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Month: April, 2010

The Enemy Identified: High Fructose Corn Syrup

Gatorade
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Not all sugars are created equal.  In my last post, I shared a blog that listed the sugar content of various food products.  Very useful information if you are trying to keep your sugar content down, but that post didn’t distinguish between different forms of sugar.  Do you know which sugar is the biggest villian when it comes to your health?  If you guessed High Fructose Corn Sugar (and if you read one of my blogs a few months ago, you probably did), then you are correct!  HFCS has been getting a lot of bad press over the past few years, and people, researchers and industry are finally starting to notice. 

News Flash!  The HFCS Monopoly is Finally Cracking …  The back-to-back, double whammy announcements that PepsiCo is ditching high fructose corn syrup in Gatorade along with the results of a scathing new study from researchers at Princeton make it official — allies of the controversial sweetener have lost the war,” BNET writes.

For years, the Corn Refiners Association has been arguing that HFCS is a perfectly natural product
 that is equal to other forms of sugar.

Of course, the Corn Refiners Association is not going to go down easily. Currently, they appear to be pretending the problem simply doesn’t exist.

On their Web site, “SweetSurprise.com”, they are still trumpeting an episode of the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric that ran a report basically parroting the industry line — “high fructose corn syrup is just sugar with an image problem.”

However, a Princeton research team has again demonstrated that all sweeteners are NOT equal when it comes to weight gain — rats with access to high-fructose corn syrup gained significantly more weight than those with access to table sugar, even when their overall caloric intake was the same.

In addition to causing significant weight gain in lab animals, long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup also led to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in circulating blood fats called triglycerides.

Making matters even worse, two other recent studies have also linked HFCS to liver disease. (A third found no connection.)

Intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages may increase levels of uric acid, a compound linked to decreased kidney function, and a cross-sectional analysis of data from almost 16,000 people found that the risk of chronic kidney disease increased by over 150 percent in those who more than one soda per day and had high levels of uric acid.

Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center stated: “We found that increased consumption of high fructose corn syrup was associated with scarring in the liver, or fibrosis, among patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).”

The researchers found only 19 percent of adults with NAFLD reported no intake of fructose-containing beverages, while 52 percent consumed between one and six servings a week and 29 percent consumed fructose-containing beverages on a daily basis.

An increase in consumption of fructose appeared to be correlated to increased liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. The researchers stated:

“We have identified an environmental risk factor that may contribute to the metabolic syndrome of insulin resistance and the complications of the metabolic syndrome, including liver injury.”

The evidence is mounting that HFCS is a dangerous sweetner.   Read your labels, make educated choices.  Just because products with HFCS are plentiful, doesn’t mean you HAVE to eat them!  Write to support Pepsi’s decision to eleminate HFCS from Gatorate.  Encourge other food and beverage manufacturers to follow suit.  After all, it is YOUR health.

Source:  www.Foodconsumer.org

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Sugar, Sugar Everywhere …

A box of Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Doughnuts.
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This is repost of a blog by Summer Tomato that offers many eye-opening facts on the sugar content of common foods.

She writes:

“Refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup are considered by many experts to be the biggest contributors to obesity and poor health in Western civilization.

In her book What To Eat, Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at NYU, suggests that any food that contains more than 15 grams of sugar per serving is closer to dessert than anything else.”

Here is a partial list of the foods Summer Tomato posted:

  1. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut — 10 grams
  2. Luna Bar berry almond — 11 g
  3. Fruit Loops 3/4 cup — 12 g
  4. Ben & Jerry’s vanilla ice cream — 16 g
  5. Starbucks caffè latte grande (16 oz) — 17 g
  6. Godiva 2 truffles –  17 g
  7. Subway 6″ sweet onion teriyaki chicken sandwich — 17 g
  8. Mrs. Field’s chocolate chip cookie — 19 g
  9. Tropicana 100% orange juice 8 oz — 25 g
  10. Yoplait original yogurt — 27 g
  11. Craisins dried cranberries 1/3 cup — 29 g
  12. Vitamin Water (20 oz bottle) — 33 g
  13. Oscar Mayer Lunchables crackers, turkey & American cheese — 36 g
  14. Coca-Cola Classic 12 oz can — 39 g
  15. Sprinkles Cupcake red velvet — 45 g
  16. California Pizza Kitchen Thai chicken salad — 45 g
  17. Jamba Juice blackberry bliss 16 oz — 49 g
  18. Odwalla SuperFood 450 ml bottle — 50  

