Category Archives: Diet And Food

(PRWEB) June 22, 2012

With the help of Phare Enterprises Superior Labs has launched the highly popular Raspberry Ketone supplement through the Amazon marketplace. The benefits of raspberry ketone (RK) compounds have been known for years, thanks to a study from the NLM National Institutes of Health. However the recognition of the raspberry ketone supplement for use as a weight loss supplement skyrocketed when popular daytime TV health advisor Dr. Oz recommended it as the the number one miracle in a bottle for helping in the fight against obesity.

Raspberry Ketone compounds work by increasing both lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes according to the NLM study, which showed that in mice, RK compounds prevented elevations in body fat caused by a high-fat diet. There was also found to be increased levels of lipolysis in white adipocytes through the study. In lay terms, RK stimulates the hormone Adiponectin, which essentially tricks your body into thinking its thin, which improves fat metabolism rates in the body. On top of this, the NLM study also showed that RK compounds prevented fat accumulation in key areas in the body and a lower level of triglyceride, which are normally found alongside with high-fat diets.

While the recommendation of RK from Dr. Oz certainly gained the attention of the media and the public, other health care professionals are concerned that the miracle in a bottle will be used in place of a healthy diet and exercise regime. Health professionals want to remind consumers that as a supplement, raspberry ketone can help assist the body to lose weight, but it needs to go hand in hand with diet and lifestyle changes in order to really make a significant impact on body weight and health.

As a supplement to help fight obesity and weight problems, RK has become popular very quickly. It is also inexpensive to produce, making it more accessible for budget-conscious dieters and can be found online and at most health supplement stores.

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Red Raspberry Ketone Supplement Shown In NLM Study To Inhibit Diet Induced Weight Gain

PLEASANTON, Calif., June 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ZELTIQ(R) Aesthetics, Inc. (ZLTQ), a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform branded CoolSculpting(R), today announced that Robert Tyson has been promoted from Regional Sales Director for the East Region to Vice President of North America Sales.

Mr. Tyson brings over 20 years of healthcare commercial experience to ZELTIQ, mostly in the aesthetic space. He joined ZELTIQ in September 2008 as Director of Sales for the East Region. In this capacity, he won Top Region in 2010 and worked in a boundary-less way to establish the newly-formed Northeast and Southeast Regions. Prior to ZELTIQ, Mr. Tyson held various positions with increasing responsibility with Ulthera, Reliant Technologies, Thermage and Edwards Life Sciences.

"Bobby is a proven, long-time key contributor to ZELTIQ's success," said Mike Genau, President of the North America Franchise (NAF). "We look forward to his leadership in this new role as we continue to advance our commercial activities and deliver on the promise of growing our CoolSculpting business across North America."

About CoolSculpting

CoolSculpting(R) is a non-surgical, clinically proven procedure designed to selectively reduce fat bulges in problem areas using a patented cooling technology. Physicians report a 95 percent patient satisfaction rate1. It is a procedure cleared by the FDA that gently cools unwanted fat cells in the body to induce a natural, controlled elimination of fat cells. It is designed to reduce fat bulges in treated areas of the body without harming surrounding tissue. CoolSculpting is available through an elite network of CoolSculpting Centers worldwide. Dermatologists, plastic surgeons and leading aesthetic specialists that offer CoolSculpting can be found at http://www.coolsculpting.com.

About ZELTIQ

ZELTIQ(R) Aesthetics, Inc. (ZLTQ) is a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform. ZELTIQ's first commercial product, the CoolSculpting(R) System, is designed to selectively reduce stubborn fat bulges that may not respond to diet or exercise. CoolSculpting is based on the scientific principle that fat cells are more sensitive to cold than the overlying skin and surrounding tissues. CoolSculpting utilizes patented technology of precisely controlled cooling to reduce the temperature of fat cells in the treated area, which is intended to cause fat cell elimination through a natural biological process known as apoptosis. ZELTIQ developed CoolSculpting to safely, noticeably, and measurably reduce the fat layer within a treated fat bulge without requiring the patient to diet or exercise.

