The Gary Null Show
Gary takes on the real issues that the mainstream media is afraid to tackle. Tune in to find out the latest about health news, healing, politics, and the economy.
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Episodes
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Tuesday Mar 15, 2022
Antioxidant supplementation improves men’s condition
China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, March 14 2022.
A meta-analysis reported on March 1, 2022 in Sexual Medicine Reviews concluded a benefit for antioxidants combined with each other or added to prescription therapies among men with erectile dysfunction (ED), a condition that affects an estimated 150 million males worldwide. The meta-analysis included 13 randomized, controlled trials and 5 crossover randomized trials involving a total of 1,331 men with ED. Nutrients with antioxidant properties evaluated in the studies included amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline, myoinositol, folic acid, yohimbine, vitamin E, L-carnitine, niacin, pine bark extract, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), trans-resveratrol, robuvins from French Oak wood and ginseng.
(NEXT)
Exercise may treat long COVID-induced diabetes, depression
Pennington Biomedical Research Center, March 11, 2022
While no medically recognized treatment exists for Long COVID, exercise may break the vicious cycle of inflammation that can lead to developing diabetes and depression months after a person recovers from the virus. We know that Long COVID causes depression, and we know that it can increase blood glucose levels to the point where people develop diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition common among people with type 1 diabetes. Exercise can help. Exercise takes care of the inflammation that leads to elevated blood glucose and the development and progression of diabetes and clinical depression.
(NEXT)
Close the blinds during sleep to protect your health
Even moderate light exposure during sleep harms heart health and increases insulin resistance
Northwestern University, March 14, 2022
Exposure to artificial light at night during sleep is common Sleeping in a moderately light room increases risk for heart disease and diabetes Your heart rate rises, and body can’t rest properly in light bedroom at night Close the blinds, draw the curtains and turn off all the lights before bed. Exposure to even moderate ambient lighting during nighttime sleep, compared to sleeping in a dimly lit room, harms your cardiovascular function during sleep and increases your insulin resistance the following morning, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.
(NEXT)
Can mindful eating help lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease?
University of California at San Francisco, March 9, 2022
Given the high stress levels, extended periods of screen time and regular social outings many Americans experience day-to-day in environments where high-calorie foods are readily available, it can be easy to fall into the habit of mindless eating -- where we're too distracted to pay attention to how much, what and why we're eating. Research suggests that practicing mindfulness -- or taking the time to bring awareness to present-moment experiences with an open attitude of curiosity and non-judgment -- can be effective in allowing us to make more thoughtful food choices and recognize when we are hungry, satisfied or full. The latest research in this area suggests that the impact of mindful eating could be even greater.
(NEXT)
Live fast, die young? Or live cold, die old?
Chinese Academy of Sciences, March 14, 2022
Researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators from Wenzhou University and the University of Aberdeen, have found that body temperature exerts a greater effect on lifespan than metabolic rate. You have probably heard the phrase "live fast, die young." It comes from the observation that people with fast and risky lifestyles often get into accidents and die prematurely. But in biology it has a rather different origin. It comes from the observation that animals with high metabolic rates ("living fast") tend to die sooner than those with slow metabolism. Generally, interventions that produce extended life—like caloric restriction leading to lower metabolic rates—are consistent with the "live fast, die young" idea. Nevertheless, exercise increases metabolism, but on average it seems to make people live a little longer.
(On Tonights The Progressive Commentary Hour)
The Financial Side of the Pandemic that Reveals What May Be Really Going on
My Guest: Leslie Manookian
Leslie Manookian is the founding president of the Health Freedom Defense Fund - a non profit organization committed to the education, protection and advancement of health freedom while advocating for human rights and bodily autonomy for all people. The fund opposes unethical laws such as vaccination mandates. Earlier Leslie was a successful Wall Street business executive. Her career in finance took her from New York to London with Goldman Sachs. Later she was the Director of Alliance Capital in London running their European Growth Portfolio Management and Research businesses. While working in global finance she also continued her education in homeopathy. In 2011, she wrote and produced the award winning documentary The Greater Good that explores the vaccine debate and controversies. She received her batchelor's degree from Middlebury College and later her MBA from the University of Chicago. Leslie's organization's website is HealthFreedomDefense.org
Video:
The Testimony That Will Indict Fauci?
Whistleblowers Come Forward from the US military
Monday Mar 14, 2022
Monday Mar 14, 2022
Could a pure maple syrup extract be tapped for better brain health?
University of Toronto, March, 12 2022
As part of a two-day symposium at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, a group of international scientists shared promising results of 24 studies exploring the beneficial effects of natural products on the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease. For the first time at this symposium, real maple syrup was included among the healthful, functional foods that show promise in protecting brain cells against the kind of damage found in Alzheimer's disease. One study found that an extract of maple syrup may help prevent the misfolding and clumping of two types of proteins found in brain cells - beta amyloid and tau peptide. When cellular proteins fold improperly and clump together, they accumulate and form the plaque that is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's and other brain diseases.
(NEXT)
Why Your Brain Likes Nature More Than Cities (rather fascinating)
University of Oregon, March 10, 2022
The authors examined the question: “What happens in your brain when you walk down the street?” and they conclude that urban environments are not pleasing to the human brain. The reason is the lack of fractals in modern architecture and spaces. Fractals are patterns that self-repeat at different scales, and they can be found all over nature in objects like trees, rivers, clouds, and coastlines. Because of this prevalence of natural fractals, the human brain has evolved to respond favorably to fractals, and to do so in the blink of an eye. The human brain only needs 50 milliseconds to detect the presence of fractals. “As soon as we look at nature, it triggers a cascade of automatic responses,” says physicist Richard Taylor of the University of Oregon. “Even before we’ve noticed what we’re looking at, we’re responding to it.”
