Public Notification: “Hard Ten Days” Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient

[2-18-2012] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use “Hard Ten Days,” a product for sexual enhancement sold on various websites.  FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that “Hard Ten Days” contains sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA approved prescription drug for Erectile Dysfunction (ED).  


Sildenafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.  Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates.

Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away.  Consumers who have experienced any negative side effects should consult a health care professional as soon as possible. (See label)

Public Notification: “Man King” Contains Undeclared Drug Ingredient

[2-18-2012] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use “Man King,” a product for sexual enhancement sold on various websites.  


FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that “Man King” contains sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA approved prescription drug for Erectile Dysfunction (ED).  Sildenafil may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.  Men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease often take nitrates.

Consumers should stop using this product immediately and throw it away.  Consumers who have experienced any negative side effects should consult a health care professional as soon as possible. (See Label)

Public Notification: Rock Hard Extreme and Passion Coffee Contain Undeclared Drug Ingredient

[12/30/2010] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers not to purchase or use Rock Hard Extreme and Passion Coffee, products promoted and sold as dietary supplements for sexual enhancement. 


These products are promoted and sold on various websites, such as www.drivetotalenergy.com,  and possibly in some retail stores.

FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that Rock Hard Extreme and Passion Coffee contain the undeclared ingredient sulfoaildenafil. Sulfoaildenafil is structurally similar to sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, an FDA approved prescription drug for Erectile Dysfunction (ED). 

Deep belly fat may increase after liposuction: study

A plastic surgeon checks an arm of a patient who is travelling from Australia to Seoul to get a liposuction at the BK DongYang Plastic Surgery Clinic in Seoul October 4, 2011. 
REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won/Files


REUTERS - Thinking of liposuction to trim your tummy? You may want to make sure you exercise after that, or risk putting on even more unhealthy fat.

According to a Brazilian study, women who have liposuction may actually gain some fat deeper within the abdomen - a type of fat that's particularly unhealthy.

The researchers, led by Fabiana Benatti of the University of Sao Paolo, found that within months of abdominal liposuction, there may an increase in the so-called "visceral" fat that surrounds the abdominal organs.

'Drop Dead Healthy': Is the Perfect Healthy Lifestyle Possible?

By JOHN BERMAN and MARY MARSH | Good Morning America

There are thousands of diet and exercise studies for how to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle: Don't eat that, drink more of this, run hard for this length of time then rest, but wait, maybe try a walk-run combo, or extreme yoga, or perhaps meditation. The tips constantly change when new studies are published.

For his most ambitious project, author A.J. Jacobs followed the latest medical advice about getting healthy -- all of it -- and found out what really works.

"I was in bad shape," Jacobs said. "I had a huge stomach. I looked like a snake that swallowed a goat. It was sort of the skinny fat, and you know, my diet was terrible. I ate sugar, salt, fat. Those were my three food groups, so I really wanted to -- I needed to do a big revamp."

Following the success of his book, "The Year of Living Biblically," in which he tried to follow every rule in the Bible for a year, Jacobs, 44, spent two years trying out every diet plan, every workout routine, every self-improvement trick and technique out there. He documented his journey in his new book, "Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Quest for Bodily Perfection," which he wrote while walking on a treadmill, by the way -- a chapter every 12 miles or so.

"More and more research shows how horrible sitting is for you," he said. "It's really bad. It's like a Paula Deen bacon doughnut. It's just so ... if you are sitting for more than six hours a day, that'll increase your risk for heart disease by 60 percent."

Jacobs is now a walking encyclopedia of health insight, from applying sunscreen daily, to having certain plants nearby to filter the air -- even proper water bottle care.

"Holding a cold bottle is actually good for your workout," he said. "It keeps your core temperature lower, and you can increase your endurance."

It could get a bit annoying, his wife, Julie, admitted.

"There were certain things that he would like to look over my shoulder when I was eating -- white bread and say, 'enjoy your empty calories,'" she said. "I'm having my everything bagel, please let me be."

So what did work? Over the course of two years, Jacobs developed definite opinions about how to maintain a healthier lifestyle. He said people need to exercise more, sit less, meditate, pet dogs -- because studies have found it lowers blood pressure -- and cook their own meals instead of eating prepared food.

Jacobs now has a healthier diet, mostly vegetables, fish and eggs. The dietary revelation came not with what he eats, but how he eats it.

"I chew as many times as possible, because you'll eat less and we eat way too much as a nation," Jacobs said. "There's actually a very passionate movement on the Internet called 'Chewdaism,' and they believe you should be chewing as many as 50 times a bite."

And then there were those health regimens that Jacobs said didn't work for him, such as colonics and juice fasts.

"I was not a fan of either one, and luckily the science is not there," he said. "There's really very little science that colonics are good for you. You don't really need them. The body cleans out by itself."

