Bulicio

Archive for October, 2010

The goal of this article is to examine nutritional genomics as a potential tool for individual based nutrition therapy. The genes that were studied were all heart health susceptibility genes and their common genetic variants. The specific genes that were observed in this review were methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), apolipoprotein C-III (Apo C-III), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). The function, genetic variants, and dietary interactions regarding each gene are discussed. Specific dietary recommendations were alluded to, but not confirmed, depending on the type of genes that one possessed.

In order to fully understand the paper, it is important to define the difference between the two sub-categories of nutritional genomics: nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics. Nutrigenomics speaks of the functional interactions that ceratin foods have on the human genome. For instance, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (found in fish oil) increase expression of genes that are involved in fat metabolism and energy, as well as decreasing expression of genes involved in inflammation. Nutrigenetics can be defined as how specific individuals with unique genetic makeups respond to particular foods. For example, the -13910C to T genetic variant effects lactose tolerance. The T allele allows for better metabolism of lactose, while the C allele causes lactose intolerance.

The MTHFR gene is paramount in the metabolism of homocysteine. Studies show that mildly elevated plasm total homosysteine is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The MTHFR gene catalyzes the reduction of 5, 10 methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Formation of this 5-product by MTHFR provides units for homocysteine conversion to methionine, therefore if a genetic mutation effects this efficiency of this conversion, elevated levels of homocysteine will be present in the blood. Several polymorphisms of this gene can effect the enzyme efficiency of this gene. It was found that an increase in folate intake by people with these genetic defects will decrease the chance for cardiovascular-related diseases.

The CETP gene is involved in lipid metabolism. This hydrophobic glycoprotein, which is secreted by the liver, decreases the cardioprotective HDL fraction and increases the pro-atherogenic VLDL and LDL fractions in plasma. It is therefore detrimental to increase the activity of this gene beyond normal levels, in regards to cardiovascular health. Several genetic variants, such as the Taq1B variant, cause a reduction in CETP mass and activity. People without out beneficial genetic variants of this gene would benefit from a diet that counters elevated levels of active CETP in the body. Specific dietary advice was not given in this case.

The LPL gene is also involved in lipid metabolism. Specifically, this glycoprotein is involved in the hydrolysis of the triglyceride core of circulating chylomicrons and VLDL. A more active LDL gene is correlated to lower levels of blood triglycerides, which makes it an atheroprotective enzyme. People with the 44Ser-Ter(X) SNP have a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. The identification of any other genetic variant besides this one in a subject, therefore, is a sign for nutrigenetic companies that this person may need additional nutritional considerations. In order to increase LPL expression in individuals who do not carry favorable genetic variants, fish oil has proven to be beneficial in ramping up this genes efficiency. Mulberry, banaba, and korean ginseng have also been shown to increase expression of the LPL gene.

The Apo C-III gene is involved in regulating triglyceride metabolism by affecting lipolysis and receptor-mediated uptake of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Any genetic variant that increases the efficiency of this gene can cause an abnormal amount triglycerides to remain in circulation. This is a definite risk-factor for cardiovascular disease. The most recognized variant of this gene is the SstI variant, which is associated with a 38% increase in blood triglyceride levels. It was found that a diet high in monounsaturated fats is a good way to reduce plasma LDL-C, which is a product of over-expression of the Apo C-III gene. Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) were also found to decrease the efficiency of the Apo C-III gene in SstI variants.

Interleukin 6 genes are important in immune and inflammatory responses in the body, as well as the up-regulation in synthesis of C-reactive proteins. A functional polymorphism as position -174G to C has been associated with an altered expression of the IL-6 gene. Increased levels of IL-6 has been linked to cardiovascular disease, namely, atherosclerosis. Diets that focus on weight reduction have been shown to negate the effects of unfavorable genetic variants of the IL-6 gene. Also, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid, and vitamin E supplementation have been shown to reduce inflammation. This is especially important for people with genetic variants that increase IL-6 because it increases bodily inflammation.

