Ulcerative Colitis Treatment

Fedorak et al evaluated the efficacy of VSL#3 in an open-label, two-center trial with 30 patients with active mild to moderate ulcerative colitis. These patients had failed mesalamine therapy and were treated with VSL#3 (1.2 x 10¹² cfu daily in two divided doses) for 6 weeks.

Remission, as determined by an ulcerative colitis clinical score of <3, was achieved in 63% of VSL#3-treated patients. Response, as determined as an ulcerative colitis clinical score of a decrease of [less than or equal to] 3 and a final value of [greater than or equal to] 3, was achieved in 23% of VSL#3-treated patients. No response was found in 13% of the treated patients. This represents a significant improvement in a difficult to treat population. A randomized, controlled trial is underway to confirm these results...

See more information on this article.

Superbugs Killed By Soil Antibiotic

Soil bacteria from South Africa have yielded an antibiotic that kills usually immune bacteria.
Platensimycin, derived from the soil bacterium Streptomyces platensis, is the first antibiotic to kill bacteria by preventing them from making vital fatty acids. Mice that were infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci - two of the most common hospital superbugs - were cured without apparent side effects. (Nature, vol 441, p 358)

This is a great opportunity for the development of critically needed antibiotics, says Jun Wang, who discovered the substance at Merck Research Labs in Rahway, New Jersey.

Secrets to Boosting Energy

The aging process is not reversible, however, we can adapt and age gracefully by delaying the onset of disease.
Here are some helpful tips:

USE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS SELECTIVELY

Get a yearly physical exam that includes: Complete blood work that checks levels of cholesterol, C-reactive protein a sign of inflammation and predictor of heart disease) and serum homocysteine--another heart disease predictor), Urinalysis, Blood pressure check, Prostate exam, Electrocardiogram (EKG). Women over age 40 also should have a DEXA scan (bone-mineral density testing), especially if their mothers developed osteoporosis after menopause.

EAT AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET

• Inflammation is a normal part of the body's healing system, but if it continues for too long, it can cause tissue damage and disease. The food choices we make can have a great impact on how much inflammation we have in our bodies.
• Eat good fats instead of bad ones and avoid products with hydrogenated oil, vegetable shortening and margarine (regardless of the health benefits manufacturers claim). Stick with monounsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts, avocados and extra-virgin olive oil.
• Consider consuming foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including oily fish, such as salmon, herring and sardines, as well as flaxseeds and walnuts.
• Drink several cups of tea each day, specifically white, green and oolong teas. If you don't want the caffeine in these teas, remove most of it by steeping the leaves in hot water for 30 seconds, then draining off the water. After that, steep the tea leaves as you would normally. This will reduce the caffeine without detracting from the tea's flavor or anti-inflammation benefits.

TAKE ESSENTIAL SUPPLEMENTS

Supplemental nutrients, which support the body's natural healing power, are not a substitute for the whole foods that contain them, but they do serve as insurance against gaps diet.

• One to two grams of fish oil - in capsules that are labeled toxin-free.
• Multivitamin that contains vitamin C, 200 mg…vitamin D, 1,000 international units (IV)... vitamin E, 400 IU of natural mixed tocopherols (d-alphatocopherol with other tocopherols or, better, a minimum of 80 mg of natural mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols) ...selenium, 200 micrograms (mcg) of an organic (yeast-bound) form... mixed carotenoids, such as alpha- or beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene.. .and folic acid, 400 mcg. The multivitamin should not contain iron or preformed vitamin A (retinol)-vitamin A as betacarotene is okay.

CONSIDER ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTS

We obtain energy by burning fuel-combining digested food with oxygen from the air. This metabolic process also creates powerful oxidizing agents that can initiate destructive chain reactions in cellular structures. While our bodies are equipped with antioxidant defenses, you may want to use natural products that provide additional anti-oxidant support.