But the calorie restriction diet is what Jacobs called "one of the worst experiences of my project."

"This is the group that believes that if you eat very, very little, like if you are on the verge of starvation, then you're going to live 140 years," Jacobs said. "The obvious joke is why would you want to live 140 years if you're only eating, you know, five flax seeds a day."

His favorite workout: boulder tossing, log carrying and sprinting, part of the so-called "caveman workout."

"The caveman didn't do a lot of leisurely jogging," he said. "They did a lot of sprinting, running away from tigers."

At the end of two years, Jacobs said he managed to lose 17 pounds. His body fat dropped from 17 to 7 percent and he said he is now bursting with energy and feels great. He added that he has backed off doing some of the dozens and dozens of daily healthy rituals -- for example, he no longer does the colonics or juice diets anymore, and he doesn't do the caveman workout regularly -- because, Jacobs said, there just aren't enough hours in the day to be that healthy.

"I'm a bit of an 'obsessional' person, so I guess I might go too far," Jacobs said. "[But] being too obsessed with health is not very healthy."

Jacobs also said that the most detrimental part of the pursuit of being healthy is that he had to give up seeing his friends and his family because there wasn't enough time in the day for both.

"I had very little time to see my friends because I was being too healthy, and that turned out to be unhealthy ... Social interactions are such a crucial part of our health you know they really contribute to your longevity," he said.

A.J. Jacobs shares some of his tips for being healthy. Here's what he says:

Chew! There's a movement I discovered on the Internet called 'chewdaism' where people believe you should chew each mouthful of food 50 to 70 times. This is a bit much if you have a life. Twenty or thirty times works pretty well. And basically it slows you down to give those satiety signals enough time to reach your brain so that you realize you're full before you've overeaten. It really helped me eat less.

Self-tracking -- such as using a pedometer or keeping a food diary -- makes all the difference. Just something as simple as a pedometer can make you walk one mile more per day on average, because it becomes a game. Even just writing down what you eat changes your behavior.

Don't be sedentary. Sitting is so bad for you. I like walking better, which surprises me. I have more energy. So I run errands, literally. I run to the store for toothpaste and run home. I squat down to talk to my kids, which means I do 50 to 70 squats a day.

Stress truly affects your help. I thought diet and exercise would solve everything. But keeping stress down is important. You do that by making time for friends and family, making sure to laugh. And you know what is a big stress-inducer? Noise. That's why I got some noise-cancelling headphones (which were a stress-inducing three $300.)

Respect your future self. An app online aged a picture of me, showing me what I'd look like at 70. I keep the picture on a desk and look at it to remind myself to make things better for me in the future.

http://gma.yahoo.com/drop-dead-healthy-perfect-healthy-lifestyle-possible-224109928--abc-news-health.html

COPD Myths and Truths

COPD is often misunderstood because symptoms can be caused by three different diseases. Separating fact from fiction will help you live better and better manage COPD.

By Chris Iliades, MD

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be confusing because it isn’t a single condition — it actually refers to a group of lung diseases that makes it difficult to breathe.

"COPD is an umbrella term for three different diseases," says Timothy R. Wu, MD, director of the COPD Center at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, Mass. Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic asthmatic bronchitis can all cause COPD symptoms. What these diseases have in common is obstructed air flow through the lungs.

Common misunderstandings about COPD include that it only occurs in older smokers and that nothing can be done about it. However, that’s not necessarily the case. To better understand COPD and how to live with it, start by learning how to separate the myths from the facts.

Myth or Truth: Only Smokers Get COPD

COPD symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, and frequent lung infections are among the most common symptoms experienced by long-term smokers. While emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthmatic bronchitis are usually caused by smoking, there are other causes as well. "Smoking is almost always the cause of COPD in the United States, but in many parts of the world, COPD may be more commonly caused by wood smoke from cooking fires," says Dr. Wu. Other non-smoking causes include:

• Some progressive forms of asthma
• Being born without a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin
• Workplace exposures to gases and fumes
• Heavy exposure to secondhand smoke or air pollution

Myth or Truth: COPD Only Occurs in Older People

COPD is more common in older people who have smoked for many years, but a simple test called spirometry may detect early changes from COPD in younger people. Spirometry is a lung function test that involves blowing into a small machine that measures lung capacity. This test can be read immediately, and it is a reliable way to make a diagnosis.

"Even before COPD symptoms develop, the early changes of emphysema or bronchitis may be present," says Wu. "If younger smokers are screened with spirometry, COPD may be diagnosed in people as young as 30 or 40."

Myth or Truth: People With COPD Need to Slow Down

COPD symptoms may make some types of activity difficult, but slowing down is not good for those with COPD. Physical therapy, including breathing exercises and exercises to strengthen the arms and shoulders, can be an important part of treatment. Regular exercise along with a healthy diet helps muscles stay strong, and that reduces the demand placed on the lungs.