This is a great paper underlining some of the basic genes that a nutritional genetics company looks for in patients who are concerned about heart health. Specific genetic variants at each gene locus have been found to increase or decrease the risk for attaining any number of cardiovascular diseases. Fish oil seems to be the number one nutritional addition that people with increased risk factors can supplement into their diet, in order to avoid future cardiovascular problems. Its range of benefits span from decreasing the expression of unfavorable genetic variants to decreasing inflammation. As the study of the human genome continues it will be interesting to see how genetic engineering will factor into the mix. If scientists have already found out which genetic variants can increase or decrease health, genetically engineering humans to have favorable genetic variants to constitute their genome will prove to be beneficial to increasing the health of the human population as a whole. Additionally, customizing nutrition based on someone’s personal genotype will prove to be very beneficial.

-Vakili, BS. “Personalized Nutrition: Nutritional Genomics as a Potential Tool for Targeted Medical Nutrition Therapy.” Nutrition Reviews v. 65. July 2007: pg 301-315.

Incoming search terms for the article:

Can you recognize a low calorie food? What makes it low calorie? Are there similarities between one of these foods and another? Well, read on and we’ll answer these questions.

A gram of fat has 9 calories and a gram of carbohydrate and/or protein has 4 calories. So the first rule is if it’s fatty it’s high in calories – definitely not a low calorie food. A similar weight of carbohydrate and/or protein has about half the calories of the same weight in fat.

It’s easy to recognize fat on a steak or on bacon, but not so easy to recognize the invisible fat in a cupcake or a cookie. To identify how much fat is contained in these foods you have to become ‘label savvy’ – read the Nutrition Facts label on the packaging and pay particular attention to the ‘Serving Size’.

For foods you buy across the counter such as donuts, French fries, etc, you have to ask, “Was it deep fat fried?” If it was, it probably was fried in trans fat which is high in calories as well as heart-unfriendly.

Fats can be classified as bad and good. Bad fats are saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in meats and dairy products and might make things taste great but increase the risk of heart disease.

Trans fats are largely manufactured (margarine was first manifestation) and were used in baking and deep frying. If a packaged item contains them it will be listed in the Nutrition Facts label. They play havoc with your cholesterol and should be limited in your diet.

Good fats are found in vegetable products like olive oil, nuts and seeds. Most of these foods do contain saturated fats, but the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat components do much to cancel the effects of the saturated component.

It’s good to substitute good fats for bad fats. For example eat a handful of almonds in place of a donut at break time. However, you must remember that even though nuts contain good fats, they are nevertheless fats and that means their calorie count is high. By eating a lot of them each day you will gain weight.

Next let us look at protein. A lean beef steak tastes great and is a good example of raw animal protein. However, most people eat more than 4 ounces in the dinner meal. That is all that is required on a daily basis. More than that and you are overeating in that there is saturated fat in the meat and the calories will rise dramatically. Beef steak no longer may be considered a low calorie meal.

Soy products – soy milk, tofu, etc, are a good example of vegetable carbohydrates and protein without the high levels of saturated fat. For example: one cup of soy milk (8 ounces) has 100 calories with only 4 calories (0.5g) from saturated fat. So this is a manufactured food that is high in beneficial carbohydrates and protein, relatively low in calories and as a bonus is heart-friendly.

The best low calorie foods are found in the produce and freezer sections of your local supermarket. Raw, fresh vegetables and fruits are rich in carbohydrates, protein, high in fiber, and low in fats. Most are low in calories. These foods are full of healthy nutrients which will be heart protective and strengthen your immune system. Some of these foods are even ‘negative calorie’ foods which are great for burning fat.