• Coenzyme Q (CoQ10 or ubiquinone), 60 mg to 100 mg of a softgel form taken with the largest meal of the day. It improves the function of heart muscle cells and boosts capacity for aerobic exercise.
• Dried, powered ginger, one gram in capsule form. Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, but it's difficult for most people to get enough in their normal diets.

STRETCH DAILY

• Yoga. Start with the gentle forms of hatha yoga. For a good introduction, see (YOGA MODULE LINK)
• Tai Chi, the slow-motion, patterned movements that millions of Chinese do for morning exercise. To learn more, read The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi & Qigong, by Bill Douglas (Alpha).

USE BREATHING TO REDUCE STRESS

• Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge behind the above your front teeth, and keep it there through the whole exercise.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a "whoosh" sound.
• Inhale deeply and quietly through your nose to a count of four (with your mouth closed).
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale audibly through your mouth for a count of eight.
• Repeat the last three steps for a total of four breaths. When you become comfortable with these exercises, increase to eight breaths each time.

Help Your Heart Be Healthy

Keeping your heart healthy should be a lifelong endeavor. The good news is that you can lower your risk by incorporating a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise into your lifestyle. Dr. Robert Eckel, president of the AHA says, "It's never too late to take care of your cardiovascular health. It's an age-indiscriminate issue." He continues, "The epidemic of childhood obesity is a paradigm for future heart disease and stroke. Teaching children early about the importance of a healthy lifestyle will help prevent problems from developing."

"Many women think cancer is their No.1 killer," he says. "In fact, it's heart disease. More women die of cardiovascular disease than the next five causes of death combined, including all cancers. The important numbers to remember to help reduce your risk are normal and abnormal blood cholesterol levels and high, normal and low blood pressure. Heart problems typically occur later in women's lives than in men's, so a prevention effort at an early age can make a big difference."

• Get help changing to a healthier lifestyle.
• Get advice to help you maintain a heart-healthy diet,
• create a fitness plan and
• keep yourself motivated.
• Educate and motivate your children.

Lower the Volume

Dr. Ranit Mishori tells us that today, about 32.5 million American adults have difficulty hearing. That is more than one in 10 Americans, as reported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Some of this is unavoidable, but some has to do with the way we live.

Age is one of the unavoidable factors. People tend to lose some of their hearing as they grow older, especially for sounds in the higher pitches. This is nature at work. It is not preventable.

Music, headphones, iPods are a major consideration. When adolescents and young adults fill their ears with loud music, by whatever listening device, it can cause hearing loss. Volume, not musical taste, is what matters. "All loud music is bad," whether it's rock, rap or classical, says Dr. Gail Witelaw, an audiologist from Columbus, Ohio, and president of the American Academy of Audiology.

Essentially, loud noise does to your ears what fire can do to your skin: burn it. "Noise destroys hair cells at the nerve endings in the inner ear," says Dr. Ward. These tiny "hair cells" translate sound vibrations into electrical currents that go to the brain. Damage them, and your hearing suffers. A single exposure to a very loud noise can do it - e.g. an explosion or a gunshot. On the other hand, the constant exposure to the whine and grind of machinery over several years can be enough to wreck your hair cells. The good news is that the kind of hearing loss is preventable simply by avoiding the level of noise that causes damage. What's too loud? There's a good way to tell, he says: "Anything that causes discomfort." A noise is too loud if it prevents normal conversation; if you have to shout to be hear above it; if it causes ringing in your ears; or if you have difficulty hearing for several hours after exposure to it.

Protect your hearing by using earmuffs or earplugs when exposed to noise. These devices are sold in drugstores, hardware stores and on the Internet and decrease the intensity of sound that reaches your eardrum. When properly fitted, they reduce noise by 15 to 30 dB. Stuffing your ears with cotton balls won't do. Do take the warnings to avoid loud noises seriously. Hearing matters more than we realize until it's gone. "The best strategy," says Dr. Whitelaw, "is to keep the hearing you have."

FREE Shipping over $50

In Good Health.
Pamela Nathan

The Maker's Diet will change your life for the better ... check out ... www.makersdietdistributor.com