(NEXT)
Blueberries, the well-known 'super fruit,' could help fight Alzheimer's
University of Cincinnati Health Center, March 13, 2022
The blueberry, already labeled a 'super fruit' for its power to potentially lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, also could be another weapon in the war against Alzheimer's disease. New researchfurther bolsters this idea, which is being tested by many teams. The fruit is loaded with healthful antioxidants, and these substances could help prevent the devastating effects of this increasingly common form of dementia, scientists report. "Our new findings corroborate those of previous animal studies and preliminary human studies, adding further support to the notion that blueberries can have a real benefit in improving memory and cognitive function in some older adults," says Robert Krikorian, Ph.D., leader of the research team. He adds that blueberries' beneficial effects could be due to flavonoids called anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve animals' cognition.
(NEXT)
Higher testosterone to estradiol ratio predicts lower risk of mortality during median of 23.7-months
University of Ferrara (Italy), March 11 2022.
A study reported in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation found lower mortality during follow-up for men and women who had a higher ratio of testosterone to estradiol (T/E2). In males with severe carotid atherosclerosis, low T/E2 ratio is associated with systemic and plaque inflammation and is a powerful predictor of future cardiovascular events,. In females, the reverse regarding T/E2 ratio has been observed, with higher T/E2 ratio being associated with worse cardiovascular disease outcomes/events in postmenopausal women. The research team investigated the association between sex-specific T/E2 ratio and the vasoactive molecules thromboxane and nitric oxide, which impact blood flow. They additionally explored the ratio’s relationship to adverse long-term outcomes, and whether the relationship could be explained by sex hormone-dependent effects on platelet function. Men and women whose sex-specific T/E2 ratio was among the lowest 75% of participants had over three times the risk of dying from all causes during the 23.7-month median follow-up period compared to men and women whose ratios were among the highest 25%.
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Friday Mar 11, 2022
Lingonberry moderates high-salt diet inflammation
University of Helsinki (Finland), March 7, 2022
Lingonberry juice slightly lowers low-grade inflammation in rats fed on a high-salt diet, according to scientists. The rats were fed on 8% sodium chloride enriched pellets and given tap water or diluted lingonberry juice for ten weeks. The research, published in the Journal of Functional Foods, sought to test whether lingonberry juice could beneficially affect salt-induced inflammation and hypertension. The scientists saw that the salt-loaded diet impaired kidney function of rats without clear effect on blood pressure or vascular function. Within this, lingonberry juice was shown to moderately reduce biomarkers of low-grade inflammation. The researchers said the anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols could explain positive cardiovascular effects. “We have found that lingonberry, a northern berry rich in polyphenols, improves vascular endothelium-dependent relaxation and decreases blood pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats,” the researchers said.
(NEXT)
Physical activity may protect your brain as you age
University of Georgia, March 8, 2022
We all know we should exercise and eat healthy. But doing that isn't just good for maintaining your figure as you age. New research from the University of Georgia shows that physical activity could help protect your cognitive abilities as you age. And it doesn't have to be intense exercise to make an impact. Published in Sport Sciences for Health, the study followed 51 older adults, tracking their physical activity and fitness measurements. The participants performed tests specifically designed to measure cognitive functioning and underwent MRIs to assess brain functioning.
(NEXT)
Beta-Glucans Boost Natural Killer Cells to Fight Cancer, Boost Immunity
Université de la Méditerranée (France), March 10, 2022
Often used as medicine, beta-glucans are naturally occurring, biologically active polysaccharides that are found in the cell walls of mushrooms, algae, lichens, plants, and some bacteria. This matters because beta-glucans are also immunostimulating and boost the effectiveness of your body’s own cancer-eradicating natural killer cells, or NK cells. Natural killer cells are effector lymphocytes of the innate immune system that control several types of tumors and microbial infections by limiting their spread and subsequent tissue damage. Recent research highlights the fact that NK cells are also regulatory cells engaged in reciprocal interactions with dendritic cells, macrophages, T cells and endothelial cells. NK cell manipulation seems to hold promise in efforts to improve hematopoietic and solid organ transplantation, promote antitumor immunotherapy and control inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.” Oyster mushrooms and shitake are especially anti-carcinogenic for their high levels of beta-glucans. These mushrooms have also been shown to help destroy cancer cells, specifically. While different mushrooms have different levels of these healthy polysaccharides, most have been proven to boost immunity and also to have cytotoxic effects on cancer cells (meaning they help to kill them).
(NEXT)
Telling kids they're special may foster narcissism
Ohio State University, March 9, 2022
Children who are told they are special by their parents are more likely to become narcissists, according to a study that aimed to uncover the origins of extreme selfishness The research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is based on 565 children in the Netherlands who were surveyed over the course of a year and a half, along with their parents. Children whose parents described them as "more special than other children" and as kids who "deserve something extra in life" were more likely to score higher on tests of narcissism than peers who were not lauded in this way. Researchers also measured how much parents overvalued their children by asking how much they agreed with statements like: "My child is a great example for other children to follow." The children were between seven and 11 when they entered the study. Parental warmth and encouragement may be a better strategy than inflating the ego, the study found. Youths who said they were often told they were loved by their parents were more likely to show high self-esteem but not narcissism. Children with high self-esteem did not see themselves as more special than others, but agreed with statements that they were happy with themselves and liked themselves as they were.
(NEXT)
DHA improves children’s sleep
Oxford University March 10 2022.
The results of a study described in an article published in the Journal of Sleep Research reveal an association between higher levels of the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and better sleep in children. In a pilot study of 362 primary school students aged seven to nine years, Oxford University found that supplementation with 600 milligrams DHA per day for 16 weeks improved sleep in a sampling of participants who were rated by their parents as sleeping poorly. Those who received DHA experienced seven fewer waking episodes and nearly an hour more sleep than those who received placebos. When blood fatty acid levels were evaluated, the researchers found an association with higher levels of DHA and less bedtime resistance, parasomnias and total sleep disturbances. Having a higher ratio of DHA to arachidonic acid was also associated with better sleep.