   19.   Starbucks caffe vanilla frappuccino grande (16 oz) — 58 g

Take Home Messages:

  • Foods we recognize as dessert (e.g., doughnuts, ice cream, cookies) often have less sugar than things we consider “healthy” (e.g., juice, yogurt, dried fruit).
  • Fruit Loops aren’t necessarily better than doughnuts.
  • Energy bars are glorified candy.
  • Dessert is sometimes hidden in things like sandwiches.
  • Some foods marketed to children aren’t much better than soda.
  • A salad can have as much sugar as one of the biggest cupcakes I have ever seen.
  • “Natural” foods can have a lot of sugar.
  • The worst offenders are drinkable.
  • Starbucks is why you are fat.

To combat the prevalance of sugar in your diet, read labels.  The Ideal Protein program is a no sugar, low carb meal plan that can help you lose fat, manage your blood sugar levels naturally and help you with high blood pressure and high cholesteral problems.  Contact Erik at Remmel Wellness Center for more information.

Sources:

 
Reposted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
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Tips for Elderly Drivers and Those Sharing the Road With Them!

Fender Bender [043/365]
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I’ve lived in St. Petersburg for 20 years now, and one thing I have noticed is that the population of the county seems to be getting younger  – at this time of year.  Yes, this is about the time when all the snow birds have returned to their homes up north, and younger visitors – the spring break crowd and the family vacation crowd, comes to the beach.

St. Petersburg does have it’s share of elderly, year round residents too, and this article takes a look at a CDC feature on elderly drivers.

According to the Center for Disease Control, here is what you should know:

  • Every day, an average of 500 older adults (those ages 65 and older) are injured in a crash.
  • In 2008, 4,600 older adults were killed in motor vehicle crashes.
  • Motor vehicle crash deaths among both men and women begin to increase markedly after age 70.
  • Age-related declines in vision and cognitive functioning (ability to reason and remember), as well as physical changes, may affect some older adults’ driving abilities.

What you can do:
Driving plays an important role in many older adults’ mobility and independence. If you are a driver age 65 or older, you can make your time behind the wheel safer by:

  • Asking your doctor or pharmacist to review your medicines (both prescription and over-the counter) to reduce possible side effects and drug interactions.
  • Having your eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year, and wearing your glasses and contact lenses as required.
  • Planning your route before you drive.
  • Leaving a large following distance behind the car in front of you.
  • Avoiding distractions in your car, such as listening to a loud radio, talking on your cell phone, texting, and eating in the car.
  • Thinking about potential alternatives to driving, such as riding with a friend or using public transit, that you could use to get around.

If you, or someone you know, have been injured in an automobile accident, the doctors and staff at Remmel Wellness Center are here to help you on your road to recovery.  In most cases, we are able to treat you with no out-of-pocket expenses to you.

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Bored to Death – Literally

Boring
Image by phoenixdailyphoto via Flickr

Have you ever felt bored? Ever found yourself with nothing engaging to do? Experienced a lack of interest in everything and everyone around you? Although not a pleasant state in which to find oneself, is boredom bad for health? In a rare moment of idleness one day, researchers pondered whether the expression ‘bored to death’ has any basis. Are people who are bored more likely to die earlier than those who are not?

In a commentary published in the International Journal of Epidemiology this month, experts say there’s a possibility that the more bored you are, the more likely you are to die early.  So, yes.  You may actually be bored to death!.

Annie Britton and Martin Shipley of University College London caution that boredom alone isn’t likely to kill you — but it could be a symptom of other risky behavior like drinking, smoking, taking drugs or having a psychological problem.

The researchers analyzed questionnaires completed between 1985 and 1988 by more than 7,500 London civil servants ages 35 to 55. The civil servants were asked if they had felt bored at work during the previous month.

Britton and Shipley then tracked down how many of the participants had died by April 2009. Those who reported they had been very bored were two and a half times more likely to die of a heart problem than those who hadn’t reported being bored.

But when the authors made a statistical adjustment for other potential risk factors, like physical activity levels and employment grade, the effect was reduced.

Other experts said while the research was preliminary, the link between boredom and increased heart problems was possible — if not direct.

“Someone who is bored may not be motivated to eat well, exercise, and have a heart-healthy lifestyle. That may make them more likely to have a cardiovascular event,” said Dr. Christopher Cannon, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and spokesman for the American College of Cardiology.