.There’s a most curious phenomenon coming to the fore right now. Wherever you look, there’s a smiling face wearing something or driving something or generally being seen in the same shot as a product. It seems the marketers have made a leap of faith. If they pay an A- or B-lister to walk round the streets so the paparazzi can take pictures, we will suddenly all be inspired to look and act the same (without the intrusive photographer, of course). This blends seamlessly into conventional ads, product placement and the so-called brand ambassadors or spokespersons who suddenly pop up on talk shows and infomercials to give a personal testimonial on how wonderful it feels to wear the watch or eat the junk food. Think Michael Jordan and you should think the shoes, drinks and burgers. Think Bob Uecker and his favorite beer. It’s supposed that the star-power of the endorser will somehow rub off on the product or service. Do we all want to drive that make of car because we see Michael Schumacher drive it? Thinking about cars, do we remember OJ Simpson endorsed Hertz? One of the more interesting people recruited into this “business” is Justin Bieber. He’s the wunderkind sensation whose teen voice soars effortlessly as the baby, whose kiss and tell stories bring him down to Earth for the first dance. “Ah,” you smile, “that should me me.” Well, the common denominator in this business is good looks. He has been blessed with skin that looks like it’s just been grown in the vats and stuck on with glue. It’s as if time stopped before any of those hormones could even hint at a blemish. So, of course, he’s out there fronting the leading benzoyl peroxide product. Have skin like mine when you use this product. So with half the teenage girls going gaga for him, you can expect them to prefer this antibacterial product. They all want their skin to look like his. So here’s the real test. How long will it take Bieber to “become” the product so that, everytime you see a picture of him, you think of the product? In less pressured times, it took Michael Jordan several years to establish himself. Will Bieber be yesterday’s teen sensation tomorrow with all the female fans forgetting him (and the product) in favor of the new kid on the block? Celebrity in the world of pop is not as long-lasting as for sports stars. As you may have noticed, there are no celebrities recruited to sell Accutane. It manages to be the best known of the acne treatments on merit. When you are so obviously the best, you don’t need a here-today-gone-tomorrow star hyping your product. When your product guarantees to clear up acne, if not during the first session, then definitely during the second, you don’t need a talking head (or in Bieber’s case, a singing head) to praise it. In this, don’t forget Accutane has side effects so use it with care. That said, to remember the brand, just remember it works.

Over 80 percent of people experience skin rash caused by allergic reaction to some skin care products. Here are few do’s and dont’s that you should be aware of when experiencing skin allergy.

Do:

Avoid using skin care products that contain preservatives, fragrances, formaldehyde or propylene glycol Try diluted olive oil as a moisturizer substitute Use a chemical-free sunblock, preferably one that contains mexoryl xl/sx filter consider getting a patch test if a self-administered use test doesn’t identify the offending products

Don’t:

Rule out the possibility that something other than a skin care product is raising a skin rash Assume hypoallergenic products will not trigger a reaction. They may still contain ingredients you’re allergic to Take the word “fragrance-free” at face value. Check a product’s list of ingredients to see if it contains a masking fragrance Touch your face-especially your eyes-until your nail polish is thoroughly dry. The more coats of polish you apply, the more drying time your nails will require Start using a product you even suspect may rile your skin. Allergic reactions don’t occur the first time you use the product, and you don’t want to break into a rash a week or a month down the road

The best rule especially if you have allergic skin is stay stay in contact with your dermatologist and never “try” new things especially when it comes to skin care products. Always try small amount of product on your hand skin and leave for some time to see if there is no allergic reaction, read product labels and ingredient list.

Expert and amateur hikers and campers alike are familiar with the dangers of poison oak, ivy, and sumac. In fact, it’s the first merit badge many Cub Scouts get. For good reason: the aggravating rash, welts, and itch can stay with you for FAR too long and drive you up a wall. While learning to recognize and avoid these plants is clearly the best way to approach any outdoors situation, these plants have a habit of surprising us or catching us unawares. So once you’ve got it, what do you do about it? There is only one sure-fire cure, so find out about it below.

First, let’s learn a bit about these allergy-inducing plants.

Poison Ivy

It’s not actually an ivy at all. It can be found growing as a trailing vine, a shrub, or a climbing vine in many parts of the United States. It produces an oil with its sap called urushiol (not urush-oil) that, when it comes in contact with the skin just by brushing up against the plant, causes a severe itching rash.