People with COPD should also try to stay active socially. Isolating yourself at home can lead to depression, which can make symptoms worse. It is important to stay in touch with friends and family and maintain a good support network. Many people with COPD also benefit from participating in support groups.

Myth or Truth: There Is No Treatment for COPD

The biggest myth about COPD is that you can't do anything about it. Although there is no cure for COPD, it can be treated and managed in many people. "How well COPD can be treated depends on how advanced it is and what other diseases may be present, such as hypertension and heart disease," says Wu. You can slow down the progression of COPD by:

• Taking medication as directed
• Getting pulmonary rehabilitation
• Using oxygen as needed
• Stopping smoking

With these changes, many people are able to manage their COPD symptoms well. If you smoke, even if you are still in your 30s, ask your doctor to check your lung capacity. Many of the irreversible effects of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic asthmatic bronchitis can be avoided with early diagnosis and treatment.

"It is never too late to stop smoking. As soon as you quit, your lung function starts to improve," says Wu, although lung function will never get back to normal once COPD starts. COPD symptoms develop over time, and changes in your lungs may have already started without you knowing it. The best time to stop smoking is right now.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/copd-myths-and-truths.aspx

Living With COPD

With ongoing care and preventive strategies, you can manage your COPD symptoms and keep them under control.

By the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

COPD has no cure yet. However, you can take steps to manage your symptoms and slow the progress of the disease. You can:

• Avoid lung irritants
• Get ongoing care
• Manage the disease and its symptoms
• Prepare for emergencies

Avoid Lung Irritants

If you smoke, quit. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Talk to your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit. Many hospitals have programs that help people quit smoking, or hospital staff can refer you to a program.

Try to avoid secondhand smoke and other lung irritants that can contribute to COPD, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, and dust. Keep these irritants out of your home. If your home is painted or sprayed for insects, have it done when you can stay away for awhile.

Keep your windows closed and stay at home (if possible) when there's a lot of air pollution or dust outside.

Get Ongoing Care

If you have COPD, it's important to get ongoing medical care. Take all of your medicines as your doctor prescribes. Make sure to refill your prescriptions before they run out. Bring all of the medicines you're taking when you have medical checkups.

Talk with your doctor about whether and when you should get flu and pneumonia vaccines. Also, ask him or her about other diseases for which COPD may increase your risk, such as heart disease, lung cancer, and pneumonia.

Manage COPD and Its Symptoms

You can do things to help manage your disease and its symptoms. Depending on how severe your disease is, you may ask your family and friends for help with daily tasks. Do activities slowly. Put items that you need often in one place that's easy to reach.

Find very simple ways to cook, clean, and do other chores. Some people find it helpful to use a small table or cart with wheels to move things around and a pole or tongs with long handles to reach things. Ask for help moving things around in your house so that you will not need to climb stairs as often.

Keep your clothes loose, and wear clothes and shoes that are easy to put on and take off.

Prepare for Emergencies

If you have COPD, knowing when and where to seek help for your symptoms is important. You should seek emergency care if you have severe symptoms, such as trouble catching your breath or talking.

Call your doctor if you notice that your symptoms are worsening or if you have signs of an infection, such as a fever. Your doctor may change or adjust your treatments to relieve and treat symptoms.

Keep phone numbers handy for your doctor, hospital, and someone who can take you for medical care. You also should have on hand directions to the doctor's office and hospital and a list of all the medicines you're taking.

Source: The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The NHLBI does not recommend or endorse any company advertised on this site.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease/living-with-copd.aspx

The Advantages of Taking Ginger Root

By Jinnene Foster, eHow Contributor

Ginger Root

The roots of ginger plants, known as rhizomes, originate in Southeast Asia, and are innate to counties like India and China. Ginger root's benefits are vast, and according to Nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com, has been implemented into Asian cooking and medical methods for centuries. Ancient Chinese herbalists discovered ginger root as a curing aid to food poisoning, menstrual cramping and nausea, but the numerous benefits of taking ginger root continue to gain steam

Aids in Digestion

Ginger root stimulates the circulation of bile, which eases discomforts associated with nausea and indigestion. Ginger root has also proven beneficial in soothing pains pertaining to menstrual cramping. Ginger root aids in the breaking down of proteins, a process that can be hard on the body, resulting in abdominal pain. 

Improved Circulation and Arthritis Relief

Ginger root contains anti-inflammatory qualities, which can relieve pain resulting from poor circulation and arthritis. Particular benefits of ginger root result from using the root in oil form, and applying it to affected areas as a topical, as with massage.