He also said if people’s boredom was ultimately linked to depression, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were more susceptible to heart attacks; depression has long been recognized as a risk factor for heart disease. Cannon also said it was possible that when people are bored, dangerous hormones are released in the body that stress the heart.

Britton and Shipley said boredom was probably not in itself that deadly. “The state of boredom is almost certainly a proxy for other risk factors,” they wrote. “It is likely that those who were bored were also in poor health.”

Others said boredom was potentially as dangerous as stress.

“Boredom is not innocuous,” said Sandi Mann, a senior lecturer in occupational psychology at the University of Central Lancashire who studies boredom.

She said boredom is linked to anger suppression, which can raise blood pressure and suppress the body’s natural immunity. “People who are bored also tend to eat and drink more, and they’re probably not eating carrots and celery sticks,” she said.

Still, Mann said it was only people who were chronically bored who should be worried.

“Everybody is bored from time to time,” she said.

If you find yourself to be bored more than infrequently, you may want to consider taking a class, picking up a hobby, changing jobs or careers, heading out to the gym, engaging in a sport or calling a friend just to chat.   There’s no reason for you to be Bored to Death!

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

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Chiropractic Is The Most Popular Form Of Alternative Care

Chiropractic Is The Most Popular Form Of Alternative Care

A recent survey completed by the Centers for Disease Control showed that America has more people using Chiropractic to attain and maintain good health than any other form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

The purpose of the survey that contacted 75,764 people was to determine how many people were using Chiropractic, Acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, hypnosis, massage, biofeedback and other forms of treatment. The survey then went on to assess the relative costs of these different forms of treatment.

Out of the 38,146 people who visited a CAM practitioner in the year before the survey, the largest group had visited a chiropractor, with 18,740 people making this their choice.

Not only that, the study stated that, “One of the lowest per-person, out-of-pocket costs is associated with visits to practitioners of chiropractic…” While some people visiting CAM practitioners paid as much as $75 out-of-pocket for their visit, those utilizing Chiropractic paid $24 or less about half the time.

This analysis agrees with a review of Workers’ Compensation claims in North Carolina during 2004,which found that almost $2,900 was saved every time an injured worker was cared for by a doctor of Chiropractic rather than a medical doctor. Not only that, injured workers treated by chiropractors were able to return to work almost six times as fast as injured workers who chose a medical doctor for their care. This was no limited study, either. The review included 43,000 claims over a nineteen-year period of time.

More studies can and will surely be done, but the results are certain to be the same: Chiropractic improves health and saves money – and more and more Americans know it.

Source: National Institutes of Health, National Health Statisti Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Frequency of Visits to CAM Practitioners, July 30, 2009, http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/costs/nhsrn18.pdf

Source: Dynamic Chiropractic, Work Comp Study, Chiropractic Less Expensive, More Effective Than Medical Care, November 18, cs Report, Costs of2004,http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?t=9&id=46515

Posted by Erik Remmel, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropactic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
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Get The Scoop on Blackberry Thumb

Cropped version of :Image:IPhone_Release_-_Sea...
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It’s rare these days to see a teenager without a cell phone in hand, texting for hours at a time, seemingly without health consequences. But, when older folks attempts to spend the day e-mailing, instant messaging and surfing the Web on a handheld device, repetitive stress injuries — such as “Blackberry thumb” — are much more likely to occur.

 Dubbed “Blackberry thumb” because of the popularity of that particular model of wireless personal digital assistant (PDA), this repetitive stress injury occurs because these devices rely almost solely on the use of your thumbs for typing, instead of all your fingers.

Any device that relies on the thumbs for typing can cause this type of injury because the thumbs simply weren’t designed for such use.

“Blackberries and other PDAs can cause tendonitis from working in such a small space with the thumbs,” explained Kristen Crowe, a certified hand therapist with Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. “The problem is that people are doing the same activity for long periods of time that the body just wasn’t meant to do. Teens seem to do OK with it. It’s around age 40 or 50 the ‘itises’, [such as tendonitis], start to crop up.”

Margot Miller, president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Occupational Health Special Interest Group, added: “Because the keyboard of the PDA is so small, and because the thumb, which is the least dexterous part of the hand, is overtaxed, the risk of injury just skyrockets.”

“The use of PDAs is no longer limited to the eight hours spent in the workplace,” Miller said. “More and more, people are depending on these devices to stay in touch with friends and family before and after the workday and on the weekends, as well as having access to work when they leave the office. That is where the heart of the problem lies.”

