Free, a word that is not only over used but often abused in marketing-Free-Range Chickens are no exception to this rule.
From the UC Berkeley News Letter;
“The free-range label means the birds have access to an outdoor pen, via portals on the poultry house. They may never go outdoors, and you shouldn’t picture them roaming free in a big yard.”
“Pastured” may mean nothing more than the cages which the chickens occupied during their short life sit on grass, from time-to-time some one will move the cage to a different spot on the grass.
For those of you who suffer from hay fever Dr. Andrew Weil recommends:
“Starting six weeks before allergy season, take 500mg. quercetin twice a day between meals to quiet your inflammatory reponse to pollen. If symptoms act up, use freeze-dried stinging nettle every four hours instead of antihistamines.”
From www.womens-health-advisor.com
“Some vitamin supplements containing high doses of zinc as well as remedies aimed at reducing cold symptoms could lead to excess zinc levels and cause urinary problems for older adults, according to a study in the February 2007 Journal of Urology. The study analyzed data from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), in which 3,640 people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were randomly assigned to various formulations of daily antioxidant vitamins with high doses vitamins C, E, beta carotene, and copper, with and without 80mg of zinc, or a placebo.
The six-year AREDS study found the supplements with zinc slowed the progression of AMD. However, there were almost twice as many hospital admissions for genitourinary problems among patients assigned to supplements with zinc than those taking formulas without zinc (11.1 percent vs. 7.6 percent). The most common problem was a urinary tract infection. Zinc had no effect on the risk of bladder or urinary system cancer.”
Your liver makes creatine and uses it to store energy in your muscles. A small study conducted with healthy men in their 70s showed that a combination of creatine supplements and weight training did rebuild their muscles and improve their strength. It is not know if there is any benefit for those who are frail.
Bottom Line: At this time there is not enough evidence to support the use of HGH injections or supplements, there is evidence that the injections promote the growth of tumors.
Your brains pituitary gland secrets human growth hormones; as children this regulates your growth and as adults your metabolism. 20,000 to 30,000 Americans take HGH injections at $15,000 each year. Others opt for cheaper supplements like HGH Surge and Max-HGH. It is claimed that these supplements stimulate your brain to release the human growth hormone.
Even if the supplements boost your brains production of HGH there is no evidence that you receive any benefits. Researchers from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California reviewed all the good studies that have beeb done. Their first surprise is how little research has been done on HGH supplements.
Studies show that there is a 4lb. weight gain in your muscles, other than that, there are not any benefits and the side effects are many.
Those who received the injections:
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Half experienced edema (soft tissue swelling)
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21% swollen and painful joints
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19% carpal tunnel syndrome
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6% of the men developed large breast.
Conclusion
Benefits are few if any and the side effects far outweigh the few benefits you may receive.
Later this week I will review the last in this series of 4
During puberty a surge of testosterone builds muscles on boys. After about age twenty there is a decline in testosterone as a result as men age their muscles grow weaker, that is unless you do weight bearing exercises. To give men back their muscles the health industry developed testosterone in a bottle.
Mayo clinic conducted a two year study with 58 healthy men in their 60s and 70s; 27 men were supplied a patch with 5mg of testosterone and 31 men with a placebo patch. After a two year period the men with the testosterone patch did gain three pounds of muscle but other than that both groups had the same results. Physical strength, endurance, and quality of life of those using the placebo patch was equal to those using the testosterone patch.
Quote from Institute On Aging “In fact, giving extra testosterone to older men could increase their risk of prostate cancer or stimulate the growth of existing prostate tumors”.
Next week I will report on growth hormones and creatine
I just received my April issue of Nutrition Action, a health letter from the Center For Science in the Public Interest. www.cspinet.org In this issue is an article on Muscles In A Bottle.
As we age we start to lose muscle and gain fat; the health industry has been quick to supply the American public with a quick fix in a bottle known as Human Growth Hormones. Some prefer injections from their physicians for up to $15,000 dollars a year. Unfortunately rather than the growth of your muscles HGH may promote the growth of tumors. Nutrition Action review four of the HGH products in their April issue. Over the next few days I will report their findings starting today with DHEA.
DHEA(dehydroeplandrosterone) is made by your adrenal glands and is converted into testoterone and estrogen in your cells. 10 years ago their was a small study from the University of California that claimed DHEA improved muscle strength in men but not in women.
Since this study was released there have been seven more studies conducted in four other countries. Over a two year period there was no improvement in muscle strength, exercise capacity or quality of life for those taking the HGH supplements compared to those taking the placebo.
To Be Continued
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced settlements with marketers of four diet pills it alleged made unsubtantiated weight-loss and disease prevention claims.
Xenadrine EFX, Cortislim, TrimSpa and One-A-Day WeightSmart
The following is an excellent guide to know when a product is too good to be true.
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Weight loss of two-plus pounds a week for more than a month without diet or exercise.
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Weight loss of more than three pounds a week for more than four weeks.
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Sizeable weight loss no matter what you eat.
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Permanent weight loss.
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Blocked absorption of fat or calories.
Source: www.environmentalnutrition.com
Researchers in Britain reviewed the medical records of over 145,000 patients over the age of fifty. Those taking drugs for GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) including Nexium, prevacid and prilosec increased their risk of hip fracture by 44%; the longer the use the greater the risk.
For those who need long-term PPI therapy researchers recommended increasing your calcium intake, preferably through dairy foods.
Source: Weil Medical College of Cornell University
The FDA has now approved the sale of the prescription drug Xenical, for weight loss, over the counter. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare will market the drug as Alli (pronounced Ally) at half the strength of Xenical. Alli will cost $12 to $25 a week with 80% of the market expected to be women.
Alli works by blocking the absorption of about 1/4 the fat you consume and carried out of your body in your stools. By blocking the absorption of fat Alli blocks the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, K, E, and D, for this reason you will be recommended to take a multivitamin at bedtime. Could this be catch 22?; you need to consume some fat to absorb fat-soluble vitamins even when taking a supplement.
Proponents of Alli think this will be a safe weapon in the war against the ever growing obesity epidemic in our country; that remains to be seen. Even those singing the praises of Alli are the first to tell you this is not a magic pill, you will have to eat a low-fat diet and exercise in order for Alli to be effective. Now it seems to me that eating a low-fat diet and following an exercise program results in weight loss without the aide of a pill.
There is concern that some will abuse the diet pill especially among bulimics or binge eaters. Dr. Howard Eisenson, director of Duke and Fitness Center, says that because of the unpleasant side effects he doesn’t think this will be a problem. Too much of Alli leads to diarrhea and “involuntary leakage” of undigested fat. I have to ask if one suffering from bulimia will consider this a problem?
People who are diabetic, using blood thinners and transplant patients need to check with their doctors before taking Alli, there is the possibility of drug interactions. Because of the risk associated with the abuse of this drug sale is not approved for those under 18.
So how much will Alli actually increase your weight loss? According to FDA documents over a six month period you will lose an extra 5.3 to 6.2 pounds for the low cost of $288 to $600, depending on the number of pills taken daily.
That seems like a lot of money for an extra six pounds.
Hi there. I'm Patricia Setzer, and I show you how to prepare your favorite foods in a way that can help boost your energy, maintain a healthy weight and improve your overall health ...