Promotes Hearty Cardiovascular Function

According to Herbal-supplements-guide.com, ginger root is believed to decrease LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol levels in the blood, which leads to lower risks of heart disease. Taking ginger root also reduces adhesive properties in blood platelets, thus ensuring greater overall blood circulation. 

Enhances Immune System

Ginger root is believed to contain properties for boosting the body's immune system, and can aid in treating symptoms associated with common viruses like cold and flu. 

Improved Respiratory Health

Ginger root ably acts as a natural decongestant or antihistamine, which naturally relieves congestion of the mucous membranes. As a result, ginger root promotes overall respiratory conditions and general allergies often associated to conditions like asthma.
Death of Cells in Ovarian Cancer Cases

According to Whfoods.com, conducted research from medical professionals at University of Michigan showed ginger root to possess antioxidant properties, and to be linked with anti-tumor effects on human cells. Studied cases indicated that ginger extract led to cell deaths in ovarian cancer patients. 

Aids in Side Effects of Pregnancy

Ginger root has been found beneficial when taken as a natural alternative to anti-vomiting medication prescribed to pregnant women. Ginger root is safe, and is taken in small doses, making it a more appealing choice over synthetic anti-vomiting medications that could lead to birth defects when taken incorrectly, or in higher doses.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6017408_advantages-taking-ginger-root.html

9 Spices for Health, Energy and Longevity!

By Dr. Maoshing Ni

The colder weather is beckoning us back to our kitchens. Break out the spices to bring warmth, robust flavor, and a bounty of health benefits, including higher energy, increased immunity, and other life-enhancing surprises.

Considered to be dried seeds, fruit, roots or bark, spices have been valued for centuries by ancient cultures for their culinary and medicinal properties. For instance, a traditional Indian beauty trick was to spread turmeric paste on the skin to beautify it and prevent pimples. And Chinese doctors have used ginger since ancient times to cure aches and pains.

Here are some spices that you can start cooking with right away to elevate your longevity and health!

1. Garlic wards off heart disease

In addition to warding off Count Dracula, garlic, the spicy favorite in Italian fare, has been shown to improve cholesterol and lower blood pressure. According to the National Health and Medical Research Council, consuming half to one clove of garlic daily may reduce cholesterol by nearly ten percent. Your breath might suffer, but your heart will thank you. As an antibacterial, garlic is often used to treat minor infections.


2. Spotlight on cinnamon

Another ancient spice to recently come under scientific investigation is cinnamon. In the United States, cinnamon is usually thought of as the delicious spice in apple pie filling, but in other parts of the world, especially India and Asia, cinnamon has been used as a healing herb for centuries. Research is finally catching up to the wisdom of the East; many clinical studies have linked cinnamon consumption to lowered blood sugar. Both in vitro and human studies show improvement in insulin sensitivity with cinnamon polyphenols, as well as improvement in total and LDL cholesterol. Cinnamon is also thought to detoxify the system and stimulate brain function. Its antiseptic properties give it the ability to fight bladder infection, and if taken in the first 48 hours, a cup of strong cinnamon tea might just nip a bladder infection in the bud. Keep in mind that mixed study results make it difficult to prove these benefits on paper -- but it doesn't hurt to sprinkle a teaspoon into your next bowl of oatmeal.

3. Curry for joint health

Are your aching joints not jumping for joy in these autumn days? Try sprinkling some curry on your veggie omelet. Curry, a staple spice combo in Southeast Asian cuisine, contains turmeric, the yellow spice that gives curry its distinctive color. The active component in turmeric is called curcumin. If you are a fan of curry, you will be happy to know that this substance is associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-amyloid properties; amyloids are plaque-like proteins that build up in brain tissue, and are responsible for diseases like Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis. In one randomized control study 107 patients with knee osteoarthritis received either 800 mg per day ibuprofen or 2 grams per day Curcuma domestica extract. Both groups showed improvement in pain on level walking and climbing stairs.

4. Star Anise aids digestion

As the name suggests, star anise is indeed star-shaped. Though it is not actually related to anise, star anise shares a similar licorice flavor, due to its content of anethole. Used to bring out flavor in slow-cooked meat dishes and long-simmered soups, this spice frequently makes an appearance in Indian cuisine and is an ingredient of the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. Star anise has been used in a tea to remedy rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid digestion.

Special combinations of spices and herbs can bring you a powerful immune zoom; one that includes star anise in the mix is the 5 Elements of Health, which promotes a strong immune function and balances the energies of your whole body.

5. Cardamom improves energy

Found in curries, rice dishes, herbal teas, and breads, cardamom is the spice that gives chai tea its main flavor. In Asia, cardamom has long been valued medicinally for its ability to increase circulation and improve energy. Considered an aphrodisiac in the Middle East, cardamom may also improve digestion, asthma, bronchitis, halitosis, and even help improve a bad mood.