1 As reported by physicians; data on file.

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ZELTIQ(R) Aesthetics Promotes Robert Tyson to Vice President of North America Sales

ST. LOUIS, June 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeaVision, LLC introduced EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein Macular Pigment Formula to its portfolio of science-based, doctor recommended EyePromise eye vitamins.

EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein Macular Pigment Formula features all-natural ingredients including 10 mg of dietary Zeaxanthin (the highest amount available in any eye vitamin brand) and 10 mg of Lutein. More than 25 million doses of EyePromise have been safely consumed, and the new formula provides an additional high-quality eye vitamin option to support macular health.

Chris Barber, ZeaVision President, explains, "Macular pigment plays an important role in protecting our photo receptors. Dense macular pigment (dietary Zeaxanthin and Lutein) protect like 'internal sunglasses' and block harmful blue light that can damage our eyes."

Several clinical studies demonstrate that dietary Zeaxanthin improves visual function such as ability to see objects against a similar background, read printed material in low light conditions, minimize glare at night, and lessen discomfort on bright sunny days.

Dr. Stuart Richer's recent Zeaxanthin and Visual Function (ZVF) Trial demonstrated several visual function improvements in early AMD patients. Patients that consumed 8 mgs of dietary Zeaxanthin for 12 months experienced improved driving skills, could read 8.5 more letters on an eye chart, blind spots were eliminated in their visual field, and improved ability to discern fine detail.

EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein increases macular pigment density through premium ingredients in an all-natural product made in the USA.

Low macular pigment has also been identified as a risk factor for Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Macular pigment can be obtained from the diet, however most Americans consume less than 25 percent of the recommended 5-9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables, so supplementation is often necessary. Zeaxanthin, in particular, is difficult to obtain in the average daily diet. One must consume approximately 20 ears of corn to obtain 10 milligrams of dietary Zeaxanthin, the amount found in one EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein veggie gel.

Photo: http://www.ereleases.com/pic/Zeaxanthin+Lutein.jpg

About ZeaVision

ZeaVision is passionate about preserving healthy vision and fighting vision loss. The company develops nutraceutical and technology products for EyeCare Professionals and patients. ZeaVision scientists have conducted more than 20 years of research and development in nutrition and eye health, and hold patents on Zeaxanthin, a natural antioxidant and photo-protectant. For more information on the EyePromise brand of all natural nutraceuticals, visit http://www.eyepromise.com. The company also offers a state-of-the-art measurement device as part of its Eye-Q Intelligent AMD Risk Management Program. The QuantifEye instrument measures macular pigment optical density and allows EyeCare Professionals to measure, manage, monitor, and maintain healthy macular pigment levels to address an important AMD risk factor. For more information, please visit http://www.zeavision.com or call 866-833-2800.

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Eye Vitamin Leader Introduces New Product

The Diet has approved the government's nominees to fill two vacant seats on the Bank of Japan Policy Board.

Nomura Securities Co.'s Takahide Kiuchi and Takehiro Sato of Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities Co. were approved at a Lower House plenary session Thursday, after the Upper House gave the green light a day earlier.

The markets see Kiuchi and Sato, both chief economists at their financial institutions, as a positive step toward monetary easing even though some on the Policy Board are reluctant to pursue excessive monetary loosening.

The government had initially nominated Ryutaro Kono of BNP Paribas Securities (Japan) Ltd., but the proposal was voted down by the opposition-controlled Upper House due to questions about his negative stance on monetary easing. The government had apparently wanted to appoint candidates more acceptable to politicians.

The Policy Board comprises BOJ Gov. Masaaki Shirakawa, Deputy Govs. Hirohide Yamaguchi and Kiyohiko Nishimura, and six others. Members decide on monetary policy issues by majority vote.

The central bank has been searching for replacements since Seiji Nakamura and Hidetoshi Kamezaki's five-year terms ended April 4, creating the first vacancies since March 2010.

