Scientific Update June 2004
Thank you for using Body Language Vitamin Company's Scientific Formulas
This is a scientific update as I had promised. It is also to thank you for visiting our website and or benefiting from our state of the art supplements. This update will keep you informed with important new research. I welcome you to visit our site Body Language Vitamin Co and use our Body Mass Index Calculator and to take our copyrighted health scan. These health tools are free to you and provide important information regarding your wellness. I would also encourage you to pass this update on to all of your friends, family and anyone that you love, like or care about. Our Educational Resources provides many Word and PowerPoint presentations, that provide important scientific information directly related to improving your health. Check them out!
Raw ingredients costs have risen tremendously over the past
three years and we have managed to keep our cost to the consumer unchanged.
Unfortunately as of
We apologize for the need to increase our costs on our anti-age and antioxidant formulae, but we can no longer continue to absorb these costs and stay in business. We are committed to providing you with the most outstanding formula available in the market place. Many of our competitors tell you that they have “supercharged” their formula by putting in 500 micrograms of Co-Q10 or 500 micrograms of grape seed extract. We put in 60 milligrams (60,000 micrograms) of Co-Q10 and 45 milligrams (45,000 micrograms) of grape seed extract! Additionally, we continue to use only the finest all-natural ingredients to provide you the most scientifically validated absorbable supplement to promote your wellness.
How
much salt is too much?
What you are already consuming is probably too much!
While obesity is getting a lot of attention these days, it’s far from only health concern affecting millions of Americans. Take high blood pressure, for example. According to a new report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), an overwhelming majority – in the neighborhood of 90 percent – of the adult population in this country is courting disaster by eating a diet far too high in salt, which can raise blood pressure. High blood pressure puts us at risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
Ideally, we should be getting somewhere between 1,500 and 2,300 milligrams of salt daily, says the IOM. But most people get far more. Meanwhile, low intake of the mineral potassium is complicating the problem. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium, but too many dieters are skipping those foods – especially starchy varieties, like bananas and potatoes -- because of concern over carbohydrates.
What to do? First, get in the habit of reading food labels for sodium (as salt is known) content, and keep track of your intake for a few days. If it’s higher than 2,300 milligrams per day, start eliminating some of the prime offenders -- chips, crackers, many packaged snacks and fast foods. If you’re using salt in cooking, take a look at other options, like fresh or dried herbs. Scientists are finding that many herbs and spices have important health benefits, so you’re not just losing the salt – you’re gaining flavor and extra nutrition!
As for potassium, experts say adults should be getting 4.7 grams daily, but we are averaging about half that amount or less. Although it has a fairly low profile, potassium is an important nutrient. It not only combats high blood pressure, but also protects against kidney stones and helps keep bones strong. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium, but the Standard American Diet (SAD) is notoriously deficient in produce.
Of course, it goes without saying that if you’re not eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily, you’re missing out on potassium and a lot more. Look for ways to add these vitally important foods to your meals. And on days when circumstances beyond control interfere with good eating habits, be sure to take a multivitamin and/or antioxidant combination to safeguard your health.
Speaking of high blood pressure, the hormone melatonin is shaping up as a new way to deal with this all-too-common problem. Dutch researchers have found that hypertension (high blood pressure) was reduced in men who took a small dose (2.5 mg) of melatonin at bedtime.
Melatonin is best known as a sleep aid and jet lag remedy, because of its effect on circadian rhythms, our internal “time clock” that regulates bodily functions. Although scientists don’t know exactly why, high blood pressure seems to be linked to irregularities in circadian rhythm. Since research into the melatonin-high blood pressure issue is only beginning, it’s premature for anyone with a serious blood pressure problem to replace medication with melatonin. But melatonin, which is also a highly regarded antioxidant, just might do the trick for those with mildly elevated blood pressure.
Scheer FA, Van Montfrans GA, Van Someren EJ, et al. “Daily Nighttime Melatonin Reduces Blood Pressure in Male Patients with Essential Hypertension.” Hypertension 2004 Jan 19 [Epub ahead of print]
Strokes are one of the leading causes of death in this country, with some 700,000 Americans dying or disabled by stroke every year. Prevention is one of best ways to avoid becoming a stroke statistic, say experts. At a recent annual meeting of the American Stroke Association, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine discussed one way to do that. Their research had shown that people suffering from Syndrome X, also known as metabolic syndrome, are at much higher risk of stroke than those without the condition. Women with Syndrome X have more than twice the risk of stroke than women who do not have it, and men with Syndrome X have a 78 percent greater risk.
Syndrome X is an umbrella term for a condition usually identified by three out of five metabolic abnormalities – low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, abdominal obesity, and high fasting levels of blood sugar. Syndrome X is considered the precursor to diabetes, and also elevates risk of heart disease, as well as stroke. But by treating the symptoms before diabetes develops, individuals can cut their risk of these serious health conditions. Losing weight is a good start, and several studies have shown that high blood pressure can be reduced with greater vegetable consumption (7 – 9 servings daily). Melatonin, mentioned in this newsletter, is another possibility, and cinnamon, also discussed in this issue, may be a solution for those with glucose management issues.
Study presented at the American Stroke Association’s annual
meeting,
It’s hard to believe, but researchers are finding that some
things that taste good are actually good for you! For example, researchers in
In a study of 60 adult men and women with diabetes, the scientists found that after 40 days, participants who were given either 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon a day had lower blood sugar, triglyceride, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and total cholesterol when compared to the placebo (fake pill) group. Interestingly, the dosage didn’t matter; those who took 1 gram of cinnamon daily improved as much as those taking 6 grams. One gram is the equivalent of about ¼ teaspoon – just enough to sprinkle over some fruit or yogurt or stir into coffee.
Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, et al. “Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes.” Diabetes Care 2003 Dec;26(12):3215-8.
Body Language Vitamin Company’s mission is to promote your health and wellness through responsible lifestyle choices and appropriate supplementation.
I hope you have found this information valuable and helpful. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I answer all of my emails; please allow 24-72 hours as we get many questions. You can also find many other interesting studies and articles by clicking on Educational Resources (A task bar on the left) at Body Language Vitamin Company
Michael D. Seidman, MD., FACS
B.S. Human Nutrition
CEO-Body Language Vitamin Co
Director of Otologic/Neurotologic Surgery/Henry Ford Health System
Director of Complementary/Integrative Medicine Henry Ford Health System
Office: 248-661-7211 (Henry Ford Health System)
Body Language Office (voice mail) 877-LIVE-FIT
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