6. Clove curbs cramping

A delicious addition to cooked fruit, roasts, sweet vegetable dishes, and teas, clove has been used since ancient times in India to improve digestive function. You may chew on some to alleviate toothaches, sore throats, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

7. Cumin boosts immunity

An excellent addition to meat curries, stews, vegetables, seafood, and sauces, cumin is thought to boost the immune system and also to improve liver function, reduce flatulence, and aid in digestion.

8. Fennel Seed soothes your intestines

Often used to spice up recipes with meat, beans, or legumes, fennel helps digestion in two ways: It stimulates the production of gastric juices and also soothes the nervous system, regulating the action of the muscles that line the intestine.

9. Ginger: Remedies aches and nausea

A perfect compliment to vegetables, marinades, and sweets, ginger is also delicious in tea. Ginger may help relieve nausea, arthritis, headaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle soreness.

A word of warning: always discuss with your physician before treating conditions with spices to avoid any adverse interactions; for example, because garlic and ginger possess natural blood-thinning properties, individuals about to undergo surgery and those taking blood thinners should take extra precaution.

To maintain peak flavor, use spices within six months -- but the spice police won’t come knocking at your door if you keep them longer. They like to hang out in a cool, dark place in your pantry to preserve their oils and prevent loss of pungent flavors.

You can find many more tips about life-lengthening foods in Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100, now available on Kindle.

I hope you can use spices to make the most of your meals and your health! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

—Dr. Mao

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/drmao/9-spices-health-energy-and-longevity

Smoking deaths triple over decade - tobacco report

A man lights a 'bidi' at a wood logging mill on the outskirts of Jammu


By Kate Kelland | Reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - Tobacco-related deaths have nearly tripled in the past decade and big tobacco firms are undermining public efforts that could save millions, a report led by the health campaign group the World Lung Foundation (WLF) said on Wednesday.

In the report, marking the tenth anniversary of its first Tobacco Atlas, the WLF and the American Cancer Society said if current trends continue, a billion people will die from tobacco use and exposure this century - one person every six seconds.

Tobacco has killed 50 million people in the last 10 years, and tobacco is responsible for more than 15 percent of all male deaths and 7 percent of female deaths, the new Tobacco Atlas report found. (www.tobaccoatlas.org)

In China, tobacco is already the number one killer - causing 1.2 million deaths a year - and that number is expected to rise to 3.5 million a year by 2030, the report said.

That is part of a broader shift, with smoking rates in the developed world declining but numbers growing in poorer regions, said Michael Eriksen, one of the report's authors and director of the Institute of Public Health at Georgia State University.

"If we don't act, the projections for the future are even more morbid. And the burden of death caused by tobacco is increasingly one of the developing world, particularly Asia, the Middle East and Africa," he said in an interview.

Almost 80 percent of people who die from tobacco-related illnesses now come from low- and middle-income countries. In Turkey, 38 percent of male deaths are from smoking-related illnesses, though smoking also remains the biggest killer of American women too.

WLF's chief executive Peter Baldini accused the tobacco industry of thriving on ignorance about the true effect of smoking and "misinformation to subvert health policies that could save millions".

The report said the industry had stepped up its fight against anti-tobacco policies, launching legal challenges and seeking to delay or stop the introduction of plain packaging, legislation banning smoking in public places, advertising bans and health warnings on packets.

The world's six biggest tobacco firms made $35.1 billion in profits in 2010 - equal to the combined earnings of Coca-Cola, Microsoft and McDonald's, the report said.

Smoking causes lung cancer as well as several other chronic pulmonary diseases and is a major risk factor in heart disease, the world's number one killer.

More than 170 countries have signed up to a World Health Organisation-led convention committing them to cut smoking rates, limiting exposure to second-hand smoke, and curbing tobacco advertising and promotion.

WHO director general Margaret Chan said thanks in part to that convention, 1.1 billion people have in the past two years become covered by at least one measure designed to curb tobacco use. She added, however, that the battle was far from over and urged more countries to fight the industry.

"We must never allow the tobacco industry to get the upper hand," she said in a foreword to the report. "Tobacco is a killer. It should not be advertised, subsidised or glamorised."

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Ben Harding)

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/smoking-deaths-triple-over-decade-tobacco-report-075004760.html

Europeans are world's heaviest drinkers - WHO report

A barmaid pours a pint of beer at The Builders Arms pub in east London


LONDON (Reuters) - People in Europe drink more alcohol than in any other part of the world, downing the equivalent of 12.5 litres of pure alcohol a year or almost three glasses of wine a day, according to report by the World Health Organisation and the European Commission.

But while the title of world's heaviest drinkers goes to the European Union as whole, where consumption is almost double the world average, there are also wide variations in drinking levels between sub-regions, as well as big differences in how frequently, where and when people drink.