Kyodo

KAGOSHIMA Bank of Japan Policy Board member Koji Ishida on Thursday called for closer monitoring of the eurozone's fiscal woes and the weak U.S. economic recovery.

"At the moment, the largest concern is overseas economies, centering on the eurozone's debt problem," Ishida said during a speech in the city of Kagoshima.

He warned that "it may take some time to see a fundamental resolution" in Europe, but added its debt crisis is unlikely to drastically deteriorate due to the efforts of countries such as Germany.

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Diet approves nominees for BOJ Policy Board

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan police commander has ordered tens of thousands of pot-bellied officers to diet or quit frontline duties, officials said Monday in what one newspaper dubbed the battle of the bulge. Habibur Rehman, police chief in Pakistans most populous province Punjab, has ordered 175,000 personnel not to allow their waistlines to exceed 38 inches (96 cm), spokeswoman Nabila Ghazanfar told AFP. Im on a diet and if I can do it, why cant you? she quoted Rehman as telling officials last month in the province. At least 50 percent of Punjab police are overweight, Ghazanfar said. Local daily The News said the number overweight officers in the city of Rawalpindi, the headquarters of the army that has been hit by numerous Taleban attacks, stood at more than 77 percent, adding that policemen appear to be losing the battle of the bulge. Police said officers had been given until June 30 to shape up and those deemed too fat from July 1 would not be given jobs in the field. Police officials are joining gyms, jogging and doing other exercise, including a lot of running to become thin and slim, Ghazanfar said. Overweight officers are ineffective and cannot chase bandits, robbers and other criminals properly, she added, blaming the problem on under-staffing. We have a shortage of personnel, what can you expect when one official is doing the job of six people? They dont get time for physical fitness, she told AFP. Another official who did not wish to be named said 100 stations were initially singled out for the exercise order, but Rehman later decided to send warning letters to the entire Punjab police force. He said the chief believed people only had pot bellies if they commit a sin or if they are sick. It is my guess that the department will assess progress and if necessary the deadline may be extended, a senior official said, requesting anonymity. The Pakistani diet is rich in meat, oil and ghee. The country is ranked 165 of 194 on the Forbes list of fattest countries, with 22.2 percent of the population considered overweight despite immense poverty faced by millions in the country. Local reports have put the figure at 25 percent.

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’Diet or quit’ Pakistan tells pot-bellied police

Public release date: 20-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jeremy Moore jeremy.moore@aacr.org 215-446-7109 American Association for Cancer Research

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. Study results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges conference, held here June 18-21, strongly suggest that a diet high in fat and calories can hasten the development of pancreatic cancer in humans.

"Our results showed that in mice, a diet high in fat and calories led to obesity and metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance that are seen in obese humans. It also greatly enhanced pancreatic inflammation and pancreatic cancer development," said Guido Eibl, M.D., an associate professor in the department of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles and a researcher at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Human epidemiological studies have linked high fat intake and obesity to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, but the mechanism driving this association has not been understood.

To understand the link, Eibl and his colleagues first tested the hypothesis that diet is linked to cancer. They fed a corn oil-based diet that had a high content of fat and calories to mice with a genetic mutation that caused them to develop pancreatic precancer. The same gene, KRAS, is mutated in the majority of human pancreatic cancers.

The results showed that 90 percent of the mice fed the special diet became obese, and all of these mice developed insulin resistance and inflammation in the pancreas. Both of these conditions can stimulate the growth of precancerous cells and cancer. These mice also developed significantly more advanced precancerous lesions than did mice fed a normal diet.

"This suggests that the high-fat, high-calorie diet accelerated pancreatic cancer development," said Eibl. "A KRAS mutation in the pancreas might not be sufficient to cause an individual to develop pancreatic cancer. It likely needs something in addition a secondary hit. Our study showed that a high-fat, high-calorie diet could provide an environmental secondary hit and trigger cancer development."