Thursday Mar 10, 2022
Thursday Mar 10, 2022
COVID-19: Tannic acid targets key stages in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection
Natural polyphenol seems to inhibit the activity of three important molecular pathways involved in the SARS-CoV-2 infection Université de Montréal and McGill University, March 9, 2022
Professor Charles Ramassamy and his postdoctoral researcher Mohamed Haddad at Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), in collaboration with scientists from Université de Montréal, McGill University, and Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), believe that tannic acid plays a role in inhibiting three important molecular pathways involved in the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Their work was published recently in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS). Using a multidisciplinary approach, the teams showed that tannic acid inhibits the viral protein (RBD) of the British variant of SARS-CoV-2 from binding to its biological target, the ACE2 receptor. This receptor, which is found on the surface of many cells in the body, allows the virus to latch on and infect them. “Tannic acid binds to the RBD protein and prevents it from binding to the ACE2 receptor,” said Professor Ramassamy. He explained that in blocking the viral protein, tannic acid does not alter the physiological functions of ACE2 receptors, which have physiological functions in the body’s respiratory, cardiovascular, and renal systems, among others.
(NEXT)
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy benefits people with depression through promoting self-kindness
University of Exeter, March 9, 2022
New research shows that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can help promote self-kindness in people with a history of depression, thereby putting their bodies in a state of safety and relaxation. The research, led by the University of Exeter with collaboration from the universities of Oxford and Magdeburg, indicates that MBCT may help break the cycle of highly critical thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, which often lead people with depression to relapse. Participants treated with MBCT showed a pattern of being kind to themselves, along with body responses of reduced threat response, a state of safety and relaxation that is important for regeneration and healing. Previous research has shown that individuals with recurrent depression benefit particularly from MBCT when they learn to become more compassionate towards themselves. This increased self-compassion has been defined as the ability to be kind to ourselves in stressful times.
(NEXT)
Herbal compound prevents colon cancer in mice
University of South Carolina School of Medicine, March 9, 2022
The active compound in Chinese herbs called emodin (naturally found in rhubarb and Japanese knotweed) can prevent colon cancer in mice, according to researchers at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Physiologists conducting this study say this is likely due to emodin's ability to reduce the number of pro-tumor macrophages (a type of immune cell that can promote tumorigenesis). The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology and has been chosen as an APSselect article for March.
(NEXT)
Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise for getting better ZZZs
Iowa State University, March 3, 2022
Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise as a way to get better sleep, and sleep is important for cardiovascular health, according to new preliminary research . “It is increasingly recognized that getting enough sleep, particularly high-quality sleep, is important for health including cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, more than a third of Americans don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis,” said study author Angelique Brellenthin, Ph.D., “Aerobic activity is often recommended to improve sleep, yet very little is known about the effects of resistance exercise versus aerobic exercise on sleep. For this study, researchers enrolled 386 adults who met the criteria for overweight or obesity, which was a body mass index from 25-40 kg/m². Participants were inactive and had elevated blood pressure, measuring from 120-139 mm Hg systolic (top number) and 80-89 mm Hg diastolic (bottom number). Participants were randomly assigned to a no-exercise group (for comparison) or one of three exercise groups (aerobic only, resistance only, or combined aerobic and resistance) for 12 months. Everyone in the exercise groups participated in supervised 60-minute sessions, three times a week, with the combination exercise group doing 30 minutes of aerobic and 30 minutes of resistance exercise.
(NEXT)
Vitamin A, D and E deficiency linked to repeat colds and flu in Chinese children: Case control study
Harbin Children's Hospital (China), March 8, 2022
Low levels of vitamin A, D and E have been associated with Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections (RRTI) among children living in Northern China, a new case control study reports. Writing in the journal PLOS One, researchers stated previous studies showed that the incidence of RRTIs among children in northern China ranged from 17.8% to 18.7% . They point out that numerous studies have focused on identifying the association between inadequate concentrations of vitamins A, D, and E and the incidence of RRTIs in Chinese children, but that the results have been contentious. They found that serum levels of vitamins A and E were significantly lower in the RRTI group than the control group. “The conditional logistic regression model and the receiver-operating characteristic curve showed that the insufficiency or deficiency of vitamins A, D, and E was positively correlated with RRTI occurrence (p < 0.05),” they added. “The incidence of insufficiency or deficiency for vitamins A, E, and D was 24.33%, 8.17%, and 19.33% in the control group but increased to 63.00%, 33.83%, and 56.50% in the RRTI group, respectively.” The researchers believe the study demonstrated that lower serum levels of vitamins A, D, and E are associated with RRTIs.
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Wednesday Mar 09, 2022
Proved the great antitumoral potential of a compound derived from olives
University of Granada (Spain), March 8, 2022
Researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), in collaboration with the universities of Barcelona and Jaen, have brought to light the antitumoral nature of maslinic acid (a compound derived from olives) in Caco-2 p53-deficient colon adenocarcinoma cells in the short term. Maslinic acid (MA) is a natural triterpene found in high concentrations in the waxy skin of olives. The results of this research, recently published in the renowned PloS ONE magazine, show without a doubt how maslinic acid is capable of early inducing the extrinsic cellular death pathway in Caco-2 cells that don't express protein p53 (known by its pro-apoptotic capacity). In previous works, professor Lupiáñez Cara's research team had reported that maslinic acid induces apoptotic cell death via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in cancer cell lines.