Symptoms of “Blackberry thumb” include pain and numbness in the thumbs and joints of the hand.

Most people who rely on PDAs wouldn’t readily give them up, even for an injury, so it’s fortunate that there are treatments available.

Crowe’s first suggestion is to take a break from the device for just a little while. “If it’s painful, switch your activity until you feel rested. Don’t try to work through pain thinking it will go away. Take a vacation if you can,” she recommended.

“Try to do more on your computer. Don’t write phone books on your PDA. Limit yourself to ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers when you can,” advised Dr. Charles Leinberry Jr., a hand and wrist specialist at the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

Leinberry, who is also an assistant clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, said that splinting, usually with a custom-made splint worn while you’re sleeping, can relieve some of the pressure on your thumb and other joints, and improve your symptoms.

Both Crowe and Leinberry said it’s important to pay attention to your workspace ergonomics to make sure you’re not putting any extra stress on your thumb and hands. Crowe added that many times, small changes in the work area can have a big impact on your health.

“Getting a new office or doing more work at home — possibly at the dining room table — can throw off your posture,” she said, which can result in muscle and nerve disorders like tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Crowe also recommended icing the injured area. And, both experts suggested doing strengthening exercises once the pain subsides. Ask your chiropractor to show you what to do.

“Just use common sense. Be smart with your use — shorten answers and just use the devices when you need to. And, if you feel discomfort, stop using it and get in to see a physician,” he said.

You can get your examination/consultation on carpel tunnel from Dr. Remmel paired with a Blackberry massage for only$50.  Or, get the Blackberry massage therapy for only $20. 

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropactic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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What’s Your Excuse For Not Exercising?

Marine of the United States Marine Corps runs ...
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So, I did this really unscientific poll of some of my friends and collegues of reasons they give not to exercise.   The number one reason given was a lack of time.  Other common excuses I heard are: I’m too tired; the gym is too crowded; I’m not motivated; it’s raining; it’s too hot; I don’t have cute clothes to wear; I don’t like to sweat. 

Some of the excuses are just silly, like not having cute clothes to wear (seriously, if you look too good, you’re not doing it right!) or it’s raining or too hot (so what’s keeping you from working out in a nice, dry, air conditioned gym?).  Even though being too tired or unmotivated are common excuses, making yourself exercise will boost your energy levels and the endorphins will make you feel great!  So those really aren’t good excuses either. 

So let’s tackle the biggie: “I don’t have enough time!”  How much time to you need to get an effective workout?  With high intensity, interval training, you can cut down the amount of time you spend exercising signficiantly.

Only about one-third of American adults say they participate in regular leisure-time physical activity, according to the American Heart Association, and that number may even be high.  At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that 36 percent of adults say they never exercise.

Therefore, fully two-thirds of adults in the United States engage in only periodic or no exercise, a figure that corresponds with the number of adults who are overweight or obese in America. In addition, lack of physical activity is a risk factor for heart disease, the number one killer in the United States.

A solution may come in the form of high-intensity interval training (HIT), which experts at McMaster University in Canada say appears to be a time-saving, effective, and safe alternative to traditional exercise programs. Professor Martin Gibala, one of the new study’s authors, notes that “Doing 10 one-minute sprints on a standard stationary bike with about one minute of rest in between, three times a week, works as well in improving muscle as many hours of conventional long-term biking less strenuously.”

The CDC’s exercise guidelines for adults is 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week, or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise each week along with two or more days of strengthening activities.

HIT cuts the CDC recommended aerobic exercise time considerably: an average of ten one-minute sprints plus rest time equals only less than 23 minutes per session, three times a week for a total of one hour and 9 minutes. Although jogging and bicycling for hours helps build endurance and improve blood circulation and the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, the McMaster research team found that HIT can achieve the same goals and in much less time.

So the next time you think to yourself, “I have no time to exercise,” remember HIT. (Naturally, everyone is urged to talk to their doctor before beginning any new exercise program.)  And if you come up with a new excuse for not exercising, send it to me so I can help you get moving!