The researchers are now defining the role that inflammation produced by obesity plays in development of the cancer, and if agents such as antidiabetic drugs or fish oil can halt this disease process.

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High-fat/calorie diet accelerates development of pancreatic cancer

Public release date: 20-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Alissa J. Cruz media@gastro.org 301-272-1603 American Gastroenterological Association

A six-food elimination diet significantly improves symptoms in adult patients with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. In EoE, eosinophils and other inflammatory cells cause inflammation of the esophagus in response to an allergic stimulus. Previously thought to be a rare disease, EoE has become one of the most common causes for dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), heartburn and the sensation of "food stuck in the throat" in adults. Similar to children, this study has now shown that food allergens have a causative role in the majority of adults with EoE.

An elimination diet that identifies specic food triggers is an effective therapeutic alternative to corticosteroids for adults with EoE. Furthermore, the results of a reintroduction process in which these trigger foods are added back into a patient's diet support the fact that food antigens are driving this response; this provides new insight into the nature of the inammatory response in adult EoE.

"By first eliminating, then systematically reintroducing foods in our adult patients, we were able to identify the specic food triggers that caused their symptoms, such as heartburn, chest pain and difficulty swallowing, or the sensation of food being stuck in their throat," said Nirmala Gonsalves, MD, of Northwestern University and the lead author of this study. "Given the poor sensitivity of skin prick testing and lack of history of food allergy or intolerance, the six-food elimination diet with reintroduction is the only reliable method to date to identify food triggers in adult eosinophilic esophagitis and should allow us to better tailor diet to individual patients for long-term management." View a video abstract in which Dr. Gonsalves discusses her study findings.

A diet that eliminates all of the six most commonly allergenic foods (milk, soy, egg, wheat, peanuts/tree nuts and shellfish/fish) significantly improves symptoms and reduces esophageal tissue damage associated with EoE in adults. In fact, 78 percent of patients achieved greater than a 50 percent reduction in peak eosinophil (white blood cell) counts in their esophagus; dysphagia symptom scores improved signicantly after the elimination diet. Once trigger foods were reintroduced, all patients had recurrence of their symptoms within five days. These results suggest that EoE is likely the same disease in children and adults.

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About the AGA Institute

The American Gastroenterological Association is the trusted voice of the GI community. Founded in 1897, the AGA has grown to include 17,000 members from around the globe who are involved in all aspects of the science, practice and advancement of gastroenterology. The AGA Institute administers the practice, research and educational programs of the organization. http://www.gastro.org.

About Gastroenterology

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Food elimination diet identifies causes of difficulty swallowing and swelling of the throat

Of course, you need a healthy balance of both the right diet and adequate exercise to drop the pounds. But does one outweigh the other? Find out.

This has been an ongoing controversy for many years. For optimal fat loss, should you focus more on your diet or your exercise routine? All in all, you do need a balance of both. You must follow a diet and exercise in order to get the absolute best result. But when it comes down to which contributes more, you may be surprised as to what the answer is.

Simply put, exercise is the easy part...at least for most people. A majority of the population finds it much easier to get to the gym and break a sweat than to put down that piece of bread or stop themselves from another serving of dinner.

Exercise is always more favourable than dieting. Wouldn't it be nice if you could just exercise and eat whatever you want? Well, that's sure as heck not the case! Dieting contributes to about 90 per cent of fat loss, leaving only 10 per cent to exercise. This may come as a big surprise to you, but it is true. How come? Read more to find out why dieting has an advantage over exercise when it comes to weightloss.

You can't out-exercise a bad diet

This is such a popular phrase in the fitness world and it is probably one of the truest statements out there. Many people believe that if they work their butt off in the gym, that they can go home and eat what they want.

The main idea behind exercising is to burn calories. The unhealthy foods that you reward yourself with afterward are chockfull of unnecessary calories. Take this for example: You stop by the McDonald's drive-thru with some friends and splurge on a Big Mac. In the back of your head you're thinking 'I'll just go to the gym later'. Well, hold that thought and put the Big Mac down! In order to burn off a Big Mac, you would need to bust your butt in the gym for at least 90 minutes of full-on intense cardio, just to create a small calorie deficit.