(NEXT)
Study finds that Nordic diet lowers cholesterol and blood sugar, even if you don't lose weight
University of Copenhagen, March 8, 2022
A healthy Nordic diet can prevent a range of diseases. Until now, the health benefits that researchers had attributed to a Nordic diet primarily focused on weight loss. But in a new study, University of Copenhagen researchers and their Nordic colleagues found clear evidence that a Nordic diet can lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels even without weight loss. In particular, they point to the composition of dietary fats as a possible explanation for the diet's positive effects. Berries, veggies, fish, and whole grains: These are the main ingredients of the Nordic diet concept that for the past decade, has been recognized as extremely healthy, tasty and sustainable. The diet can prevent obesity and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Until now, Nordic diet research has primarily been linked to the diet's positive health effect following weight loss. But a new analysis conducted by University of Copenhagen researchers, among others, makes it clear that a Nordic diet has positive health benefits, regardless of whether one loses weight or not.
(NEXT)
Study finds distinct biological ages across individuals' various organs and systems
Beijing Genomics Institute and Lobachevsky State University (Russia), March 8, 2022
It's common to say that someone looks either younger or older than their chronological age, but aging is more than skin deep. Our various organs and systems may have different ages, at least from a biological perspective. In a study published March 8 in the journal Cell Reports, an international team of investigators used biomarkers, statistical modeling, and other techniques to develop tools for measuring the biological ages of various organ systems. Based on their findings, the researchers report that there are multiple "clocks" within the body that vary widely based on factors including genetics and lifestyle in each individual. Most human aging studies have been conducted on older populations and in cohorts with a high incidence of chronic diseases because the aging process in young healthy adults is largely unknown and some studies have suggested that age-related changes could be detected in people as young as their 20s, we decided to focus on this age range."
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Treating heart attacks with a medium chain fatty acid
University of Michigan, March 8, 2022
A medium-chain fatty acid might one day help protect against heart attack injuries. In this publication, we target the interplay between energy metabolism and epigenetics mediated by the medium chain fatty acid 8C." Wang and colleagues were able to protect against heart attack injury in rat models with octanoic acid, an eight carbon (8C) medium chain fatty acid, as well as a few other metabolites. Those fatty acids produced acetyl-CoA, a building block for energy metabolism, which a stressed heart desperately needs. The idea is that a physician would administer this therapy to a person once they arrive at the hospital after having a heart attack, to reduce further injury and improve heart function during recovery, he says.
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Stress damages the movement centers in the brain
University of Bonn (Germany), March 8, 2022
Stress seems to have a negative effect on the learning of movements—at least in mice. This is the conclusion of a recent study at the University of Bonn. According to the study, the neurons of rodents lose some of their contacts with other neurons after stress. The animals also developed motor deficits. The results may be useful for earlier diagnosis and improved therapy of stress-related diseases such as depression. They also document that stress leaves traces in the brain—possibly permanent ones. The study appeared in the journal Translational Psychiatry.Chronically stressed people often show abnormalities in their motor skills, such as poorer fine motor control. The researchers came across a conspicuous feature: after the stressful situation, the neurons studied lost some of their synapses—these are the contacts to other nerve cells. During learning processes, new synapses are usually formed or existing ones are strengthened. Instead, the stressed rodents lost up to 15 percent of their contacts.
(OTHER NEWS)
Lead exposure in last century shrunk IQ scores of half of Americans
Duke University, March 7, 2022
In 1923, lead was first added to gasoline to help keep car engines healthy. However, automotive health came at the great expense of our own well-being. A new study calculates that exposure to car exhaust from leaded gas during childhood stole a collective 824 million IQ points from more than 170 million Americans alive today, about half the population of the United States. The findings suggest that Americans born before 1996 may now be at greater risk for lead-related health problems, such as faster aging of the brain. Leaded gas for cars was banned in the U.S. in 1996, but the researchers say that anyone born before the end of that era, and especially those at the peak of its use in the 1960s and 1970s, had concerningly high lead exposures as children. The team's paper appeared the week of March 7 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Lead is able to reach the bloodstream once it's inhaled as dust, or ingested, or consumed in water. In the bloodstream, it's able to pass into the brain through the blood-brain barrier, which is quite good at keeping a lot of toxicants and pathogens out of the brain, but not all of them. One major way lead used to invade bloodstreams was through automotive exhaust.
(NEXT)
Amazon rainforest is losing resilience: New evidence from satellite data analysis
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Germany), March 7, 2022
The Amazon rainforest is likely losing resilience, data analysis from high-resolution satellite images suggests. This is due to stress from a combination of logging and burning – the influence of human-caused climate change is not clearly determinable so far, but will likely matter greatly in the future. For about three quarters of the forest, the ability to recover from perturbation has been decreasing since the early 2000s, which the scientists see as a warning sign. The new evidence is derived from advanced statistical analysis of satellite data of changes in vegetation biomass and productivity. “Reduced resilience – the ability to recover from perturbations like droughts or fires – can mean an increased risk of dieback of the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon rainforest is a home to a unique host of biodiversity, strongly influences rainfall all over South America by way of its enormous evapotranspiration, and stores huge amounts of carbon that could be released as greenhouse gases in the case of even partial dieback, in turn contributing to further global warming. This is why the rainforest is of global relevance. The Amazon is considered a potential tipping element in the Earth system and a number of studies revealed its vulnerability.
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Tuesday Mar 08, 2022
Nicotinamide riboside shows promise in Parkinson disease trial
Haukeland University Hospital (Norway), March 7 2022.
The March 1, 2022 issue of Cell Metabolism reported findings from a randomized, double-blind trial that revealed a benefit for nicotinamide riboside (NR, a form of vitamin B3) among men and women with Parkinson disease. Nicotinamide riboside is a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a coenzyme involved in metabolism whose levels decline during aging. “A growing body of evidence supports that boosting cellular levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) may confer neuroprotective effects in both healthy aging and neurodegeneration,” Brage Brakedal and colleagues wrote. The trial included 30 newly diagnosed Parkinson disease patients who had not received treatment for the disease. Half of the participants received 500 milligrams NR twice daily and the remainder received a daily placebo for thirty days. Upon enrollment and at the end of the study, participants received MRI and PET scans of the brain, and cerebrospinal fluid, skeletal muscle and blood cells were analyzed for metabolites. Gene expression in muscle and blood cells, and serum and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation were also analyzed at these time points.