Zsuzsanna Jakab, the WHO's regional director for Europe, said Europe's "dubious honour" of having double the global average alcohol consumption has "clear, recognized health consequences for drinkers, those around them and society."

In a breakdown of drinking by sub-region, the heaviest drinkers were in central-eastern and eastern Europe - consuming 14.5 litres of pure alcohol per adult per year compared to 12.4 litres in central-western and western Europe, 11.2 litres in southern Europe and 10.4 litres in Nordic countries.

But the report found a different picture when it analysed these data weighted against indicators of so-called hazardous drinking - such as drinking outside mealtimes, drinking in public places and irregular, heavy so-called "binge" drinking.

In this context, Nordic countries clocked a hazardous drinking score of 2.8 - in a range where 1 is least detrimental and 5 is most detrimental - while central-eastern and eastern Europe scored only slightly higher at 2.9.

Central-western and western Europe and southern Europe had hazardous drinking scores of 1.5 and 1.1 respectively.

The report noted that there are more than 40 alcohol-related illnesses and disorders, including alcohol dependence and harmful alcohol use, liver disease, alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis, alcohol poisoning, and fetal alcohol syndrome.

There are also many more problems where alcohol can be a contributing factor, such as injuries and deaths from road crashes as well as illnesses like cancer and heart disease.

The report found that in the European Union (EU), almost 12 percent of all deaths in 2004 among people aged 15-64 were due to alcohol - equivalent to 1 in 7 deaths in men and 1 in 13 deaths in women. Just over 3 percent of deaths were due to alcohol consumed by others.

Worldwide, some 2.5 million people die each year from the harmful use of alcohol, accounting for about 3.8 percent of all deaths, according to previous WHO data.

Steps to curb alcohol use also feature three times in the WHO's top 10 "best buys" for public health policies to reduce the burden of chronic diseases, which kill 36 million people a year worldwide.

The WHO backs policies such as regulating alcohol pricing, targeting drink-driving and restricting alcohol marketing which it says have been shown to be effective in cutting drinking levels. "The alcohol-related burden on health in Europe is avoidable," Jakab said.

(Reporting by Kate Kelland)

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/europeans-worlds-heaviest-drinkers-report-194109394.html

Coffee drinking not linked to chronic illness: study

A cafe employee poses for a picture as she drinks from a cup at the Kofein cafe

REUTERS - Coffee drinkers have no more risk of getting illnesses such as heart disease or cancer, and are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a German study involving more than 40,000 people over nearly a decade.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, came in the wake of many previous studies that produced conflicting results, with some tying coffee drinking to an increase in heart disease, cancer, stroke and more.

"Our results suggest that coffee consumption is not harmful for healthy adults in respect of risk of major chronic disease," said Anna Floegel, lead author of the study and an epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke.

The researchers collected information at the beginning of the study on coffee drinking habits, diet, exercise and health from more than 42,000 German adults without any chronic conditions.

For the next nine years, the team followed up on the participants every two or three years to see whether they developed any health problems, particularly cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attack, diabetes and cancer.

They found that coffee drinkers and non-drinkers were similarly likely to develop one of those illnesses.

For instance, 871 out of 8,689 non-drinkers developed a chronic disease, compared to 1,124 out of 12,137 people who drank more than four cups of caffeinated coffee a day -- about 10 percent in both groups.

On the other hand, the researchers found that coffee drinkers were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, the form that does not need insulin and is linked with obesity, than those who didn't drink coffee.

Among those who drank four cups a day, 3.2 percent later reported that they had type 2 diabetes, compared to 3.6 percent of people who drank no coffee.

After taking into account factors that could influence diabetes, such as weight and smoking, the researchers determined that frequent coffee drinkers were 23 percent less likely to develop diabetes, a result that squares with other studies.

That doesn't mean that coffee is responsible for preventing type 2 diabetes, but experiments in animals have hinted that certain chemicals found within coffee could positively affect metabolism.

"We do not encourage people to start drinking coffee if they do not enjoy this, but the overall evidence on coffee and health suggests that there is no reason for persons without specific health conditions to reduce their coffee consumption in order to reduce their risk of chronic diseases," said Rob van Damn, a professor at National University of Singapore, who was not involved in the study. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/zbuAYd

(Reporting from New York by Kerry Grens at Reuters Health; Editing by Elaine Lies and Michael Perry)

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/coffee-drinking-not-linked-chronic-illness-study-015810216.html

Kids get most of their excess sugar from food, not drinks: study

AFP Relax 

News that kids and teens get most of their excess sugar intake from food and not beverages may throw a wrench into a controversial debate about the role soda and juice have on childhood obesity.

