Niacin, Statins And Difficulties Of Drug Discovery

John LaMattina, Contributor

Former president of Pfizer Global Research covering news in pharma.

About a dozen years ago, a team of Merck scientists met with upper management to discuss a new approach for treating cardiovascular disease. The approach was simple, but clever. The scientists had a way of turning a well known and widely used drug, niacin, into an even better and safer drug, thereby expanding its usage.

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is known to raise HDL (“good cholesterol”) by about 25% as well as modestly lower LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and triglycerides. It had been used for decades to help patients control their blood lipid levels based on results from a trial done in the 1960s known as the Coronary Drug Project, which looked at niacin versus placebo in men who had a previous heart attack over a period of five years. While niacin showed no difference from placebo in the death rate of the men in this study, fewer patients on niacin had a non-fatal heart attack or stroke, by 26% and 24%, respectively. This study provides the basis for the use of niacin in cardiovascular disease.

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

What Does "Zero Trans Fats" Really Mean?

By Emily Dillon 
Reviewed by QualityHealth's Medical Advisory Board

If the nutrition label reads "zero grams trans fat" it must be healthy, right? Wrong! As it turns out, federal regulations allow labels to read "zero grams trans fat" as long as a product contains less than 0.5 grams of the artery-clogging fat per serving.

Food for Thought

Unfortunately, most food packages contain more than one serving. A snack-size bag of cupcakes, for example, may contain zero grams of trans fat per serving, but when you consider that each bag contains two to three servings, that number jumps considerably. By the time you've devoured that bag of cream-filled chocolate cupcakes, you may have consumed up to two grams of trans fat.

Consumer groups and health officials have campaigned to phase out the use of trans fat completely because it contributes to heart disease by raising levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol, while lowering HDL, or good cholesterol. Despite the movement to phase it out, many food companies continue to sneak small amounts into their products.
Label Literacy

What does this mean for health-conscious consumers? According to Bonnie Taub-Dix, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, it means following a few smart guidelines when filling your supermarket cart.

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Walnuts help protect against prostate cancer, osteoporosis, and CHD, but the FDA does not want you to know Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034951_walnuts_prostate_cancer_osteoporosis.html#ixzz1mFHhgcZI

(NaturalNews) Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, natural, whole foods are packed with synergistic nutrients that work together in unity to provide a plethora of health benefits without causing negative side effects -- and walnuts are no exception! A new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition has found that walnuts lower LDL (or "bad") cholesterol, prevent bone loss, and even fight cancer. For their study, researchers from both the University of California, Davis, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif., fed mice with prostate tumors the human equivalent of three ounces of walnuts a day. At the conclusion of the study, the mice's tumors shrunk by 50 percent, and tumor growth slowed by 30 percent compared to control mice. "These results make me very hopeful that walnuts may be beneficial both in terms of avoiding cancer and slowing cancer growth and therefore should be included in a balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables," said Dr. Paul Davis, lead researcher of the study. "If additional research determines that walnuts have the same effect in men as they do in mice, adhering to a diet that excludes walnuts to lower fat would mean that prostate cancer patients could miss out on the beneficial effects of walnuts." Besides serving as a prevention and treatment intervention for prostate cancer, walnuts also demonstrably lowered the risk of heart disease by naturally decreasing levels of LDL cholesterol, also known as "bad" cholesterol, while simultaneously increasing levels of HDL cholesterol, also known as "good cholesterol." The amazing thing about walnuts and other whole foods, though, is that no single nutrient inside them can be pinpointed and isolated as the sole beneficial factor. In explaining this very important fact, the study researchers noted in their report that "[t]he walnut diet's beneficial effects probably represent the effects of the whole walnuts' multiple constituents and not via a specific fatty acid or tocopherol." But walnuts' benefits do not stop there. Walnuts are high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to help prevent the type of bone loss that comes with aging. At the same time, the protein found in walnuts helps to build muscle, which is associated with stronger bones. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/034951_walnuts_prostate_cancer_osteoporosis.html#ixzz1mFHoGD9H