(NEXT)
GlyNAC supplementation extends life span in mice
Baylor College of Medicine, March 7, 2022
For over two decades, Sekhar has studied natural aging in older humans and aged mice. His work contributes to providing a better understanding of how glutathione deficiency, increased oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and multiple additional hallmark defects of aging contribute to the aging process and how they can be reversed with GlyNAC supplementation. "Energy is the currency of life and is generated by mitochondria. However, aging is associated with mitochondrial malfunction, and this could affect energy availability. When we discovered that GlyNAC supplementation can correct mitochondrial defects in aging, we asked an important question: Could GlyNAC supplementation from a younger age extend length of life?" said Sekhar. "To answer this question, we worked with healthy, normal laboratory mice."
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Common houseplants can improve air quality indoors
University of Birmingham UK, March 7 2022
Ordinary potted house plants can potentially make a significant contribution to reducing air pollution in homes and offices, according to new research led by the University of Birmingham . During a series of experiments monitoring common houseplants exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – a common pollutant – researchers calculated that in some conditions, the plants could be able to reduce NO2 by as much as 20 per cent. The researchers tested three houseplants, easy to maintain and not overly expensive to buy. They included Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii), Corn plant (Dracaena fragrans) and fern arum (Zamioculcas zamiifolia). Each plant was put, by itself, into a test chamber containing levels of NO2 comparable to an office situated next to a busy road. Over a period of one hour, the team calculated that all the plants, regardless of species, were able to remove around half the NO2 in the chamber. The performance of the plants was not dependent on the plants’ environment, for example whether it was in light or dark conditions, and whether the soil was wet or dry.
(NEXT)
Nuts may help lower teenagers' risk of metabolic syndrome
University of Texas, March 5, 2022
Modest consumption of nuts every day is associated with an improved cardiovascular risk profile among adolescents, a new analysis of a large national database shows. T Adolescents who ate at least 12.9 grams (g) per day of nuts -- the equivalent of eating a small handful three times per week -- had less than half the odds of non-eaters for developing metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is a cluster of clinical features that heightens the risk of early heart disease and type 2 diabetes. "The surprising finding," said the study's lead investigator Roy Kim, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, "is that, in spite of what we know about their health benefits, the majority of teens eat no nuts at all on a typical day." More than 75% of all teens reported eating no nuts at all. The researchers discovered that metabolic syndrome risk decreased with each additional gram per day of nut intake, but only up to 50 g/day (about 1.8 ounces), when the benefit tapered off. Kim theorized that at higher intakes, any benefits may have been offset by eating too many calories.
(NEXT)
Garlic sprouted for five days has improved antioxidant potential
Medical News Today, 1 March 2022
"Sprouted" garlic - old garlic bulbs with bright green shoots emerging from the cloves - is considered to be past its prime and usually ends up in the garbage can. Scientists are reporting in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that this type of garlic has even more heart-healthy antioxidant activity than its fresher counterparts. Sprouted garlic has received much less attention. When seedlings grow into green plants, they make many new compounds, including those that protect the young plant against pathogens. Kim's group reasoned that the same thing might be happening when green shoots grow from old heads of garlic. Other studies have shown that sprouted beans and grains have increased antioxidant activity, so the team set out to see if the same is true for garlic.
TONIGHT, ON The Progressive Commentary Hour MY GUEST IS, Edward Dowd, Edward Dowd is a consultant for Symphonic Capital, a US and German financial firm analyzing risk management performance for S&P 500 market opportunities, where he advises on market and risk strategies. He is also a former managing director for large cap growth equities at Blackrock -- one of the world's top three corporate and banking asset holders.
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Monday Mar 07, 2022
Study shows broccoli may offer protection against liver cancer
University of Illinois, March 3 2022
A new study from the University of Illinois reports that including broccoli in the diet may also protect against liver cancer, as well as aid in countering the development of fatty liver or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which can cause malfunction of the liver and lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a liver cancer with a high mortality rate. "The normal story about broccoli and health is that it can protect against a number of different cancers. But nobody had looked at liver cancer," says Elizabeth Jeffery, a U of I emeritus professor of nutrition. "We decided that liver cancer needed to be studied particularly because of the obesity epidemic in the U.S. It is already in the literature that obesity enhances the risk for liver cancer and this is particularly true for men. They have almost a 5-fold greater risk for liver cancer if they are obese."
(NEXT)
More alcohol, less brain: Study finds an association that begins with an average of just one drink a day
University of Pennsylvania, March 4, 2022
The science on heavy drinking and the brain is clear: The two don't have a healthy relationship. People who drink heavily have alterations in brain structure and size that are associated with cognitive impairments. But according to a new study, alcohol consumption even at levels most would consider modest—a few beers or glasses of wine a week—may also carry risks to the brain. An analysis of data from more than 36,000 adults, led by a team from the University of Pennsylvania, found that light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with reductions in overall brain volume. The link grew stronger the greater the level of alcohol consumption, the researchers showed. As an example, in 50-year-olds, as average drinking among individuals increases from one alcohol unit (about half a beer) a day to two units (a pint of beer or a glass of wine) there are associated changes in the brain equivalent to aging two years. Going from two to three alcohol units at the same age was like aging three and a half years. The team reported their findings in the journal Nature Communications.
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Choosing to be with others is more consequential to well-being than choosing to be alone
Bar-Ilan University (Israel), March 4, 2022
A new study by researchers from Bar-Ilan University in Israel has found that the element of choice in our daily social interactions plays a key role in our well-being. Stable social relationships are conducive to well-being. But the effects of daily social interactions (or of time spent alone) on momentary feeling of happiness is not well understood. The current study, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, suggests that our sense of choice of being with others (or of being alone) is a central factor which shapes our feelings in these contexts. Importantly, it was suggested that choice matters more 'with others' than alone, because experiences with others are more intense.
