Stop by Van’s Health Foods at 2148 First Street Livermore, CA or call us at 925-447-2976 to be added to our mailing list.

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The Van’s Health Foods Team

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Do not ask specific questions intended for store employees. Stop by the store or call us with your specific questions.
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end of Heart Supplements article

Clear Vision, Healthy Eyes

Nutrients slowed visual decline and preserved sight in older adults

In a lutein study, 225 non-smokers with a progressive blindness disease (retinitis pigmentosa), aged 18 to 60, took 12 mg of lutein per day, or a placebo, along with 15,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate. After four years, those in the lutein group had less loss of mid-peripheral vision compared to placebo. Lutein, a natural plant-based yellow carotenoid, increased pigment levels in the macula of the eye. Those with the greatest increase in pigment had the lowest decline in vision.

In an eye disease study, researchers measured fats in the diets of 6,734 older adults. Those who consumed the most trans-fats (hydrogenated oils) were 76 percent more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than those who consumed the least. For omega-3s, chances were 15 percent lower, and for olive oil, 52 percent lower.

In another AMD study, doctors measured the diets and signs of early-stage AMD in 2,454 older adults, and followed up for 10 years. Those who ate one serving of fish per week, took omega-3 fatty acid supplements, or ate one to two servings of nuts per week were up to 35 percent less likely to develop early AMD compared to those who did not. In general, those who consumed lower than average levels of the omega-6 linoleic acid, were non-smokers, had a higher ratio of HDL (the “good” cholesterol) to total cholesterol, or who consumed more beta carotene than average, were least likely to develop early AMD. Doctors said that balancing nutrients helps maximize health benefit.

Reference: Archives of Ophthalmology; 2010, Vol. 128, No. 4, 403-11

This article was also published in our newletter “Natural Insights for Well Being”, September 2010. Stop by Van’s Health Foods at 2148 First Street Livermore, CA or call us at 925-447-2976 to be added to our mailing list.

You may also subscribe to our blog by RSS or by providing your name and email in the box provided in the right margin.

Thank you,

The Van’s Health Foods Team

P.S. Please feel free to discuss this topic. This is for our community to use.

Do not ask specific questions intended for store employees. Stop by the store or call us with your specific questions.

Flu, Virus and Immunity

Nutrients reduce seasonal infection and boost immunity

In a children’s flu study, researchers said, Danish scientists recently discovered vitamin D triggers immunity system killer T-cells, white blood cells which attack viruses, but remain inactive when vitamin D is low.

In this study, 334 kids took 1,200 IU of vitamin D per day, or a placebo, from December through March. Over this time, 19 percent in the placebo group got influenza A compared to 11 percent for the Vitamin D.

In those whose vitamin D levels were higher, 83 percent had no infection.

In those with asthma, 12 in the placebo group had an asthma attack compared to two in the vitamin D group. The researchers believe vitamin D could have been even more effective in preventing flu because it takes about three months to build up a base level in the blood, and the study began after flu season had started.

Check out the CDC (Center for Disease Control) updated map on where the Influenza (flu) is. CDC Map

In a related study, researchers measured vitamin D levels during the fall and winter in 195 men and women aged 20 to 88. Over four months, 84 participants got viral infections. In those whose vitamin D levels were lower than 38 nanograms per milliliter of blood, 55 percent had no respiratory tract infection. In those whose vitamin D levels were higher, 83 percent had no infection.

In two lab studies, researchers exposed white-blood killer T-cells to influenza A and other viruses before and after healthy donors had taken the probiotic Bacillus coagulans or 15 mg of zinc per day for the previous month. In both studies, killer T-cell activity significantly increased after taking probiotics or zinc.

Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2010, Vol. 91, No. 5, 1255-60

This article was also published in our newletter “Natural Insights for Well Being”, September 2010. Stop by Van’s Health Foods at 2148 First Street Livermore, CA or call us at 925-447-2976 to be added to our mailing list.

You may also subscribe to our blog by RSS or by providing your name and email in the box provided in the right margin.

Thank you,

The Van’s Health Foods Team

P.S. Please feel free to discuss this topic. This is for our community to use.

Do not ask specific questions intended for store employees. Stop by the store or call us with your specific questions.

Natures Way supplements and minerals Livermore

Nature’s Way - Available at Van’s

[from Nature’s Way website] America’s leader in herbal medicine.
If you’ve heard of Nature’s Way, or better yet, used our products, it’s not surprising. We have been America’s leader in herbal medicine for over 40 years. As the pre-eminent provider of health and healing through the power of nature, our commitment to quality reflects our commitment to you. In fact, it’s woven into the very story of our founding.

Van’s Health Foods in Livermore carries a wide variety of Nature’s Way products. Here are few of them:

• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Herbs
• Antioxidants
• Diet and Weight Loss
• Immune System remedies
• Energy and Endurance

If you don’t see the Nature’s Way product description you were looking for, give us a call. Even if it is not one of our regular products, we’ll order it for you!