In a study released February 29 out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers pointed out that kids are getting most of their excess sugar intake from processed foods including sugary cereals, granola bars, cookies and candies -- not sugary drinks like soda and juice.

Meanwhile, a slew of recent studies have placed the blame of childhood obesity squarely on the soda pop and juice industries.

For example, one study found that girls who developed a taste for soda by the age of five went on to have unhealthy diets throughout their adolescence, compared to their peers who were never given the sugary drink at that young an age.

Another study from last year claimed to find a "shocking" association between teenage violence and the amount of soda they drank: high school students from Boston who consumed more than five cans of sugary soda weekly were five to 15 percent more likely to engage in acts of violence.

And after doing a bit of number crunching, researchers out of the US also suggested that imposing a soda tax could prevent 100,000 cases of heart disease, 8,000 strokes and prevent 26,000 deaths every year.

The case against sodas and juices has motivated some countries like Hungary and France to impose such a tax, while some schools have implemented bans.

But when a team of US researchers went into schools across the country, they found that banning sugary drinks was ineffective and did little to reduce overall consumption, mainly because the kids were actively finding other ways to access them.

In the CDC study, about 16 percent of children's and adolescents' total caloric intake came from added sugars. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommends limiting sugars and solid fats to between 5 and 15 percent of daily caloric intake.

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Cured meats linked to exacerbated respiratory illness symptoms: study

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Eating too much cured meats like salami, chorizo and bacon can worsen symptoms of respiratory diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis and lead to a trip to the hospital, says a new study.

Published in the European Respiratory Journal last week, a team of Spanish researchers say they've found a link between the consumption of cured meats and the increased number of hospital admissions among people suffering from chronic pulmonary disease (COPD).

The umbrella term is used for a number of respiratory illnesses caused by inflammation in the lungs.

For their study, researchers worked with 274 COPD patients from their first hospital admission and monitored them for the next two years. Participants also provided information on their cured meat consumption.

Their conclusion? People who eat large quantities of cured meats -- identified as more than a slice of ham or equivalent a day -- were more likely to experience exacerbated symptoms and be admitted to hospital.

Researchers believe the problem lies in the nitrites which act as preservatives and anti-bacterial agents in the meats -- substances which have also been shown to cause a reaction and damage tissue in the lungs.

While previous research has shown that increased consumption of cured meats like hot dogs and salami can lead to an increased risk of developing COPD, the Spanish researchers say theirs is the first to show that eating processed meats can also inflame and worsen symptoms.

Processed and cured red meats, which are high in sodium and nitrites, have also been linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer.

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Men who drink sugary drinks daily up risk of heart disease: study

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A new study has found that men who drink about a can of full-calorie soda or sugar-sweetened juice a day could be increasing their risk of developing heart disease by about 20 percent.

Published in the journal Circulation, Harvard researchers followed 42,880 men over 22 years, measuring the different lipids and proteins in the participants' bloodstream.

After controlling for risk factors like smoking, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and family medical history, scientists found that those who consumed sugary beverages on a daily basis had higher levels of triglycerides -- or bad fat -- and lower levels of good cholesterol or HDL levels compared to men who refrained from sugary drinks.

Both biomarkers are known to be associated with a higher risk of heart disease.

"This study adds to the growing evidence that sugary beverages are detrimental to cardiovascular health," said lead author Frank Hu. "Certainly, it provides strong justification for reducing sugarybeverage consumption among patients, and more importantly, in the general population."

The role of artificially sweetened beverages, meanwhile, is unclear.

Beginning in 1986, participants were asked to fill out questionnaires about their diet and health habits every two years until 2008. The men also provided a blood sample midway through the project.

It's the latest study to find an association between the consumption of sugary drinks and the increased risk of heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

Last year, the American Heart Association also warned that women who drink more than two sugar-sweetened drinks a day may also up the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Another US study estimated that imposing a soda tax could prevent 100,000 cases of heart disease, 8,000 strokes and prevent 26,000 deaths a year.

Meanwhile, in response to charges that caramel coloring in soda is an animal carcinogen, both Coca-Cola and Pepsi said last week they will lower levels of the chemical 4-MEI to comply with recently imposed California requirements.

The southwestern state has a 29-microgram benchmark for 4-MEI in products. Anything that may expose consumers to a daily level higher than that must carry a warning label.

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Raisins and soy may ward off high blood pressure

CHICAGO: Eating raisins and soy appears to help ward off high blood pressure, a key risk factor in heart disease, according to two studies presented at a major US cardiology conference on Sunday.

Munching on a handful of raisins three times a day helped people with slightly elevated blood pressure lower their numbers after several weeks, said one of the studies presented at the American College of Cardiology conference.

The randomised clinical trial - believed to be the first formal measurement of raisins' benefits on blood pressure - involved 46 people with a condition known as pre-hypertension.