(NEXT)
Researchers find certain onions have excellent anticancer benefits
Cornell University, March 4, 2022
When it comes to cancer fighting foods, onions are high on the list. But while all onions help to prevent cancer due to key chemicals and compounds, there are certain onions that have more anticancer health benefits than others, particularly when it comes to preventing the spread of colon and liver cancers. A study conducted by Cornell University food scientists looked at 10 varieties of onion and shallots. Researchers found that the Western Yellow, pungent yellow, Northern Red and shallot varieties of onions were the highest in cancer-fighting compounds. Pungent yellow and Western Yellow were found to be especially effective against colon cancer, while shallots, Western Yellow and pungent varieties helped to combat colon cancer. Pungent, bitter onion varieties provide strongest anti-cancer benefits While all onions have cancer-fighting effects, these varieties in particular have a high flavonoid and phenolic content, and these phytochemicals contribute to higher amounts of antioxidants that provide even more protection. These powerful chemicals literally help to “mop up” free radicals that would otherwise pose a damage to cells.
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A new study relates liquid fructose intake to fatty liver disease
University of Barcelona (Spain), March 3, 2022
A high-fat diet is not enough to cause short-term fatty liver disease. However, if this diet is combined with the intake of beverages sweetened with liquid fructose, the accumulation of fats in the liver accelerates and hypertriglyceridemia —a cardiovascular risk factor— can appear. This is explained in a study on a mouse experimental model, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research . Fructose is one of the most common sweeteners in the food industry. This simple sugar (monosaccharide) is industrially obtained from corn syrup, a product derived from this gramineae. With a great sweetener power and low production costs, fructose is used by the food industry to sweeten beverages, sauces and processed foods, despite the scientific evidence that associates it with metabolic diseases which are risk factors of cardiovascular pathologies.
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Friday Mar 04, 2022
Male patients with advanced cancer experienced reduced fatigue after vitamin D treatment
Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), March 3, 2022
Fatigue, or severe tiredness and exhaustion, is a distressing condition for many patients with advanced cancer. Unfortunately, good pharmacological treatment options are limited, and the ones available come with a risk of side effects and/or habituation. In a recently conducted study in palliative home care in Stockholm, Palliative-D, we were able to show that correction of vitaminD deficiency reduced both pain and fatigue in patients with advanced and metastatic cancer. The effects were moderate, but the treatment was surprisingly well tolerated without any severe side effects. The study showed that correction of vitamin D deficiency caused significantly reduced fatigue in men, but not in women.
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Study finds drinking wine with meals was associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes
Tulane University Obesity Research Center, March 3, 2022
An analysis of health data for nearly 312,400 current drinkers suggests consuming alcohol, most notably wine, with meals is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The analysis found: During an average of nearly 11 years of follow-up, about 8,600 of the adults in the study developed type 2 diabetes. Consuming alcohol with meals was associated with a 14% lower risk of type 2 diabetes compared to consuming alcohol without eating food. The potential benefit of moderate drinking on type 2 diabetes risk was evident only among the people who drank alcohol during meals, although the specific time of meals was not collected in this study. Consuming wine, beer and liquor had different associations with type 2 diabetes risk. While a higher amount of wine intake was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, a higher amount of beer or liquor was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
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Rhythm Of Breathing Key To Controlling Fear And Emotional Behavior
Northwestern University, March 2, 2022
We live in a fearful world with exposure to a deluge of stressors every day. As much as fear is a result of reacting to the actual or perceived events in our lives, it is also a biological function of the human body, and when equipped with an understanding of how the body manages the emotional system, we can easily outsmart it, tricking ourselves into emotional balance. This perspective is scientifically validated by new research from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, which discovered how the various rhythmic patterns of breath profoundly impact memory recall and the emotional body, specifically the fear response. The brain creates electrical impulses which link physical functions to emotional reactions, and the electrical activity of the brain is deeply affected by our breathing patterns. The outcome of this balance is determined by whether or not we are inhaling or exhaling, as well as if we are breathing through the nose or the mouth, as each variable creates a different electrical response within the brain. In the Northwestern study, participants were shown images of human expressions, some frightful, while engaging in various patterns of breathing. Researchers observed that people more easily process fear, and more readily recall images, while inhaling through the nose.
(NEXT)
New findings on daily walking steps needed for longevity benefit
University of Massachusetts, March 3, 2022
A meta-analysis of 15 studies involving nearly 50,000 people from four continents offers new insights into identifying the amount of daily walking steps that will optimally improve adults' health and longevity—and whether the number of steps is different for people of different ages. The oft-repeated 10,000-steps-a-day mantra grew out of a decades-old marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer, with no science to back up the impact on health. For adults 60 and older, the risk of premature death leveled off at about 6,000-8,000 steps per day, meaning that more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity. Adults younger than 60 saw the risk of premature death stabilize at about 8,000-10,000 steps per day. Interestingly, the research found no definitive association with walking speed, beyond the total number of steps per day, Paluch notes. Getting in your steps—regardless of the pace at which you walked them—was the link to a lower risk of death. The new research supports and expands findings from another study led by Paluch, published last September in JAMA Network Open, which found that walking at least 7,000 steps a day reduced middle-aged people's risk of premature death.