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Teens: The “Fatso” Gene Doesn’t Mean You Must Be Fat

Techo-Teenagers
Image by Leonard John Matthews via Flickr

Yes, you’ve heard it over and over again.  Your diet and exercise are critical components to good health.  A segment of the population blames being overweight on genetics, and it is true that genetics may play a role in a person’s weight.  But simply having the “fatso” gene doesn’t mean you are automatically sentenced to a life of obesity.  Take charge of your life and your health.  Read this story published on Bay News 9 recently:

One hour of moderate to vigorous exercise a day can help teens beat the effects of a common obesity-related gene with the nickname “fatso,” according to a new European study.

The message for adolescents is to get moving, said lead author Jonatan Ruiz of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.

“Be active in your way,” Ruiz said. “Activities such as playing sports are just fine and enough.”

The study, released Monday, appears in the April edition of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

The research supports U.S. guidelines that tell children and teenagers to get an hour or more of physical activity daily, most of it aerobic activity such as running, jumping rope, swimming, dancing and bicycling.

Scientists are finding evidence that both lifestyle and genes cause obesity and they’re just learning how much diet and exercise can offset the inherited risk.

One gene involved with obesity, the FTO gene, packs on the pounds when it shows up in a variant form. Adults who carry two copies of the gene variant _ about 1 in 6 people _ weigh on average 7 pounds more than people who don’t.

In the new study, 752 teenagers, who had their blood tested for the gene variant, wore monitoring devices for a week during waking hours to measure their physical activity.

Exercising an hour or more daily made a big difference for the teens who were genetically predisposed to obesity. Their waist measurements, body mass index scores and body fat were the same, on average, as the other teenagers with regular genes.

But the teens with the gene variant had more body fat, bigger waists and higher BMI if they got less than an hour of exercise daily. The results were similar for boys and girls.

The teens lived in Greece, Germany, Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Austria and Spain. The study was funded by the Spanish and Swedish governments and the European Union.

The new study found that most of the teenagers had at least one copy of the variant gene. Only 37 percent had regular genes. The rest had either one of two copies of the pesky fatso gene.

An earlier study in Amish adults in Lancaster County, Pa., found they needed three to four hours of moderate activity daily to beat the gene. The adults in that study did things like brisk walking, housecleaning and gardening.

The teens in the new study may have exercised more vigorously than the Amish adults, Ruiz said. The new analysis was designed to see whether the current U.S. guidelines _ which specify a moderate to vigorous level of exercise for an hour a day _ made a difference for kids.

The lead author of the Amish study, Evadnie Rampersaud of the University of Miami, said the new findings are “very interesting” because they suggest one hour daily spent exercising can be enough for teenagers at risk.

University of Miami researchers now are studying adults in an employee wellness program to see what it takes for them to overcome the fatso gene, Rampersaud said.

“The message is clear: genes are not destiny,” said Dr. Alan Shuldiner of the University of Maryland, a co-author of the Amish study. “Those with obesity susceptibility genes should be especially motivated to engage in a physically active lifestyle.”

To help you on your weight loss and journey back to health, the health team at Remmel Wellness Center utilizes a number of tools, including Ideal Protein foods, nutrition counseling and education, hypnosis and food issue counseling and exercise.  Call us for more information at 727-525-1141.

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness facility in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

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Health Benefits of Tea, Part 2

HARROGATE, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 12: Tea waits t...
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Yesterday we took a broad view of the various health benefits of tea.  Today’s post will focus more on specific health benefits, based on scientific research.  Most of the information here has come from wikipedia.  So, brew yourself a cup of tea, and read on to discover just how good that cup of tea is for you!

Anti-cancer properties
An article in New Scientist magazine mentions that numerous studies suggest that green tea protects against a range of cancers, including lung, prostate and breast cancer.  The reason cited is the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), according to Hirofumi Tachibana’s team at Kyushu University. Their research showed that growth of human lung cancer cells with a cell receptor called 67 LR is slowed significantly after drinking just two or three cups of green tea, which contains EGCG.  There is some evidence that suggests that white tea is even more effective than green tea in this regard.

Another study from the Life Science journal Carcinogenesis showed that green tea, in combination with tamoxifen, is effective in suppressing breast cancer growth in vitro human breast cancer tumors and in vivo animal experiments in mice.  A study at Taiwan’s Chung Shan Medical University found that people who drank at least one cup of green tea per day were five times less likely to develop lung cancer than those who did not.

Topical applications of green tea extracts (EGCG) have protective effects on UVA- and UVB-induced skin damage (photoaging and carcinogenesis).