That means their blood pressure ranged from 120 over 80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) to 139 millimeters of mercury over 89 mm Hg, or just higher than normal.

Compared to people who snacked on cookies or crackers, the raisin-eating group saw significant drops in blood pressure, in some cases lowering the top number, or systolic pressure, by 10.2, or seven percent over the 12-week study.

Researchers are not sure exactly why the raisins work so well, but they think it may have to do with the high level of potassium in the shrivelled, dried grapes.

"Raisins are packed with potassium, which is known to lower blood pressure," said lead investigator Harold Bays, medical director of Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Centre.

"They are also a good source of antioxidant dietary fibre that may favourably alter the biochemistry of blood vessels, causing them to be less stiff, which in turn, may reduce blood pressure."

A handful of about 60 raisins contains a gram of fibre and 212 milligrams of potassium. Raisins are often recommended as part of a high-fibre, low-fat diet to reduce blood pressure.

A second study on soy showed that daily intake of foods like tofu, peanuts and green tea helped lower blood pressure in more than 5,100 white and African American people aged 18-30.

The study began in 1985 and was based on self-reported data about the food the participants ate.

 Those who consumed about 2.5 or more milligrams of isoflavones, a key component in soy, per day had significantly lower systolic blood pressure - an average of 5.5 mmHg lower - than those who ate less than 0.33 mg per day.

That daily level should not be hard for most people to reach - a glass of soy milk contains about 22 mg of isoflavones, or nearly 10 times the amount needed to see an effect, according to the research.

"Our results strongly suggest a blood pressure benefit for moderate amounts of dietary isoflavone intake in young black and white adults," said Safiya Richardson, a graduating medical student at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and the study's lead investigator.

"Our study is the first to show a benefit in African Americans, who have a higher incidence of high blood pressure, with an earlier onset and more severe end-organ damage."

Eating soy could be a way for people with slightly elevated blood pressure to avoid progressing to high blood pressure, and potentially ward off the need to take medications, she added.

"Any dietary or lifestyle modification people can easily make that doesn't require a daily medication is exciting, especially considering recent figures estimating that only about one third of American hypertensives have their blood pressure under control."

Soy and the isoflavones it contains work by boosting enzymes that create nitric oxide, which in turns helps to widen blood vessels and reduce blood pressure.

"Based on our results and those of previous studies, we would encourage the average adult to consider including moderate amounts of soy products in a healthy, well-balanced diet to reduce the chances of developing high blood pressure," Richardson said.
- AFP/de

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Red meat boosts risk of dying young: study

 

WASHINGTON: Eating a portion of processed red meat daily can boost a person's risk of dying young by up to 20 per cent, said a long-running US study of more than 120,000 people released on Monday.

While the research by Harvard University experts offers more evidence that eating red meat increases the risk of heart disease and cancer, it also counsels that substituting fish and poultry may lower early death risk.

"This study provides clear evidence that regular consumption of red meat, especially processed meat, contributes substantially to premature death," said Frank Hu, senior author of the study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers gleaned their data from a study of 37,698 men who were followed for 22 years and 83,644 women who were tracked for 28 years.

Subjects answered surveys about their eating habits every four years.

Those who ate a card-deck-sized serving of unprocessed red meat each day on average saw a 13 per cent higher risk of dying than those who did not eat red meat as frequently.

And if the red meat was processed, like in a hot dog or two slices of bacon, that risk jumped to 20 per cent.

However, substituting nuts for red meat lowered total mortality risk by 19 per cent, while poultry or whole grains lowered the risk 14 per cent and fish did so by seven per cent.

The authors said between seven and nine per cent of all deaths in the study "could be prevented if all the participants consumed fewer than 0.5 servings per day of total red meat."

Processed red meat has been shown to contain ingredients such as saturated fat, sodium, nitrites and some carcinogens that are linked to many chronic ailments including heart disease and cancer.

"More than 75 per cent of the $2.6 trillion in annual US health care costs are from chronic disease," said an accompanying commentary by Dean Ornish, a physician and dietary expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

"Eating less red meat is likely to reduce morbidity from these illnesses, thereby reducing health care costs."

A separate study, also led by Hu but published in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal, found that men who drank sugar-sweetened beverages daily faced a 20 per cent higher risk of heart disease than men who did not.

The study tracked more than 42,000 men, most of them Caucasian, over 22 years and found higher heart risks, as higher levels of inflammation and harmful lipids known as triglycerides in daily sweet-drinkers.

The effects were not seen in men who drank as many as two sugar-sweetened beverages per week.

According to Hu, the research "provides strong justification for reducing sugary beverage consumption among patients, and more importantly, in the general population."

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the United States and top risk factors include obesity, smoking, lack of exercise, diabetes and poor eating habits.

-AFP/ac


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