(VIDEOS)
INVENTION OF WHITENESS
John Powell, Distinguished professor of law, University of California at Berkeley
GUEST - Public Service - Campaign against Smart Meters
Les Jamieson
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Thursday Mar 03, 2022
Spice up your life: Cinnamon’s weight loss potential
University of Tokyo Japan, March 2, 2022
The active compound in cinnamon maybe a more tolerable weight loss ingredient than chilli pepper's capsaicin, a small exploratory clinical trial finds. A single ingestion of the active compound cinnamaldehyde increased energy expenditure by nearly four more calories over a 90 minute period compared to placebo. The researchers say cinnamaldehyde may offer a more tolerable thermogenic alternative to compounds like capsaicin found in chilli peppers. Anti-obesity effects? Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are located throughout the body and mediate sensations such as pain, taste and temperature. TRP channels can be activated by natural compounds such as chilli peppers' capsaicin and previous animal studies have suggested this may impact energy balance and have an 'anti-obesity' effect. Capsaicin can increase metabolism in humans through sensory nerve stimulation. A single ingestion of cinnamaldehyde significantly increased energy expenditure by 3.6 kcal over the 90-minute period of the experiment when compared to placebo. Capsaicin and cinnamaldehyde enhanced postprandial fat oxidation and increased nose temperature until 15 minutes after ingestion. Cinnamaldehyde also increased the cheek and chin temperature, the facial thermography revealed. Heart rate variability analysis did not show any changes to the nervous system.
(NEXT)
Exposure to great outdoors boosted mental health during pandemic
University of Colorado, March 2, 2022
People exposed to more green space during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic reported significantly less depression and anxiety, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research published in the journal PLOS One. The study also found that, at a time when mental health problems soared due to financial woes, supply shortages and nonstop news coverage of the virus, people sought solace in the great outdoors, with one-third spending more time there than they did pre-COVID. “This research shows how critical it is to keep parks and green spaces open in times of crisis. “It also shows that, as a public health measure, more effort should be made to put in green spaces and make them accessible.” The study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that green space can have a measurable impact on health.
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National study examines link between accountability to god, psychological well-being
Baylor University, March 2, 2022
Religious believers who embrace accountability to God (or another transcendent guide for life) experience higher levels of three of the four variables of psychological well-being – mattering to others, dignity and meaning in their lives, though not happiness – according to a study from researchers with Baylor University, Westmont College and Hope College. The study also found that this relationship is stronger among those who pray more often, suggesting that accountability coupled with communication may be a powerful combination for well-being. The study, Perceptions of Accountability to God and Psychological Well-Being Among US Adults, appears in Journal of Religion and Health and relies on data from the 2017 Baylor Religion Survey, a national survey of American religious beliefs, values and behaviors.
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Regular chocolate intake linked to enhanced cognition in cohort study
University of South Australia and University of Maine, March 2, 2022
Habitual chocolate consumption has correlation with better cognitive functioning, according to analyses of 968 people living in New York A study due for publication in the journal Appetite by researchers at the University of South Australia, the University of Maine and the Luxembourg Institute of Health (L.I.H.) examined the chocolate eating habits and cognitive performance of participants and assessed the eating habits of 968 people aged 23–98 years for 25 years.
(NEXT)
Acupuncture improves outcomes in carpal tunnel syndrome in part by remapping the brain
Massachusetts General Hospital, March 2, 2022
In a study reported in the journal Brain, a team of investigators based at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) sheds new light on exploring acupuncture for chronic pain disorders Researchers performed a sham-controlled acupuncture neuroimaging study of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), a neuropathic pain disorder. Few chronic pain disorders have established biomarkers or measureable treatment outcomes. However, in CTS measurements taken at the wrist of the speed at which signals are transmitted along the median nerve are a well known and accepted biomarker.
(OTHER NEWS - JUST ONE IF NECESSARY BEFORE MCGOVERN)
Analysis: Nuclear Disaster in Ukraine Could Make Swaths of Europe 'Uninhabitable for Decades'
Russia's assault on Ukraine risks nuclear devastation "far worse even than the Fukushima Daiichi catastrophe of 2011," Greenpeace warns.
Common Dreams. March 2, 2022
The international environmental group Greenpeace warned Wednesday that Russia's intensifying assault is placing Ukraine's nuclear power facilities under serious threat, risking devastation "far worse even than the Fukushima Daiichi catastrophe of 2011." In a 12-page analysis, Greenpeace details the unique hazards posed by Russia's war on Ukraine, which maintains 15 nuclear power reactors and is home to the largest nuclear energy complex in Europe. That facility, known as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, is currently surrounded by Russian troops looking to force their way through a makeshift blockade erected Wednesday by ordinary Ukrainians. Greenpeace's new brief argues that the Zaporizhzhia plant is especially vulnerable to an accident or attack stemming from Russia's invasion,. Greenpeace raises particular concern over the complex's susceptibility to electrical power outages, its storage of spent nuclear fuel, and risks posed by flooding given the facility's close proximity to the massive Dnipro river system. Severe damage to the plant, the group warns, could "render vast areas of the European continent, including Russia, uninhabitable for decades." "For the first time in history, a major war is being waged in a country with multiple nuclear reactors and thousands of tons of highly radioactive spent fuel," he continued. "The war in southern Ukraine around Zaporizhzhia puts them all at heightened risk of a severe accident."
(GUEST)
GUEST - RAY MCGOVERN
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
Wednesday Mar 02, 2022
30-60 mins of weekly muscle strengthening activity linked to 10-20% lower death risk
Tohoku University School of Medicine (Japan), March 1, 2022
Between 30 and 60 minutes of muscle strengthening activity every week is linked to a 10-20% lower risk of death from all causes, and from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, in particular, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The findings are independent of aerobic exercise. But the analysis points to a J-shaped curve for most outcomes, with no conclusive evidence that more than an hour a week of muscle strengthening activity reduces the risk further still. Examples of these activities include lifting weights; working with resistance bands; push-ups, sit-ups, and squats; and heavy gardening, such as digging and shoveling.
(NEXT)
Study finds lower oxidative stress in children who live and study near green spaces
Barcelona Institute for Global Health, March 1, 2022
A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), has analyzed, for the first time, the relationship between exposure to different green spaces and oxidative stress in children. The study concluded that greater exposure to vegetation is associated with lower levels of oxidative stress and that this association is observed regardless of the children's physical activity.