This goes for all foods, not only Big Macs. In order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. If you have bad dietary habits, chances are that's not happening and that's the reason why you aren't losing weight. All the exercise in the world can't help a bad diet.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh

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Diet or exercise: Which is more important for weightloss?

Public release date: 19-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

Human Insulin Suppresses Mosquito Immune System: Increasing Cases of Type II Diabetes Could Abet Malaria's Spread

Human insulin suppresses the mosquito immune system, according to a paper in the June Infection and Immunity. And while mosquitoes and malaria might seem to go together like baseball and hotdogs, mosquitoes' immunological resistance to the malaria parasite actually slows its spread among H. sapiens.

"A fair portion actually fight off the infection," says first author Nazzy Pakpour of the University of California, Davis.

But now the rate of type 2 diabetes is climbing in Africa as in most of the rest of the world, to the point where by 2030, one in five adults there are predicted to be so-afflicted. More diabetes means more hyperinsulinemiamore human insulin to inhibit mosquitoes' immune response to Plasmodium falciparum, thus aiding and abetting transmission of this dread disease.

As horrific as the medical consequences of all this might be, the science is intriguing. "It's crazy to think something in our blood could change how mosquitoes respond to parasites," says Pakpour.

In earlier work, Pakpour and collaborators showed that ingested human insulin activates the insulin/IGF-1 signaling pathway in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, making them more vulnerable to invasion by P. falciparum. The new study showed that insulin signaling reduced expression of certain mosquito immunity genes that are under the same regulatory control, and that human insulin suppressed mosquito immunity by activating the so-called PI3K signaling pathway, and that artificially inhibiting that pathway could reverse the immunosuppressive effects of human insulin.

(N. Pakpour, V. Corby-Harris, G.P. Green, H.M. Smithers, K.W. Cheung, M.A.Riehle, and S. Luckhart, 2012. Ingested human insulin inhibits the mosquito NF-KAPPAB-dependent immune response to Plasmodium falciparum. Infect. Immun. 80:2141-2149.)

Download the journal article at http://bit.ly/asm061912a

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Tips from the Journals of the American Society for Microbiology

Im always a little depressed coming back from vacation. So its not surprising to find me on return flights home wistfully looking out that little window wishing once again for umbrella drinks on the beach instead of Diet Coke at my desk.

But a couple of weeks ago, as I sat moping in a 757 on a Los Angeles International Airport runway, something struck me. As I watched our plane inch its way to takeoff behind several others, I realized how challenging it must be to be an air traffic controller.

In airports like LAX, planes are flying in and taking off nearly simultaneously, buzzing around the skies like bees in the hive. I marveled at the organizational abilities of these men and women in the tower.

But a day after returning home, I realized they had nothing on my friend Karen. She and I have daughters who are dancing in the same theater production this summer. We both work full time, as do our husbands. So we decided even before the snow had melted this spring that we should plan to carpool to the theater this summer.

Now back at work and with the theater program fast approaching, I knew we should start to make our carpool plan. But Karen, a woman with the face of a teenager and the planning and organizing skills of Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, had beaten me to the punch.

She created a spreadsheet that outlined, in detail, whose children were going where on what day, who was responsible for drop off and pickup and where said children would go upon completion of that days kick-ball-changing. This was like our own D-Day battle plan, but for the whole month of June. It was awesome. Almost a work of art.

I think what most excited me was that it was something tangible that I could share with my husband, who often operates on an information- overload, need-to- know basis.

Me: We need to talk about next week. Who is taking Laura to figure skating while Jordan has her soccer game? I have that presentation for work and you have (whatever it is college professors do).

Husband (deer in headlights look): Uh, can we just talk about it closer to the day?

He walks away mumbling something. (Its probably something about kids being overcommitted or us spending too much money. Thats usually what he mumbles about.)

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Parenting Perspectives: Carpool craziness