To avoid poison ivy, stay away from any plants that grow with clusters of three leaves, especially if they have red stems. There are a number of mnemonic devices to help: leaves of three, let it be; red leaflets in spring, it’s a dangerous thing; longer middle stem, stay away from them; and so on.

Poison Oak

This is a bush that grows up to three feet tall. It has 6-inch long leaves that alternate in groups of three. The leaflets are hairy and irregular sizes, but they look a lot like white oak leaves.

Like poison ivy, just brushing up against poison-oak will cause a severe allergic reaction in many people and non-human animals. While it starts out as just itching, you can tell it is poison-oak because the skins soon becomes inflamed, develops non-colored bumps, and turns into blisters when scratched.

Poison Sumac

Poison sumac is a proper tree, growing up to 20 feet tall, that has leaves made up of 7-13 leaflets. It is almost always an odd number of leaflets, unless there is a mutation. It has the same allergic properties as poison ivy, because it makes the same oil: urushiol. There is one major difference though, and that is that poison sumac can be deadly.

If an unfortunate hiker or camper inhales smoke from using poison sumac as fire wood, he or she will suffer extreme pain and severe respiratory difficulty that, if untreated, can result in death.

The Cure

Allergic reactions are basically a confused response from your immune system, so Prednisone, an immunosuppresant, is used to return the immune system to normal function.

It works like this: you take Prednisone, it gets to the liver where it is converted into prednisolone, an active steroid, which then tells the adrenal gland to chill out, and then all is better!

Take 60 mg of Prednisone for 5 days, then 40 mg for another 5 days, and 20 for 5 more. The rash will be gone after 6 or 7 days, but keep taking it to make sure you recover well.

Roughly half of men with diabetes have Erectile Dysfunction (ED). Worse, diabetic ED is less responsive to treatment than other impotence. Doctors will recommend that you avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, eating foods with a lot of cholesterol, control your blood pressure, and lose weight, but the last two especially can feel pretty much impossible for many diabetics. Fortunately, there are a few good ways to treat ED if you have diabetes. To understand these methods and why they are effective, you first have to understand diabetes.

The Disease

Diabetes is a chronic disease that causes dangerously high levels of sugar in the blood. These high levels of glucose, which causes almost universally hunger, thirst, blurry vision, and frequent urination, occur for one of two reasons: 1) The body does not produce enough insulin, which processes sugar, or 2) the cells in the body do not respond to the insulin. These are known as Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes respectively. There is no known cure for diabetes, however, both types are treatable in a number of ways.

Type 1 and 2 both have genetic components among their causes. Type 1, which is much rarer, is triggered in life by certain infections. Type 2, which represents 90-95% of cases of diabetes in the US, can be attributed to diet and lifestyle factors.

How Diabetes Causes ED

One of the major complications diabetics suffer from their disease is damage to the nerves throughout the body. This is called diabetic neuropathy, and it does affect the penis. As a result of the nerve damage, whether aroused in the brain or not, it interferes with the natural bodily reflex that leads to erections.

On top of that, diabetics also suffer from the narrowing of blood vessels. Also take into consideration this blood pressure problems, a lack of circulation, and heart disease-all of which diabetics are predisposed to-and it becomes clear that it is fairly likely that there will not be enough blood to cause the penis to become erect.

Even if the man can get an erection, it is even more unlikely that he will also be able to keep it for very long. Once this happens, anxiety and psychological factors can make it even more difficult.

What Diabetics Can Do

• Lose weight
• Maintain normal blood pressure
• Erase cholesterol from your diet
• Avoid alcohol before sex
• Quit smoking

Easier said than done.

Levitra has proven extremely effective for men with diabetes. It helps men get and hold an erection for increased sexual vigor and stamina. Clinical trials have shown that Levitra helps well over 50% of diabetic men beat ED, enjoy sex, fix their marriage, and live happily ever after! Well, obviously they still have diabetes and have to treat that disease just as they would have before, but talk to your doctor about what Levitra can do for your sex life, diabetic or not.