(NEXT)
Depression is more than a mental disorder—it affects the whole body
University of Granada (Spain), March 1, 2022
An international team of researchers has scientifically proven for the first time that depression is more than a mental disorder—it causes important alterations of the oxidative stress, so it should be considered a systemic disease, since it affects the whole organism. The results of this work, published in the renowned Journal of Clinical Psychiatry magazine, could explain the significant association that depression has with cardiovascular diseases and cancer, and why people suffering from depression die younger.
(NEXT)
Milk may exacerbate MS symptoms
University of Bonn (Germany), March 1, 2022
Multiple sclerosis sufferers often complain of more severe disease symptoms after consuming dairy products. Researchers at the Universities of Bonn and Erlangen-Nuremberg have now found a possible cause for this. According to the study, a protein in cow's milk can trigger inflammation that targets the "insulating layer" around nerve cells. The study was able to demonstrate this link in mice, but also found evidence of a similar mechanism in humans. The researchers therefore recommend that certain groups of sufferers avoid dairy products. The study has now been published in the journal PNAS.
(NEXT)
Study Reveals Anthocyanins in Strawberries Improve Insulin Resistance
Illinois Institute of Technology, March 1, 2022
A new study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Nutrition found that anthocyanin-rich strawberries may improve insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance (IR) is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome and a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Researchers observed the effect of anthocyanins on the postprandial insulin response of 21 obese adults with insulin resistance. Subjects were served a typical 'Western-style' meal high in carbohydrates and fat plus a beverage that contained freeze-dried whole strawberry powder. The beverages were controlled for fiber, and the amount of strawberry powder ranged from 0 grams to 40 grams (equivalent to 3 cups of fresh strawberries). When subjects drank the most concentrated beverage, they didn't produce as much insulin as when they drank the least concentrated versions. In other words, they didn't need as much insulin to metabolize their meal after drinking the anthocyanin-rich strawberry shake. While the exact mechanisms are unclear, strawberry anthocyanins may alter insulin signaling at a cellular level.
(OTHER NEWS)
The Consequences of Humiliating Russia
Russia’s actions in Ukraine are to a great extent the culmination of the numerous humiliations that the West has inflicted on Russia over the past 30 years Michael Brenner, CONSORTIUM NEWS. February 28, 2022
The Mafia is not known for its creative use of language beyond terms like “hitman,” “go to the mattresses,” “living with the fishes” and suchlike. There are, though, a few pithy sayings that carry enduring wisdom. One concerns honor and revenge: “If you are going to humiliate someone publicly in a really crass manner, make sure that he doesn’t survive to take his inevitable revenge.” Violate it at your peril. That enduring truth has been demonstrated by Russia’s actions in the Ukraine which, to a great extent, are the culmination of the numerous humiliations that the West, under American instigation, has inflicted on Russia’s rulers and the country as a whole over the past 30 years. They have been treated as a sinner sentenced to accept the role of a penitent who, clad in sackcloth, marked with ashes, is expected to appear among the nations with head bowed forever. No right to have its own interests, its own security concerns or even its own opinions. Few in the West questioned the viability of such a prescription for a country of 160 million, territorially the biggest in the world, possessing vast resources of critical value to other industrial nations, technologically sophisticated and custodian of 3,000 + nuclear weapons. No mafia don would have been that obtuse. But our rulers are cut from a different cloth even if their strut and conceit often matches that of the capos. The West nostalgically celebrates the Yeltsin years as the Golden Age of Russian Democracy – an age when life expectancy dropped sharply, when alcoholism rose and mental health declined, when the tanking economy threw millions into poverty, when the oligarchs strutted their stuff, when the presidential chauffeur was the most influential man in the country, and when everyone was free to shoot his mouth off since nobody else heard him in the din of their own voices. Vladimir Putin, of course, was made of sterner stuff. He put an end to the buffoonery, successfully took on the Herculean task of reconstituting Russia as a viable state, and presented himself as ruler of an equal sovereign in cultivating relations with his neighbors. In addition, he insisted that the civil rights and culture of Russians stranded in the Near Abroad be respected. Still, he gave no sign by word or deed that he contemplated using coercive means to restore the integration of Russian and Ukraine that had existed for more than 300 years. True, he opposed Western attempts to sever the ties between the two by incorporating Ukraine into their collective institutions – most notably the NATO declaration of 2008 stating that Ukraine (along with Georgia) were in the alliance’s antechamber being readied for entrance. Putin’s restraint contrasted with the audacity of Washington and its European subordinates who instigated the Maidan coup toppling the democratically elected president and promoting an American puppet in his place. In effect, the United States has been Ukraine’s overseer ever since – a sort of absentee landlord. This attitude has progressively lowered the bar on accusation and insult directed at Russia and Putin personally. For Hillary Clinton he was “a new Hitler” as far back as 2016, for Joe Biden he was a “killer,” for Congress members a Satan using a bag of diabolical instruments to corrupt and destroy American democracy. For all of them, a tyrant turning Russia back to the political Dark Ages after the glowing democratic spring of the Yeltsin years, an assassin – albeit an inept one whose targeted victims somehow survived in unnatural numbers, for the Pentagon a growing menace who moved rapidly up the enemies list – displacing Islamic terrorism by 2017 and vying with China for the top spot ever since. The obsession with Putin the Evil spread as Washington pushed its allies hard to join in the denunciation. The grossness of their personal attacks on Putin matched the ever-expanding scope of the accusations. In recent years, no election could be held in Europe without the leveling of charges that the Kremlin was “interfering” by some unspecified means or other – and at Putin’s personal direction. The absence of evidence was irrelevant. Russia became the pinata there to be smashed whenever one felt the urge or saw a domestic political advantage. Michael Brenner is a professor of international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.