Increases metabolic rate
Clinical trials conducted by the University of Geneva and the University of Birmingham indicate that green tea raises metabolic rates, speeds up fat oxidation and improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.  In addition to caffeine, green tea contains catechin polyphenols that raise thermogenesis (the production of heat by the body), and hence increases energy expenditure.

There is also a suggestion that it can increase endurance in exercise by improving fat metabolism (yea!!).

Possible anti-diabetes effect
There is also epidemiological evidence that drinking green tea and black tea may help prevent diabetes, although it is worth noting that this is evidence of an association, and that future studies are needed to confirm the effect.

Boosts mental alertness
The amino acid L-theanine, found almost exclusively in the tea plant, actively alters the attention networks of the brain, according to results of human trials announced in September 2007. It has been proposed that theanine is absorbed by the small intestine and crosses the blood-brain barrier, where it affects the brain’s neurotransmitters and increases alpha brain-wave activity. The result is a calmer, yet more alert, state of mind. Sounds good to me!

Boosts immune system
On 21 April 2003 the Brigham and Women’s Hospital released details of a research project which indicated that theanine may help the body’s immune system response when fighting infection, by boosting the disease-fighting capacity of gamma delta T cells. The study included a four-week trial with 11 coffee drinkers and 10 tea drinkers, who consumed 600ml of coffee or black tea daily. Blood sample analysis found that the production of anti-bacterial proteins was up to five times higher in the tea-drinkers, an indicator of a stronger immune response.

Lowers chances of cognitive impairment
A 2006 study showed that elderly Japanese people who consumed more than 2 cups of green tea a day had a 50 percent lower chance of having cognitive impairment (dementia, alzhemier’s), in comparison to those who drank fewer than 2 cups a day, or who consumed other tested beverages.  This is probably due to the effect of EGCG, which passes through the blood-brain barrier.

Lowers stress hormone levels
According to a study by researchers at University College London, drinking black tea can lead to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol after a stressful event.  Fifty minutes after being subjected to challenging tasks, subjects who had been drinking 4 cups of black tea daily for 6 weeks, had a 20% greater drop in cortisol than the placebo group. Blood platelet activation, which is linked to blood clotting and the risk of heart attacks was also lower for tea drinkers. And that is a good thing, don’t you think?  — Actually, I kinda feel sorry for those in the placebo group (though I do believe in the power of the mind to heal).

Effects on HIV
A recent study appearing in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology was the subject of an article on BBC News. It stated that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea can lead to the inhibition of HIV virus binding and may be used as a complementary therapy for HIV patients, but qualified it by noting that “It is not a cure, and nor is it a safe way to avoid infection, however, we suggest that it should be used in combination with conventional medicines to improve quality of life for those infected.” It was an in vitro (test tube) study, not an in vivo study, which only tested effects of a chemical in green tea. “Many substances shown to prevent HIV infection in the test tube turn out to have little or no effect in real life, so I think there’s a long way to go before anyone should rely on green tea to protect against HIV infection.”

Effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
The polyphenols in green tea have been shown to reduce intestinal inflammation in mouse models of IBD. This effect seems to be related to tea’s ability to interrupt the cascade of inflammatory reactions that are the cause of IBD.

Effects on bad breath
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago stated that polyphenols help inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause bad breath.

Iron overload disorders
Researchers in Germany have found that a daily cup of black tea can help stop excess iron damaging the bodies of people who suffer from hemochromatosis due to its high content of flavonoids (commonly mistaken for tannins), which limit iron absorption.  However, because tea can block the absorption of iron, tea drinkers should be aware of the possiblity of becoming anemic (iron deficient).

Effects associated with caffeine
A cup of green tea contains between 15 and 50 mg of caffeine. Certain cognitive benefits are associated with caffeine consumption, such as a reduction in the likelihood of Parkinson’s disease and a temporary increase in short term memory. Further, caffeine consumption has been linked with greater athletic performance, healthy weight loss, reduction in duration and severity of headaches and is effective in treating the symptoms of asthma.

Effects on obstructive sleep apnea-related brain deficits
University of Louisville researchers report that green tea polyphenols may stave off the cognitive deficits that occur with obstructive sleep apnea, in the second issue for May, 2008 of the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.  Researchers examined the effects of green tea polyphenols administered through drinking water, on rats that were intermittently deprived of oxygen during 12-hour “night” cycles, mimicking the intermittent hypoxia that humans with OSA experience.

Effects on bacterial and fungal infections
A study at Pace University reported in American Society For Microbiology (May 2008) found white tea extracts effective at treating bacterial infections, such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, pneumonia and tooth decay. White tea was also found to be effective in treating fungal infections.  Researchers also reported that white tea extracts showed a greater effect than green tea extracts.

Anti-venom effects
Antivenom activity of melanin extracted from black tea (MEBT) was reported for the first time in 2004.  Low toxicity of MEBT in combination with its antagonistic activity against different venoms may allow effective life-saving treatment against snakebites. Such application of MEBT is important when identification of the snake is impossible or if specific treatment is unavailable.

Stroke
Research presented at the International Stroke Conference in February 2009 found that drinking three or more cups of tea per day can reduce the risk of suffering a stroke by as much as 21%. The research, conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), found that drinking green and black varieties of teas has a significant impact on the risk of stroke.

Cardiovascular health
Research published in April 2009 by the University of L’Aquila and funded by the Unilever-owned Lipton Institute of Tea suggests that drinking just one cup of regular, black tea per day may help to protect against cardiovascular disease.The research showed that black tea consumption does – depending on dose – improve blood vessel reactivity, reduce both blood pressure and arterial stiffness, indicating a notably better cardiovascular health profile.

Antidepressant properties
Two separate Japanese studies show the antidepressant benefits of green tea consumption.  One showed a reduction in psychological distress, and the other showed a reduction in depression sypmptoms in elderly Japanese living in assisted living and nursing homes, which showed a reduction in the severity of depression symptoms with increased green tea consumption.

So why drink green tea, white tea, black tea or oolong tea?  For the Health of it!  Be sure to make yourself a complimentary cup of tea when you come into our office.

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.

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Health Benefits of Tea, Part 1

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In our last post, we explored the differences between different types of tea, the most commonly consumed beverage in the world after water.  If you walk into a grocery story or health food store, the large number of tea selections on the shelf can be overwhelming.  Have you ever just stood there, scratching your head, wondering which, among all varieties of tea – black, green, white, oolong, red, herbal - offers the most health benefits?

Benefits of Tea

Numerous studies have demonstrated the anti-cancer properties of antioxidant polyphenols.  Some studies have suggested that tea’s polyphenols may reduce the risk of gastric, esophageal and skin cancers, if one consumes 4 to 6 cups daily.  Another study showed that just 2 cups of tea may lower the risk of ovarian cancer by 46 percent in women.  Other studies have found that polyphenols help prevent blood clotting and lower cholesterol levels.  One Japanese study found that green tea lowers death rates from heart disease.

Recent research shows that any tea derived from camellia sinensis has cancer-fighting properties. The leaves of this plant contain chemicals called polyphenols, which give tea its antioxidant properties.

Polyphenols in tea have been known to (1) Help protect cells from the normal, but damaging, physiological process known as “oxidative stress.” Although oxygen is vital to life, it’s also incorporated into reactive substances called free radicals. These can damage the cells in our body and have been implicated in the slow chain reaction of damage leading to heart disease and cancer; (2) Help prevent blood clotting; (3) Help lower cholesterol levels; (4) Help neutralize enzymes that aid in the growth of tumors; (5) Help deactivate cancer promoters; and (6) Help stimulate the immune system.

Tea also has fluoride for strong teeth, virtually no calories, and half the amount of caffeine found in an equally-sized cup of coffee. Whether decaffeinated tea has the same level of polyphenols, and thus the same health benefits, as regular tea has not yet been studied. Caffeine is a natural component of tea leaves. It is not yet known if removing caffeine also removes polyphenols.

Apart from polyphenols, tea also contains a variety of ingredients that are beneficial to one’s health. These include theanine (an amino acid unique to tea), vitamins, minerals, and methylxanthines. These are the components that are the source of the healthful properties of tea. These are known to (1) Help fight against mutagenic agents; (2) Delay aging; (3) Help fight high blood pressure; (4) Help fight against viral and bacterial infection; and (5) Help improve the functions of the digestive and excretory systems.

By drinking 2-4 cups a day of tea, you can receive the numerous curative and preventive tea benefits.  You can get one of those daily cups of health boosting tea at Remmel Wellness Center, where we provide complimentary cups of Tazo tea to our patients!  In tomorrow’s post, we will examine in more detail some of the health benefits of drinking tea. 

Posted by Laurie Puckett, Remmel Wellness Center, a full service chiropractic and wellness center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
 

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